Choosing the Perfect Wedding Photographer: The Importance of Your Wedding Photographer

Your wedding day is a tapestry of emotions, moments, and memories. From the excitement as you step into your gown or suit to the tearful joy of saying ‘I do’ and the heartwarming laughter shared with loved ones. Each second is priceless. And while the day itself may pass in what feels like a heartbeat, the memories, if captured right, last a lifetime! That’s why choosing the perfect wedding photographer, for YOU, is important! So let’s go through how you can decipher between different styles, and what to look for.

More than just a person behind the camera, the right wedding photographer is the storyteller of your love’s journey. They don’t just snap pictures—they craft a narrative. With every click, they freeze the essence of the moments, big and small, that weave the fabric of your special day. They have the power to make fleeting moments eternal, to immortalize the spontaneous laughter, the stolen glances, and the genuine emotions. 

After all, your love story deserves nothing but the best lens to capture it…

Understanding Photography Styles

The world of wedding photography is vast and varied. Just as every love story is unique, so too is the artistic lens through which it can be captured. The style of photography you choose sets the tone and feel of your wedding album, making it essential to select a style that resonates with both your personalities and the essence of your relationship. 

Here’s just a handful of the most popular wedding photography styles, to help you discern which aligns best with your vision…

• Documentary or Photojournalistic 
• Portraiture 
• Fine Art 
• Editorial 
• Vintage
• Dark & Moody 
• Natural or Lifestyle 

While these are some of the primary styles, many photographers blend elements from various styles, creating a hybrid that might be perfect for you. The key is to explore portfolios, understand what each style offers, and envision how it complements your wedding’s mood and setting. 

Budgeting Basics: Setting Your Photography Priorities

Every couple dreams of having the perfect wedding album, one that gracefully captures the emotion and romance of their special day. However, wedding photography, like every aspect of wedding planning, comes with its own budgetary considerations. Setting your priorities can help you make informed choices, ensuring you get the best value without compromising on quality. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you navigate the budgeting waters of wedding photography…

1. Understand the Market Rates
2. Set Your Maximum Budget
3. List Your Must-Haves
4. Decide on Hours
5. Think About Album & Print Costs
6. Factor In Travel & Accommodation
7. Remember Post-Production
8. Be Open to Negotiation
9. Consider New Talent
10. Always Read the Fine Print

Experience & Expertise: Why They Matter

Choosing the perfect wedding photographer is more than just finding someone who can take good pictures. It’s about entrusting someone with the task of documenting one of the most important days of your life. Experience and expertise play a pivotal role in ensuring that your wedding photography isn’t just satisfactory, but truly exceptional. Here’s why:

Consistent Quality: An adept photographer offers consistency, ensuring every shot aligns with the benchmark set by their portfolio. 

Anticipating Moments: Seasoned photographers can instinctively predict and capture fleeting, candid moments, thanks to their history with numerous weddings. 

Handling Pressure: Weddings can be full of surprises. Professionals remain poised and adaptive, even amidst unexpected challenges. 

Technical Know-How: Beyond high-end equipment, an experienced photographer possesses the nuanced knowledge to utilize it optimally. 

Post-Production Skills: Expertise shines not just during the wedding but afterward, ensuring each image is edited to perfection. 

Crisis Management: Whether it’s malfunctioning equipment or other hitches, experienced photographers come equipped with backup plans, ensuring nothing misses the lens.

Professional Etiquette: With their vast exposure, photographers maintain a balance of being present yet unobtrusive, respecting the sanctity of ceremonies. 

Client Relations: Interacting with diverse couples over years, seasoned photographers excel in communication, making couples feel at ease. 

Advisory Role: More than photography, they can offer guidance on schedules and even connect you with other reliable wedding professionals. 

Value for Money: A higher price tag on experienced photographers often translates to unparalleled peace of mind and exceptional results.

The Photographer’s Portfolio: What to Look For

A photographer’s portfolio is a visual diary of their expertise, style, and evolution. It’s the tangible proof of their artistry and often the primary criteria upon which couples base their hiring decision. When delving into these curated collections, here’s what to keep an eye out for:

• Diversity of Shots 
• Consistency 
• Lighting Mastery 
• Detailing 
• Emotional Depth
• Editing Style 
• Storytelling 
• Feedback and Reviews 
• Cultural Sensitivity 
• Current Work

However, one thing that many people forget about when hiring a photographer: Your gallery won’t look like their portfolio… let me explain. A portfolio is crafted out of their best shots. What is a better representation of their work, is asking for a full wedding gallery (Or two!). Then you will be able to see every shot from that day, not just the show stopping images.

Personality & Professionalism: The Perfect Balance

Choosing the perfect wedding photographer is about a lot more than just their photos. It’s equally crucial to find someone whose personality meshes with yours. Approachability ensures a comfortable atmosphere, while strong communication skills foster clarity and understanding. 

