Organising your dream wedding day can be a stressful experience. There are a lot of decisions to be made and one of the most important is your wedding photography. After the wedding day is long gone the photos are all you have left to remember your day. We really recommend you do your research when it comes to picking your wedding photographer. Spend some time getting to know what style of wedding photography you like. We have a helpful guide explaining the different styles of wedding photography. Photography is subjective and what style you like is a matter of personal taste. Our photography is bright and modern, you can find lots of examples of our work in our portfolio. Our featured weddings page is also a great place to see a capsule selection from our client galleries.
“Choosing your wedding photographer doesn’t have to be daunting. Start the process with online research. Photographer websites and Instagram are a great place to see a capsule of their favourite photos”
Shane Webber Photography
1) Do your research
There are an awful lot of wedding photographers out there, so doing your research is really important. Spending some time checking out websites, social media and magazines will mean you can pick a great photographer that fits within your budget and shoots in the style you want. Look at lots of different styles of wedding photography and see which one is your favourite whether it’s natural, fine art or traditional. When you have a shortlist of potential photographers, give them a call. Make sure to ask to see an entire wedding and to ask for client reviews before making a booking. That will give you a great idea of what you can expect on your big day.
Top Tip: Check your photographer has established social media channels. An experienced photographer should have a good amount of content across all channels
2) Book a consultation
Another top tip for choosing your photographer is to make sure you have a consultation. Whether this is a meeting in person or a Skype call it’s really that important you feel comfortable with your photographer. A simple ten minute call can do wonders with calming nerves around your photography. It’s so common to not like having your photograph taken, but we promise you will enjoy it on the day! Read our guide on how to get the best wedding portraits. At Shane Webber Photography we also have a dedicated Studio Manager who will look after you in the build up to the wedding day and later when you are choosing your album. It’s great to have one point of contact who is there to help with any questions you may have. Learn more about our team!
Top Tip: Start looking for your photographer as soon as you have booked your venue. The best wedding photographers book 1-2 years in advance.
3) Take recommendations
Have any of your family or friends recently got married? Speak to them as part of your research. The chances are that if someone close to you was pleased with the work of a particular photographer, then you probably will be too. Friends and family are also a great source of advice when you’re stressed out – they’ve done it before and know what to look out for. Your photographer should be more than happy to share testimonials from their previous clients with you too. We also recommend when picking your photographer to check their Google Reviews.
Top Tip: Always get full galleries when choosing your photographer. Make sure you get a gallery from the same time of year your wedding is due to be.
4) Understand Value
The most important choice for your wedding is of course the venue. After your location is chosen your photography is the next most important thing to book. As such, amazing wedding photography isn’t cheap. A great photography service has many elements aside from the actual work on the day. This is why photography is quite an expensive service. It’s important to understand the value of beautiful wedding photographs when you start getting quotes from photographers. Be wary of anything too cheap, there will be a compromise along the way. We advise you always work out your photographer’s price for full day when comparing quotes. Packages including albums, second photographers etc can look like a good deal but when you work it out the photographers day rate is very low.
Top Tip: If you are on a budget cut the extras! Spend as much as you can afford on your photographer for the day. Don’t put the budget towards engagement shoots and products.
5) Go with your gut
Everything from the flowers to the favours on your wedding day is very personal, so trust your gut when picking a photographer. The chances are that if your gut tells you that you’ve found the perfect match, you probably have! Top wedding photographers book really far in advance so it’s imperative to act quickly especially if you are getting married on a peak wedding date. Your favourite photographer can only shoot one wedding a day. If you miss your opportunity you will regret it!
We would love to discuss your wedding photography requirements further. Get in touch to book in a consultation with us. We have photographed hundreds of weddings across Manchester and Cheshire providing couples with bright and modern wedding photos. Shane has been named one of the UK’s best wedding photographers two years in and row. We are passionate about providing beautiful images and products to our couples.
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