Planning your dream wedding involves putting tremendous effort and thought into every small detail and understandably so; it’s going to be a day you’ll remember for a lifetime.
Dressing up for the day, meeting with your partner at the aisle, saying your vows to one another, and celebrating with your friends and family in attendance. That’s how the perfect wedding should be like.
Looking at your wedding pictures years after you said your vows will bring back all the emotions and memories of how special that day was to you.
That’s where a wedding photographer comes into the picture, so to speak.
A good wedding photographer should be able to tell your love story through the pictures they take. We’ve highlighted a few tips that can help you make sure you get wonderful pictures from your wedding as per the style you want.
1. Hire a Professional Photographer for Your Wedding
Hiring a wedding photographer should be high among the priorities you should budget for and book at the earliest convenience.
The truth is you will say your vows, the wedding cake will be shared, and your wedding decorations will be taken down. But your wedding pictures will be there to always take you back to your special day.
Having covered various weddings before, a professional Hertfordshire photographer will know where to be at the right time, what pictures to take, and how to take them without being told. This will give you the peace of mind to focus on your big day.
Here’s a brief guide on how you can hire the best Hertfordshire photographer for your wedding.
Do Thorough Research
Begin by asking for referrals from family and friends or even better, recently married couples. Look up photographers online and read up on their reviews and feedback from clients who’ve previously used the services of the photographer. Make a point to look up their portfolios or request for them to share.
This information can help you narrow down your viable choices.
Work With a Budget
By getting a rough estimate of how much you intend to spend on photography, you can make your pool even smaller. Compare the packages of the shortlisted photographers and see if it works with what you plan on paying.
This will make your hiring decision a lot easier. You will also save time for you and the photographer as you won’t have to waste time interviewing photographers out of your price range.
Schedule a Meeting
Planning a meeting, even if it’s on Zoom, will do a world of good for both the couple and the photographer. The meeting will help you establish priorities for the event as well as establish a good working relationship before the big day.
You will want to along with your photographer especially considering he’ll be somewhat like your shadow on your wedding day.
2. Choose a Specious and All-Weather Venue
The venue you choose for your wedding should have enough room for everyone. If the place you choose is too small, your guests are going to feel cramped in the pictures. If it’s too large, the energy in the atmosphere might be dull and the pictures will show as if some people failed to show up.
Therefore, before choosing a venue, you need to consider roughly how many people you expect at the wedding.
You should also consider the outside and the inside when choosing the ideal venue. Make sure the venue has an alternative location for the reception if the weather becomes unfriendly. You don’t want the weather to rain on your amazing wedding pictures.
3. Allocate Enough Time for the Reception
The reception is very significant so make sure there’s enough time to accommodate all planned events. This will help the photographer take enough pictures without feeling like they have to rush their work.
It helps to let the photographer know who is who during the photo session. About one and a half to two hours for a photo session should be enough.
Also, if possible, try to practice shots before the photography session. It gives the photographer an easier task of taking your individual and group pictures. This level of preplanning can save the event a lot of time.
4. Choose a Style
Long gone are the days when wedding photography was done in the same style. A lot of differently talented photographers have emerged. This has given couples have more choice over the look and feel of their pictures as they have more options to choose from.
Do some research and look into different styles of wedding photography. Some of the common themes you’ll find include:
- Portraiture: This is a traditional style that prioritizes classic portraits. It features the couple in different dramatic and artistic poses.
- Documentary: This style involves documenting the events of the wedding as they unfold through spontaneous pictures. It’s also referred to as photojournalism.
- Artistic: This style of photography allows the photographer greater artistic freedom to go for dramatic shots such as pictures with blurred backgrounds or black and white pictures.
5. Sign a Written Contract
Make sure that the photographer you hire signs a written contract detailing all the events that happened and review it before committing your signature. The contract should include important details such as the wedding date, the scope of work, the costs, and the deliverables.
If the photographer is not willing to commit to a contract, take that sign as a red flag. No photographer worth the money should have a problem with signing a contract.
A Photograph Is a Portal That Takes You Back in Time
Couples spend months doing planning and preparations for their wedding day only for it to pass by in the blink of an eye. A lot of things also happen concurrently in a short span of time and the day can get ahead of you pretty quickly.
But with the right professional photographer, couples can relive their memorable day over and over with professionally taken pictures highlighting the best moments of the event. The tips highlighted above should help you make a well-guided decision.