Capturing your Wedding Day with photography and videography is the perfect way to remember every detail of the bride and groom's special day! Choosing the right photographer may seem cumbersome and overwhelming, but here are some suggestions for finding the best one to expertly capture your special day.

Start searching immediately.
The best photographers book their schedules roughly one year in advance. A good starting point would be to ask your coordinator at the venue where your reception is booked if they have a suggested or preferred vendors list. Friends and family can also provide some great recommendations based on their experiences with photographers and videographers as well, or may be able to suggest friends or family members experienced in photography and videography who would be able to cover your special wedding day.

Look at wedding photo samples to get a feel of the photographer's work.
Once you have a list of potentials companies to hire for your wedding, consider meeting with them in person to discuss their rates and review their portfolios. Remember, you are not just getting pictures that will be posted online; you may be interested in prints or albums, so it is important to see the quality of the products you will be getting for the price you’ll be paying. Also bear in mind that it is a good idea to look at a completed photo album from start to finish in order to get a sense of the photographer's time sequence and quality.

Prioritize your package needs and consider your budget.
Photography and videography can be a big ticket item on your budget if it’s a priority for the wedding couple. Packages can be expensive, but be sure to consider what items you definitely want included in remembering your day, and what parts of the day you definitely want covered. Consider the length of your ceremony and reception, and whether or not you want photos or video from the pre-wedding fun and excitement. The average wedding package is 4 – 6 hours for the reception alone, plus the length of the ceremony adds at least another hour. Already you’re looking at a 7-8 hour length of time to book the photographer for. It is common for couples to get at least one wedding album of photographs outlining the day from getting ready with the bridal parties to the married couple leaving the reception together. In the digital era we’re currently in, many couples prefer CDs with all the pictures on it to post online or email to friends and family. The benefit of asking for a disk to be included with the package is that you can also order reprints of certain pictures upon reviewing them with your partner, friends, and family, and receiving feedback about what pictures (if any) they would like to have from your special day. Videography can also be an expensive add-on to your photography package, so if you can, try to bundle the packages together with your photographer. For the videography, still consider the length of time you may need to book the professional for, and whether or not you want video taken of the bridal party getting ready prior to the ceremony. Also consider what items you would like included in our videography package and what matters most to you (i.e. do you want a full length, unedited video or do you prefer a feature –length collection of highlights throughout the day?).

Photography is vital in capturing and preserving the essence of your wedding day. It is a great way to capture all the fun and excitement of your special day and to preserve the happiest memories for every bride and groom to savor by looking back at beautiful photos!