Tampa Photography Blog

When a couple gets engaged they seem to only have days of bliss, then the focus immediately goes to planning the wedding. It doesn't have to be stressful and one of the most important ways to make it go smoothly is to be educated when you choose your vendors. I hope this guide helps brides and grooms choose the right photographer for your wedding.

1)      Be honest. Sit down with your fiancé and decide what the number one factor in choosing a photographer is. Style? Cost? Wedding packages? Experience? Location? Personality? Reputation?

2)      Do your research. Explore at least ten local photographers in the city you are getting married in. This will help you understand what the local market average is for wedding photography and who is overcharging. (For example, you will be charged much more in Los Angeles or New York than you will be in a small, rural area.)

3)      Discover what your photo style is: traditional, contemporary, documentary, etc. You can easily do this by looking at the definition of each style or by asking photographers that you like, how their style is defined.

4)      Set a realistic budget and stick to it. This ensures you won’t waste your time or the photographer’s time if you have a clear idea of what you want to spend. If you want to put a priority on your wedding photos, decide what else you can sacrifice to make it happen. Can you do smaller centerpieces? Can you skip favors or Save the Dates? Maybe you can offer open bar but with wine and beer instead of top shelf liquor?

5)      Meet with the photographers if you are not having a destination wedding. Ask lots of questions. You can also get a good feeling for how professional they are by their timeliness, presentation and personality. A client once told me his deciding factors for hiring a photographer was using a ratio of 50% personality, 25% talent and 25% rates.

6)      Make sure you actually get your images! There are different schools of thought on this but I believe you should always get a DVD of your high-resolution images after the wedding. Some photographers will only show you the proofs and ask you to buy prints from them at an inflated rate. I understand others profit from their print sales a great deal but I still believe the bride and groom alone should receive their digital negatives after making such a substantial investment.

7)      Analyze the wedding packages offered. As I said above, ensure there is a DVD included. And ask the photographer how long it will be before you receive your images. My brother did not know the answer to that question and waited EIGHT months before he received the DVD. All packages are different but they should include an engagement session before the wedding, a DVD of the wedding photos and an online gallery of both. Prints and albums are optional but some photographers like me, prefer to keep it simple.

8)      Ask for two to three recent references and look for reviews online. Some photographers are listed on sites like The Knot and The Wedding Wire and will have clients post reviews about their work.

9)      Understand you will not look exactly like the couples you see on the photographers’ websites. Everyone is different so even though you will look your absolute best on your big day, you’ll still be you. And that’s ok! J

10)  This is extremely important so don’t be fooled that it’s last on my list: Read your contract! Most professional wedding photographers will have a contract that states their rights to the photos, explains what will happen if you cancel, payment schedules, refunds, how a natural disaster or illness would play out and what is required of the photographer. If you can have at least two other people besides you and your fiancé look it over, it will ensure that nothing is slipping through the cracks. Wedding photography is personal and creative but it’s still a business.

I hope this helps brides and grooms in finding the right wedding photographer for your tastes and budget. I understand I don’t fit everyone’s needs so I offer a wedding vendor list (that includes at least five other photographers) to brides and grooms so they can make an informed decision. It’s your day and it’s a huge investment so don’t rush your decision!

Good luck and best wishes!