Top Five Things to Look for in a Wedding Photographer

Finding a wedding photographer, and the right wedding photographer for you, can be daunting. There are probably hundreds of photographers in your area, so how do you pick the right one? 

This blog post is to help YOU, soon-to-be-bride (congrats whoohoo!!), to narrow down your options and to find a photographer that will be the absolute best fit. 

In 2017, my now husband (Wesley) and I were seriously talking about getting engaged. I knew he ordered the ring. The season for planning had begun! (Yes I started planning our wedding before we were engaged, I was excited okay?). I quickly realized how even though I knew exactly what I wanted, wedding planning was still so stressful! Specifically with photography I had such a hard time. Out of the three people I had in mind to shoot my wedding, one was unavailable, one was way to expensive, and one just stopped responding to me (or would take weeks to respond to one email- how stressful was that?!). 

(follow me on insta for more of a peek into my everyday life!) https://www.instagram.com/abbeyhuunter/)

I ended up being able to recruit another friend of mine to shoot our wedding, which was such a relief, but this whole process just lit a fire under me to SERVE my clients. There were so many things I experienced as a bride that I want to CHANGE for my clients. Also there are so many things that I do for my clients now that I would have loved as a bride, which is a huge goal of mine!

All this to say that if you are having trouble knowing who to choose, or what to look for, or even if you aren’t even engaged yet and are starting to plan your wedding (I’m with ya girl), this blog post is for you! 

Here are my TOP FIVE things to look for in a wedding photographer.

First: look for someone with experience. 

I hate to say it, but a lot of wedding photographers are worth what they charge. If they are charging a lower amount, that most likely means they don’t have a lot of experience. There could be other factors in this, but I would definitely encourage you to invest. The experience I give my clients now is worlds different than what I did when I first started. Not to mention the photos I take, my editing skills, and my gear have all improved or upgraded over the years.

First wedding I ever shot! Everything from my editing to my gear to my directive skills have improved drastically!

I would advise you to just simply ask a potential wedding photographer questions like “how many years have you been shooting weddings?” or better yet “how many weddings have you shot?”. It’s also great to find out how they started and a little bit more about how they learned what they know, but definitely not necessary.

Second: consistent editing. 

This is huge! Look at their Instagram feed. Does is flow? Is it cohesive?? Look at their website. Do all the photos match? 

And most importantly, ask to see a full wedding gallery of a wedding they’ve shot. Sometimes photographers can have great portraits but very badly edited indoor/reception photos. Make sure that the lighting and colors are consistent across the whole thing (keeping in mind that flash photos do have a very different look on their own). 

The next one is similar to consistent editing, but still different and important! I would encourage you to look at their storytelling ability. Once you have a full wedding gallery to view, look at how the photos tell the story of the day. Did they take photos of grandparents filled with emotion? Did they capture details of the decorations, cake, and reception guests in a beautiful way?

This is also personal preference, because some brides don’t care as much about capturing the day, but more about just getting pretty photos! Neither is better than the other but make sure that if you want your wedding day to be captured like a story, find a photographer who’s work reflects that. 

Fourth thing is REVIEWS. Most photographers have somewhere on their website that showcases reviews from past clients. Check. them. out. Make sure they have shining five star reviews and that people have had a great experience with them! 

LAST THING. Make sure to find someone that fits YOUR style and personality. What I mean by this is that there are a lot of different wedding photographers out there- with very different personalities! Make sure to choose someone who YOU resonate with- trust me, it will create absolute MAGIC. There is just something amazing that comes out of vibing so well with the person that is capturing probably the most special time of your life. 

If you are naturally shy and quiet, and and pretty reserved as a couple, a photographer who showcases laughter, tons of movement, and wild poses might not be the best fit for you. And of course there are photographers who can do both, so just make sure to check out their portfolio!

Well guys, that’s it. I hope this helped you even a teeny bit on your journey to find a wedding photographer. And sometimes it isn’t a journey, sometimes you find who you’re looking for right away! Either way, I hope you have a fantastic experience with whoever you choose, and that your wedding is everything you’ve dreamed. 

– Abbey

check out my work here: https://abbeysfilms.com/mywork/

book me: https://abbeysfilms.com/contact/