Yay!! You’re engaged!! That’s the fun part. Now comes the planning, details and hiring vendors part. I understand that it can get stressful and overwhelming when you’re staring at that giant to-do list with no idea where to start. Well, lucky for you, I’m here! When hiring a wedding photographer, there are a few things you absolutely need to know. Read all of this and then head over to my website to send that wedding inquiry!
P.S. I travel all over the U.S.A. too!
Looking for and hiring a wedding photographer can be so super exciting but daunting at the same time.
So many photographers, so many styles, and so many beautiful photos. It’s like you want to get married over and over again just to try them all out. Obviously you aren’t getting married 20 times (although if you do, I’m your girl with the camera haha! totally kidding) so, use this guide to help you pick and hire the perfect wedding photographer!
Well, Let’s Get to Hiring your Wedding Photographer!
When you’re looking for a wedding photographer, you absolutely, positively, no debates about it, need to ask for 1-2 FULL DAY wedding albums. Everyone can showcase two or three amazing photos out of 2,000 shots; odds are one will show up looking great.
You need to know that you can trust your photographer with your photos for the entire day.
To your photographer, the family formals aren’t super special all of the time. It’s not because they’re not invested in your entire day, it’s because they’re YOUR family and really your bridal portraits are what will mostly be showcased on their website and social media. That’s just the truth.
This is why you need to ask for full day gallery when hiring a wedding photographer. You want your photographer to put as much attention and care into every single photo in your gallery as they would the ones they will showcase.
This also ensures that they have as much experience as they’re claiming to have. Someone who has been shooting for 5,6,8 years will have galleries that match the experience. Anyone can say “I started my business 10 years ago” but if they haven’t been actively working on improving in those 10 years then it will show in their photos.
Once you get to the “contact your photographer” step, make sure you really just sit and have a conversation together.
How do I know What Style of Photos I Want?
This is easy. You know. That’s it! Just kidding, it can be a bit more complicated than that. What I like to do is to start off by sitting and imagining my wedding photos printed around my house. Do I have a first kiss hanging in the bedroom? Will I have a drone shot of an adventure wedding photo in the living room? Do I love black and white photos or do I want to fill my house with bright colored photos? These are all things to consider to help narrow down the style of photos you’re looking for when hiring a wedding photographer. Keep in mind that you want an editing style that matches your personalities as well.
Got a starting point?
So you’ve found a point in all of the planning mess where you can get started. Let’s say you know the types of photos you love and you found a few photographers that fit that style. Once you figure out who you love, you need to sit down and:
- FIRST, go through what you would like your day to look like, where you ideally want to get married, and have a few rough ideas mapped out. This is IMPORTANT, your photographer should be able to walk you through a wedding day, incorporate all of your ideas and get a rough timeline estimate mapped out. This will help them figure out a price for your day.
- And SECOND, figure out a budget for photo and/or video. After couples figure out their budget, the next logical step is to get in contact with those photographers.
Inquiry is sent, now what?
Sending out that inquiry is a huge first step to hiring a wedding photographer! That gets the ball rolling and starts conversations. Once the inquiry is out, the responses will start rolling in. In my opinion, the faster the response, the more attentive the photographer to their couples. There are exceptions, of course, because life happens to all of us but as a general rule, quick responses are the only way that your wedding day will go smoothly.
After they respond, schedule a phone call or video call and ask all of the great questions I’ve given you and add your own too! This phone call also helps you figure out if you like their personality, if they make a good fit for the two of you. It will help you gauge how organized and overall invested in you they are as well. Once the phone call is over, your photographer can compile all of that detail and get back to you about your wedding day.
Questions for a Call with Your Photographer:
Asking the right questions will absolutely help you decide whether a photographer is right for you or not. These questions down below I wrote as a bit of a guideline, in no particular order, for all of you newly engaged couples. They should help you out when you’re looking for which wedding photographer to hire!
- Why did you choose wedding photography? Some have really interesting stories and it’s important to build that relationship with them so ask those random questions. Even if they don’t technically have anything to do with your wedding, it is ultimately where they will often draw their inspiration from. I started off loving the Great Depression era photos. They’re iconic, timeless, and just so so full of emotions; specifically, the Migrant Mother image. Mix that with my love for all things wedding related and Viola! A wedding photographer is born.
- Do you travel? This is important! You could find your dream photographer but OH NO, they’re out of state. That might not be the problem you’re thinking it is! As photographers, we are creative beings and the opportunity to shoot in another location, get creative with hills, mountains, beaches, etc. is awesome! Not all will travel but it doesn’t hurt to ask!
- What is your motivation behind photography? Their inspiration can be different from their motivation. This is just another conversation starter and gets you really knowing what your photographer is all about.
- Do you offer video services as well? Sometimes if you book for photo and video, there is a package price, BUT, it’s also nice to know that your photographer is focused solely on photos and videographer on videos.
- Can you send me two full day wedding galleries? I know I went over this already but IT’S IMPORTANT!!
- How long have you been shooting for?
- What can we expect on our wedding day and the months leading up to it? A good photographer will know the answer to this question. They will be sending you info, keeping in touch, planning details with you, asking excitedly about details or your dress/veil, even your flowers etc. If you are stressing because of the lack of communication between them and you, that’s a RED FLAG. You deserve quick, thorough responses; not 2-3 weeks of waiting before you get a response.
- Do you have a contract? Sign a contract. If you don’t see a contract then there is nothing holding them to your wedding date or taking your deposit and running off. It sounds insane but I’ve heard cases and it SUCKS to be the bride looking for a photographer the week of your wedding because your photographer isn’t responding. Sign the contract.
