Wedding photography is not just what I do. It’s my passion and so much more! I live for the look on a groom’s face when he first sees his bride! The emotion of a bride being walked up the aisle by her father is almost tangible to me! My job means so much to me because of those moments! And I feel honoured to be a part of your big day. Let me tell you why your photographer should be the first vendor to book!

A BIG DECISION

There is a reason you are so intimidated by photography, and why it is such a big decision for most couples; it’s one of the more long-lasting relationships that you can envision. Photographers, along with wedding planners, are the people that are with you the most on your wedding day! Therefore it is super important that you get along well with your wedding photographer. And that means it’s not just important to you, it is to me as well!

YOU’RE ENGAGED!

He just popped the question, and you said “YES”! With a lot of excitement, of course. Whether you knew it was coming, or it was a huge surprise; it’s a moment you will remember for a very long time! I still remember mine; the one thing that really stands out is the fact that we found a super cool tree frog in the field at my parent’s farm (Did you know that they live up here in Ontario? I had no idea!). The other thing that I remember was the fact that Bert was super nervous! And I know I’m not the only one who says this, I’ve heard it from so many engaged couples!

THE PROPOSAL

Some boyfriends go all out and take their girlfriends to some big hockey game where the big question gets displayed on the big screen or even take her to another country to pop the question. Others, like my husband, find it more important to do something low key and get down on one knee in a field somewhere surrounded by the crickets. Either way, I’m sure yours was super special and there was a reason for him to propose to you the way he did!

SO MANY DECISIONS

Then come the big decisions; your wedding party, and the date of your big day. I know I was super excited to ask all our groomsmen and bridesmaids to be a part of their wedding day. I knew what an honour it was to be asked.

Even though I was not a photographer back then, I recognized the importance of those photographs; they would be the only reminders I’d be left with afterwards. So Bert and I decided that we were willing to spend good money on a great photographer. Someone we could see capturing the moments that mattered most to us. And we did!

 

For more incredible tips and resources to help plan your big day, see THESE AMAZING TOOLS from Wedding Wire Canada!

1 | Photographers book many, many months in advance

We were lucky enough to find a great photographer, whose character we could really get along with, quite quickly! Not all couples are that lucky. We reached out to several photographers shortly after we got engaged. Some of them were already booked. We were calling about 8 months ahead of our wedding, but photography was not as saturated of a market then as it is today. This is good for you, it means you have more options available. On the other hand, your choice could be more difficult. Some photographers book weddings as far as 2 years ahead! So contacting your preferred photographers shortly after you’re engaged can really help you get the photographer you most admire! This is especially important if you’ve chosen to get married at your wedding location’s busiest season!

Like for example, in Ontario, it would be anywhere from the middle of May till the end of October; with the busiest part being July and August. In Arizona, however, where it’s just too hot to get married in the summer, high season falls in Spring and Autumn. It is a great idea to follow your favourite photographers on Instagram or Facebook so you can have a sense of when their busiest time is. Then you can plan around that if having a certain photographer is that important to you (which we understand completely). This makes us as photographers feel valued. And is a great start to your relationship with your photographer.

2 | Have your engagement session when you’re just engaged

The first order of business, once you book your wedding photographer, will be to schedule your engagement session. As a photographer, I cannot stress the importance of having an engagement session enough! It’s a great way to make sure that you love your wedding photographer as much as you hope to. It also helps instill the trust that you will receive wedding images that you’d expect from him or her!

When you’re just engaged, the experience is fresh in your mind. There is even a bit of a honeymoon phase after your engagement. Photographers love capturing couples within the first month or two of their engagement. You are still so focused on their connection; the reason why he asked and you said “Yes!” Some couples would like to send their guests “save the date” announcements as soon as possible so they can share in the excitement. As a photographer, I deliver my couple’s engagement images within two weeks, which is great for that exact purpose.

3 | Photographers have many contacts in the wedding world

You have a great resource at your disposal, when you sign your contract with your wedding photographer! Most wedding photographers have a lot of contacts in the wedding world. They definitely have the biggest variety of vendors in their contact list. They can tell you which wedding planners they like working with (if you’re going that route), which venues are great to capture your portraits at, and where you can say I do in the most romantice way possible!

I love helping my couples find the right people for their wedding; it is a great way for me to serve them, and show them that I care. I’m there for my brides, if they have any questions, and I actually love it when they stump me with a question that I don’t have the answer to right away. It is a great opportunity for me to learn something new and this often provides unique photography opportunities. This definitely applies when it comes to photography locations.

 

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4 | Get the most out of your relationship with your photographer

Very rarely are engagements shorter than 6 months, and if yours is, we love the fact that we don’t have to wait long to see you in your dress and capture your special day! In my experience, most couples wait about 1 to 2 years after their engagement to get married, which means that there are quite a few months for you to enjoy your engagement images. This also means you have ample opportunity to ask advice from your wedding photographer to ensure that your wedding day is set up perfectly for the best photography results.

It is my goal to not just be a wedding photographer, but to be so much more than that. Especially at weddings without planners, you will see us helping out to make sure people are seated on time, and just maintain a good wedding timeline in general. This might be for slightly selfish reasons, (that we have plenty of time to capture your wedding portraits), but again, that is great for you! Because the better things flow on your big day, the more variety of images you will end up with, and isn’t that why you hired us in the first place?

If you’re just engaged, I hope this post will instill an urgency to find your wedding photographer soon. If you’re in a serious relationship, and you can see him proposing shortly, I can’t wait to hear your big news! And if you’re still single, kudos to you for just being interested in wedding photography before your time, I hope you remember the gist of this when your time comes.

And for those of you who are reading this, reminiscing about your big day, I’m sure it will bring back fond memories! Whatever stage of life your family is in, I’m sure you know someone who could benefit from this content. After all, it will be the most important day of their lives to that point, and that’s a pretty big deal!