5 Tips for Hiring the Best Wedding Photographer

In the Baltimore - Washington DC metro area, wedding photography ranges widely in style, approach and budget. How do you sort through all the options and find the one photographer that fits your style and personality while still meeting your expectations? We have some valuable tips to help you make that decision.

After being in the wedding industry for over fifteen years, we have met with thousands of couples and we know the right questions to ask during your search for a wedding photographer.

Here are our top 5 tips for hiring the best wedding photographer for your wedding day:

1. Pay attention to how you feel when looking at the photography.

Having a genuine emotional response to the photographs you see in a wedding photographer’s portfolio is a clue that you adore their work and will likely adore the photos they produce from your wedding. Pay attention to how you feel when looking through the images.

2. See beyond the website.

It’s easy to put together a great website these days. The website is only a shell for the work, so try to see past all the bells and whistles and just look at the photography. Photographers put the best images on their website, but you’ll want to dig deeper. Remember- it’s the photos you’ll be walking away with, not a website.

3. Ask to see an entire wedding- even better- one from your venue.

Photographers put their best work on their website and blog, but you want to be sure that you're getting solid coverage throughout the entire day. This is especially true if you have a dark ceremony or reception site (looking at you historic churches!). If the photographer shows a lot of photos from sunny, outdoor weddings, you’ll want to see how they perform in low light scenarios. Most of your reception is likely to be in the dark so you’ll need someone who can handle it. Talk to the photographer about how they handle low light situations- you won’t want to miss any important moments! Along these same lines, be sure that the photos you see are from real weddings, not styled photoshoots. While these are great for inspiration, weddings happen in the real world where weather, light and timing is not always ideal. Working with models and unlimited time is much easier than real weddings.

Washington DC and Baltimore Wedding Photographer Private Balcony Moment.JPG

4. Personality matters.

Your wedding photographer is the vendor that you will probably spend the most time with on your wedding day. We are with you from the moment you get dressed to the very end of the day when you are sweaty and tired from dancing the night away. Think about this when you meet with potential photographers. Is this someone who will fit in at my wedding? Is this someone I will enjoy being around on my wedding day? How do I think they will interact with my family? You’ll want someone you think is a good personality fit for your wedding.

5. Interview a minimum of three photographers.

Even if you absolutely fall in love with the first photographer you interview, don’t hire them until you’ve met with two others. If you still love that first photographer, you’ll be even more certain after you’ve met with others. We like to call this the “House Hunters” rule. You’ll feel more certain about your choice when you know you gathered all the best information and made educated comparisons.