• Book your photographer early. As with many aspects of planning a wedding, photographers book up as far out as 12 to 18 months in advance. Of course, if you have less time to plan your event, it never hurts to ask.
  • Do not choose a photographer based solely on website images. Unlike a photographic print, a digital picture will look different from one monitor to the next. Website images should only be used to whet your appetite to see more images in person.
  • Look at at least one complete event a photographer has shot. Are there pictures from the whole day? Is the quality consistent throughout the event?
  • Ask to see pictures with lighting conditions similar to your event. Photography is all about lighting, so make sure the photographer has experience taking pictures in the same type of setting. For example, an uncovered outdoor wedding does not have the same backlighting challenges as an outdoor wedding under the roof of a gazebo.
  • Continue to do your research, and ask lots of questions.