Eyes 2 See Photography : How To Pick Your Wedding Photographer

Congratulations! You've received a ring and now its time to plan your wedding. One of the most challenging parts of planning a wedding is selecting the perfect photographer. Deciding which person to trust to capture your special day is difficult. Not just any photographer will do for your wedding. It is important you find someone who is the right fit in style and personality. There are many traits you'll want to be looking for while choosing a photographer. We hope to help by giving you 5 steps to take before making your final decision.

1. Choose your style.

Choosing your style should be the first thing you do when selecting  a photographer. Your wedding day is a reflection of your personal style and you will want your images to compliment your wedding vision. It’s important to remember that you will have these pictures forever, so never settle for second best! Take some time and review work on Pintrest and Instagram as well as recommendations from your coordinator and the location.

Find a photographer that speaks your language. Make sure that if you love moments you don’t choose a photographer that specializes in portraits and details only. Not all photographers are generalists and able to handle multiple styles. If fine-art is your preference choose someone who’s creative eye is consistent and experienced. Since there are so many different styles of photography make sure you and your partner both agree on your style direction. By the way, we have noticed that moment driven photographs with timeless iconic story-telling is always in style.

The Knot has a breakdown of all all the different styles, so if don't know your style look here.

2. Set up a phone, Skype or in person interview.

During your interview of your potential photographer be sure to pay attention to what their motivation is. Do they genuinely care for you, or are you just another wedding to them? Choose someone who is engaged and a good listener during your conversation, detail oriented during the sales process, and interested in your personal story. Feeling comfortable with your photographers personality is important since they will spend most of your wedding day with you. Again, each artist is different. Some photographers are “rockstars” making themselves a focus of the wedding while others are behind the scenes specialists hanging back waiting for moments. Whoever you choose make sure to select a photographer you trust will deliver creativity, charm and care to your family and treasured guests. If you connect and share the same vision and values for the wedding day take the next step and reserve the date.

3. View several full weddings.

Portfolios are great to look at but can be deceiving and one sided. It's good to see a photographers best work, but it's even better to see how they handled the challenges and opportunities during a full wedding. You'll want to be sure that your photographer can handle themselves in different circumstances and deliver a complete body of work from your wedding. From moments to details, ceremony to reception, a great photographer will have creative images even in the most difficult lighting or challenging situations. Also, ask each photographer if they have weddings from the same venue you selected. This can be great validation of talent and perfect for inspiration and ideas!

4. Customize Packages

Not every bride is the same, so the packages shouldn't be either. Choose a company that customizes their packages for each bride. Don't be shy to ask questions about packaging and price but be sure that price is not the only deciding factor for your photography decision. You'll want a photographer who will customize for you and will be eager to go above and beyond with stellar customer service.

5. Read Reviews!

Reading reviews is a helpful tool to finalize your decision. Sites like Wedding Wire are perfect for finding reviews on photographers and other vendors. Another great resource for choosing your photographer is  your coordinator and other vendors. Your coordinator should know who they trust behind the scenes as not all photographers professionalism is the same. Many top photographers have teams that help them turn images and products around quickly while others struggle to meet their deadlines. Your coordinator should be able to give you a good idea which photographers follow through and the timeliness of their delivery after the wedding. Ask your photographer for referrals and ask each bride how the photographer went the extra mile.