Tips for Wedding Photography

Start Searching Early

: Wedding photographers are in high demand, so start your search for a snapper as soon as you possibly can before your wedding day. At least six months is ideal. Of course that means that you should have already settled on your wedding date, location and budget.
Budget Appropriately

: A good photographer doesn't come cheap, so make sure that you've budgeted the correct amount for this service. Most wedding planning websites recommend designating approximately 10% of your wedding budget for photography and videography services.
Get Recommendations

: Ask your friends and family, especially anyone who recently married or threw a big party. Also, ask wedding vendors to recommend reliable, talented photographers.
Search for Photographers Online: Look at online vendor directories that list local photographers:
1. Onewed.com: Vendor Search Tool
  
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2. Brides.com: Local Vendors
  
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3. The Knot: City-by-city guide
  
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4. PartyPop.com: Directory of Event & Wedding Photographers
Seek Photographers at Bridal Shows

: Visit local bridal shows to find vendors such as photographers. Wedding planning websites such as Onewed.com

and WedAlert.com

provide directories that list upcoming bridal shows in many different areas.
Browse Wedding Photos

: Look in bridal magazines or online photo forums, such as those offered by wedding planning sites like The Knot

, to find photo styles that you like.
Choose a Photo Style

: Before you start your search for a wedding photographer, think about what style of photos you want. Do you prefer posed photography or action shots, or do you want a little of both? Do you want to capture your wedding day memories in black and white, color, or a mix of the two?
Interview Photographers

: Meet and interview any photographers you are considering. If you're going with a photography service make sure that the name of your photographer is included in your contract.
Look at Picture Samples

: When you meet with wedding photographer candidates, ask to see samples of their work. You'll want to look at their composite portfolio, but it's also helpful to look at a wedding album that they've recently made for another couple to assess whether or not you like their work.
Assess the Photographer's Skill Set

: If you want a tastefully put together wedding album or photographs with special tones or effects, ask you photographer to see examples of her work with different types of lenses, films or effects.
Consider Personality

: Your photographer will be with you all day on your wedding day, in changing rooms and capturing pivotal moments in your life. For this reason, it's very important that you like her.
Check the Photographer's Reputation

: Eliminate any photographers who refused to furnish references. Call the client references for the photographers who did provide them and contact the Better Business Bureau

to make sure they don't have any considerable strikes against them.
Visit the Wedding Sites

: Take your photographer to your ceremony and reception sites before your wedding day so that you can find prime backdrops and walk through the shot-by-shot timeline that you've made... you've made your shot-by-shot timeline, right?
Make a Shot List

: A shot list will ensure that your photographer captures all of the important visuals at your wedding, effectively telling the tale of your wedding day in pictures. You don't want to leave out those important images, such as the wedding dress hanging on the bedpost or the bride and groom with their families. But give your photographer some freedom

to respond to the environment and capture the essence of the event.
Shoot the Bride First

: The bride has so much to do on her wedding day, possibly too much, so why not get those posed bridal shots ahead of time when she is collected and has plenty of time on her hands?
Put Clauses in Your Contract

: Before you and your wedding photographer sign on the dotted line, request that you add clauses into your contract stating that you can upgrade your photo package or lock in the photographer's initial price quotes for proofs and prints. Otherwise, try to negotiate for the negatives

, which might cost a little extra upfront, but you will be able to print the photos any time you want.
Discuss Finances

: Although you should be prepared to invest in high-quality wedding photos, you'll want to break down the numbers with any photographers you're considering hiring to make sure that your idea of price is in the same ballpark.
You Give the Orders

: Make sure that your photographer knows whom to listen to at the wedding. If low-priority wedding guests distract your photographer, she could end up getting off schedule and missing important shots.
Ask About Online Availability

: Ask photographers you're considering if they offer online galleries of photo proofs, where you and your friends and family can log in to browse and shop for images of the wedding.
Ask a Friend to Help

: You're going to be too busy on your wedding day to keep your photographer on point and gather family and friends for group portraits. Ask someone in the wedding party to handle this task.
Introduce the Photographer to Key Subjects

: Make sure that the photographer meets everyone whom she will focus on throughout the event. You don't want to have 80 pictures of Aunt Mildred because the photographer mistook her for the mother of the bride.