You’re getting married? Congratulations!! I loooved planning my wedding, but it was quite stressful at times! There are SO MANY wedding vendors in the Tampa/Sarasota/Orlando areas! Really, one of the most populated wedding photography spots in the country! How in the world do you choose 1 photographer out of thousands??? I don’t want to say couples make mistakes about how they find their photographer, but I think they should maybe look at a few things from another point of view. No, it isn’t just about budget. There are so many factors that should be considered. I hope that you read through and take this advice to heart. Whether it be me, or any other photographer, I want you to be happy with your decision & your photos.
First, know your style.
So very, very important. Are you super traditional and like standard poses? Are you more natural and like more candid pictures? Aside from the poses, how do you like the images to look? Vibrant, soft, light, dark, vintage, classic, etc. Take your time deciding what look makes your heart skip a beat. Look at MANY different styles. Do simple google searches. It doesn’t have to be geographically specific when you’re trying to find the style you love. Look at wedding blogs! Each blog has their own style. I’ll give a few examples below.
You don’t want to hire a photographer and have them form to what you want. I’ve had that happen to me, and it wasn’t fun for either of us. You want to find someone who shares your vision. You want to be able to trust that they are getting what you want, so you can enjoy the day without having to coach them in your style.
Where do I look?
- There are many ways to start looking. Do you have a planner? Ask them for their favorite photographers. They’ve worked with so many. They know how they are under pressure, how responsive they are, what kind of quality you’ll get back, etc. Be sure to tell them the style you’re looking for!
- Ask your friends who just got married! Did you like their pictures? Do they have raving things to say about that company?
- There are tons of amazing wedding blogs out there. They are constantly publishing all kinds of incredible weddings. Check out their vendor page, and search for your area. My absolute favorite blog is Every Last Detail. Their search filter is so specific. You can really get to who you are looking for. Not only is she so great with her vendors, she gives the most amazing advice to couples who are planning their wedding. I’m constantly reading her blog, WISHING I had this when I was planning my wedding. Other good ones to check out: Wedding Chicks, 100 Layer Cake, Style Me Pretty, Style Me Pretty FL, Ruffled, Grey Likes Weddings, Smitten … Those are among my favorites, and they are kind of similar in style. Here is a huge list of the most popular wedding blogs here.
- Use Google. But don’t search for “Tampa Bay Wedding Photographer” because you’ll get a list that is way too long and you’ll never be able to sift through all the photographers that don’t match your style to get to the ones you like. Instead, use specific search terms. Use the words that match your style, like “contemporary”, “natural light” or “traditional”. Search for your area, but don’t forget to include surrounding areas too! Most photographers would love to travel short distances for your wedding without a travel fee. You can also search for your venue, and see the photos taken there. Having a photographer that’s shot at your venue isn’t a necessity, but it is nice to know they are familiar with the grounds.
- Wedding Wire is a HUGE tool in helping you find a reliable photographer. That’s where the brides and grooms go to give positive or negative reviews after the experience is over. Not all photographers will come up on your initial search. You may have to wait and search for each photographer you’re interested in to read their reviews. Only paying members will come up when you search for photographers in your area, but you are able to search for any photographer manually.
The Investment
This is where your budget comes in. I might be biased, I don’t think I am, but a big chunk of your budget should go towards photography. This is not one area you want to skimp on. Your pictures last forever. You don’t want to get pissed off every time you look at them. Instead, you want to feel the love and emotion you felt that day! You want your heart to do flips & cry happy tears.
Don’t go from website to website, heading straight for the investment page. Take a little time to see the photographer’s work first. Is it your style? Do you LOVE it? Do you think this photographer would be on the low end or high end of your budget? Seeing the price first may send you into sticker shock. I don’t want you to base how much you love this photographer based on how much they cost. If you LOVE this vendor, and you look at the price and it’s within your budget (or maybe a little outside your budget), go ahead and contact them! Set up a date to meet and see how much more or less you love that person in person.
Meeting Them
Come prepared! Create a list of questions that you want to know, NOT what the Knot tells you to ask. (ex: “Do I get the raw files?” Do you know what you would do with the raw files?) Don’t feel dumb for asking whatever questions you have! We want you to be super comfortable and have no hesitation when it comes to finding someone that’s right for you. The person you hire should be friendly & informative. If you get the feeling you aren’t meshing well, or you don’t like his/her answers, don’t feel bad. There is someone else out there that is better for you.
Probably my most important advice I have to give you. DO NOT compare photographer’s prices with each other. There are no two photographers alike. We act & edit differently. Some are more experienced than others. We include different things in our packages. You get along better with some more than others, and you simply love some more than others. Why would you compare prices if we are all so different? There will always be someone cheaper. Is that the final say in your decision making? How about, “How does this one make me feel?” Or “Who do I trust more in capturing my wedding, the way I have envisioned?”
Be Courteous
Once you have made your decision, there’s probably more than one photographer waiting to hear back from you. They’ve spent a lot of time corresponding over emails, prepping their meeting with you, and the actual meeting time.. Everything adds up to at least a few hours! The nice thing to do is to contact everyone who you’ve met with, and even everyone who you have emailed asking for prices, and let them know that you’ve decided to hire someone else & thank them for their time. Yeah, it stings to get that email, not gonna lie. But we do appreciate you letting us know. We kinda hate it when we spend so much time with you, never to hear from you again. So just remember to be courteous to all the photographers you’ve contacted.
I really hope this has shed some light to those of you who are looking for a photographer, or who will be getting engaged in the future.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need some more ideas about how or where to find a vendor. Jessica@JessicaCharlesPhotography.com
