You are engaged and one of the most important days in your life is fast approaching. Your wedding day will be filled with happiness and emotion. Family and friends will be there; some you have not seen in many years. It will be a wonderful day for you to remember and share. There will be so many things going on of which most you will not even know about until you look at the wedding photographs.
Choosing a photographer may be a difficult and daunting task; and affording it may be even more cumbersome. You may be apt to ask a friend or relative to photograph it for you; this is surely to be a bad idea for many reasons. A professional wedding photographer knows how to capture all the moments of your wedding day with the best results by having years of experience and photography knowledge.
Finding a wedding photographer is not difficult because there are so many. There are many ways to go about finding one and many things you should know. The best way of course is to be referred from another wedding couple that recently had their wedding photographed by a specific photographer. Notice I said "photographer" not business or studio. Your decision should be based off of one photographer's work; not the work of a group or large wedding photography studio with multiple photographers. Always check who will be photographing your wedding.
There are many other ways to find wedding photographers including the phone book, newspapers, billboards, and of course the internet. Over 70% of all brides and grooms search for wedding professionals online. There are a few things you should know about searching on the internet.
Take your time - The first photographers you will find are mostly because of large advertising budgets. This is not a bad thing but you should see all options available to you.
Be specific - When using a search engine search for your "state" and "professional wedding photographer". Your search may look like this: Massachusetts "professional wedding photographer". (Use everything that is italicized.) The part in quotes will eliminate all general photographers and just focus on wedding ones. You could even add your city/town for just local results. (Add the town after the state; do not put in the quoted part.) I recommend using Google (www.google.com).
Ok, so know you know how to find a wedding photographer. Now which one to choose? There are three primary factors that come into play when choosing a photographer; style, price, and personality. Style and price can usually be found on their website so we will start there.
Style ? There are many styles such as traditional, photojournalism, candid, formal, etc. Some photographers offer only one style, but the best photographers can offer all of the styles and would normally incorporate them all into your wedding day coverage. It all depends on what you want. When viewing a photographer's portfolio, remember these are their best shots. Always ask to see a full wedding.
Price ? You can spend from $500 to $10,000 on a wedding photographer. The norm is to spend about 10% of your entire wedding budget on the photographer. Most photographers have packages that will include everything from the coverage to the album and final prints. Some photographers have complete al la carte pricing; if you are on a small budget this is the best way to go. You will be able select just what you want.
There are two things you need, the coverage and the ability to purchase the negatives or high resolution digital images. Watch out with the coverage; many photographers will charge an hourly fee beyond their normal time offered. When you receive your negatives or digitals images you can print what you want when you want wherever you like. Of course as a professional I recommend using a professional photography lab for your prints but you could certainly use Wal-Mart and save a bundle. Just keep in mind that the quality would be slightly lower. As for your wedding album buy it yourself and put it together yourself. The cost of buying an album from the photographer is usually double the actual cost. Then of course doing it this way you can get it when you want and when you have the money. Visit www.albumsinc.com to view many albums and you can purchase them right online.
Considering style and price select three top choices and schedule a meeting with them. There should be no cost for this. Before you meet with them you should pretty much want to hire them from what you learned about their style and price.
Personality - You want to meet with them to see how they present themselves and if your personalities match. You want someone that is personable and nice so that they will get along well with you, your family, and friends. Never make the decision at the meeting always go home and think about it and wait until you have met with all three. The best in the business will let their work, pricing, and personality do all the talking. The meeting should be a casual conversation to get to know each other and discuss your wedding day in general. There is no need to go into great detail now. Some photographer will try to "sell" you their services; never get sold on something. Remember you already decided you like the work and price before you got there so what are they trying to sell? Just meet with them to get to know them.
Once you make your decision contact the photographer and let them know. Also, be sure to contact the other two and thank them for their time but you have decided to use another photographer. They should be considerate and not try to continue selling you their services; if they do you made a good choice to go with the other photographer. With the photographer you chose go over the details on the phone and have them right up a wedding contract for you to review and sign. Do not pay a deposit until you have read and signed the contract (the photographer should sign the contract also). Read the contract thoroughly; everything you are supposed to receive should be written down and have the price and payment schedule. Always make note of their cancellation policy.
Congratulations you found a photographer and have one scheduled. You should now schedule to meet with them about a month before your wedding date to go over the details again.
Have a great wedding day!
Dain H. Binder, DHB Photography
www.dhbphotography.com
Dain H. Binder is the owner and photographer for DHB Photography. He has been photographing weddings for 10 years.
cheap limo service Melrose Park .. HVAC condenser motorSpeculation continues about the break-up of Brad Pitt and Jennifer... Read More
Most brides become obsessed with throwing the perfect wedding. The... Read More
Want to manage your wedding guests with style and ease?... Read More
You've made the plunge, you've decided to get married. Congratulations!Don't... Read More
When your marriage is in trouble and you're fighting to... Read More
When planning your event you should go with the most... Read More
You have made the decision to contact a marriage counselor.... Read More
Planning and organizing a wedding budget can greatly reduce the... Read More
Wedding favors have evolved over time. Wedding favors today combine... Read More
Rounding up the guys to devour some barbecued red meat... Read More
How much should you spend on a diamond engagement ring?$100?$1000?How... Read More
Buying engagement rings online doesn't have to be confusing or... Read More
The kids are yelling, the dog is barking, and you... Read More
I say always register for gifts! You see, people tend... Read More
Your Wedding Favors are a little bit of your wedding... Read More
Imagine the cheapest wedding you'd like. You have to pay... Read More
Henry Vlll and Elizabeth Taylor, who between them had fourteen... Read More
Have you ever been irritated because your spouse does things... Read More
If you are looking forward to a vacation of attractive... Read More
Whether your wedding will be coming up roses, daffodils, or... Read More
Wedding favors are a delightful detail for any wedding shower,... Read More
Caricature entertainment will make your wedding celebration stand out and... Read More
More Americans are taking "til death do us part" seriously.... Read More
People are looking for life-long relationships in the most peculiar... Read More
When people think about great love stories, more often than... Read More
bmw rental chicago Oak Forest ..No one wants to pay more than they have to... Read More
Most visitors to Hawaii would agree that Maui is the... Read More
Honor your Emerald Isle heritage with traditions that are romantic,... Read More
My belief is that most relationship problems should be given... Read More
Wedding shower invitations should lay out all of the necessary... Read More
Movies, sitcoms and soapies made in the United States could... Read More
With today's economy, and the layoffs occurring as a result... Read More
Many spouses carry heavy suitcases filled with a collection of... Read More
You can rest assured that the charm of your Maui... Read More
Your true love got down on his knees and asked... Read More
If you're planning your wedding day then you'll be all... Read More
Marrying for love, financial security and/or companionship does not guarantee... Read More
Choosing a wedding anniversary gift that wows your husband or... Read More
Mattresses and marriage go hand in hand. Sleep is important... Read More
There are many things to remember in preparation for your... Read More
The following article can be copied but you must keep... Read More
Once upon a time a caveman, while out for a... Read More
Effective communication between you and your wedding guests is essential... Read More
According to the Encarta Dictionary, love is an intense feeling... Read More
Moissanite is fast becoming the new diamonds. The newest jewelry... Read More
Celebrate your marriage by planning a Florida honeymoon vacation with... Read More
Being apologetic doesn't come easily for me. Unfortunately, being inconsiderate... Read More
If you're looking to the internet for help with your... Read More
Think your bridal gown is the most important garment you'll... Read More
Wedding shower favors are a way to extend gratitude from... Read More
Marriage & Wedding |