as a destination wedding photographer, i’ve found myself time and time again wondering “how on earth did i get myself here? this is kind of strange but also really, really unbelievably awesome!” like the time i found myself in a safeway parking lot in spokane, washington wiring rose heads and designing my bride’s bouquet with her aunt because of a giant mishap with her bridal order. or getting stuck in traffic for three hours while driving from san diego to the disneyland hotel with the sweetest of newlyweds—spending their first hours of marriage together with them squished in the back of their bmw (don’t worry, we somehow ended up best friends after it all!) i have played wedding coordinator and maid of honor and weather woman during wedding days; i have really seen it all! which makes me think how truly important it is to find that connection between client and wedding photographer to deliver the best services on the wedding day and the best clients after the fact.

besides your marriage, your wedding photos some of the very few tangible remains of your wedding—of the hours of planning, the thousands of dollars, the little quarrels with your mom, and allll of those headaches. and more importantly, they’re your MEMORIES of that precious day; when you’re ninety, you likely won’t remember what your “something blue” for your wedding day was. in fact, you may not remember much at all about your wedding day! so your wedding photos are the records of your memories from your wedding… and i can’t hardly think of anything more important!

so it’s pretty clear that choosing a wedding photographer is critical. and these days, there are so many photographers to choose from—and so much talent flooding the market. so how on earth do you decide?!

well, having gone through the process myself recently AND being in the industry, i certainly have a few insights on the matter. so here is an eight step guide to selecting the perfect wedding photographer for your most important day!

1. explore styles. before you can select the perfect photographer, you have to know what you’re looking for! head over to some of the most popular wedding blogs to get a feel for what some of the best photographers are doing. see what is trendy versus what is traditional versus what is artistic versus what is eclectic versus what is photojournalistic and decide what style resonates with you best! do you want someone who is going to capture every little detail and emotion of the day like a fly on the wall? Or someone who is going to take each element of your wedding and your love and display it like a piece of fine art? think about how you want your memories to be told and how you want yourself (and others!) to remember your wedding day.

2. pick a budget and stick with it. i know, i know: this is easier said than done! but it is really important in ensuring your overall happiness with your wedding photos. it can be so hard to know what is a reasonable amount to spend on your wedding photographs. websites like this will help you find out the average amount spent on weddings (and photographers) in your region, but what if that’s not quite within your price range? although i certainly understand the need to be cautious with your budget, i urge you to stretch the photography budget as much as possible—and that’s not just because i’m a photographer! while you and your guests will likely forget about the fact that you chose the less expensive garden roses in your centerpieces as opposed to the pricier peonies, you’ll never be able to forget about the inexpensive photographer who got your first kiss out of focus or who underexposed half of your images. once your budget is set, only look at photographers that are within your price range! i cannot stress this enough. seriously, lusting after a photographer that you cannot afford is as dangerous as trying on and falling in love with that dream prada gown that is four times your budget. by browsing too many photographers that are out of your price range, you run the risk of ending up with a lack of satisfaction when your wedding photos are delivered. and i promise; you really, really want to adore your wedding photos!

3. ask around. sometimes, the best recommendations in the arts come from friends! so make it known that you’re looking for a wedding photographer and seeking recommendations. people will let you know who they loved working with (or who you should avoid) locally, which can be incredibly helpful.

4. streamline your inquiries. there is nothing worse than exchanging a few e-mails with a photographer, falling in love with them, and then realizing that your wedding day is already booked! so it’s generally best to be upfront with a photographer when you’re seeking their services. here are a few steps that can help you be prepared (and get the best results from them!):

              mention your wedding time/date and when you’d like to get other portrait sessions taken care of (engagements, bridals, etc.)

              -be upfront about your budget. while most photographers have some sort of pricing information listed on their site, it can be helpful for a photographer to know what type of budget you’re working with; some photographers will tailor their packages to fit budgetary needs

-ask for samples of a full wedding. unfortunately, i was put in a very disappointing position with my own wedding photos in regard to this, so i cannot recommend enough to ask for more than one full wedding to view. when I picked my wedding photographer, i only got one sample wedding… and although my photographer had a huge portfolio and posted wonderful images online, my reception images were not nearly what i expected. but if you ask for at least 2-3 different full weddings, you can see each element of the wedding and check the photographer’s consistency. it can also be helpful to ask for ceremony/reception photos in a similar situation to your own (i.e. if you’re getting married in a church, view church images; if you’re reception is indoors in a dark venue, see a reception shot with flash).

5. personality check. it is so important to make sure that your personalities click! if you’re a laid-back bride, you may not want a bossy photographer, and visa versa. you want a photographer that makes you feel comfortable, can make you laugh, and meshes well with your personality. which leads me to the next point…

6. meet in person with your photographer. in some circumstances, this isn’t always possible; as a destination wedding photographer, i totally get that! but skype is a beautiful thing… and if that doesn’t work, phone calls can often do the trick. but sit down with your potential photographer and chat over hot cooca. get to know them a little bit, ask them about their process as an artist, and look over their printed products and albums. ask how they edit the photos. are they going to photoshop out undercircle eyes or charge you more for that? do they offer images in color and black and white? make sure that you click!

7. make sure your visions match up. before you book, be 190% sure that you’ve been clear about what types of photos you want… and that your photographer has that same vision.

8. read your contract. before paying your deposit and signing that contract, be sure to read it carefully and ask about anything that isn’t clear to you. find out exactly what products you’re paying for, whether you’ll have digital files on a dvd or if you’ll need to purchase them later, and how long it will take your photographer to deliver the images. often, i have heard of clients being unhappy with their photographers because they expected them done a month earlier than what was stated in the contract or because they did not understand certain restrictions.

aaaand voila, you’ve got yourself beautiful, priceless wedding photos! (or the potential to get them, at least!) check back for part two, about how to guide your photographer to get the best wedding images. all of the extra work is worth it; i promise!

XO,

anna

anna gleave photography is a baltimore-based destination wedding photographer with a love for mint chocolate chip ice cream, skipping through timezones, + fine photographs. she loves capturing the beauty of the everyday and the exquisite beauty of the extraordinary (aka YOUR WEDDING), so if you’re in search of a wedding photographer, contact her through the contact form listed!