How to choose a Wedding Photographer

A wedding photographer is one of the most important suppliers on your big day. They will capture all of the amazing moments you have, and make them last for a lifetime.

It is therefore crucial that you choose a photographer that will suit your needs and provide the best value within your budget.

To help, we have compiled a list of the few things you need to consider when choosing a wedding photographer:

[1] Determine your needs

What is it that you want from a photographer on your big day? Consider the following:

- Do you want to capture all of the moments, from getting ready up to the party? Or do you only want a professional shoot after the ceremony with you and your spouse?

- Do you want a certain amount of edited photos?

- Do you want the digital images only? Or should the photographer also include a printed album?

- How long are you willing to wait for your photos? Most photographers take 2-3 months, some even longer. Are you willing to wait, or do you want a photographer that supplies your photos within 1-2 months?

[2] Determine your style

It is important to choose a photographer that matches your style of photos, and the style on your wedding day. The best is to have a look on Pinterest or other platforms at different wedding photos. Pin your favourite ones and see if there is a cohesive style. For example:

- White, soft edited images

- Dark and dramatic edited images

- Grainy edited images

- Up close and personal images

- Stylish and trendy images

- Quirky images

- Artistic images

- Retro images

The list goes on and on. Just remember that you can't use a photographer with soft edited images, if you want dark and dramatic images. They have their own editing style, and won't fit to your vision if it does not match their style of editing.

You should therefore look at their portfolio and ensure that it fits your vision and style for your big day. This will ensure that your needs are met, and that you aren't disappointed when your photos arrive.

[3] Determine your budget

How much are you willing to pay for a photographer? Start by doing market research on this and understand where your budget fits.

It is fair if you only, for example, have a R5 000 budget. But then you will have to accept certain limitations within the market. For example: the photographer you are able to get for a full day, might not be as experienced or deliver exceptional quality editing. Or you might get a great photographer, but only for a limited amount of hours on the day etc. This however is not necessarily the status quo. Price does not always equal quality and talent. Sometimes the cheaper photographer is far better than the highly expensive one. But the general market price should give you at least an indication of what to expect when starting to ask for quotes.

It is therefore best to determine what you are willing to pay, and to do some research on where your budget falls in the general market. This will give you a clear idea on what to expect from different photographers, and to determine what a good and fair value for your money would be.

Also ensure that you ask for quotes from various photographers. Prices will vary from one photographer to the next. Some might have specials running. So make a shortlist and ask for quotes from everyone on the list. This will further ensure that you get the best value for your money.

[4] Read reviews

We cannot stress this enough. Read reviews on your chosen shortlist. This is the best way to determine whether a photographer's portfolio matches their actual work.

Search for reviews on Google, Facebook, Hello Peter etc. You can also ask on Facebook pages whether someone has used a certain photographer, and whether they would recommend their work.

Doing so is the best way to avoid disappointment and frustrations before, during or after your big day.

Important: if a photographer disabled their reviews/recommendations on Facebook, it should be a BIG RED FLAG for you.

[5] Talk to your potential photographer

Whether it be over the phone or a meeting in person. This will help you determine what type of person they are. Being in front of the camera is already daunting for some. Having a photographer that is positive, friendly and helpful will help you and your spouse relax in front of the camera and ultimately create more beautiful photos.

If a photographer is for example soft and shy, you yourself will have to show confidence and take initiative on your big day to assist with getting the best photos. Other photographers might always be in a rush, or make you feel like they are doing you a favour. This is obviously someone you don't want on your wedding day, regardless of the quality of their work, as they will make you feel uncomfortable and rushed.

[6] Special conditions

Also learn more about the special conditions of your potential photographer. For example:

- What is their travel fee?

- What is their accommodation fee?

- Are they willing to shoot for longer than their package states? And if so, what is the additional charge for this?

- Do they only provide you with watermarked (their logo) photos? Or do you also receive the normal edited images that you are able to print?

- Are there any other restrictions or limitations in their contract?

[7] Do they, and are they willing to take initiative

The last thing you want to stress about on your wedding day, is thinking of poses, what different types of angles should be shot and where to find the perfect backdrop for your photos.

Discuss the following with your photographer, and ensure that they are willing to take the lead:

- Will they coach you on where and how to stand for the photos?

- Do they scout the venue beforehand for where they will have the perfect backdrops to your photos?

- Have they shot at the venue before? If so, they could already know the best spots for taking photos.