The most important thing – its about you
It sounds quite obvious, but I really believe that your wedding should reflect you as a couple. It needs to feel like who you are and what you like and the photographer or videographer that you choose is going to be a key part to helping that come to life.
They will help it come to life at the time because of their personality and the way they engage with you and your guests. They will also bring those memories to life in the future through their style and the quality of their work. The memories your photographer / videographer create will be what you reflect on, enjoy and share for the rest of your lives.
It is so important that you actual like those memories and they bring back positive feelings when you view them.
Photographers & Videographers are not all the same
You probably haven’t hired a wedding photographer or videographer before and so it is hard to understand what is the difference between them. At a first glance they all seem to be offering the same product, but with completely different packages and prices.
This is why you should look at full wedding photo galleries and watch full wedding films to see examples of exactly what you can expect to receive from them. Styles and approaches vary significantly as do the packages they offer. So ideally you want to compare the suppliers you are considering as you want to be sure that the way you want to relive your wedding is what you will actually receive.
Consider the cost of your whole wedding when setting a budget
There are wedding photographers and videographers that cater for different budgets based on their own circumstances, business models and their experience. But like anything else, if the cost of a photographer / videographer seems really cheap it is probably too good to be true.
A great way to set a budget for photography / videography is to look at the amount you are spending across your entire wedding. If you are spending £10,000 on your wedding then you won’t spend the same amount as someone spending £100,000 on their wedding celebrations.
As a guide many wedding planners feel it prudent to spend at least 10% of your overall budget on photography and videography. But in reality, it is about how much importance you place on the service, because you need to feel comfortable that what you are spending your money on is providing you with value.
What style do you like?
You need to love the way your photos and videos are going to look when you relive your day, not just tomorrow, but in 30 years time. Wedding photography and videography isn’t just about taking a snapshot or making a simple video, there are different styles of finished product and they require different approaches. It is a big topic to explain here, but some examples are:
Documentary, Photojournalistic, Editorial, Traditional, Modern, Fine Art, Dark & Moody, Light & Airy, Vintage or Film style, Cinematic, Music Video.
Many wedding storytellers will combine or blend these styles to create their signature look and approach. You may like more than one style, so the important thing is to know what you don’t like!
Make sure you like their personality
You’ll be with them all day, so you need someone who makes you feel comfortable and relaxed. When you feel good you will look good and from a personal perspective, as someone’s wedding photographer or videographer I want my couples to feel totally themselves around me.
So ask yourself, are they calming? Fun? Organized? Communicative? The best way to establish this is to meet in person or have a video call before booking to make sure you feel comfortable with each other.
Their experience & portfolio
There is nothing to say that someone new to wedding photography or filmmaking can’t be as technically good as someone who has been doing it for decades. But weddings are a unique, fast paced environment and are very different from other types of photography and videography work.
You don’t get to redo things on your wedding day and you want to know you are going to get some great memories once the day is over. So knowing your photographer / videographer has a decent amount of experience and a solid portfolio of work that is representative of your wedding vision is key to choosing the right wedding storyteller.
Other considerations
Read some reviews from previous couples – this is the best way to establish trust.
Check for other social proof across socials and other online sources like awards etc.
Do they offer the coverage and deliverables you want?
Are there extra charges for travel etc?
I hope this has been helpful
These are the things I would consider when trying to decide on a wedding photographer or videographer. If you want to find out more about me, how I capture weddings, and if I might be a good fit for you, then please check out my about section.
