You got engaged! WAHOO! Seriously such an exciting time, you’ve decided to spend the rest of your life with your favourite weirdo. Say yes is is the easiest part of getting married, it’s a simple agreement that you’re ready to plan an epic party with your partner! The epic party planning can be a little bit more complicated. Picking your wedding date and wedding venue is the first step, then onto my favourite part, finding someone to capture your day! I’ve put together 5 simple ways to find and choose your wedding photographer
1- FIND YOUR STYLE
Look through your #Instagram, #Facebook, and #Pinterest boards, just start checking things out. Figure out what style of photography you might like. Here is a list of a few styles
#candidphoto #photojournalistic #portraiture #romanticphotos #moodyphotos #brightphotography #filmphotography #adventurephotography
I know there’s more but it give you an idea of what to look for! I’m more of a candid photo photographer, with a little bit of romance mixed in. I like to try and have fun, give a bit of direction but usually let you be your authentic selves 🙂
2 – FIND YOUR BUDGET
This is a big one for a lot of couples getting married. Planning a wedding really starts off with a budget. What do you want to spend on your day, and then divide it up into what you have to spend on each vendor. My top three picks for money well spent are Venue, Photography and/or videography, and DJ. Mainly because all these three things work hand it hand to help create the most epic celebration. Budgeting for photography can be a little tricky, especially when there is such a broad range of prices. On average, for a professional well seasoned photographer, your budget should be between $3000-$4000. This usually covers you for your whole day, and you get more than just a photographer. I see this with all the pros I follow and work with, we don’t just show up and take photos, we help you plan, keep on track and get the best moments out of your day. Worth every penny your investing into your wedding day.
3 – MEET AND GREET
I highly recommend you meet with a handful of different photographers, get to know them, and make sure they make you feel comfortable. As good as their work is, you are spending your entire wedding day with them, and you want it to be the best experience. I like to meet for a beer or have a coffee, get know my potential clients, and make sure we can hang like besties. I also want to make sure they know exactly who I am, and what I’m providing with them as a service.
4 – SIGN A FREAKING CONTRACT
I see this so often in the industry, no shows, ghosting and disappearing deposits. Any professional in the wedding industry, who is genuinely in business for their clients will have you sign a contract. It not only protects the vendor, but it gives you something tangible that confirms you hired their services. Contracts show how transparent your vendor will be, it’s clearly laid out what you’re paying for, policies, and boundaries. The more open I can be with my clients, the better their day will be!
5 – DO THE ENGAGEMENT SESSION
I put together a fun little date night engagement session for all my wedding clients. This is the best way to confirm your choice in your wedding photographer. We get to see how you are in front of the camera, and you get to experience what it will be like working with me on your wedding day! It also gives you all the content you’ll need to fill up a wedding website.
www.weddingwire.ca is amazing for these, share and excite your friends a family, and create fun social media posts.
Hopefully this helps you start the planning process! I’d love connecting with new couples head over to my website www.meganashleycreative.com or follow me on social media www.facebook.com/meganashleycreative
www.instagram.com/meganashleycreative
I also have a great blog post filled with vendors I’ve worked with over the years, check it out here – www.meganashleycreative.com
