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September 14, 2021

How to Find & Pick The Perfect Wedding Photographer

Your wedding photographs will capture the highlight of your life forever! Of course, you’ll want to share them with the world to reminisce on the good times decades into the future. It’s therefore vital that a photographer who is the perfect fit for the occasion handles this delicate task.

Today we’re going to help you get the best bang for your buck when it comes to finding and hiring the perfect wedding photographer!

Table of Contents:

What Should I Look For When Choosing a Wedding Photographer?

Ideally, a great wedding photographer will offer a variety of wedding photography styles, coupled with the ability to capture the bride and groom’s personalities perfectly. 

Convey what style of photos you’ll love, and be sure the photographer can perform in your desired style through a presentation of their portfolio. Within only a few minutes of meeting them, you’ll know whether they have a relatable, friendly personality and can perform under pressure — that way, your important moments are captured perfectly. 

How Do I Find a Wedding Photographer?

Dive deep through your network for recommendations from your recently married friends, coworkers, wedding planner, and even the reception site manager on wedding photographers they loved. 

Websites like The Knot, Yelp & Google are also great places to read reviews from married couples to get the vibe of a photographer you’d want to work with.

How Far in Advance Should You Book Your Wedding Photographer?

You should book a photographer as soon as possible! 

The best photographers are constantly being favored by couples all over. Book about 9 months in advance to make working with the wedding photographer much more organized & far easier! 

We recommend booking 12-18 months in advance to cover the time needed to organize the venue, guest list, and color scheme of the wedding.

Who Pays for the Wedding Photographer?

There is no set rule, but traditionally the bride’s family pays for the wedding photos and videos. Although nowadays more couples choose to soak up the costs and leave their families out of it. 

A good alternative is to split the bill among the bride, groom, and all family members. 

As you can see, there are no definite answers but several options you can choose from. So who is to pay, really all depends on the situation.

​​How Many Photos Should a Wedding Photographer Provide?

You can expect between 50-100 photos per hour of shooting. So for 8 hours of wedding day coverage, that will be about 400-800 photos. 

Wedding photographers know you care more for quality than quantity (in most cases), so they cut the bad photos to create the “keepers” you’ll love. It’s their job to remove unappealing, out-of-focus, and possibly even repetitive photos to make sure you’re satisfied with the finished products.

Finding the perfect wedding photographer

How Much Should You Pay For a Wedding Photographer?

As there’s no price set in stone, expect to spend around $1,000 or less on the low end, $2,500-$3,000 on average, and $5,000+ on the high end for pro photographers and agencies. 

Prices for wedding photographers can fluctuate based on:

  • Hours of Coverage: How many hours of wedding shooting.
  • Location: You can expect to be charged between $2,000-$5,000 for a photographer based in the lakes area.
  • Photo Editing: A massive chunk of the photographer’s time is spent editing and retouching your photos to perfection.
  • Experience: The price for amateur and professional photographers can vary, with a price for an ameture at $1,500 to a professional starting at $3,000.

Can You Negotiate Wedding Photographer Prices?

Yup, you still must value their photography so they don’t lose interest in the shoot and produce mediocre photos. Ask if they have any existing discounts or times of the year when they run a promotion. For example, in the winter or on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Negotiation is only effective when both parties feel they are getting something great in return, so your budget can’t be too far from their pricing. In any case, let the situation be a win-win for you and the photographer so that you’re happy paying and the photographer is happy.

Should You Tip A Wedding Photographer?

Tipping wedding photographers is not required, but it is greatly appreciated. A tip between $100-$500 is great, depending on how above and beyond they went. But if you’re tight on cash, you can always send a thank you note or a stellar review to show your support!

Wedding Photographer

Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer

Here are the 4 best wedding photography questions to ask your photographer before your wedding day:

Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer

Here are the 4 best wedding photography questions to ask your photographer before your wedding day:

  1. What is your primary style?

This is very important to get an interesting and appealing style of photography for you and your partner.

  1. Will you retouch and color balance the photos? And is that done before or after I see the proofs?

Some photographers retouch your photos only after you’ve ordered the raw ones while others will polish all the images without you asking.

  1. How many weddings have you shot at, and have you shot ones similar to mine?

This is an excellent gauge of how experienced the photographer is in the wedding field. Since years in the field aren’t necessarily the best indicator of experience (due to working part-time, for example).

  1. How many times have you worked specifically as a wedding photographer?

This is a great question to ask your wedding photographer as it establishes whether they are a specialist or a generalist. You’re better off finding and working with a  photographer that specializes in wedding photography.

Get Your Wedding Off on the Right Foot 

You’ve found your perfect wedding photographer, now what? It is important to remember that the quality of a photograph does not define its worth. Every person has different tastes and preferences when it comes to photography style. Find something that suits you best by researching photographers in your area or browsing through photos online. Make sure you ask any questions about prices, packages, and how they will handle complex requests from family members before booking with them.

