Wedding Tips
4 Elements to Consider When Choosing Your Wedding Ceremony Photographer
A Lil Intro
So, you’re engaged and ready to start planning your wedding. Yay! Congrats! How exciting and…terrifying, at the same time. Two of the biggest (and usually most expensive) vendors you’ll choose for your day are your venue and your photographer.
Though, narrowing down which photographer to hire in a sea of photographers can be tricky, especially if this is your first time booking a professional. Even if you have previously worked with someone trained in photography, wedding photography is a whole new field, and it’s definitely not a vendor you want to skimp on.
If you’re wondering what the most important traits you should consider when selecting your photographer, Michelle from Wandermore Photography and me (Liz) compiled five elements to consider when browsing wedding photographers.
Photography Style
You’ve probably read that you should have a specific style for your wedding and find vendors that match that style. Yes, this is true, but wedding terminology evolves, so what is considered “dark and moody” today might look a little more “light and airy” tomorrow.
Instead, pay attention to how the photographer takes photos. What do you like about their photos? Is it the natural laughter between the couple? Is it the scenery? A photographer is an artist who will continue to define and develop their craft, so find a photographer who fits your wedding and the ideal end look for your photos.
Finally, ask for some examples of wedding receptions they’ve shot if you can’t find any on their website. You’ll want to see their experience working in different lighting and how they capture a crowd. Everything is a lot easier when you have gorgeous light, but that all changes when it’s raining or in a dark reception room. Various lighting styles will show the actual test of their abilities.
Personality
If there is any most important element, it’s this one! But, like style, this can be subjective and will depend on who you are and what you need to feel comfortable in front of the camera. For example, I’m extremely awkward being photographed (ironic for an officiant, I know!), so I like someone who is bubbly and guides me through the process.
However, if I know that my family is wild and crazy, I might want to find a photographer who is rigid about sticking to their schedule. Or, I might connect with the arts and want someone who will see our wedding as another way to express their creativity, meaning that I’m not afraid if my photos don’t even look like wedding photos but rather a styled fashion shoot.
Make a list of your top qualities in a photographer and search for someone who matches them.
Budget
Don’t hate me for adding this, Michelle! I’m adding this element not because I think you should set a budget and try to get anyone you like to meet it or go wildly over your budget when you find the perfect photographer.
Think about the importance of your wedding photos. These are the tangible items that remain after your wedding. If you’re inviting guests, these photos carry more weight than the photos of you. If someone passes away, you can reflect on your wedding photos to remember that person.
Look around at average photography prices in your area before you set your budget so you know what’s realistic. If you find a photographer over your budget, see if there’s anything you can readjust in your budget to hire that photographer. It’s really, really important that you have a photographer you truly like rather than one you picked solely for budget purposes. The results show in your photos.
Backup Plans
I cannot (cannot!!) emphasize this enough. Please, please ask any photographer you’re considering what their backup plans are. And not just if they’re sick. You should be asking:
- Do they have experience working both indoors and outdoors? And in terrible weather?
- Do they use dual-slot cameras? (Aka the location for the backup cards when they shoot) And do they have hard drives to store the photos? How long will you have access to the digital gallery?
- Where are their photos backed up? Is it on a hard drive and cloud? Your photographer should have the images stored in at least three locations.
- Do they have liability insurance? They absolutely should, and if they don’t, don’t book them. Your venue will most likely ask for this.
Below is an example timeline of an ideal wedding plan:
12:30 PM – Bride puts on dress and bride individual photos
12:45 PM – Groom heads to first look location
1:00 PM – First look, letter reading, couple photos
2:00 PM – Bridal party photos
2:45 PM – Family Photos
3:30 PM – Family Photos done
4:00 PM – Hide away for Ceremony (eat something, drink water, have time alone together)
4:30 PM – Ceremony Starts
5:00 PM – Ceremony ends – cocktail hour begins
6:00 PM – Grand entrance with bridal party
6:15 PM – Dinner starts
6:30 PM – Speeches
7:00 PM – Cake cutting and dessert served
7:30 PM – Start Dances (couple’s first dance, father daughter, mother son, then open dance)
8:30 PM – Sneak away for golden hour photos
8:45 PM – Sunset time
9:00 PM – Return to dance floor
10:30 PM – Sparkler Send Off
Here is an example timeline for a wedding in the winter where the sun sets at 4:00 pm, and the couple wants to do their first look down the aisle.
