Snapping up the Right Wedding Photographer

20th September 2019

What makes a wedding photographer stand out? They’re all charming and can take great photos, so how do you choose the person who will capture your special day? We’re here to help with top tips from brides and grooms.

Start with style...

First we recommend you decide on your preferred style. There are lots of different styles of wedding photography, including traditional, creative and documentary. Spend some good time with a cup of tea (or a G&T) researching, Pinterest-ing, and looking through wedding pictures and blogs online to see what fits. Nowadays, the three magic words tend to be ‘Instagram, Instagram, and Instagram’, and if you feel you’re great at organising but perhaps lack more of a creative flare, there’s so much inspiration online for you to take from! You can always find a photographer who can mish-mash different styles, but have some research behind you and those styles in mind. But don’t just take our word for it, we want you to hear from some ‘been there done that’ brides and grooms...

We spoke to Bronte and Joe who chose photographers Will and Cephas from ThirteenFour Weddings.

How did you know your photographer was right for your wedding?

We loved Will’s editing style and both Joe and I could communicate what we wanted and he listened really well. Joe loved the more scenic and creative shots we’d seen from friends wedding albums, and I liked really natural, personal, slightly more traditional ones. When we met with Will we had gone through and picked a number of shots we liked from their website. This made it so much easier for Will to understand what we did and didn’t want - I would recommend a good bit of research beforehand! Familiarise yourselves with what you want, try and get the vision of your big day that’s in your head into words/pictures you’ve gathered.

Did you meet with them before the wedding?

Yes, we actually knew Will before, but would really recommend meeting with potential photographers when you’re deciding, and then at least once more when you’ve made your decision. Just because website photos are stunning, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are the right fit for your wedding, and meeting them in person allows you to get an understanding of whether you will feel relaxed with them on your big day, whether they get your vision and whether your personalities work together. Wedding photography is definitely a partnership between couple and photographer, so it’s important to know you can communicate well!

Looking back, what difference did it make having a good photographer for your big day?

A huge difference! One thing we knew was that we didn’t want a photographer who was super visible and up the front all the time; we’d seen photographers taking pictures of couples up close when they were making their vows, and we felt that was a little intrusive. Will and his team were great as they kept their distance but used their experience and equipment to get some beautiful close up shots of the ceremony without us feeling like we were on camera all the time. They also got stuck in with the guests at the reception, chatting and getting to know our friends, which was lovely and helped them capture some wonderful moments! You can talk through all these details with your photographer when you first meet with them, don’t be afraid to be clear about the things that are important to you!

How important was the location in your photos?

Our location was super important, because it was where we’d had a lot of our dates. We talked that through with Will and he was super happy on the day to walk/travel through our date spots to get some memorable snaps. He even ran around the huge lake to get a picture of us on the bridge! My tip would be get someone who will go above and beyond to make your photos that bit more special! Other than the rings the photos are the only thing you have physically afterwards, so they’re super important. We discussed different shots beforehand, but Will was super flexible and allowed me to direct some spontaneous shots on the day! We also knew we wanted two photographers as the range of shots you get is better; Will and Cephas were good friends and worked so well as a team.

Some additional top tips we were given by brides:

There are some basic things to check like do they have back-up equipment, insurance and a contract for you to sign? Make sure they’ve got everything covered and have prepared for things that could go wrong on the day.
Photographers can also recommend others if they are booked for your day, don’t give up if they’re not available, they’ll often know of someone with a similar style!
The photographer is often the most expensive choice you make to do with the wedding! Have a budget in mind, talk it through with your future spouse before you meet with your potential photographers.