Choosing a wedding photographer is a very important part of wedding planning and as your special day approaches this needs to be at the top of your list. If you have already got your dress handled, ordered the cake and set the location it’s time to lock in a photographer. Here are a few tips to help you with the process.



The pictures that you get from your wedding can really only be taken at the event so it is absolutely crucial that you get a professional wedding photographer, there will be no second chances to get the shots. There are many things to think about including the cost and what kinds of packages are offered.

The price of a good photographer can rival the cost of your honeymoon so you definitely want to plan it into your budget. There will be many options available to you from basic shots of just the ceremony to a complete history of the entire day from preparing for the wedding all the way through the reception. Most people choose for a package that is a compromise somewhere between the two extremes.

Just as if you were contracting a painter or even someone to do work at your home you will want to see samples of the person’s work and check out their portfolio. If you are talking to a photographer that is a professional they should have a website available with samples of their work available online. This is how we found the photographer we used for our wedding. I also recommend choosing one who uses digital cameras as this almost guarantees good shots since they get to see the picture as soon as they take it. As I said earlier there are no second chances are and this is supposed to be the biggest day of your life. You want someone who can capture that day for you so you will have it forever.

The next thing you will want to do is decide on the number of prints you will require so that you will have enough for both sides of the family as well as yourselves. Of course, as the bride you will want one large one to frame and hang up in a main room. Be prepared for the prices of larger prints, they are not cheap! Usually the photos taken right after the ceremony are the most expensive as these where the photographer spends most of his time. We were very lucky and the photographer we chose liked us and ended up taking more pictures than we had paid for including hanging out at our reception for two hours.

You can also ask if they do video, if not maybe a friend or family member could do an amateur video for you. Another cool idea that sometimes gets shots that were not seen elsewhere is to give throw away cameras to your guests who can take pictures from their vantage point! Just take your time and you will find the right person to shoot your wedding!