Your Dripping Springs wedding is all about you and the person you have chosen to be your life mate. You will want to preserve this most important event in pictures. That requires you to find the perfect photographer, and that requires careful planning. It also requires that you make this decision as early as possible. After all, good Dripping Springs photographers are booked very early.
Decide how much you can spend
Most of us aren’t on limitless budgets. It can be very tempting to let your roommate’s cousin take the pictures. Be careful. If Cousin John’s camera has a light leak, you will have lost your wedding photographs.
Photographers can be expensive when you add fees, the costs of prints and albums, and extra candid shots. Accept your limitations. Consider these factors:
- Do you only want pictures of the wedding and reception, or do you also want pictures of the rehearsal dinner and for the engagement and wedding announcements?
- Will you have to pay for the photographer’s drive to take pictures?
- How many pictures do you want to buy?
– Do you want to buy an album of prints or a disk containing your chosen pictures? If you request prints, will they be sized for how you want to use them, such as wall pictures? If you request a disk, will you have the time and facilities to edit and print your own pictures?
Draft a list of photographers
Look at photographers near your wedding site. Your choices might be fewer if you are marrying away from the city, but don’t sell them short. Talent resides everywhere. Fees can be lower, too. Cull those who do not specialize in wedding photography. If you want candid shots, make sure that he is comfortable taking them.
Check out the photographers
Make appointments and visit each one. Get a feel for the photographer’s personality and attitude about photographing different kinds of people; for example, if your guests will include young children, you will want a photographer who enjoys photographing them.
Ask how much he charges for travel, how many shots he plans to take, whether he offers print proofs or online ones, when the proofs will be available for review, how you will select and pay for your prints, and when they will be ready.
Ask your friends who they used and how they feel about his work. Check professional organizations for information about a photographer that might influence your decision. Be picky.
Make the Decision
Cull those photographers whose answers fall short. Create a shortlist and trim it, until you know who will be the perfect photographer for you. Then, make an appointment to set the dates and sign a contract. Call to confirm your appointment for three months, two weeks, and one week ahead to ensure that your wedding day is fresh on the photographer’s mind.
It’s not easy to find and hire a good photographer, but it is well worth the effort. The first step is to plan early to ensure the perfect photographer is available. After that, it’s all a matter of doing your homework.