Your wedding day will fly by. The food will be eaten, the dance floor will eventually empty and the flowers will (sadly) wilt, but your wedding photos will be there long after the confetti has settled.
Choosing your wedding photographer is a pretty big decision. It’s not just about finding someone who takes beautiful photos. You want someone whose style, personality and approach feel right for you and your wedding day.
So, where do you start?
Here are the things we’d recommend considering before booking your wedding photographer.
1. Find a Photography Style You Love
Before you start contacting photographers, spend some time looking at different photography styles.
You might love:
- Light, bright and airy images
- Warm, romantic photography
- Editorial and fashion-inspired shots
- Documentary-style, candid photography
- Classic and timeless images
- Moody, dramatic photography
There isn’t a “right” style. It’s about finding what feels like you.
Look beyond a photographer’s Instagram highlights and ask to see full wedding galleries. A curated social feed will show you their best work, but a full gallery will give you a much better idea of how they photograph an entire wedding.
2. Look at More Than the Couple Portraits
Of course, you want gorgeous photos of the two of you.
But your photographer will also capture all the little moments that make up your wedding day, including getting ready, your ceremony, family and friends, speeches, dancing and all the in-between moments.
When looking through galleries, look at how the photographer captures:
People: Do the photos feel natural and full of personality?
Emotion: Do they capture genuine moments rather than everything feeling posed?
Details: Are the smaller details and styling captured beautifully?
Lighting: How do their photos look in different lighting conditions?
Reception: Can they create great images once the sun goes down?
You want a photographer who can tell the whole story of your wedding day, not just take beautiful portraits.
3. Consider Their Personality
You’ll spend a surprising amount of time with your photographer on your wedding day.
They’ll be there while you’re getting ready, during your ceremony, throughout your photos and often well into the reception.
So yes, you need to like them!
Look for someone who makes you feel comfortable and relaxed. If you’re awkward in front of a camera, even better if they’re the kind of person who can make you laugh and forget you’re being photographed.
Your photographer should fit naturally into your wedding day rather than making you feel like you’re constantly being directed.
4. Ask About Their Packages
Don’t compare photographers based on price alone.
Make sure you understand exactly what’s included in each package, including:
- Number of hours
- Number of photographers
- Engagement or pre-wedding shoots
- Number of edited images
- Online gallery
- Printing options
- Albums
- Travel fees
- Additional hours
- Image delivery timeframe
Two photographers might have very different prices but offer completely different levels of coverage.
The cheapest option isn’t necessarily the best value, and the most expensive isn’t automatically the best fit either.
5. Make Sure They’re Available for Your Date
This sounds obvious, but it’s worth checking availability before falling completely in love with someone’s work.
Wedding photographers can book out well in advance, particularly for popular dates and peak wedding seasons.
Once you’ve found a photographer whose work you love, reach out early.
6. Ask About Backup Plans
Nobody wants to think about something going wrong on their wedding day, but it’s important to know your photographer has a plan.
Ask what happens if they become unwell or can’t attend your wedding.
You can also ask about their equipment and whether they have backup cameras, lenses and memory cards.
A professional photographer should have systems in place to protect both your photos and your experience.
7. Think About Your Budget
Photography is one of those wedding expenses where it can be tempting to simply choose the cheapest option.
But remember, you can’t recreate your wedding photos after the day.
Think about how important photography is to you and what you want to receive from your photographer.
If beautiful wedding photography is high on your priority list, it can be worth allocating more of your budget towards it.
8. Trust Your Gut
Once you’ve looked through galleries, compared packages and had a chat with your shortlisted photographers, there’s one final thing to consider:
How do they make you feel?
You want someone whose work you love, whose personality you connect with and who you trust to capture your wedding day in a way that feels authentic to you.
Because when you look back at your photos years from now, you won’t just want to remember what your wedding looked like.
You’ll want to remember how it felt.
Choosing Your Wedding Photographer with Confetti + Co
If you’re planning your wedding with Confetti + Co, you don’t have to navigate every supplier decision alone.
From photographers and florists to celebrants, caterers and entertainment, we work with a trusted network of wedding suppliers we’ve built relationships with over years of planning weddings.
Our job isn’t to choose every detail for you. It’s to help you find the right suppliers for your wedding, your style and your priorities.
Because the right photographer isn’t simply someone who takes beautiful photos.
They’re someone who can capture your people, your personality and all the little moments you’ll want to remember.