Choosing a Wedding Photographer

A single image, taken by a professional, can take you right back to the day of your wedding. Therefore, choosing your wedding photographer should be one of the most vital decisions you make.

A lot of the top photographers list themselves in bridal magazines. Browse through these and find one whose photos grab you. Have a look at the style of photography they offer and decide if this is for you. Alternatively, you may have seen a friend's wedding photos and liked them, in which case you can ask about the photographer and get his or her details.

Your next step in choosing a wedding photographer is to narrow your choice down to three photographers that you like. Make an appointment to meet with them to discuss your requirements as well as have a look at some of their work. When browsing their portfolio, notice their photographic style — do they present their photos in a formal, candid or classic way? Do they offer black and white, sepia and art photographic options? Do they shoot in digital or on film? Think about what kind of photos you want and discuss these with your photographer.

If you are on a tight budget, instead of going for the cheaper photographer, rather ask the photographer you like for a smaller wedding package.

Once you've found yourself attracted to a certain photographer's work and feel comfortable with him or her, it is a good idea to book them up straight away as they get booked anything from six months to a year in advance. Most photographers ask for a booking fee, which is usually deducted from the final package price.

Some questions you can ask your photographer:

• Have you shot a wedding at my venue before and if so, what were the photographic opportunities like? If not, would you be willing to view the venue beforehand to find photographic opportunities?
• Do you require traveling fees and/or accommodation?
• How soon do you arrive to take photos and how long do you stay after the reception?
• Are the photos presented in an album and are these mounted?
• Do we get to keep our negatives?
• Do you provide scanned photographs on a compact disk?
• Would you be able to work from a photo checklist that we will create?