Once you have booked the date for your big day, there is a list of wedding services you need to consider such as; that wonderful wedding dress, flowers, cake, wedding car, makeup and hair stylist, and very importantly your photographer. With all these wedding services the good ones tend to get booked up well in advance, so good advice is to start looking early.
Marc Byram an experienced award winning wedding photographer has put together this useful guide to ensure you have a stress free wedding day and have the pictures you really want at the end of it.
Why is the photography an important part of your wedding?
After the wedding day the photographs are the only thing the couple has to help them remember their wedding day, if these images are poor or not really what they wanted there really isn’t a great deal that can be done.
How to find your wedding photographer:
- Word of mouth
If you know someone else who has got married recently ask them what their experience was, and if they are happy with their wedding photographer and you also like what they had done, contact their photographer to see if they are free for your date.
- Wedding Fayres
These are good places to seek out many of the services you need all being under one roof, so worth a visit even if only for ideas.
- Magazines & Directories
Many wedding and lifestyle magazines feature advertisements or listing for photographers in your area.
- The internet
Is probably one of the best ways to find a photographer because it is a very visual service and therefore makes it easy to view several photographers work before making any further inquiries.
What are the important things to look for:
- Getting advice
A wedding is a once in a lifetime thing so it is worth taking advise from someone who has photographed hundreds.
So the first thing to look for in a wedding photographer is someone who can give you straight forward advice. In fact most professional photographers are happy to give advice and will give a free consultation.
This is a good opportunity for the bride and groom and their families to get some ideas as to want they may want in the way of images and albums.
- Face to face
In choosing a photographer it should always be the case that you meet face to face to view their work, most will be happy to visit you in your own home or have studio in which to meet. You need to feel comfortable with the photographer both in terms of liking their work but also feeling they will get on with you and your guests.
- Professional membership
Although not a guarantee if the photographer is a member of a profession body, this should give you more confidence in this person professional ability and ethics.
- Photographic style
There are two main styles for a wedding images either they are formal or informal. The formal approach often gets the less appeal label of “traditional” attached to it whilst the informal is seen as more fashionable often being called “contemporary”. Unless you really know what style of photography you want it is best to take the best from both and have informal coverage of the day with some formal shots after the ceremony, this keeps everyone happy and creates a stress free day for the Bride & Groom.
- Don't forget the details
It is important that all aspects of your wedding are covered on the day.
- Wedding photography packages
Often people have a certain budget in mind when it comes to booking their photographer and will probably find a fairly wide range of prices and packages quite confusing. Wedding packages generally range from around £500 up to £5,000 with the average being around £2,000.
Avoid photographers who offer hourly rates to make their packages sound less expensive, as although shorter photographic coverage of the day will be of a lower cost than full coverage of the day, the cost are not usually proportionate and the better option is to get total coverage of the day at a set price. This is usually from the bride getting ready through to the first dance of the evening. This most importantly gives a full story of the day to any album and usually costs not a great deal more.
The most important thing is to agree a package that covers what you require and most importantly has no hidden extras.
- Pre-wedding rehearsal
There is a further service a lot of photographers will offer, which is well worth the couple’s consideration, unusually called pre-wedding or engagement photography.
If it is done properly, and often included as a part of the overall package this will not be a money spinner for the photographer but instead will serve to give the couple experience of being professionally photographed thereby relieving a great deal of pressure on their wedding day.
(This article is copyrighted to Marc Byram and has been published in several wedding and lifestyle magazinesplease do not copy this information without prior permission as copyright will be fully enforced)
Marc is a professional wedding photographer who covers weddings and other events throughout the North West and further afield,
his web site can be viewed at www.marcbyramphotography.co.uk or can be contacted on 01270 620923 for further advice.Labels: marc byram wedding photography a guide for capturing your perfect day hints hits help advise average cost of wedding photography north west cheshre
