If you’re agonising over which of the many awesome wedding photographers to book for your big day, I understand it can be overwhelming. I only photograph a select few weddings a year but I talk to a lot of couples who are unsure about what’s best for capturing their big day. With such a variety of styles, approaches and price points available, how do you find the perfect photographer for you? I think it’s all in asking yourselves ‘why are we having these photos taken?’

Perhaps the answer to the question is obvious to you - you want to capture the day right? But let me explain, we need to dig just a little bit deeper. There’s no right or wrong answer, it’s simply about being honest with yourself about what you’re looking to get out of your wedding photos. Here are some examples of possible reasons why you might want these photos.

This is our Vanity Fair moment - we want to feel glamorous and get fashionable portraits we can keep forever
Some people can’t make the wedding so we want photographs that we can share with them that show the events of the day
We can’t be everywhere all at once so we want to capture the wedding momentsthat we don’t get to see
We want it to be ‘Instagrammable’ - we want envy-worthy images that get tons of likes
We want to have a framed photo of us that will hang in our home forever as a reminder of this beautiful day
We want to capture the ambiance of the day so we can occasionally look back and smile

There are lots of other reasons, but understanding your motivation will help you choose the right photographer to get what you want on the day. So what next?

1) Check out the venue’s recommended photographers

This is a great place to start because having a photographer that knows the venue means they know the best spots, angles and how the light works so you’re more likely to get technically great images from them, plus they often offer a discount or deal for that venue so you can save yourself some money too. BUT don’t skip the next few steps and just book from the recommended list, you’ll still want to align your choice to your ‘why?’.

2) Make a long list

As well as the recommended photographers, ask friends and family who they used, and speak to your other suppliers like florists and dressmakers to get their recommendations. Don’t rely on websites and Google alone as top ranking will often be those who have paid for ads and not necessarily those best for the job. Remember - you won’t see much on weddings on my website because most of my wedding work comes from personal recommendations and I send out portfolios on request only. I’m not the only one that works this way!

Social media can also be useful but be aware that use of filters by couples posting their wedding images, can distort the photographers work so check the photographer’s profile as well!

3) Look at portfolios and ask whether the images you’re seeing match your ‘why?’

For example - if your motivation is fashionable portraits, are you seeing stylised, polished, magazine worthy shots?

If you’re looking to tell the story of the day, can you see similar stories? REMEMBER - many wedding photographers show images taken with models on their websites. These may be taken at portfolio building days where everything is set up perfectly for the perfect shot. This is normal practice and ultimately the photographer still has to get the shot - but that’s very different to getting the shot ‘in the wild’ - so check whether you can see examples of full wedding galleries with real clients as well.

4) Make a shortlist

Don’t be tempted to ‘shortlist’ a photographer because you like the weddings you’re seeing rather than the photographs - it’s easy to be swayed by the beautiful flowers or clothes shown, and indeed by the beauty of the participants, but that’s just styling and could be nothing to do with the photographer at all.

Look instead at the colours in the images, are they warm or cool, colour or black and white? Look at the light, are they bright and cheerful or more dramatic and shadowy? Are they posed looking direct at the camera, more documentary style or posed but less direct? Would this kind of photo satisfy your ‘why?’.? Photographers are usually flexible and will give most kinds of shots a try - but they may not come out as well as shots that they are practiced and familiar with.

Ask yourself, would you be happy making that photo? What I mean here is, if you like the images where everyone is looking direct to camera, would you actually be comfortable posing that way, would you enjoy it? I believe you should enjoy having your photo taken on your wedding day and that you shouldn’t be worrying about it - your face should be genuinely joyful not slightly concerned about whether you’re getting it right or not. So choosing a photographer that ‘poses’ in a way you’re comfy with is vital!

5) Speak to some photographers

Now you’ve got a shortlist it’s time to pick up the phone! Rapport is vital and you can get a good sense of whether you’ll have fun working with a photographer, by speaking to them on the phone. This is your chance to ask questions, not just the practical things like whether they are available on your date and what the cost is, but also questions about whether they can help you achieve your ‘why?’.

If you start by explaining your ‘why?’ the photographer will know immediately whether they are the person for the job. Most will be honest and tell you if it’s not their bag, and they may even recommend another photographer to try (we don’t do this lightly so definitely check out those recommended). If they sound unsure though, it may be a good idea to move on, or to ask for some examples of similar types of work from them. The photographer may just be shy or a bit lacking in confidence and that doesn’t mean they aren’t a great photographer who can deliver what you’re looking for - it just means you want reassure yourself a bit further before you make your decision.

6) Consider a pre-shoot

Many photographers will offer a pre-wedding test shoot. Sometimes it’s free, sometimes there’s a charge but it’s normally not much. Such a shoot gives you an opportunity to experience working with that photographer. Plus it’s a great way to get some engagement shots you can use for invites or your wedding website.

See how you feel about the experience of being photographed, maybe try some of the shots you’d really like to get, and some locations similar to where you’ll be having your wedding (if you can get the actual venue then great but it can be difficult/expensive). If you enjoy yourselves and you like the shots you get, then this is probably the photographer for you.

If you have any doubts at all, try someone else! I say that because people often think that the issue is them and not the photographer. However, even if you don’t love being in front of the camera, or you think you always look weird - that shouldn’t be the case with your wedding photos and the right photographer will take the time to understand you and work with you to solve these challenges. You might need to try a few photographers before you find the right one - but better that time and money spent now than regretting it later. You can re-do a pre-shoot, you cannot do the wedding over again!

Conclusion

Answering your ‘why?’ is hugely helpful in finding the right wedding photographer for you. It can also help you plan other aspects of your wedding day. Your ‘why?’ is personal to you - but one note of caution, don’t let other people determine it for you. Whether it’s domineering family members telling you how you should do things, social pressure or even social media anxiety - don’t get the photographs you think you should have - get the photographs you WANT.

One final note - you don’t HAVE to have professional photos of your wedding - I didn’t! If you can’t find the ‘why?’ then it may well be that you can skip the professional photos entirely. A good alternative if you want some quality shots in your wedding togs but maybe you don’t want to be bothered on the day, is to do what many Asian couples have been doing for years and get your wedding portraits before or after the wedding itself - much more relaxed and you can have them wherever you like without worrying about what your guests are up! So don’t feel pressured, do you and enjoy your wedding day!