Shot while second shooting for Savannah Smith Photography .
I’m doing a little happy dance because we made it through a FULL work week and are going right on into the weekend! I don’t know about you, but the holiday last week really threw me off! It was so nice to have a long week to dive into work and to get some BIG things done! Now, I’m off to an anniversary session with one of my best friends, and then, we’re off to shoot a wedding together in PA the next day! AHH this weekend is going to be a good one! Now… on to the topic at hand: choosing your wedding photographer!!
We’re in, what wedding photographers like to call, booking season! Booking seasons happen a few times a year and are simply a sweet seasons for us to chat with and welcome newly engaged couples into our lives and business families! I have had so much fun meeting and chatting with new CKP couples over the last couple of weeks and am beyond excited about all that is to come this year, next year & even the one following! (We’re talking 2020, y’all! How crazy is that?!) So, because I know that there are a lot of couples currently going through the booking process, I wanted to offer up four simple things to think about to help get your process started!
What in the world should you be thinking about when you are booking your wedding photographer? Let’s dive right in!
Set your budget.
A quick moment of real talk that doesn’t just apply to finding your wedding photographer: When it comes to planning your wedding, budget matters… a lot! Sit down with your spouse-to-be and your families (if applicable) and set your wedding budget before you even begin to seriously start to make vendor decisions. Knowing your numbers will help guide your overall wedding vendor search. If there is a vendor that you know is on your must-have list, take a look over their website as you work through the budgeting process, so you’ll have an idea of where their wedding packages begin and what you should expect to pay. Additionally, it helps to keep a bit of flexibility in your budget. Keep in mind that photographers and other wedding vendors often only list their starting prices and that your package could cost you a little more.
As a photographer, I can’t tell you how heartbreaking it is to let a bride know that your packages actually start $1500 above her current photography budget. Please take a few minutes to do some research before setting your heart on a specific vendor OR be sure to insert some flexibility in your wedding budget! I promise it is worth investing in your big day!
Define what you want.
Each photographer’s wedding packages look a little different. Define what you are interested in from the very start of your inquiry experience. Are you interested in an engagement session? Two shooters? A certain length of coverage? An online gallery? An heirloom album? If you don’t have a clue of where to start, this is a great place to start asking your questions! Include a summary of your day along with your inquiry and ask what they would recommend for you!
Bonus tip: It also helps if you have your date secured and venue booked before you start reaching out to potential wedding photographers! Our weekend dates tend to book up fast, so don’t wait to start this process 🙂
Make sure you mesh.
I think that this is the biggest point that I want to emphasize! Your wedding photographer will be by your side on your wedding day for longer than your future spouse… yes, really!! They will be present for quite a few big life moments, and it is really important that you feel comfortable with them, that you trust them, and that your personalities mesh. Follow them online. Read their blog. Connect via email, and if that isn’t enough, request a call or quick Facetime meeting! I cannot stress how important it is that you love, not only your photographer’s work, but that you also love your photographer as a human!
You are head over heals in love with their work.
These photos will be on your walls for years and will be in the hands of your future grand children! Together, you and your wedding photographer are creating one of your family’s first family heirlooms, and it is SO important that you LOVE their style of shooting and editing. Read their blog, follow them on social media, ask them about their style of photography! What are some of their favorite moments on a wedding day? Do they match up with yours? Is their style and approach to photographing a wedding day something that matches with what you want? Do you LOVE reading their blog, enjoy looking through their wedding posts and love their lighting and editing styles? If so, they may be the photographer for you!!
Above all, don’t be afraid to ask the questions that you want to know the answers to! I have seen countless “Questions to ask your wedding photographer” posts go by on the Internet, and while some of them offer good advice, they all fail to miss the single biggest point! This is YOUR wedding day, and there isn’t one simple list of questions that MUST be asked before you book your wedding photographer. Ask the questions that are on YOUR mind and find the vendors that you trust to take care of you on your big day!
If you’re on the hunt for a wedding photographer, I know a girl that may be able to help you out 😉 Hop on over to the Wedding Experience tab above to get the skinny on my wedding packages. I am now welcoming 2019, 2010 and late 2018 couples into the CKP family.
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