Wedding Photographer: 9 Tips On How To Choose The Right Wedding Photographer For You?

You’re just starting out on your wedding adventure, and you’ve got your wedding to-do list sorted. Now onto one of the biggest decision for your wedding. Who are you going to choose to photograph your wedding?

They are the ones that bring your wedding story to life time and time again; they enable you to create family heirlooms and artwork that are filled with emotions, which you’ll be super. Take a deep breath, shut your eyes and imagine this – the flurry and excitement of your wedding are over, but you have no worries as you trust your story is in safe hands. Your Wedding Photographer will take photos that beautifully capture the romance, emotion, and spirit of your wedding.

So how do you choose the right wedding photographer for you?

Read on to find lots of helpful advice on how to choose a wedding photographer in Cornwall, the UK, and further afield.

How To Choose Your Wedding Photographer

Hire a professional wedding photographer

I can hear you thinking, but who’s a professional? Any person with a camera can call themselves a professional, right? So let’s start here. There are many reasons why you shouldn’t let your uncle with an expensive camera take your wedding photos nor your bubbly, artsy friend. Choose a professional wedding photographer that puts you at ease through every moment, a photographer who isn’t there just for your wedding day but also provides you with an experience throughout. And don’t forget, they must take amazing photos.

Weddings are the most beautiful events, where happy faces are found in abundance. The emotions at a wedding are like no other event. Photographing a wedding isn’t easy and requires a particular set of skills. From knowledge on how they run, technical know-how, and lots of experience. A professional wedding photographer will have all this and more.

They’ll be able to deal with any environment thrown at them. From portraits in between the passing rain, interchangeable light, and dark locations, to name a few. You’ll be able to rest easy on your wedding day, knowing that your wedding photography is in the safe hands of a professional wedding photographer.

As well as this a professional wedding photographer will bring with them top of the range photographic  equipment to meet any scenario, have professional level insurance and the ability to give you the experience you need from the moment you reach out to well after your wedding day. Your wedding photographer is ready and waiting to hear your wedding plans.

Choose a wedding photographer who shares your vision and style

Are your drawn to photos that are bright with a warm tone or do you prefer dramatic photos that have lots of contrast? Would you prefer a natural unposed approach, or more of a staged/ editorial feel, or maybe a bit of both? Your wedding photographer’s style matters. Whether you’re eloping on the beautiful, rugged clifftops of Cornwall or having a wedding in a grand venue.

You want to be able to see yourself in those photos, the style of the photo needs to be able to resonate with you. The type of photos you see on a photographer’s website will be similar to the gallery they deliver to you. Check whether the photographer’s aesthetics match your wedding vision and choose a style that you resonate with.

Reviews help give you an understanding of what it’s like to hire them

Feedback from past couples is one of the top things you should be looking at. They give you an understanding of what it’s like to be around your wedding photographer at your wedding. For me, couples have often said how I put them at ease throughout their wedding day. Don’t just take my word for it; check out the reviews on Google and Facebook. If you’re looking for an honest answer from someone who has gone through the entire process – from enquiring, booking, and having the photographer there celebrating their wedding then reviews are the best thing to check out.

Your wedding experience or price

Like most things, you really do get what you pay for. So have a deep think about your wedding priorities. Are the memories that you can look back on in years to come and hand down to your family your number one priority? If yes, getting the right wedding photographer for you is a 100% worthwhile investment.

It doesn’t have to cost the earth, but getting the best wedding photography experience is the best investment you’ll make. The experience doesn’t start and end on your wedding day. It starts the moment you reach out. You want to feel heard and that they can offer you the photography experience you desire.

It doesn’t mean however that you shouldn’t go with a cheaper photographer; just be careful and check the service they offer you. They can be saving you money but adding a lot of stress to the planning and your wedding day. Below there’s a few questions you should make sure you have answered to make sure there’s no red flags.

Are they a newbie photographer (they might have all the skills but lack experience)? Are they cutting corners on the experience they are giving you to minimise costs? What equipment are they using? Are they insured for any unforeseen events? Check what their couples are saying so you can get a wedding day that is stress free and filled with amazing memories.

