Finding the right photographer & photography package for your wedding day
I have put this blog together on finding the right photographer & photography package for your wedding day to help couples on their wedding planing journey. I have been a wedding & portrait photographer for over 6 years now and as a bride myself a couple of years ago I have learnt a lot about the industry.
Finding a wedding photographer and choosing a photography package for your wedding can be a hard task and it’s difficult to know where to start. There are so many of us out there, all with different styles, packages and price options.
Where to start
It is so important to find a photographer that you feel comfortable with and who’s style suits your day and your vision.
The best place to start is online, check out some of the leading wedding blog websites like ‘The English Wedding Blog’ & ‘Whimsical Wonderland Weddings’ and look through a few different weddings. Get a feel for the different photography styles and find words used to describe the photography or weddings you like the most, these words are a great way to refine your search when you start looking for wedding photographers.
(check out the links above to see blog features with some of my wonderful couples)
Once you have found a photographer you really love the first thing to check is that they are free on your wedding date. Once you have confirmation that they are available I would advise meeting your photographer face to face. It is a great opportunity to look through more examples of their work and ask lots of questions. Most importantly you want to be sure you and your Fiancé feel comfortable with the photographer and you can relax around them.
I’m always happy to travel far and wide for my clients and I don’t think it is vital to find a local photographer, if your photographer is based quite a long way from you then setting up a Skype or FaceTime call can work just as well.
When you have a meeting or call set up it’s time to get a list of questions together. There are plenty of sites out there with lists of questions for you to ask potential suppliers, but I would advise going through the list before your meeting and note down the questions that really matter to you. You should see the quality of a photographer through their images and reviews. If you respect them after meeting them, love their work, their website, and their products then you should trust them to capture and edit your images to the same professional level.
It’s fine to meet and chat with more than one photographer, if you end up liking them all after talking to them then it will all come down to finding the best package for your day.
Choosing the right photography package
There are so many variations of wedding photography packages out there it can get a bit confusing. Every photographer has their own way of doing things and creates packages to suit.
Once you have narrowed down your options to one or a few favourite photographers you then have the challenge of comparing packages. There are a few important questions you can ask yourselves to help narrow down the options.
What is your budget?
A rough figure is fine to start off with and it helps to have a bit of flexibility. Be practical, wedding photography is one of the bigger costs to a wedding, don’t underestimate the cost of a photographer.
Do you want to have the full day photographed?
When a photographer says ‘the full day’ we mean covering the bride getting ready up to the first dance (or a little after). Decide if you want photos with your bridesmaids or close friends while you get ready in the morning, would you like to document special moments before the ceremony like your dad seeing you in your dress for the first time.
If not then what elements of your day do you want photographed?
If the bridal prep isn’t for you then have a think about when you would like the photography to start. Would you like photos of your guests arriving for the ceremony? You may love the idea of the bridal prep photos but are having a small and low key reception so don’t want the photography to go on into the night.
Would you like a wedding album?
Like me, most photographers will offer the option to order an album after the wedding so there isn’t pressure to make a decision before hand if you’re not ready to. Having said this if you know you would definitely like one you could be saving a bit of money by ordering it with your package. If you want an album it’s definitely worth budgeting for one at the beginning.
Would you like to have two photographers on the day?
If you like the idea of capturing yourself and your partner getting ready on the morning of your wedding and want lots of beautiful photos from different angles throughout the day than a second photographer is a great addition. I have a small number of lovely photographers I call on to work with me when couples request a second shooter and they are all full time wedding photographers.
Answering just a couple of these questions will be a huge help towards you choosing the right wedding photography package for you.
To give you a first look at some photography packages and an idea of what is available, feel free to head to my ‘Prices & Packages’ page for more information and please get in touch if you have any questions at all.
Good luck on your wedding planning journey, you’re going to have so much fun! x
