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Booking your Wedding Photographer
When the time comes to book a photographer for your wedding day, it will most likely be your first experience with this kind of thing – where do you start? Relax, as this article will aid you in the decision making process. There are many important decisions to be made in planning a wedding, and your choice in photographer will certainly play a part in your overall experience.
Step 1: Beginning your search
Word of mouth: Definitely one of the most powerful forms of advertising, especially when someone you know well has had a direct experience with a product or service. Has a family member or friend recently been engaged or married? You will most likely have many people in your inner circle that you trust who will be able to give you an honest review regarding their photographer. Consider reaching out through social media, as you will surely begin a threat of opinions you can further investigate.
Bridal site/community: Online bridal communities such as Vancity Weddings are a fantastic one-stop resource. Often these sites have interactive forums built right in to their community where you can directly speak to vendors, including couples who have already booked their photographer, some of whom will have already held their wedding and arrived back from their honeymoon.
Web search: A little obvious, however worth a mention on a few points. The sites that rank at the top will have put allot of time and energy into their blogs, networking, advertising etc and getting their work out to the masses. Donʼt be afraid to dig a little deeper into the search engine pages – you may just uncover that hidden gem.
Step 2: Narrowing down your choices
Make a list of your top candidates. Bookmark or cut and paste websites into a text file/email so as to make for easy referencing down the road. There are endless discussions, debates, and points that we could go into on the topic of making your final photographer selection such as company vs sole proprietor/individual, keeping digital negatives vs ordering images afterwards through your photographer, a second photographer vs one lead or main photographer only etc. In the spirit of simplifying this process, let us identify 3 imperative points to evaluate for yourself in the next step that will definitely move you closer to making an informed decision.
Step 3: Making the decision
#3 The Price: Price is obviously an important factor. The average overall wedding cost in Canada is somewhere in the area of around $24,000, and you will certainly find many varying price points when inquiring for a photography quote. How much have you allocated for photography and are you realistically able to spend? Wedding coordinators & planners often suggest spending 10-12% of your overall budget on photography as a general guideline. Photographers will offer many varying ways of doing business which may include a la carte, actual packages to choose from and/or customized quotes depending on the products and services you like. Is the most important element to you the coverage time, keeping the digital negatives, having a second photographer, completed albums, an engagement photo session, included thank you cards or some other product/service? This will be a very personal choice, and it could even be all of the above mentioned. Whatever the final decision is, make a list in order of importance and have a rough idea as to what you feel that you can realistically spend based on the suggested formula above. When you look back at your big day, you will likely not be able to recall what was spent on wedding photography. However, you will always retain your memories through the photos and certainly your opinion about them.
#2 The Work: Styles will vary greatly. Photography is a form of artistic expression and therefore subjective. Does the feel align with how you see yourself, and how you would like your family to be depicted? Are there more posed images or actual real moments, and which do you prefer? You will know what you do like and donʼt like almost immediately when browsing through prospective portfolios. Pay careful attention to how people look in the images, and always request to see actual printed work beyond an online or digital portfolio. Be sure that the work you are viewing is actually the work of the person that you are meeting with in cases where you are visiting a studio with multiple or teams of photographers who work under the same roof. You will get a good sense of what you can expect from the viewing presentation.
#1 The Actual Photographer: The most important aspect of booking your photographer is the actual person who you select to work with! The price you pay and style in the work will not matter if you are not in sync, and unhappy with the person you selected on the wedding day – with the flipside being that you may have a really memorable day if you find someone who you really gel with. Always meet your photographer before making a final decision. If it is logistically not possible (in cases where you are traveling far to the wedding), scheduling an online meeting through services such as Skype or Facetime, which are good options above and beyond a phone call. Do you feel comfortable with this person, and would you want to spend your entire wedding day with them? Are they professional in terms of your interactions, and what is their personality like? How many years have they been photographing for, and do they have training through a recognized institution - how about testimonials? This last sentence may or may not be important to you. There is no governing body licensing photographers, so you will have to feel this part out for yourself to some extent. Often you are venturing into a new relationship that doesnʼt end after the wedding. Meet with a few different people to be able to compare experiences, and always use a professional who has made photography a career choice with plenty of real world experience. They will insure that your day will run smoothly and know what to do in instances of unforeseen situations or scenarios that might arise. Sometimes photographers become a larger part of oneʼs life, and you may want to hire them back for future family milestones or portraits after children are born if that is in the cards. If you can work with your photographer before the wedding by booking an engagement photo session, it is a wonderful opportunity to mutually get to know one another, and a great way for you to verify your choice.
Step 4: Seal the deal
You made it! From the beginning stages of asking around and searching online, you narrowed your choices, met with a few different people who topped your list, and followed the criteria in the previous step to come to a decision. Youʼve found the perfect photographer for your special day. Make sure that there is an agreement in black and white that states clearly what you will be receiving, when you can expect the photos, payment terms and all other pertinent details. This contract protects both parties, and is mutually beneficial to both the client and the photographer. Be sure to secure your date from other potential bookings with a deposit or retainer for services. Following these basic steps will ensure that you will have the perfect wedding day and feel great about the decision that you have made. The day will go by so fast, so schedule a private break of at least five minutes throughout the day to really be present with one another as a newlywed couple, and just take it all in… Congratulations, and enjoy!
Mention Toronto Wedding List for a 10% discount when upon booking until July 31, 2014.
About the Writer
John Bauld began his professional photography career employed for a decade as a staff photographer with Metroland, a division of the Toronto Star Corporation after studying through Oakvilleʼs Sheridan College applied photography program. Two decades into his career as a seasoned professional, his wedding work has taken him to many locations in and around his native Greater Toronto area, as well as Ottawa, Montreal and many exciting exotic destinations abroad. Learn more about their services at johnbauldphotography.com.