SO you are engaged! Congrats! Now you are entering the wedding planning phase and that can be so overwhelming! The wedding industry is flooded with all kinds of vendors and it is hard to pick and choose! Today I am offering some tips to help the newly engaged bride-to-be pick photography services. Here is the run down of what you need and why and what to look for to find that perfect fit!
1. ATLEAST 8 HOURS!
We have been shooting weddings for 12 years now and we have learned a lot along the way. The average wedding day needs EIGHT hours of coverage to cover the event fully. This allows plenty of time before the wedding to capture those details, precious portriats with your bridal party, and your wedding site fully. It also gives us plenty of time to cover the ceremony, portraits of the new husband and wife as well as the highlights of the reception. If you plan to party late into the night, as long as we have atleast an hour to cover some dancing, we guarantee you won’t miss that extra coverage! As always there is an exception to every rule- if your wedding requires lots of travel between pre-ceremony, ceremony and/or reception, you may need to add an hour or two!
2. DIGITAL FILES
Your wedding package should include the digital files (edited photos for you to print and share!). You can always add prints or albums after the wedding day, but please make sure you choose a package that includes the files! That way you will have your precious wedding day memories forever!
3. ATLEAST TWO SHOOTERS!
To cover a wedding completely, you really need two shooters on the day of. One to focus on the bride and the other the groom. You will love having both views for all the magical moments of the day!
4. A GOOD FIT!
Your photographer is going to spend your entire wedding day with you! You should like them, have things in common and feel confident that they will cover your wedding in a way that you love. You should be excited to work with them (not just excited about the price). Get to know the person you are hiring! A relationship is really important! Also make sure you really love their work too. Does their shooting and editing style match the vision you have for your photographs?? See more on finding the right fit here!
5. AN ENGAGEMENT SESSION
You really do need an engagement session whether your wedding is a year or a month away. Why? See this post! But really it gives you a sense of comfort with working with your photographer!
6. A CONTRACT!
This one may seem like a no-brainer, but even if you are hiring a family friend to take your wedding photos, please have a signed contract. It will protect you both. Contracts provide the terms you will be agreeing to (how many hours, when will we get the photos, what else is included) and help you navigate should the agreement be broken.
Want more help in planning your wedding? Here are some great resources to get you started!
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