- Why did you choose wedding photography? Some have really interesting stories and it’s important to build that relationship with them so ask those random questions. Even if they don’t technically have anything to do with your wedding, it is ultimately where they will often draw their inspiration from. I started off loving the Great Depression era photos. They’re iconic, timeless, and just so so full of emotions; specifically, the Migrant Mother image. Mix that with my love for all things wedding related and Viola! A wedding photographer is born.
- What is your motivation behind photography? Their inspiration can be different from their motivation. This is just another conversation starter and gets you really knowing what your photographer is all about.
- How long have you been shooting for?
- Do you travel? This is important! You could find your dream photographer but OH NO, they’re out of state. That might not be the problem you’re thinking it is! As photographers, we are creative beings and the opportunity to shoot in another location, get creative with hills, mountains, beaches, etc. is awesome! Not all will travel but it doesn’t hurt to ask!
- Can you send me two full day wedding galleries? I know I went over this already but IT’S IMPORTANT!!
- Do you shoot with a drone? Not a disqualifier usually but it’s nice to know what you’re getting as part of your wedding day experience.
- Do you offer video services as well? Sometimes if you book for photo and video, there is a package price, BUT, it’s also nice to know that your photographer is focused solely on photos and videographer on videos.
- What can we expect on our wedding day and the months leading up to it? A good photographer will know the answer to this question. They will be sending you info, keeping in touch, planning details with you, asking excitedly about details or your dress/veil, even your flowers etc. If you are stressing because of the lack of communication between them and you, that’s a RED FLAG. You deserve quick, thorough responses; not 2-3 weeks of waiting before you get a response.
- Do you have a contract? Sign a contract. If you don’t see a contract then there is nothing holding them to your wedding date or taking your deposit and running off. It sounds insane but I’ve heard cases and it SUCKS to be the bride looking for a photographer the week of your wedding because your photographer isn’t responding. Sign the contract.
- Do your packages include a second shooter? You guys. Most people don’t want to spend that extra 500-600 bucks and hire a second shooter if they aren’t already included in the package. You WANT those photos, I promise. This ensures that your photographer isn’t rushed, spread thin, focused so much on getting all of the necessary shots that you miss out on some amazing candid ones. Hire the second photographer.
- What happens if you aren’t able to shoot on the wedding day? In that contract you will sign, there should be a clause just in case there is an emergency with your photographer and they aren’t able to make it to your wedding day. Ensure that they have 2-3 back up associate photographers prepared just in case they need someone to take over your wedding day. Don’t worry if that happens! Your photographer will still do all of the editing so you will get the exact look you wanted, and they will only hire someone they trust and that has a similar shooting style so you will be in good hands!
- Do you offer payment plans? What?? Payment plans? Yes, Payment plans. You might want to pass on your DREAM photographer because they are out of your budget. Most photographers will offer payment plans, usually you’ll be able to break up the total into 4 installments. You’ll be able to pay it off slowly and then your dream photographer will be shooting your wedding. I promise you it’s worth spending a little more for incredible photos than spending less for just “okay” photos.
- Is your pricing package based or a la carte? First off, what does a la carte mean? Simply put, it’s a list of items instead of a package. So everything is priced separately. Hours, prints, albums, second shooters, engagement sessions, all of it priced separately. This is good to know because then you can customize your pricing to match closely to your budget!
- Do your packages include a second shooter? You guys. Most people don’t want to spend that extra 500-600 bucks and hire a second shooter if they aren’t already included in the package. You WANT those photos, I promise. This ensures that your photographer isn’t rushed, spread thin, focused so much on getting all of the necessary shots that you miss out on some amazing candid ones. Hire the second photographer.
- What happens if you aren’t able to shoot on the wedding day? In that contract you will sign, there should be a clause just in case there is an emergency with your photographer and they aren’t able to make it to your wedding day. Ensure that they have 2-3 back up associate photographers prepared just in case they need someone to take over your wedding day. Don’t worry if that happens! Your photographer will still do all of the editing so you will get the exact look you wanted, and they will only hire someone they trust and that has a similar shooting style so you will be in good hands!
- Do you offer payment plans? What?? Payment plans? Yes, Payment plans. You might want to pass on your DREAM photographer because they are out of your budget. Most photographers will offer payment plans, usually you’ll be able to break up the total into 4 installments. You’ll be able to pay it off slowly and then your dream photographer will be shooting your wedding. I promise you it’s worth spending a little more for incredible photos than spending less for just “okay” photos.
There are probably a million more questions but they will come naturally and will also vary from wedding to wedding although this should get you a good head start!
I’ve Found My Wedding Photographer!
Great! This is the final step to hiring a photographer for your wedding day. After the price is set and you and your fiancée are happy with the photographer and the details, the photographer should send out a contract. Once you get the contract, read it over, sign it and send over the deposit. That is as simple as it gets. After that you wait until your engagement session and/or wedding day! Your photographer will be in touch about locations, details, all of that good stuff a few weeks before the wedding!
Hiring a Photographer From out of State
When hiring a photographer who is not in your state, it’s important to understand that it’s not any more difficult than hiring one from your hometown! It may be harder to meet face to face but that doesn’t make it impossible. If you absolutely love a photographer’s work, reach out. The worst that can happen is that they say no or you decide otherwise. Many times you’ll find photographers are willing to travel to shoot your wedding. I also know for a fact that many times a photographer will discount their prices to come in from out of state for the crazy opportunity to shoot your wedding, especially if it’s a destination wedding, or even more preferred for me, an elopement or intimate wedding!
That’s all I have for you this time. Be sure to reach out for your wedding day and see if I have your date available! Follow my account on Instagram to see more about my travels, wedding bridals, and lots of amazing inspiration for your wedding day! I’d love to meet and talk to you, and eventually (fingers crossed) become your wedding photographer. Make sure you ask me all of the questions I mentioned above though haha!
XOXO,
Andreia Danielle
