Hubs and I have been married for 3 and a half years and still look at our wedding photos. We mostly look at the little video montage I made, but that’s partly because the actual photos of our wedding day were ruined. The images are a touchstone for us. They remind us of how happy and hopeful we were the day we said “I do.” They remind us to see the good in each other when we’re otherwise irritated with, angry at, or disappointed in one another. They have even helped us through some hard times. In fact, we just watched our wedding video after a three-day bicker-ment where we found everything about the other unbearably annoying, thoughtless, and downright inconsiderate. The video instantly cheered us and at the end, apologies and hugs were the order of the moment. So today, as I publish another lovely engagement shoot, I am reminded of the power of pictures to salve and angry heart.
Today Carrie from Blue Frame Photography shares her tips for screening your wedding photographer to make sure your wedding day photos are great! Scroll down for more!
From Carrie
Hiring a wedding photographer is arguably the most important decision a couple will make regarding their wedding. After the bouquet has been thrown, the food eaten, and the party settled, photography is what sends you down memory lane; you could be gazing adoringly at your big canvas print of the two of you on the most important day, remembering that tingly sensation you felt at seeing him for the first time that day, or you could be packing your albums and placing them at the back of your closet, hoping that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach eases over time.
That’s pretty dramatic, I know, but it’s true. There are many factors to be considered before signing the dotted line and it can be overwhelming to narrow your choices down to just one.
Schedule an Engagement Shoot
One way, though, is to schedule an engagement session with your top photographer choice. This is the one you think you will most likely hire.
Engagement sessions are more than a session celebrating your engagement — it’s a way to get a feel for the photographer’s style and personality. It’s a sneak peek at the way your photographer will handle your wedding day.
Questions to Ask Yourself About the Engagement Session
- Does he/she make you feel comfortable?
- Does he/she have creative and interesting ideas?
- Is he/she organized in the way he/she gives directions on what to do?
- Does he/she have the skill set to achieve the kind of images you’re wanting?
- And most importantly, have you enjoyed working with him/her?
Remember, you’ll be spending the better part of your wedding day with your photographer, so it’s super important that you get along with them.
Even if you pay the photographer’s session fee and you end up not liking the way the photographer handled your engagement session — and by extension, your wedding — then you’re out a few hundred dollars as opposed to possibly thousands and a lifetime of tainted memories.
Take the time to do your research, narrow your choices, and book an engagement session. Worst case scenario, it doesn’t work out, but best case scenario, you feel confident and comfortable with the photographer you hired.
Happy wedding planning!
About Blue Frame Photography: Carrie and Frank Hachadurian are a husband-and-wife team of photographers in the Asheville area in Western North Carolina. They’re fun, quirky and vibrant. Check them out at www.blueframephotography.com