There are a LOT of good photographers out there.  For real, Chicago is full to the brim with them, which is why when you choose your photographer you want to think outside just the pretty photos when it comes to your wedding day.  In this blog, we are going to do a deep dive on what to look for when choosing your wedding photographer.

Style

Types of Photos 

First off when choosing a photographer for your wedding you’re going to want to find someone who’s photo style you vibe with. Do you like more posed and structured photos, or are you more into candid photography that captures all the little moments in your wedding day. Maybe you want a mixture of the two or something different entirely. Whatever you’re looking for there is no wrong answer, but when you’re choosing a photographer for your wedding you’ll want to make sure they’re able to provide the type of photo that you envision.

 I LOVE to photograph the energy and the love you two have for one another.  My clients look like they’re having fun in their photos because they are having fun in their photos. I pride myself in how I’m able to get clients to open up, to laugh, and to have fun on their wedding day even when they’re in front of the camera. This is meant to be one of the happiest days of your lives and I believe your photos should reflect that!

Editing Style

Just as important as choosing a wedding photographer who’s photography style you enjoy is choosing one that has an editing style that you love. A photographer’s editing style is an extension of their art and their work so you want to find a style that fits the vision you have for your photos. Photographers won’t change their editing style to fit your vision so choose someone that has a style you love! You can search #Chicagoweddingphotographer or other photography-related hashtags on Instagram to find some photographers that edit in a style you like.

For my photos, I try to keep things on the lighter side while keeping you as the main focus. I LOVE your skin and want to celebrate it!  I will not slap a filter on your skin and alter the color, I want to make sure you look like you in your photos. 

The Experience

Your wedding experience starts WELL before your wedding day.  After booking with me I send over a wedding planning guide to make sure you have all the details set for a stress-free wedding process. I also provide a custom wedding day timeline and complete day of organization to all of my wedding clients. I want you to be able to enjoy your day as much as possible so I’ll take some of that stress from you! All my packages include varying amounts of coverage and photos depending on which option you go for and an online gallery with HD downloads for you. In addition to all this, I also provide a complimentary engagement session for all my wedding clients, you can view the full breakdown on my investments page here.

More than likely this is your first wedding so it may feel like you have endless things to plan out and keep track of. My goal, and what I believe you should look for when choosing a wedding photographer, is someone you can lean on for your wedding day.  Someone who can calm your nerves when you feel stressed, who helps you get your wedding day planned out to a T, and who is prepared for anything that may come up on your wedding day.

The Day Of

Bring the Energy

When it comes to choosing a photographer for your wedding day you’ll want to find someone who matches the energy you’re looking for. I’m not going to lie, for your wedding day, I will be your #1 hype girl! I get so excited for my clients weddings, it’s hard to not get caught up in the moment. 

By the time your wedding day comes around, we’ll have been planning it out for a while, talking about everything you’re looking for, and even having an engagement shoot to get you warmed up in front of the camera. I want you happy, excited, and feeling like a boss in front of the camera, so of course, ya girl is going to hype you up endlessly! To top it all off I have a tradition of taking a tequila shot with all of my wedding clients to finish off your wedding day!

Bring the Supplies 

There’s likely going to be a few unexpected curve balls on your wedding day, it’s just something that happens when you plan a large event like this, even smaller weddings have to deal with these! That’s why it’s best to choose a photographer that is experienced and ready for anything the day can throw at you is crucial for your wedding day. Again we’re meant to be your number one supporters every step of your journey, so that means we gotta plan for anything and everything.

Believe me when I say this ain’t your girls’ first rodeo! In my bag, I pack EVERYTHING you might need throughout your wedding day.  Wipes, gum, perfume, Tylenol, sewing kit, pads, scissors, ribbon, you name it. Anything you could possibly need on your wedding day, I’ve got you!

Bring the Planning

More than likely this is going to be your first wedding and that is a lot of pressure on both you and your partner. Planning out when and where you’ll have it, your vendors, down payments, invites, etc. So much to keep track of and it feels like there’s never enough time. That’s one of the reasons you should choose a wedding photographer that’ll be there for more than just your day of pictures, someone who can help you plan your day out and take away some of that stress.

The minute you book me I start planning out your day. I’ll send you my wedding guide for you to use in planning out how you want the day to go. I’ll also help create your timeline, be your day of support for if things don’t go exactly to plan, and all the little moments along the way for if you have questions or just need someone to talk things through with! 

Wedding Contract

This is a big one for when you choose a photographer for your wedding day, you have to read the contract of your photographer and all the fine print along with it. It may not be as fun or exciting as looking at a photographer’s photo style, editing style, or finding if they vibe with you, but it is no less important. 

The Deets

There are so many things to consider like what is their reschedule policy (especially important in this age of covid), will they find a replacement photographer for you if they can’t make it, what is their due date/turnaround time for your photos? There are so many little details to be aware of in your photographer’s contract so make sure you read it carefully before signing!

For my couples I always have a backup plan in case I am unable to make it due to illness or something similar, I am also always willing to reschedule sessions if things come up that prevent us from following through with the original plan. I try to be as transparent as possible so you know what you’re getting into, you don’t need any more stress before your wedding day!

With the insight from this guide, you should be well on your way to choosing the wedding photographer that best fits you and your vision. Remember to find a photographer that fits the style you’re looking for, one that you vibe with, and can fulfill all your needs when it comes to your wedding day!