How to Choose a Wedding Photographer

You've spent your whole life dreaming about your wedding, and choosing the right wedding photographer can mean the difference between joys and regret when you look back on your wedding day. With the choice being so important, here are a few things to consider making sure you end up with a professional you'll be happy with.

Style

If you don't like the style of images in a photographer's portfolio, don't fall into the trap of thinking that he will be able to work magic and suddenly transform styles on your wedding day per your request. If you don't like an artist's portfolio, move on to another studio. Also, look beyond the portfolio to the shooting style. Do you like being posed or do you like to do your own thing? Do you like someone who is worried about the details or someone who doesn't spend too long getting an image? An engagement session is a great way to go on a "test run" before your big day to see what kind of images you get.

Experience

Getting a professional that has been photographing for a while should be a major consideration. The photographer doesn't have to be as old as your grandpa to qualify on the experience front, but a kid fresh out of college who's only shot a small wedding once probably isn't the greatest choice either. I would suggest looking for someone who has shot over 20 weddings as the primary shooter. With anything less than that, expect to spend extra time waiting for the amateur to figure out his gear, and expect a lot of images to look unprofessional.

Reputation

If a friend or someone you know has already used a photographer, talk to your friend to see what their experience was like. If you don't know anyone who has had experience with the business, ask the studio for a couple people you could call. Keep in mind that the people the business refers to you will be carefully selected customers who think highly of their work. Either way, you should be able to ask some basic questions to find out more about them from the customer's side. Also look for reviews online to see what other people are saying about the business.

Personality

If your photographer drives you nuts during your consultation, it's a pretty safe bet that you're not going to be happy with him on your wedding day. If you're looking for easy-going, and you get boring instead, your smiles will look fake and your patience will run thin. You'll have too much going on during your wedding day to worry about trying not to lose your temper because of your vendor's bad attitude.

Budget

In a perfect world, money wouldn't be a consideration when choosing wedding vendors. Unfortunately, most of us have limitations on how much we can afford to pay for photography. While the $100 special deal you found online might look appealing, your "real deal" may turn out to be a real loser. Be cautious of any wedding package that's less than $1,000. Also, keep in mind that not all wedding packages are created equal. Some packages include prints, a CD, and a certain number of hours. Watch out for all the extras that can throw your photography budget off.