Choosing the perfect wedding photographer for your special day is not as difficult as some would have you believe. However, it does take some time and preparation on your part. Talk to your family and friends to see if they have any recommendations on someone they trust. Check the internet and try to do some comparison shopping to narrow down your search. Look through your local yellow pages to see who is listed there. Put together a good list and narrow it down to at least three of them that seem like someone you’d like to work with. Now you can move on to finding out more about those chosen few in more detail.
Talk to your fiancĂ© and come up with a list of some of the things you both want to be sure to capture on film or video during your wedding. When you finally do choose your wedding photographer, give them this list of requirements and wishes so they have an exact blueprint as to what you want. Of course, they’ll likely add their own touch to things, but you’ll be sure to at least get the things you want out of it.
When you meet with them, there are many things you should ask them about. Some of these include:
- Do you have any albums of weddings done in the past you can look at?
- When is the deadline for any changes you may want to make? What about cancellations?
- Will they charge you for overtime or is your wedding photography a flat fee?
- Do they take color only or do they offer black and white photos?
- Do they come prepared with extra film, video tapes, and cameras?
- Will they offer photography sessions before or after the wedding?
- Are there are any travel fees that will be charged?
- Will they give you the negatives or CD of the photos?
- Do they offer any kind of guarantee or contract?