The #1 Mistake Brides Make When Hiring A Photographer

Here in North Alabama, the market is saturated with wedding photographers. How do you know you’re selecting a good one? Today, I’m going to give you a few helpful things to consider in the process, and also a few questions you definitely need to ask before putting a deposit down.

Since 1999, I have talked to hundreds of brides-to-be and their entourages of friends at bridal shows. The main thing that I’ve been hearing during these discussions is, “I got my photos on a thumbdrive and we lost it” OR “All our photos are online and we hardly ever look at them any more”.

The #1 mistake brides make is hiring a wedding photographer who does not provide a complete end to end service.

How to find a good wedding photographer

A good wedding photographer will be able to give you a completed album that includes your favorite photos from the day. The wedding album is designed to be a centerpiece in your home and marks the beginning of a fun and exciting life long journey. Being able to sit back and re-live your wedding day and see all your favorite moments is truly priceless. Plus, by having a wedding album, you don’t have to worry about trying to get online, remember a password, and search through emails to find a link. When you’re talking to your potential wedding photographers, make sure and inquire about their wedding albums and how long it takes to create one and have it delivered.

Equipment & Movement

If you are planning on having an inside church wedding, then making sure the photographer has what’s called a telephoto lens is very important. Ask if they are using a 70-200 or similar. This will allow them to get up close shots of you during the ceremony. The most important thing though is to not be intrusive during the ceremony. Be sure and find out how much they will be moving around during the ceremony. We find that many new and inexperienced photographers lack an understanding of respect for the ceremony being held inside and will many times be walking down the main aisle and up on stage. This is extremely disruptive and something that causes a lot of distractions and unnecessary noise.

But I’m getting an online gallery

Here’s the truth, while it sounds great to have your photos online somewhere, NO one can promise that any particular online gallery service will be there forever. No one can say “we archive your photos forever” because hard drives crash and data is lost. So if your potential photographer is talking up online galleries and the like, exercise caution.

Bonus things to know

• Image Delivery Times - A good wedding photographer will turn around your wedding images in about 2 weeks or less. If your potential wedding photographer says it will take 2-3 months or something crazy like that, be careful, it could take even longer.

• Natural Light Photographers - This is a mixed bag. While the light and airy look is popular and that’s all good, what’s not good is when night time rolls around and you are all inside at the reception and it’s dark. Make sure you ask your potential wedding photographer if they know how to use a flash and even better if it’s off camera flash.

• Help - Your wedding photographer should help you select the right size prints for your home. Displaying images from your wedding day around the home and office is a great way to remember all the fun and excitement from your wedding!

Conclusion

I hope this brief article has given you some helpful pointers and things to ask of your potential wedding photographers. This is the biggest day of your life and I never recommend anyone take a chance on their images being less than amazing and having complete coverage.