02

How to Choose Your Wedding

Photographer and Videographer

You’ve just gotten engaged? Congratulations! We couldn’t be happier for you!

So, what kind of photographer and videographer are you looking for?

Yikes. That single question can feel scary and extremely overwhelming. Finding your photographer and videographer can be tough! Not only is there a lot to choose from, but understanding what you want in your pictures and videography is an entirely different thing to research, too.

It’s your big day and you want it to be as stress-free and fun as possible. Getting your photography and videography squared away from the start is a great way to get going on your wedding plans before photographers book up and before other wedding details bog down your wedding plans progress.

Below are a few tips to help get you started into researching and understanding what photography and videography you want and how to choose what you want for your big day!

1. Figure out your photography/videography style:

Just like the way your wedding dress has a distinct style whether it be modern, vintage, fairytale or minimal, choosing a photographer that takes photos in the style of your choice is equally important. You want a photographer who can take pictures that represent you and the entire event. Do you like moody, romantic, journalistic, or classic photography? Photographers can take all sorts of styles of photographs, but usually there are one or two styles each photographer excels at. Find the style you want, and find the photographer who can do that. Videography is the same. There are plenty to choose from, but choose someone who matches your wedding video style preference. BLVD is a one stop shop for both. Finding a vendor that does both can in the end save time and money and unify your wedding day theme to perfection.

2. Look at all the vendors

Once you’re in the market for that perfect photographer and videographer, you need to thoroughly research them. Look online for your local choices, look at reviews, read the details that each vendor gives you from the cost of each package to the amount of photographic and videographic time each package includes. Ask friends and family if they have someone to recommend. Research, research, research. Don’t be afraid to search outside your city, maybe even your state, too. You want to get it right. Look at websites and blogs. See if the photos represent what you want. This is your big day and photography lasts a lifetime! If you take the time to get it right now, you’ll have the pictures and videography you’ve always wanted for the rest of your life.

3. Narrow down your favorites

Now that you’ve chosen your preference of photography style, and researched all the available vendors, you need to narrow down your favorites. This will be tough, but you can do it by sorting out cost, package type, and if the photographer and videographer meet all your needs. Get that checklist out of things you want, make sure they fill each desire, and focus your next decision on the top three to five photographers and videographers.

4. Email with questions

Here’s when things start to get real! Begin by emailing each photographer you’re interested in. Make sure you tailor your email to each vendor specifically as each of them offer different things. Focus on what you love about their work, and even tell them why you’re interested in hiring them. Then, ask them about:

• Available dates
• Cost and packages, deals and specials
• References or a more diverse portfolio to look at than just the one on the website

Once you have the information on these basics, you can narrow things down even more.

5. Meet in person

Just like a first date, meeting your potential wedding photographer is nerve wracking but so important! Set up a date to meet in person to go over more details, ask them to bring a physical portfolio, and get to know who you’re going to be hiring to take the photographs you’ll look at forever! If you don’t want to meet in person, a Zoom meeting works great too! This way you can get to know the face behind the lens without having to meet up yet. When you get that instant connection, that vibe you don’t have with other photographers, the one that says the chemistry is there, you’ll know that photographer is the one for you!

Getting the right photographer and videographer is not an easy task, but when it comes to making your day perfect, it’s worth every minute of your time to research the best fit for your wedding. From choosing your photography style to meeting in person, it takes dedication to find what you’re looking for. But when you do, your Big Day will be the best day, and you’ll be grateful for getting the right vendors to make it all possible.