How do you know which wedding photographer is right for you?!

Having so many options for your wedding photographer can be a blessing and a curse! While all the different options can get overwhelming, it's also exciting to know that the perfect personality and stylistic match for you is out there, PRAYING for their dream client to book with them. In an effort to make choosing a photographer less daunting for you, I've made a list of things I wish I had known while searching for mine!

Personality

Your photographer will be with you on your big day more than any other vendor. It is important to not only like their work, but to click with their personality as well! If you're edgy and like to cuss, there are photographers who match that. If you're goofy and more awkward, there is a person for you too (maybe me!). I highly recommend scheduling a phone call with whoever you inquire with so that you can really get a feel for the person who will be capturing some of your most important memories! This is an aspect that is often overlooked, but I believe it can make a big difference in how you feel throughout the day.


Style

Each photographer has their own style when it comes to their posing and editing! Make sure to pay attention to colors, poses, light or darkness, etc. Here are some words that might help you describe what you're looking for:


  • Dark and Moody: this style is dark, and can have muted or vibrant colors.
  • Light and airy: this style is typically light and bright. The colors can be muted or true-to-life.
  • Vibrant: to me, this style is kind of in between the above two. It can be bright or darker, but tends to have true-to-life, bright, colors.
  • Documentary: this term refers to the style of posing a photographer may use. This means that the photographer just captures things as they happen, rather than staging a specific moment. This is perfect for the couples who get overwhelmed with too many poses and just want to enjoy the day with as little distraction as possible.
  • Editorial: this term refers to more magazine-style posing. This is good for the people who enjoy looking perfectly posed, or for people who want pictures to put on their wall! Some photographers will include both documentary and editorial poses in your gallery!


Protection

It is SUPER important to ask about protection. Does this photographer have a contract that protects both of you? What is their plan for if they get sick or are otherwise unable to make your booked date? Are they insured? Some venues require wedding photographers to carry insurance! How do they ensure that your photos are protected?


In order to protect your photos, I shoot with two cameras that have 2 SD cards each. That means if one SD card fails, the other one will still have everything on it! I back up your photos to two separate hard drives when I get home from a wedding or session, and then I keep one SD card per camera until the photos are in your hands! They will stay on my hard drives forever though :)


All of this protection does come with a cost. If you book a photographer who offers more security, their cost of doing business will be higher, which means they will generally charge more! I think this extra cost is WELL worth it, because you can't just re-do a wedding. You want to make sure those once in a lifetime moments are as safe as they can be!


Questions to ask your potential photographer


  1. Can I see some full wedding galleries? There are always parts of a wedding day that photographers will post online. Often it is their favorite handful of images from the day! It's important to view some full galleries so you can be confident that your chosen photographer is able to handle each part of the day, and each different type of lighting. Weddings are expensive, so make sure you invest your money wisely in someone who will give you the best product they possibly can :)
  2. How do you back up my photos? Like I said above, there are no wedding "re-dos!" You will want to make sure your photos are as protected as they can possibly be. Ask your potential photographer about their system for keeping your memories safe!
  3. How many weddings do you take per month/what is your turnaround time? Every photographer's delivery time can vary! I've seen turnaround times from 4 weeks to 12 weeks! This answer tends to coincide with the amount of weddings a photographer may take on per month. Personally, I've decided that I'd rather take fewer weddings so that I can be more accessible to the couples who book with me, and I will be able to get their photos to them more quickly! I still remember my days as a bride, anxiously waiting for my gallery to be delivered! I want to provide my couples with the best customer service experience that I can, and for me that means accepting a limited number of weddings per month.
  4. What is your emergency plan for if you have to miss my wedding for any reason? Especially after everything with the pandemic, it's important to know what your photographer's plan is if they get sick or hurt or have an emergency and can't attend your wedding day. This is often laid out in their contract, but it wouldn't hurt to get some reassurance! Many photographers (including me) will hire a photographer they like and trust to capture the day. Then after that, they will get the SD cards from them and edit the photos themselves. I had a 2020 wedding, and unfortunately my chosen photographer was exposed to COVID the day before my wedding, so I experienced this firsthand! While I was a little nervous to have someone I didn't know capture my day, the photographers that attended were hand-picked by my booked photographer, and they did a WONDERFUL job.



I hope this has helped you feel a little less overwhelmed as you start your search for wedding photography in Kentucky or beyond! I'd love to leave you with some of my favorite Kentucky wedding photos by © Sarah Raschella Photography. Please reach out to me if you have any questions! :)