When you decide to start looking for the person who will have the important job of capturing your wedding day there are several considerations you should think about carefully.
Personality
Firstly, the photographer needs to have a style of photography you like. It’s no good saying after the event you don’t like the images if they are taken in the photographers’ usual style.
It also needs mentioning that you are going to spend a fair amount of time with your wedding photographer, possibly the whole day, so you need to make sure that, that you feel comfortable and more importantly relaxed in their company. Although it may seem obvious please check the photographer has insurance and not just public liability but professional indemnity as well, it is also a good idea for you to take out wedding insurance, as an example, venues can, and do, go out of business with no warning!
Costs
I understand wedding photographers vary greatly in price and it can be difficult to understand what is on offer, so ensure you understand exactly what a package includes, will you receive your images on a USB, or file transfer. Will you be able to print your own pictures, and will they be watermarked? Despite what many photographers will tell you, it isn’t always necessary to spend a thousand pounds or as is becoming the norm even more for a full day’s coverage as some would have you believe, remember the most expensive photographer is not necessarily the best, and conversely the cheapest isn’t always the worst, and the adage of you get what you pay for isn’t always correct!
Many, possibly most brides just don't have huge amounts of money they can lavish on a wedding, but you don’t have to spend a fortune for quality work, just please look carefully at the photographer’s work and you may well bag yourself a bargain.
Experience
Your wedding photographs are important, and the years that follow will prove just how important! Having spent a fortune on your dress, do you really want it showing as a white ‘blob’ in your pictures without any of the fine detail showing? Remember, you cannot retake them once your wedding day is gone. Professional photographers will have back up equipment, another camera different lenses, and more than one flash, your friend with the nice camera won’t! Perhaps your ‘Uncle Bob’ or a friend who has a ’nice camera’ may not be such a good choice after all.
Lastly remember it’s your wedding, and you need to be comfortable with your wedding photographer. So Please do your homework.