Weddings already cost so much between the dress, venue, catering, videographer, photographer, and the likes, that the last thing you want to do is pay thousands of dollars and not like your end product. Your photos will be one of the only things you will have to look at for years to come, so you want to make sure that you are going to be 100% in love with them.

As professional luxury wedding videographers who have been in the business for over a decade, we know and understand how important it is for you and your photographer to be on the same page. Here are 5 things you should know before hiring your wedding photographer.

1. Know your style

One of the most important things to remember when looking for the perfect wedding photographer is your preferred capturing and editing styles.  Capturing styles are the ways in which the photos will actually be taken and the editing styles are the moods the photographers will try to convey in which they are edited. Below are some examples of capturing and editing styles.

Capturing Style (Approach)

Fine Art style is where any photo could be hung on the wall. It's similar to traditional but lighter and airier. Its aim is to capture the romance of the day.

Editorial style captures a styled shoot sort of vibe. It's one you'd expect to see in a fashion magazine. Highly posed, plays with lighting.

Traditional is a true to life style that is posed with lots of group/family photos.

Photojournalism involves lots of candids that tell the story of the day. It's you going about your day as if the camera isn't there.

Adventurous involves photographers who aren't afraid to climb mountains, venture toward a waterfall, or anything that bring out your thrill-seeking side.

Artistic styles involve lots of fun twists on your photos. Whether it be prisms, exposures, filters (like champagne glasses in the corner), or overlaying photos in editing, there will be some artistic take on them. It might not be on every photo but a good majority will.

Fashion involves a mix of editorial, artistic, and fine art. It captures the high-end qualities of your day including your details.

Motion can fall under any category but has to do with approach. It's where the photographer moves the camera slightly while taking the photo to include some motion with the still.

Editing Style (Editing)

Light and airy tend to be light and crisp in feel without being overly saturated or exposed. Light and airy will feel like stepping outside on a cool, crisp day.

Moody tends to be darker, less exposed, and richer in color. Moody will make you want to curl up in a blanket with a good book.

Black and white photos are as they sound. There is something about black and white photos though that capture the intimacy and nuance of the photo. It takes away the "thrills" that can come from color and allows you to just focus on the heart and feeling behind it.

True to life photos are as it sounds. The editing will try to get it as close to in-person as possible.

Vibrant photos brings out the pops of color found in your photo. They tend to be true to life but kicked up a notch.

Warm photos bring out the warmth (reds, oranges, golds) out of a photo. There's something about warm photos that just evoke joy and happiness.

Earthy/desaturated photos bring out the browns, greens, and slightly darker colors. The colors will tend to be a little more muted than in real life but not so much so that it looks off or distorted.

Grainy photos include grain or granularity in your photos. Sometimes the grain is also called noise.

If you don’t know which capturing or editing style you like, here are some questions to help you narrow down what you might want.  You can use this as a guide when talking to your (potential) photographer.  

• What emotions do you want to convey through your photos?

• Do you want mainly candids, posed, or both?

• Do you like black and white photos, colored, or a mix?

• Do you want motion in your shots?  What about grain?

• Do you enjoy more filtered, indirect lighting or harsh, direct lighting?

2. Make sure you vibe with your photographer

It is crucial that you find a photographer who vibes with your personality.  The last thing you want on your wedding day is someone whom you don’t get along with.  Whether you want someone who is your biggest hype person, or someone who hides in the background and you don’t even notice, it’s important that you mesh well.  As photographers are one of your most VIP vendors whom you’ll be spending most of the day with, you’ll want to be comfortable.  After all the money you spend on your wedding and your photos, you are not going to want to receive them and look awkward or uncomfortable in them.

3. Quality is gonna cost you

We know no one likes to talk about money but we would be remiss if we didn’t say anything.  There is so much more that goes into wedding photography than people might realize; it’s so much more than just snapping photos on your wedding day.  If you want good, high-quality photos, it will cost you.  As in any other scenario, the longer/more experienced your photographer is, the more it will cost but the better your product will most likely be.  Not only that, but with all the equipment, backup gear, and editing software, it all adds up.

4. Ask about packages

When reaching out to photographers, ask if they have packages.  Most of the time they do and if what they have isn’t what you’re looking for, they can be customized to your needs.  You can add hours, more photographers, film, etc.  If you want more or less, you can always ask!  Most photographers will always try to be as accommodating as possible, within reason.

5. Use your engagement session as a trial run

If you’re worried about your wedding day and how your photos would turn out, use your engagement session as your trial run!  It’s a great time to see if you mesh with your photographer, if you like their style, and work out any kinks that might arise. It will also help you to get familiar and comfortable with your photographer so that on your wedding day, you feel nothing but happiness and joy.

We hope these things help when on your journey to find the perfect wedding photographer! Be sure to check out our ultimate engagement session blog here. If you found this blog helpful, share it, pin it, and tell your friends about it!