So you are about to book a wedding photographer? Congratulations!!
This means that you are either engaged or prepping early during your relationship as you wait for him to pop the question! There are a few key things you’ll want to consider when learning about your potential photographer and their services. Most wedding photographers will have a selection of packages and options to choose from when you inquire with them, and the photographer should work with you to help you decide on what will be best for your day! Here are three things you’ll want to consider when deciding what photographer and package are best for you.
1. Are engagement photos included?
One of the most important things to consider when booking your wedding photographer is whether or not your photographer includes an engagement session in their package(s). Engagement sessions are a really important part of the process that will bring you to your wedding day. Having your engagement photos done with your wedding photographer gives you a chance to get to know the photographer on a more personal level while also getting comfortable in front of their camera. You wouldn’t want the first time that you meet your wedding photographer to be on your wedding day, so it’s a great way to get to know each other more before your big day. I always love connecting with my couples before their weddings so that we can pick up like old friends on their wedding day!
In addition to allowing you to connect with your photographer and become more comfortable in front of their camera, having your engagement photos is also just a fun time with your fiancé! These sessions are typically much more casual and adventurous than your wedding day, plus it gives you pictures to use for your save-the-dates, wedding websites, and to be able to post on social media as you count down the days until your big day! Want to learn more about engagement photos? Check out this blog post where I give 5 of my top tips.
2. Is a second shooter right for you?
Another important thing to consider when booking your wedding photographer is whether or not you want to have a second shooter. A second shooter is a second photographer who is assisting the main photographer. On your wedding day, you’ll get the main photographer that you hire plus a second photographer who provides more variety in your wedding gallery. The second shooter is able to catch different angles and additional in-between moments while the lead photographer is capturing the high-priority events. A second photographer is wonderful for photographing “behind the scenes” moments rather than leading all of the poses.
If your wedding day will include multiple locations, like the groomsmen and bridesmaids getting ready at different locations or cocktail hour is happening at the reception while you’re cruising around town on a party bus, a second shooter can be very useful! You want every piece of your day captured, so this way you can have a photographer in two places at one time. A second shooter can also be really helpful during the ceremony. So many things happen so quickly during the ceremony and you will want as many reactions captured as possible. Sometimes the ceremony location may be restrictive and doesn’t allow the photographers to move around from one side to the other discreetly and quick enough, so having a second shooter allows all of the best angles to be captured easily. In sum, a second shooter allows multiple things to be captured at one time–whether that be in two different locations or of two different reactions in the same moment–which can increase the amount of detail and emotion captured on your day.
3. What should your actual wedding day coverage look like?
One final (and very!) important thing to consider when booking your wedding photographer is the amount of coverage time you’ll need. Many photographers offer different packages regarding how much time they will spend with you. Personally, I offer 8, 9, or 10-hour packages. In order to determine the coverage time that is best for you, you’ll have to think through some of the logistics of your day: What are the expected timelines of other vendors? Is your ceremony and reception at a different location? What moments will be the most important for your photographer to capture?
You may need to book a larger package if you want photos of you getting ready with your girls in the morning as well as your late-night sparkler send-off. Another scenario that may require a larger package would be saving your first look for the ceremony. Although this is an emotional moment, it will delay your photo timeline a bit because you won’t get as many photos done before the ceremony. You may be able to go with a shorter time package if all of the events of the day take place at the same location or are close to each other. You will be able to save on travel time and start having your gorgeous photos taken sooner! You’ll want to think through the first and last things you want to be captured on your day before finally looking at your timeline to determine which package will work best for you.
There are really so many individualized factors when it comes to selecting the package that will be best for you. My biggest words of advice are to: 1) Prioritize what is most important to you to be documented, and, 2) Ask plenty of questions. So, let’s connect! I want to hear all about your wedding plans as we discuss what will be best for you!
