You’ve decided to get married!  And you have a place, which means you also have a date! What to do next?  Look for a wedding photographer, of course. So how do you choose the perfect wedding photographer for your day?

This is where I find so many couples get overwhelmed. There are so many wedding photographers, and their prices and services vary so much, that you might conclude the easiest way to pick a photographer is to simply choose the one recommended by your venue. Or maybe quickly scroll through photographers in your area’s social media and see which ones have photos you like.  

I mean, you’re not wrong, but when it comes to your wedding photographer, you are going to spend so much time with this person on your wedding day, so you kind of have to like them, too.  

And I don’t know about you, but I haven’t gotten along with everyone I’ve ever met (and I generally like a lot of people!), so chances are you’re missing that insight if you are selecting from a vendor list or skimming portfolios.  

As a Washington, DC / Virginia wedding photographer, I wanted to share some helpful tips so you can choose a wedding photographer who truly feels like a perfect match for your celebration. Keep reading for my top tips on how to choose a wedding photographer. 

How To Choose A Wedding Photographer

Right now, you might be thinking to yourself, “Seriously?”  I just want good wedding photos. And trust me, I get that!  And we are going to help you achieve exactly what you want – but just in a different way.  

Before you start looking at wedding photographers, the first thing I want you to do is answer these five questions (both you and your partner), jotting down your answers along the way. Answering these questions will truly help you find the right fit for your celebration. 

Here are the questions:  

• How would you describe the personality of your closest friends?  Kind, empathetic, and personable?  Or fun, life of the party, and everyone’s best friend?  
• What is your biggest pet peeve of service professionals?  Such as being late, pressure tactics, etc.  Great – now what is the opposite of that trait?
• When you are stressed, what do you need most? Calm, encouragement, or action?
• What do you want your wedding photos to capture?  Lots of empathetic, candid moments that take you immediately back to the day?  Or, maybe timeless portraits that will make your friends swoon when you post them on Instagram?  
• When you are at a special occasion, is it more important to remember what it looked like or how it felt?  

Now that you have your list, let’s interpret it.  Here is my sample couple and what they wrote as answers for each question: 

• How would you describe the personality of your closest friends?  Kind, empathetic, and personable?  Or fun, life of the party, and everyone’s best friend?  Answer – Joyous, full of life, nostalgic.
• What is your biggest pet peeve of service professionals? Such as being late, pressure tactics, etc. Answer – difficult to connect with or have a conversation with. What is the opposite of that trait? Answer – relatable. 
• When you are stressed, what do you need most? Calm, encouragement, or action? Answer – encouraging. 
• What do you want your wedding photos to capture?  Lots of empathetic, candid moments that take you immediately back to the day? Or, maybe timeless portraits that will make your friends swoon when you post them on Instagram? Answer – all the love and good vibes. 
• When you are at a special occasion, is it more important to remember what it looked like or how it felt? Answer – how it felt to be there. 

The first three questions tell me what kind of photographer will work best, and the remaining tell me what type of photography you want.  So this couple wants a photographer who is upbeat and relatable, encouraging and prioritizes memories, while providing photography that captures unscripted moments, like the ones you didn’t know were happening.  

Start researching wedding photographers 

Once you have your answers to the questions I gave you, I want you to start searching for your wedding photographer while keeping those answers in mind. 

Does their website embody the kind of photographer you need?  Do the photographs reflect the type of photography you prefer? These can be quick gut checks.  If you have to think too hard about the answer, the photographer can probably be crossed off the list.  

Why is all of this important?  Because at the end of the day, if you are not comfortable with your photographer, you will likely not like your photos.  Being photographed is a personal experience, and as humans, we tend to show emotions on our faces. 

Maybe you think, well, as long as I don’t hate them, it will all be fine.  But imagine you unexpectedly ran into a friend you adore on the street.  Now consider someone you barely know but see at work.  How would your expressions be different?  That is the difference between choosing a photographer you vibe with and one that you don’t hate.  

If you are like me, you’d love to spend my wedding day with a person I adore, rather than one I barely know.  

Schedule an engagement session 

If you’ve looked through a wedding photographer’s website and wedding galleries, read their reviews, and had a call with them, I would also suggest scheduling an engagement session with them. 

This way, you can spend meaningful time with them before your wedding and also see how you both connect in person. An engagement session will also tell you how they work, how comfortable you truly feel around them, and give you more insight into their style and how they can help pose you. 

Ready To Hire Your Wedding Photographer? 

I hope you found all this info on how to choose your wedding photographer helpful. You shouldn’t just settle for what’s available when it comes to your wedding photographer. This is a big decision and investment. You deserve a wedding photographer you love who makes you feel like you can be 100% yourself! 

And… if you’re still looking for a Washington DC/Virginia wedding photographer, I’d love to connect! My approach to wedding photography starts with understanding what—and who—matters the most to the two of you.

When you hire me to photograph your wedding, we’ll sit down to figure out what photos are must-haves and how you want your day to feel. Your images will capture your day in its entirety: the spontaneous joy, the precious family photos, the experience you created for your guests. 

You can learn more about my wedding photography services here or get in touch with me here! 

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