Comfort and style all in one

The most epically beautiful weddings don’t just happen over night. They take months of strategic planning to ensure no detail is missed and the flow of your wedding is stress free and effortless. The same goes for the photography, ensuring a smooth flow of gorgeously photographed memories. Each photographer’s approach to a wedding is slightly different; some go for a natural/ candid (sometimes referred to as documentary), while some wedding photographers go for more of an editorial approach (staged). Some like to mix it up and give you the best of both worlds.

Let’s take a little deeper look into both the documentary and editorial approaches and what they really mean.

Documentary Photography

The documentary approach generally means the photographer will focus on the natural, candid moments and capture an accurate story of your day with very little direction. Basically, they merge into the background and you hardly notice they’re there.

Editorial Photography

Editorial, on the other hand, is more geared towards a gentle posed approach and careful curation of your wedding story. A combined approach is popular with a few photographers, where during the ceremony and reception they focus primarily on a documentary approach and more of an editorial approach during preparations and the portrait sessions.

Are you and your wedding photographer a good match?

Read up as much as you need about the wedding photographers you’re interested in photographing your wedding. A good sign to look out for (if you want an amazing experience) is how much advice, hints and tips, they’re willing to give you for free to make sure your wedding runs smoothly. Then think about whether they’re someone you want to celebrate your day with.

Jump on a call or video chat with them. Personally, a video call is best. You can really get to know them and understand how they can fit right in on your wedding day. You don’t want a photographer that will take over your wedding day, but one that sits back and lets you enjoy every minute.

A video call doesn’t only apply for booking your wedding photographer, the same goes for every supplier (from wedding planners, coordinators, stylists, cake makers, and many more) that’s going to be there helping make your wedding extra special. Most importantly, make sure each supplier makes you feel comfortable and will help share your vision for your wedding day. Follow what feels right to you and trust your instincts. If you aren’t 100% sure about a supplier, don’t go with them. It’s your day, so let’s make it extra special together.

How well do they know your wedding venue?

Is this a deal breaker for you if your potential wedding photographer hasn’t photographed at your wedding venue? It is a good question to ask, as the photographer can offer advice on the best locations, for particular photos, around the wedding venue. Don’t worry if they haven’t, though, as this can be a blessing too. For me personally, I love being introduced to a new wedding venue as this unlocks lots of creativity and helps me photograph your wedding in a unique way. Your venue will happily provide a list of recommended photographers and most photographers have blogs featuring their real weddings. Check out my recent weddings here

Top Tip – Leave time around sunset for your couple’s photos

Invest, invest, invest

There’s normally just one supplier that will be with you throughout your whole wedding day, yes that’s right, your wedding photographer. From the very beginning of preparations to well into the party time. Knowing this, you really want a photographer there that you connect with, a photographer that makes you feel at ease throughout your day, and a photographer that lets you focus on enjoying your special day.

You’ve spent time creating your epic  wedding vision. Take time to find someone who will photograph your wedding story down to the finest detail so your wedding day can be looked back on and relived with lots of emotion. It’s time to tell you unique love story.

The portfolio isn’t the main factor on choosing your wedding photographer. Choose the experience they’ve given others and the journey they’ve taken you on. Trust me, you won’t regret investing in the right photographer.

Book An Engagement Photoshoot

This isn’t a must, but more of a way of helping you get used to being in front of a camera and your potential wedding photographer. It is a great way to get to know them as well as celebrating this amazing chapter of your life. A little tip – an engagement photoshoot is a great way to have beautiful photos to use for your save the dates or on your wedding day.

Have you thought where you’d like to have your engagement photos? Check out the full guide on planning your engagement photoshoot here. 

If you think we’re a great match, why don’t you  get in touch  and we can start talking about how I can help tell your unique wedding story. I’d love to hear all about your wedding plans!

Let’s start your wedding adventure together.

Here are a few blog posts that I know you’ll want to read next: