Choosing the vendors for your wedding day can be a tiresome and daunting process,

if only it was as easy as saying, ” YES ” when he got down on one knee…

 

I won’t pretend to be an expert but I will tell you what I know and have learned as both a bride and a wedding photographer. I lucked out with an amazing team of photographers for our wedding day and from that moment on, I had a new respect for what I do. I remember my new husband and I raving about the experience we had on our wedding day with our photographers. They added something special to our day and made us feel so much joy. It made me realize how utterly important it is to have people who make you feel beautiful, confident, and who ensure that you are having fun.

1.) Thumbs up: it is true what they say, it isn’t about what you know, it is who you know. Ask your friends and relatives if they have any recommendations. If you are middle-aged like me, you probably have a handful of friends who have recently got married, ask around for who they would recommend! Also, look for feedback from previous clients… what do they say? Were they pleased, blown away, or just satisfied? Websites like, theknot.com offers a place for prior clients to review their services, take the time to do the research!  Don’t overlook the power of social media: check out facebook, twitter, their blogs. Have they been featured on blogs or in publications? What are the tone of their posts, how do they interact with clients… this is all important attributes to see the character of the photographer

 

 

2.)Birds of a feather: Seek out a photographer who has a similar style and taste as you, both professionally and personally. Could you see yourself being friends outside of your wedding plans? Do they make you feel comfortable? Look at their past weddings, do the other brides have a similar style and taste? As a wedding photographer I get to be involved in the most important parts of your day, from getting into your dress for the first time to pinning on the men’s flowers. Keep in mind, most of us have been to a TON of weddings, since you only experience your own wedding day once, we can usually help things stay on schedule and gauge what needs to be done. I like to think of myself as a very handy “personal attendant” who has an awesome camera and a sweet personality…

 

 

3.) Real, raw, authentic: It is incredibly important to find someone who you get along with and compliments you! You want to be comfortable with the person you choose to capture your wedding, so it is important to find someone who is invested in your day from start to finish. Remember: if you don’t like your photographer, chances are your friends and family won’t either, so find someone who can comfortably meld with everyone. You want to find someone who is outgoing enough to round up your family and wedding party, but engaged enough to know when to let a moment just happen naturally. The last thing you want to worry about is if your photographer feels comfortable, so pick someone who you feel would be able to enjoy the process!

 

 

4.) It’s all in the details: I can not express how important it is to find someone who LOVES weddings… you might have the most talented photographer in the world, but are they going to know to take photographs of the seating chart that took you hours upon hours to DIY? Will they remember to take photographs of your shoes, earrings, garter? After being a bride, I realized how important each and every detail was to me, because each detail was time, money, and memories – most of which doesn’t last after the wedding date. Although they may not be the photos you hang on the wall, those are the ones that make you relive your day, remember the work of wedding planning, and appreciate the day it all came together.I have learned to encompass and appreciate each and every simple detail and I can’t express how appreciative I am that my photographer captured all of ours, it helps me to relive our day time and time again.

 

 

5.) Leave it to the pros: I always cringe when people say that they are hiring their second cousin who has a nice camera to snap their photos. As a bride, I am SO glad that we chose professional photographers who knew exactly what they were doing. It is the only wedding investment that endures and I am here to tell you that after all of the time, money, and emotion of planning a wedding day – it is worth every penny, because all that remains are photographs that tell our love story. When you hire a professional you not only pay for someone with experience, you pay for the entire experience from start to finish. Prepare to spend a sizeable portion of your budget on a photographer. You are not only paying for their time on your wedding day, you are paying for the post processing of your photographs and the products that come with it. When you have vendors you can trust, all that is left is for you to enjoy your day!