There are two types of brides, the one who knows exactly who she wants to photograph her wedding day + the one who really has no idea. When I was planning my wedding I was in the boat of knowing exactly who I wanted to photograph our wedding, but I have been on the planning side with my friends and have seen them struggle with who they wanted to photograph their wedding day! The thought behind this blog post is to give you some practical questions to think about + ask your potential wedding photographer to help decide who is right for you (if that someone isn’t me, Bri or Holly that is 😉 ….shameless plugs are allowed here, right?!)
Set a Budget
This is the first important step when finding your photographer. Wouldn’t it suck to fall in love with a photographer just to find out their fee is more than your whole wedding budget? I would recommend setting a budget but being fairly flexible on the ends. I took out a step for you and googled “What does the average wedding photographer cost?” The answer? $2,500-$10,000 depending on experience and the amount of coverage. I want to stress here how important photography is. Once your wedding day is over, your photographs and your brain will be the only two things you have to remember your day by.
Find someone who’s style you LOVE and can see yourself loving forever!
There are a lot of popular styles that come and go throughout the years. When I first started photography there was a fad of super tilted photos and the whole black and white with only flowers in color. Now seven years later, those things are definitely not in the average photographer’s portfolio. I encourage you to find a photographer who’s style you are in love with. Everything they post you can see yourself loving for years to come! That way in 5-10 years you won’t cringe when you see your photos! *Extra note: contact the person you love ASAP with your date! Most photographers book busy wedding season (June-September for Montana) at least a year in advance!
Once you find someone you LOVE, ask to see a fully gallery
Photographers are just like anyone else with a business, they are going to showcase their best work. They aren’t going to share images on social media and their website that doesn’t showcase their work in the best light, so it is important to ask to see a full wedding gallery. That way you know who you are hiring can do a beautiful job throughout the whole day!
Find someone you both connect with
Other than the person you are going to marry, you will spend the most time on your wedding day with your photographer. You want to make sure you connect with this person and genuinely like their personality and company! It is one thing to love their work, but if the experience isn’t great, you will remember that most when looking back on your photos! Find someone who you click with!
I hope that helps you a little bit on your quest to find the perfect photographer for you and your honey! *Shameless plug* WE WOULD LOVE TO CHAT WITH YOU! We have three amazing photographers on our team + would be honored if you reached out to us for your day! You can find more about our wedding services HERE and contact us directly HERE!
Big hugs,
Mary
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