12:00 PM – Groom and groomsmen group and individual photos
12:30 PM – Bride and bridesmaid group and individual photos
1:00 PM – hide before ceremony starts
1:30 PM – Ceremony begins
2:30 PM – Ceremony ends, guests head to cocktail hour
2:30 PM – Family group portraits
3:00 PM – Bridal party group photos
3:30 PM – Couple portraits heading into sunset
4:00 PM Sunset time, head to reception
4:30 PM – Cocktail hour ends, guests get seasted
4:45 PM – Grand March
5:00 PM – Dinner served
5:30 PM – Speeches
6:00 PM – Cake Cutting
6:30 PM – First dances
7:00 PM – Photography coverage done
The Bottom Line
Phew! That’s an exhaustive list, but an important one! Your wedding photos are an investment, so use these elements as an easy way to guide your photographer search so you know you got the best match for your money.
Need help narrowing down your search? Reach out to Michelle over at Wandermore for some additional information on her photography packages!
Meet your
Officiants
Liz
(she/her)
Founder/Officiant
Liz founded Liz Rae & Co in 2015 during her best friend Maranda’s engagement. Her friend, Timmie, at the time also struggled with finding an LGBTQ-friendly officiant who custom-wrote ceremonies. Liz believes the ceremony is the best part of the wedding day and wanted to change the industry by emphasizing not only the importance of marriage ceremonies but inclusivity as well.
When she isn’t writing ceremonies, she’s working on editing her first novel and second fictional novels. She’s been writing her whole life, but gained her storytelling knowledge through Faber Academy’s novel program and UCLA’s TV and Film Writing degree. You can read some of her writing on her website, Liz Rae and more notably, on Thought Catalog. She also writes terrible Instagram poetry at @iamlizrae, but wouldn’t recommend reading it.
She speaks Spanish, some French, and some Italian, and she’s lived in France, Italy, Spain, Peru, the United Kingdom. She’s traveled to every continent except Antarctica.
She loves writing weddings of all kinds — her favorite part about the job is figuring out how to tell each and every story! She can’t wait to get to know you and be part of your wedding.
Liz founded Liz Rae & Co in 2015 during her best friend Maranda’s engagement. Her friend, Timmie, at the time also struggled with finding an LGBTQ-friendly officiant who custom-wrote ceremonies. Liz believes the ceremony is the best part of the wedding day and wanted to change the industry by emphasizing not only the importance of marriage ceremonies but inclusivity as well.
When she isn’t writing ceremonies, she’s working on editing her first novel and second fictional novels. She’s been writing her whole life, but gained her storytelling knowledge through Faber Academy’s novel program and UCLA’s TV and Film Writing degree. You can read some of her writing on her website, Liz Rae and more notably, on Thought Catalog. She also writes terrible Instagram poetry at @iamlizrae, but wouldn’t recommend reading it.
She speaks Spanish, some French, and some Italian, and she’s lived in France, Italy, Spain, Peru, the United Kingdom. She’s traveled to every continent except Antarctica.
She loves writing weddings of all kinds — her favorite part about the job is figuring out how to tell each and every story! She can’t wait to get to know you and be part of your wedding.
Ready to make your moment,
your moment?
Wedding Tips
Four Elements to Consider When Planning Your Wedding Ceremony Around Lighting
When planning your wedding, the first element on your mind probably isn’t the sun’s position at every hour. However, as you embark further on the planning process, considering lighting is especially important if great photos are one of your top priorities. While there are some typicalities behind wedding timelines, don’t overlook lighting when creating that schedule, as it can affect various photos throughout your wedding day.
Choosing a photographer that knows lighting makesallthe difference, so I teamed up with Lulle Photo to give you some pointers on how to structure your wedding ceremony around lighting so you look good while tying the knot.
Here are four elements to consider when planning your wedding ceremony around lighting.
Wedding Tips
4 Elements to Consider When Choosing Your Wedding Ceremony Photographer
So, you’re engaged and ready to start planning your wedding. Yay! Congrats! How exciting and…terrifying, at the same time. Two of the biggest (and usually most expensive) vendors you’ll choose for your day are your venue and your photographer.
Though, narrowing down which photographer to hire in a sea of photographers can be tricky, especially if this is your first time booking a professional. Even if you have previously worked with someone trained in photography, wedding photography is a whole new field, and it’s definitely not a vendor you want to skimp on.
If you’re wondering what the most important traits you should consider when selecting your photographer, Michelle from Wandermore Photography and me (Liz) compiled five elements to consider when browsing wedding photographers.
When Should You Book Your Wedding Officiant?
So, you’re engaged! Yay!
You probably know the venue and have already selected the photographer – you’ve got your main priorities covered!
But then what? You’ve got a laundry list of vendors to contact, meet with, and choose, And all this hassle on top of working at your day job while juggling every other priority in life.
And there are all these websites that give you conflicting, and often unrealistic, information about when to book your wedding vendors.