So, you’ve got engaged? Congrats! Now the wedding planning begins. You’ve likely set a date and found your perfect venue, now it’s time to think about all the other elements that make for a perfect wedding day. A significant one is finding the right wedding photographer. The wedding planning team at West Country Wedding Planners will narrow things down for you, but it may seem daunting at first. It’s an important choice to get right as they’re likely the one supplier that’s there all day, so you need to choose wisely. But who is the right one for you? This post is about to make that choice easier.
The first hack is to decide what kind of photography you’re after, divide it into two, documentary vs formal. What’s most important to you, formal posed family photos or more of a more documentary approach? There’s a whole spectrum of photographers out there, from how they shoot a wedding day and how they edit the images. When you scan some portfolios and relevant Instagram hashtags some images will resonate with you more, you’ve likely already eliminated 90% of the list. A good start!
Then of course, there’s the budget, how much you want to spend on photography. A recent survey of the UK wedding industry put the average wedding photographer cost at around £1700 in the West Country. There are some that charge a lot less, some plenty more, but as with most things in life, you typically get what you pay for. Remember, the images from your wedding day are one of the few things that last beyond the big day itself, so choose wisely.
Photography Tips For The Day
Once you’ve selected your perfect photographer, there’s some tips for the wedding day to make it run a bit smoother. If you prefer, ask your registrar or vicar to announce that you’d prefer to have no photos during the ceremony, have trust in the person you’ve hired. This allows your guests to truly enjoy the main event of the day, and not be distracted by their screens. Aside from the ceremony, most weddings accumulate hundreds of images. How do you get to see them? Start a personalised hashtag for people to jump on. Better yet, there’s a variety of apps, often free, that allow you to upload to an online album that you can later look back on and download from. The modern version of the disposable cameras you used to find on the tables. Take advantage of ‘golden hour’. That magical time of day where the sun is setting and casts the most colourful and flattering light of the day. Most photographers would jump at the chance to
capture some photos of the couple at this time. Even if you’re shy in front of camera, be bold. It’s something you’ll likely appreciate in years to come.
My Favourite Photos
I’ve had the good fortune of photographing lots of wedding across the West Country and the UK. As a documentary wedding photographer I love capturing those naturals moments, they’re often my favourite from the day. But as above, I am a sucker for that golden light and love a fun and natural looking portrait. Ask friends and family what their experience with their wedding photos were like, what’s their favourite from the wedding. My ethos to the whole day is to help create a relaxed vibe to the whole process, never distract from the moment, and in return I think this helps with the photos, relaxed people simply enjoying their wedding day.
Final Points
Don’t pay too much attention to awards, there’s a 1001 of them out there, not many hold their weight. Likewise, it’s not vital that your photographer has shot at your venue before. Any accomplished photographer can adapt to whatever the room, whatever the weather. It’s far more important that you feel comfortable with the person. Do they respond to you quickly and in a professional manner? Are they informed and confident in their abilities? You’re happy with the images on their portfolio? If so, they’re probably the right choice for you.
Written by Devon wedding photographer, Lee Maxwell.