“We went with them because they were about a thousand dollars cheaper, and now we don’t have any photos from our wedding day.” This is a real life conversation we had with a client of ours, and it absolutely breaks our heart to hear stories like this. (Turns out backup data storage is super important!) But when it comes to choosing a wedding photographer, how do you know if the person you’re hiring is an experienced photographer, or if they just got a new camera off of amazon and they’re looking for clients to test it out on?


In this blog I’ll be sharing 3 practical tips that will help you choose the right wedding photographer. These tips come from our own experience in choosing our wedding photographer, as well as through the frustrations and stories we have heard as we've met with our wedding clients.


1 - Do Your Research

The first (and frankly the easiest) step in finding the right photographer is to do your research. Nowadays it is so easy to go on social media and see tons of photographers' work. Most photographers have an active Instagram page where they are constantly posting photos from recent weddings they've shot.


Researching photographers and seeing their work will also give you inspiration for your wedding as you see photos from other peoples weddings. I know this is where we got a tonnnnn of ideas for our wedding! Some people call it copying, some people call it sharing... you can decide for yourself.


Another aspect of researching that people don’t think about is spending some time learning about photography itself. By gaining a little bit of knowledge in photography you will be able to ask better questions when you end up chatting with a wedding photographer. You certainly don’t need to become an expert, but any bit of knowledge will be helpful.


Also, and this is a little selfish, but your photographer will absolutely love it on your wedding day if you have a clear backdrop, and a great spot with natural light! In learning a little bit about photography, you will know exactly how to set up your home for the getting ready shots, and you may think about details that you wouldn’t have thought of otherwise.


2 - Ask Lots of Questions (Even if it seems awkward!)

Once you’ve done your research and you have found a couple of photographers whose work you really resonate with, the next step is to reach out to them and start asking questions. I am convinced that the best way to get to know somebody is by asking them questions. 


Sometimes it may feel awkward, asking questions about someone’s style or experience, but don’t be afraid to ask these sorts of questions! They are incredibly important and helpful in finding a photographer that will be able capture pictures you’ll be proud to look back at for years to come.


You should be asking questions across a broad range of topics. Ultimately it isn’t only about whether the photographer is available and in your budget range. Some good questions could be things like: "How would you describe your style?" "What is your favorite venue to shoot at and why?" "Tell me about your favorite wedding day experiences from past brides and grooms."


Questions like this will help you get to the core of whether or not you'll be a good fit with your photographer. After all your wedding photographer is going to be by your side on one of the biggest days of your life. And it is your photographers personality that will come through in their editing style, so it is incredibly important that your personality align with theirs. 



3 - Get to Know Each Other


I saved this tip for last because we have found it to be the biggest game changer in regards to finding the right Photographer.


For whatever reason, a lot of people are very comfortable receiving an email from a photographer with three packages in it, sending back an email response, and then not meeting each other or talking until their wedding day. Does this seem crazy to anybody else! This is the person you’re entrusting with the photos from one of the biggest days of your life! It’s so important that you guys get to know each other.


This doesn’t mean you need to become best friends who go on Starbucks dates, or in my case fishing dates (but to all my grooms out there, I am always looking for more fishing partners…js) but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to schedule an engagement session with them, grab a coffee with them, or at the very least jump on a zoom call with them!


At the end of the day, your wedding photographer needs to be someone you can trust because they will end up playing a big role in your love story! PS they also play a big role in helping your day run smoothly!


Bonus Tip: Look at Past Weddings (Especially if they’ve shot at your venue)


And because I talk too much and it’s hard for me to stop rambling sometimes, I will throw in one practical bonus tip that will help you find the right photographer.


Check out your photographers past wedding galleries. It’s one thing to look at the curated portfolios that photographers put up on the internet for the world to see, but it is another thing to look at an actual example of a wedding gallery that they’ve delivered to a past client. 


Some photographers may not be comfortable with sharing these as they are someone else’s special wedding photos but it doesn’t hurt to ask. The worst they can say is no!


By looking at past galleries, it will help you choose the right wedding photographer in several ways. First, it helps you to ensure that their style is consistent from shoot to shoot. You don't want to book with a photographer because you like their style...and then their style changes. That would be a problem. 


This tip can be especially helpful if this photographer has shot a wedding at your venue before. By looking at photos from your venue, it will help you plan your wedding, and understand how the wedding day will flow.


in closing


Choosing a wedding, photographer is not an easy task, but it’s a task that is worth spending some time on. I hope these tips help you in finding the right photographer for you.


If you are looking for more helpful information on planning your wedding, check out our free wedding planning guide at the link here. 


If you think OC Photography, sounds like a good fit for you, we would love to chat! To book a free 30 minute consultation, where we can hear more about your wedding day, follow the link here and schedule a call. 


In the meantime, happy planning!


All the best,

Mike O’Connor