Adaptability is key in the dynamic environment of weddings, and discretion ensures intimate moments remain undisturbed. A genuine enthusiasm for their craft can elevate the quality of photos, while reliability and punctuality ensure that every significant moment is captured. 

A client-centric attitude guarantees your wishes remain at the forefront, and when paired with a willingness for creative collaboration, it can produce stunning, unique results. 

Above all, maintaining high ethical standards is paramount, ensuring trust and respect in the photographer-client relationship.

Questions to Ask Potential Photographers

When considering a wedding photographer, it’s essential to have a clear and comprehensive dialogue. 

Here are some pivotal questions you should pose to potential candidates – or just hit me up and ask me 😉

1. What is your primary photography style? 
2. Can we view a complete wedding gallery you’ve recently shot?
3. What happens if our photographer gets sick/breaks a leg and can’t attend?
4. What packages do you offer, and what do they include? 
5. How long after the wedding can we expect to receive our photos? 
6. Will we get any sneak peeks and are we allowed to share them on social media?
7. Do you have a team, or will you be the sole photographer? 
8. How do you handle loads of weddings each year while still being able to give each one your full energy and attention? 
9. Can we provide a list of specific shots or moments we want captured? 
10. How much post-production and photo retouching do you do? 
11. Are there any additional costs we should be aware of? 
12. How do you ensure you stay unobtrusive during intimate moments? 
13. Do you have liability insurance? 
14. What is your cancellation or rescheduling policy? 
15. Can you provide references from past clients?
16. How do you back up our images to make sure that they’re safe between the wedding date and our gallery delivery date?
17. How do you make us feel comfortable in front of the camera?

And to make life easy for you guys, here’s my answers to those questions:

1. A mix of Natural/Lifestyle and Photojournalistic/Documentary. We aim to tell a story, anticipating all the little moments.
2. Of course you can 🙂 Here’s just one of the HUNDREDS of love stories I’ve captured! But be sure to ask for a gallery specifically done by the team member you’re looking to hire! We also have full gallery slideshows on our team’s about page.
3. We have a team of photographers with the same style and values, so it’s easy for us to find a replacement, without having to add anything stressful to your to do list. Meet the team here!
4. We operate on a totally custom basis, providing a quote based on the number of hours you’re looking for, special additions, any travel that’s required, and the specific team members rate. Check out the Megan Maundrell Experience here! Remember to schedule your FREE consultation for a more accurate quote 🙂
5. Did you know that most photographers have a gallery turnaround time of 8-12 weeks? That’s 2 or 3 MONTHS! 🤯 That’s why we offer a 5 week guaranteed gallery turnaround time. If it takes longer than 5 weeks, then we’ll give you your money back… yep, ALL of it!
6. You’ll receive a small selection of sneak peeks, and yes you can post them! Our intention behind sneak peeks is to allow you the ability to post about your wedding, right away, with a professional photo.
7. Whether you have a second photographer or not is completely up to you (with some advise from me!). We can discuss this during our consultation. (Hint: I usually don’t recommend them as being necessary).
8. We have a team of 8 incredibly talented photographers all over Canada! This splits the load drastically. And allows for me to spend more time in care and communication with you, before the big day, while the team photographers, get to show off their artistic ideas at your big day. Click here to meet the team!
9. Definitely! We email you a questionnaire about a month out from your wedding where you will answer all of our important questions. This is so that we have all information in one place. This will include your family shot list, and three must have shots!
10. To suit our Natural style, we aim to have the photos represent your memory, exactly. We do colour correction to match our style, but you can expect the colouring of the images to reflect what you remember from your wedding. We do some advanced retouching on closer up portraits (natural teeth whitening, blemish removal etc) but never want to alter anyone’s body. We do not offer body reshaping editing.
11. There will be no hidden costs. We won’t charge you if you want more images (we deliver ALLLL the good images anyways, so you wont be missing out on any moments), or hit you with a mandatory tip at the end. The quote will only change if you’re wanting to add something to your package.
12. We’re all quick on our feet, and great at sneaking around. Because of our experience, we know which moments we want to leave you a bit of breathing room, and which need to be a bit closer to tell your story. We also make it our top priority to chat with your videographers (if you aren’t hiring a videographer from our team) to try our best to be sure to not be in each others shots.
13. Absofreakinlutely!! This is a business, NOT a hobby. Period.
14. Our cancellation policy is in our contract, but the TLDR is that the 30% booking fee is non refundable, but can be transferred to a new date, within 12 months of the original wedding date. Any payments made above and beyond the booking fee (with exception of package payments that have gone to another fulfilled service) are refunded in the case of cancellation.
15. Check us out on google, here’s more than 115 five-star reviews!!
16. We keep your photos on a solid state external hard drive, as well as on the SD card until they are delivered. We also have a cloud storage software called Backblaze. So, even if a fire burns down my house, I’ll have your photos safe.
17. We all love incorporating movement into our images… so we won’t just throw your body into a position, we will give you a little action or challenge to do with your partner in order to photography your personalities. Not just your bodies.