I’m Getting Married
So you’re getting married? Your boyfriend has popped the question – fantastic – now tell him to get his notebook out because you’re now in wedding planning mode for the foreseeable future. What to do, where to start, who to invite and what to I need? We are pretty sure that on the top of any brides planning list are wedding venues and wedding dress.
These are the two things that most brides will want to have checked off the list before anything else. But what about wedding photography? Where does that fall on the list and how important is it that you hire a professional wedding photographer? And how much is it going to cost?! There are three important questions you need to ask yourself:
How important are wedding photographs to me?
How much should I spend on a wedding photographer?
How much money do I have in my budget?
How Important Is Wedding Photography?
If having perfectly captured memories of your day isn’t important then you don’t have to spend that much or you could get a friend to do it or your Uncle Jim. Heck, you can give all your guests cameras and they can shoot the day for you, it’ll be fun, but we don’t necessarily advocate this. As an former wedding photographer myself I can tell you a lot of hard work goes into capturing the story and emotions of your wedding day that you will cherish forever. Like any other skilled profession, it requires a lot of hard work, dedication and ability, basically it’s not as easy as you think and you can’t just pick up a camera and do it. You’ll only get married once and the wedding photography will make those memories last a lifetime. You can show them to your children and your childrens children, and lets face it, even the postman.
There will be nothing left after your big day is over, the wedding dress will be packed away in the attic, the flowers will be thrown, you will want to have as many keepsakes as you possible can to remind you of that wonderful and very fleeting day.
When you look back at your photos in ten years time, tears will be rolling down your cheeks as you see the smile on your dad’s face as he gave you away, the tears in your mum’s eyes as she watches you say your vows, and the head of your husband in his hands as his best man digs up all the dirt on him. A good wedding photographer will capture these moments without hesitation, even your grandmother breaking out her moves on the dance floor after a few too many drinks will be there to see, every moment captured beautifully.
How much should I spend on a wedding photographer?
This depends on your budget. You can’t have what you can’t afford. The cost of a wedding photographer is around £1200 to £1500 for a full days coverage. There are wedding photographers that will shoot a full day for less but our advice would be this price range as a starting point. Full day coverage may not be what you need, so determine what memories are important to you on the day, half day coverage may fulfill all your requirements.
If you’re shocked by how much a wedding photographer costs, take a quick look at this article ‘Why Are Are Wedding Photographers So Expensive‘. At Wedding Photography Select we place a high importance on wedding photography, of course we do. Even if your budget doesn’t stretch to your dream photographer, we recommend spending some time to search around for a wedding photographer who meets your needs and your budget. Hiring a professional wedding photographer is always better than not hiring one at all.
How To Find A Wedding Photographer?
There are so many places you can find your wedding photographer. Wedding Photography Select have inspirational wedding photographers littered across the site. We encourage you to spend some time browsing around the site, checking out UK an International wedding photographers (remember photographers are willing to travel, even from other countries), visit their site directly and look at complete weddings they have captured to see if you like their style before booking an appointment with them. Always visit them in person where possible and always ask to see 5 or more recent and full galleries of weddings they have completed. Check out our articles: ‘20 Questions To Ask Your Wedding Photographer‘ & ‘Finding Your Perfect Wedding Photographer’ for more information on this subject.
You should aim to book your wedding photographer as soon as you can. If you want a great photographer and you place a high importance on wedding photography for your wedding day, book a wedding photographer as early as one year in advance.
So what are you waiting for? The clock is ticking, you have a lot to do and we hope we can help you plan your perfect wedding along the way.
Good Luck.
Darius, Wedding Photography Select