The big day is almost upon you and as you check off your list of things to do, hiring a photographer should not be near the bottom. If you are like many couples, you may consider this the easy part of making arrangements. Yet, what could be more important than making sure memories of your special day are beautifully captured? In picking out your wedding photographer, spend some time doing your homework and watch for these six mistakes people make when choosing their wedding photographer.

1.Not looking for a photographer until the last minute. Once you have set the date, start the process of searching out your wedding photographer. Those who are good at what they do are going to have a busy schedule and you want to get on that schedule as soon as possible.

2.Hiring a Photographer Outside of Your Price Range? While you don't want to compromise quality, you also may have a budget to stay within. Ask plenty of questions regarding fees so that you can stay within your price range when hiring a photographer. Your photographer will likely require a deposit to hold your wedding date. Never agree to pay the entire fee for your wedding photography package up front. The balance of the fee should only be paid after the wedding, once you have seen and received your proofs. How much should you pay? Price ranges for photographers vary dramatically. You are paying for your photographer's experience, style, reputation, as well as overhead costs. Don't despair if your budget is limited, just keep looking.

You will also want to make sure you understand how re-orders of photos will be handled. Will the photographer keep the negatives, as many do, or will he turn the negatives over to you as part of the package? Traditionally, photographers have always kept the negatives, meaning that any additional photos you may require in the future would have to be acquired through the photographer for a fee. Today, however, it is not entirely uncommon for some professional photographers to turn over the negatives with the customer's purchase of the first set of prints. Be sure when comparing the cost of one photographer to another that you take these factors into consideration.

3.Not Having a Contract -Part of finalizing the arrangement between you and your photographer includes putting down a deposit and signing a contract. Never rely on a verbal arrangement or agreement, and don't ask the photographer to simply 'hold' the date for the time being. Without a signed contract and a paid deposit, that 'hold' is as good as nothing at all. A contract and paid deposit are the only security you have that the photographer is indeed reserved for you. Read through the contract and make sure you understand it? Is everything spelled out? What does it say about cancellations and the photographer not being there? If the photographer protests, ask him why? This is one area not to take lightly.

4.Not Examining The Photographer's Style - Every photographer has his or her own unique style. Are the images that you are shown what you would like to see? There are different styles of photographer including photojournalistic, formal, classic candid, and so on. Do you want a mixture of black and white or only color photos? Keep shopping until you find a photographer who style matches your own.

5.Not Asking For References or Reviewing The Photographer's Portfolio - Look at the photographer's portfolio and ask for personal references. You want to make sure this person is consistent in their work and references will help you determine this. You also want to make sure that the photographer is easy to get along with and that his or her past clients didn't have problems with them.

A photographer who doesn't have references or is afraid to give them to you may not be the person that you need to hire. This isn't to say that it's never okay to hire a less experienced wedding photographer. If you are on a very tight budget, for example, hiring a less experienced photographer should cost you considerably less than a very experienced one, so this may indeed be your best option (better than no photos at all, right?). But the bottom line is that it's very important to know what their experience level is so that you know what you are getting into and can make a well informed decision based on what is important to you. If it's important to you that the photos turn out absolutely perfect, go for someone very experienced. If saving money is of primary importance, perhaps experience will matter less to you. As a general rule though, the best advice is that photography is one area where you shouldn't intentionally skimp. Remember, 20 years from now, those photos will be all you have to connect you back to this one amazing moment in time - your wedding day.

6.Not Telling The Photographer What You Expect - Sit down with your photographer before the wedding and discuss the types of pictures he will be taking, and roughly how many of each. Don't be shy in letting the photographer know specifically and exactly what you want. Present them with a "wish list". For example, you may want to request a close-up shot of the wedding cake, photos of you with certain guests, etc. Make sure that you request multiple shots of any important moments - the cake cutting, the first dance, etc. - just in case a particular shot does not turn out.

Avoid making these six mistakes and you will find the hiring of the photographer of your wedding a much more easy and simplified part of your Wedding To-Do list.