Choosing a wedding photographer

Your wedding photographs will capture the emotions and mood of your wedding day for the rest of your life, so choosing the right photographer is one of the most important decisions you will make.

While selecting a photographer who lives locally might be the most convenient option, they might not be the best person for your wedding. So, you should always shop around.

The Internet is a good place to choose a photographer because it allows you to compare the previous work and styles of many photographers and read the testimonials from other couples. It will also open your eyes to the fact that wedding photographs do not have to all look the same! They can be styled in many different ways to make your wedding look unique and different. The only limitation is your own imagination and the creativity of the photographer.

When you have honed your down your list to a few prospective candidates, you should contact them and arrange face-to-face meetings.

The first thing you want to ascertain is whether you actually like them as a person. Having a good rapport with your photographer is very important because it will mean you will be more relaxed and confident about there abilities on the day.

So, if you do not like them, then try someone else. You are going to be spending many hours with this person on your wedding day, so you can afford to be picky about who you choose.

Also, assure yourself that the photographer has experience in photographing weddings by asking them how many weddings they have done. If they are a good wedding photographer, then they should have done lots of weddings, with testimonials to prove it.

Ask them to show you some full wedding albums of their work. This will give you a broader view of their style and creativity. It should also prove that they can produce consistently good photos for the whole of the wedding and not just one or two good ones.

Find out whether the photographer has worked at your wedding venue before. If they haven't, then ask them if you could meet them at the venue to discuss good locations and any possible lighting problems.

The next thing to find out is how much they charge. Some photographers charge by the hour and others offer different wedding packages for a fixed rate. So, get them to explain what is included in each package, any extra costs such as traveling, and what their payment terms are.

Having a basic idea of their costs, you can then work out how long you want them to be there - or can afford to have them there. Would you like them just to cover the wedding ceremony and meal or would you like them to stay until the last dance?

You will also need to brief them about how many photographs you want taken and any special photographs that you would like. For example, you may want shots of particular friends or relatives that are not included in his usual packages. If so, how much extra will that cost?

Finally, remember to ask them what he charges for extra prints. Some will charge reasonable rates and others will charge an arm and leg for these. If extra prints are very expensive, then it may be much cheaper for your friends and family to order their photographs when you are placing your order.