How to find the right photographer for your wedding
Asking a photographer for your wedding is a first challenge for many couples. It's not uncommon to have never had contact with a photographer before, and if so, then not for a wedding. You should always keep this in mind when searching: You can't repeat this day! Finding a good and suitable photographer should therefore be an absolute priority in your planning. He or she will capture all the beautiful moments of the day so that you can remember the special day for many years to come.
So what should you look out for when searching for YOUR wedding photographer?
How to find the right wedding photographer:
1. the style
Before you hire a photographer, you should first think about the style of your wedding pictures. Not all wedding photographers are the same.
Do you prefer it playful, romantic, urban or bohemian? A light or dark mood? There are also many options when it comes to the location for the couple photo shoot. Do you perhaps have a favorite place together or a place that has a special meaning for you? Should it be outside in nature, at the wedding location or perhaps even in an unusual place? There are no limits to the ideas here.
You can find good inspiration for this on Pinterest (click here to go to my Pinterest board). It's best to create a pinboard for this. That way, you can show it to the photographer when you make the inquiry and he can get an idea of what you have in mind.
2. recommendations
Once you've found your style of photos, it's time to find the right photographer. But where can you find a good one? In the phone book? Certainly not!
Recommendations from friends or relatives who have gotten married in recent years are a good place to start. However, I would caution you not to book a photographer without further "check-ups". Just because it was right for your friends doesn't mean it will be right for you. Of course, it's best if you were guests at a wedding, experienced the photographer in action, liked him/her and saw the results afterwards and liked them.
Also ask how much your friends/relatives have paid for the photographer, so you already have a rough idea of what the whole thing will cost you.
You can also get a good overview of the photographer's style on platforms like Instagram (go to my Instagram account) and get a personal impression with the stories.
3rd portfolio
Whether you found the photographer through a recommendation or otherwise, be sure to take a closer look at the portfolio!
INFO: by the way, you can find my portfolio at Love Stories.
Does he/she already have some experience or has he/she just started with wedding photography? Just because he/she may have taken good baby bump or family pictures doesn't automatically mean that he/she is a good wedding photographer. Just because you like baking doesn't automatically mean you can cook a steak perfectly ;-)
Do some research on the photographer's website. Are there several weddings listed? Does the photographer cover everything you want? Do you like the style? The style should be identical across all the weddings presented.
This is the only way to know what you can expect and what you will get in the end.
Reading Tip: Getting Ready Photos - 5 reasons why you should capture the moments
4th request
If you have filtered out your top 3 photographers after the pre-selection, it's time to make an inquiry. Don't leave yourself too much time for this and basically the request to the photographer should be at the top of your to-do list. Good photographers are often booked a year in advance and more .
INFO: click here for my contact form
For a reasonable offer, the following points are important for the photographer:
Who? -> Write 1-2 sentences about yourselves, how long have you known each other, what are you planning, ... ? "Hello, we are Sandra and Marco from Wiesbaden and have been together for x years and are planning to get married in Mainz in November."
What-> Wedding, registry office, after-wedding,...
When? -> Your date or preferred date, if the date has not yet been set
Where-> A place in Germany or perhaps even abroad?
To what extent? -> Registry office (maybe even on a different day), wedding day only with couple pictures or do you want a wedding reportage, i.e. accompaniment of the whole day?
Rough daily schedule -> Planned start and end time, for a calculation of the effort you should communicate a rough schedule
Ideas -> Now your style research comes into play. Every photographer will be happy to see your ideas and get an idea. Of course, this can also be pictures from the photographer's portfolio. "We really liked your pictures from X&Y's wedding.
5. preliminary discussion
Once you have the offers, it's time to compare. Does this mean that someone might be eliminated right away? For a final decision, it also makes sense to talk to the photographer on the phone (video call). That way you can quickly see if you're on the same wavelength.
It is very important to me to have a rather friendly and close relationship with my wedding couple and I do not accept any bookings without getting to know them. After all, I accompany the bride and groom on the most important day of their lives and I'm around them like no other around the clock within a radius of a few meters - mutual trust and sympathy is the best basis.
6. booking
You've made your decision! Great, then nothing stands in the way of a booking.
As the photographer will have your day firmly blocked in their calendar and will therefore not accept any further orders, it is not unusual for them to take a deposit. Make sure that you have a contract that sets out everything discussed in writing.
Conclusion
As you can see, finding a suitable wedding photographer is not that difficult. I hope these tips will help you find the right one for you. Not only will you celebrate an unforgettable day with your friends and family, but you will also have photos that will help you remember all the beautiful moments years later.
Would you like to find out if our chemistry is right? Then just write to me. I'm really looking forward to finding out more about you and your plans.
