Choosing your wedding photographer can feel like a LOT. There are so many amazing photographers out there, so how are you supposed to know who is actually the right fit for you?
Of course you want to love their photos, but there’s honestly so much more to it than that. Your photographer is one of the people you’ll spend the most time with on your wedding day, so you want someone you trust, feel comfortable with, and are genuinely excited to have there.
Here are a few things I always think couples should look for when choosing their photographer!
You Love More Than Just Their Instagram
Instagram is a great place to start, but definitely dig a little deeper! Look through their website, blog, and full galleries, if you can. Anyone can post their favorite five photos from a wedding, but you want to see how they capture the whole day.
What do the getting ready photos look like? The ceremony? Family photos? The reception once it gets dark? You want to know that you love their work from beginning to end and in all kinds of lighting and situations.
Their Photos Feel Like You
There are SO many different photography styles, and there really isn’t a right or wrong one. Some couples love really posed, polished photos. Others want movement, candids, flash, blurry dance floor photos, and all the little things happening in between.
Think about the photos you keep saving over and over again. Chances are, there’s something about them that you’re naturally drawn to. You shouldn’t have to convince a photographer to create the style you want. Find someone who is already creating work that you can picture yourself in.
You Actually Like Their Personality
This one is huge!! Your photographer is going to be around for so much of your wedding day. They’re there while you’re getting ready, during portraits, right before you walk down the aisle, during family photos, and probably somewhere in the middle of the dance floor with you later that night.
You want to feel like you can be yourself around them. Pay attention to how you feel when you’re emailing, chatting on the phone, or meeting with them. You should feel comfortable asking questions and confident that they understand what matters to you.
They Help You Feel Comfortable in Front of the Camera
If your first thought is, “But we’re SO awkward in photos,” I promise you are not alone. You don’t need to show up knowing how to pose. That’s part of your photographer’s job!
Look for someone who knows when to give you direction and when to step back and let a moment happen. Your photos should still feel like you, not like you spent the entire day trying to recreate poses from Pinterest. Your engagement session is also such a good opportunity to get comfortable together before the wedding day.
They Care About the Experience Too
Your wedding photography experience starts way before the actual wedding. Your photographer can be such a helpful resource while you’re planning, especially when it comes to your timeline, engagement photos, lighting, and making sure there’s actually enough time for the photos you care about.
Pay attention to how they communicate from the beginning. You want someone who makes you feel taken care of and keeps things simple instead of adding another thing to your wedding planning stress.
You Trust Them
At some point, you have to put the Pinterest board away and trust the person you hired. Your wedding day is going to move FAST, and you deserve to actually be there for it instead of spending the whole day wondering whether your photographer got every photo.
Find someone whose work you love and whose approach makes you feel confident enough to let go and enjoy everything happening around you. Because at the end of the day, the goal isn’t just to have pretty wedding photos.
It’s to look back at them and remember how much fun you had, who was there, what made you laugh, and all the parts of the day you didn’t even realize your photographer was capturing.
And if you’re currently searching for a wedding photographer in Knoxville, East Tennessee, Chattanooga, the Smoky Mountains, or beyond, I’d love to hear what you’re planning. Let’s make some magic together!! Click here for more.
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