Your wedding photographs will capture the highlight of your life forever! Of course, you’ll want to share them with the world to reminisce on the good times decades into the future. It’s therefore vital that a photographer who is the perfect fit for the occasion handles this delicate task.

Today we’re going to help you get the best bang for your buck when it comes to finding and hiring the perfect wedding photographer!

Table of Contents:

What Should I Look For When Choosing a Wedding Photographer?

Ideally, a great wedding photographer will offer a variety of wedding photography styles, coupled with the ability to capture the bride and groom’s personalities perfectly. 

Convey what style of photos you’ll love, and be sure the photographer can perform in your desired style through a presentation of their portfolio. Within only a few minutes of meeting them, you’ll know whether they have a relatable, friendly personality and can perform under pressure — that way, your important moments are captured perfectly. 

How Do I Find a Wedding Photographer?

Dive deep through your network for recommendations from your recently married friends, coworkers, wedding planner, and even the reception site manager on wedding photographers they loved. 

Websites like The Knot, Yelp & Google are also great places to read reviews from married couples to get the vibe of a photographer you’d want to work with.

How Far in Advance Should You Book Your Wedding Photographer?

You should book a photographer as soon as possible! 

The best photographers are constantly being favored by couples all over. Book about 9 months in advance to make working with the wedding photographer much more organized & far easier! 

We recommend booking 12-18 months in advance to cover the time needed to organize the venue, guest list, and color scheme of the wedding.

Who Pays for the Wedding Photographer?

There is no set rule, but traditionally the bride’s family pays for the wedding photos and videos. Although nowadays more couples choose to soak up the costs and leave their families out of it. 

A good alternative is to split the bill among the bride, groom, and all family members. 

As you can see, there are no definite answers but several options you can choose from. So who is to pay, really all depends on the situation.

​​How Many Photos Should a Wedding Photographer Provide?

You can expect between 50-100 photos per hour of shooting. So for 8 hours of wedding day coverage, that will be about 400-800 photos. 

Wedding photographers know you care more for quality than quantity (in most cases), so they cut the bad photos to create the “keepers” you’ll love. It’s their job to remove unappealing, out-of-focus, and possibly even repetitive photos to make sure you’re satisfied with the finished products.

Finding the perfect wedding photographer

How Much Should You Pay For a Wedding Photographer?

As there’s no price set in stone, expect to spend around $1,000 or less on the low end, $2,500-$3,000 on average, and $5,000+ on the high end for pro photographers and agencies. 

Prices for wedding photographers can fluctuate based on:

  • Hours of Coverage: How many hours of wedding shooting.
  • Location: You can expect to be charged between $2,000-$5,000 for a photographer based in the lakes area.
  • Photo Editing: A massive chunk of the photographer’s time is spent editing and retouching your photos to perfection.
  • Experience: The price for amateur and professional photographers can vary, with a price for an ameture at $1,500 to a professional starting at $3,000.

Can You Negotiate Wedding Photographer Prices?

Yup, you still must value their photography so they don’t lose interest in the shoot and produce mediocre photos. Ask if they have any existing discounts or times of the year when they run a promotion. For example, in the winter or on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Negotiation is only effective when both parties feel they are getting something great in return, so your budget can’t be too far from their pricing. In any case, let the situation be a win-win for you and the photographer so that you’re happy paying and the photographer is happy.

Should You Tip A Wedding Photographer?

Tipping wedding photographers is not required, but it is greatly appreciated. A tip between $100-$500 is great, depending on how above and beyond they went. But if you’re tight on cash, you can always send a thank you note or a stellar review to show your support!

Wedding Photographer

Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer

Here are the 4 best wedding photography questions to ask your photographer before your wedding day:

Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer

Here are the 4 best wedding photography questions to ask your photographer before your wedding day:

  1. What is your primary style?

This is very important to get an interesting and appealing style of photography for you and your partner.

  1. Will you retouch and color balance the photos? And is that done before or after I see the proofs?

Some photographers retouch your photos only after you’ve ordered the raw ones while others will polish all the images without you asking.

  1. How many weddings have you shot at, and have you shot ones similar to mine?

This is an excellent gauge of how experienced the photographer is in the wedding field. Since years in the field aren’t necessarily the best indicator of experience (due to working part-time, for example).

  1. How many times have you worked specifically as a wedding photographer?

This is a great question to ask your wedding photographer as it establishes whether they are a specialist or a generalist. You’re better off finding and working with a  photographer that specializes in wedding photography.

Get Your Wedding Off on the Right Foot 

You’ve found your perfect wedding photographer, now what? It is important to remember that the quality of a photograph does not define its worth. Every person has different tastes and preferences when it comes to photography style. Find something that suits you best by researching photographers in your area or browsing through photos online. Make sure you ask any questions about prices, packages, and how they will handle complex requests from family members before booking with them.

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