One of the pivotal decisions that must be made by a bride and groom when planning their special day is the photographer. As I mentioned before my little sister and I are very different and so are the times. 10 years between weddings definitely calls for changes in trends and styles, but one thing that has stayed the same is how personal the photographer choice is. If you really think about it, this person will be hanging around you and your guests for a whole day. They need to be assertive enough to capture a moment with strangers, but mellow enough to provoke easy smiles. With that being said, here are a few other things to consider when choosing that special someone…

Choose a Style:
Just like there are various bridal bouquet styles there are several artistic directions a photographer can take. Most would say they have their own style, but it helps to at least narrow down a general feeling you desire for your images. Here are a few to consider…

Documentary has a more photo journalistic approach and is probably the most common today. This style features very few photos of people looking at the camera and provokes the overall story of the day.
Portraiture is a more posed style with family and attendants. This is similar to what your parents had, but they can have a modern flair depending on the setting.
Fine Art gives the photographer more artistic license to portray your wedding through their eyes. These photos could be shot at angle or they might focus on the hand of the makeup artist as they apply your makeup instead of your face.

Get Recommendations and Check Out Reviews:

Ultimately photographers are vendors you hire, so like the other companies you have contracted with we suggest getting personal recommendations and check out local vendor sites.

Set Up Interviews:

After you have 3-5 possibilities, call and schedule interviews. If they are not available for your wedding date ask for associate recommendations.

During the interviews:

• Make sure your personalities don’t clash
• Review full wedding albums, not just their highlight reel
• Compare packages

Don’t forget to ask about:

• Shooting fee
• What is in each package
• Additional costs like special effects or an engagement shoot
• Your rights: In most contracts, photographers own the rights to all photos they take. If you want to order photos from another source you’ll probably have to buy the rights to the images.
• Post wedding details: How long does it take to get proofs of your images? How many images should you expect? When are the photos retouched? Is that prior to getting your proofs or after you selecting your images?

Other Tasks For This Week Include:

Reserving transportation, picking music, buying your attendant gifts and telling that sweet fiancé of yours to reserve a suite for your wedding night

Local Brides Check Out These Vendors:

Photographers