We have loved sharing some tips that we have learned over the years! Today I will share a few tips for hiring a wedding photographer with you! Even before becoming a wedding photographer, I had a true appreciation for wedding photography and believed in spending money on photographs! After all, what’s that old saying? You get what you pay for! I have found that to be true in other areas so I figured it would be no different when it came to choosing the best wedding photographer for our Raleigh area wedding! There’s also a lot of photographers in North Carolina, so narrowing down one was not going to be easy!

#1. Book early

The first vendor we booked for our wedding was a photographer! Even before we had a venue and before I purchased my dress! My thinking was that regardless of where I get married or what dress I wear, I will need an amazing photographer to capture the day! And we were blessed to find an awesome husband and wife team almost 2 years before our wedding! It seems that more and more couples are waiting closer to their date to book a photographer! My little bit of advice would be to make your photographer one of the first vendors you choose! I know that everyone prioritizes things differently, but booking early ensures that you can have the photographer you really want! We really dislike telling you we’re booked! I know I certainly dread saying that!

#2. Don’t go cheap

I’m not just saying this because I’m a photographer! I truly believe that you get what you pay for! When searching for a photographer for the first time almost 3 years ago, I received lots of quotes for what seemed like ridiculous prices! I couldn’t believe the prices I received! After all, a photographer just shows up, takes a few photos and leaves right? That couldn’t be further from the truth! From preparing for your wedding beforehand to spending the day photographing you, your families, each detail, to editing for hours after your wedding is over, we have a very busy job! If you decide to cut your budget, please don’t let photography be the area you cut! Once your wedding day is over, your photos will be how you relive your wedding day and show it off to all of your friends and family that couldn’t make it!

#3. Meet in person

There are lots of us! We all have different styles and unique ways of interacting with our couples! I highly suggest that you sit down and chat with your potential photographer face to face! This ensures that you two “click” and will enjoy working with one another! Anytime someone contacts us about a wedding, my first thought is “let’s meet”! Not only are you interviewing me, but I’m also making sure that we’re a good fit for one another! So before you make a final decision, meet over coffee or in our case, desserts and chat it up!

We hope that these tips will help when hiring a wedding photographer!