Choosing the right wedding photographer is a crucial part in ensuring all your memories are beautifully captured. Here are 5 questions/tips we tell our Hidden Gem of Gruene Couples to ask:
1: How would you describe your shooting style?
Photo by Juan Ruiz Photography
Photo by Juan Ruiz Photography
Review their portfolio for their style. Make share the photographer style aligns with your vision, whether it’s candid, traditional, or artistic. Check out their work on social media! Jump on their Instagram and Facebook to see their latest work. One thing we tell our Hidden Gem of Gruen couples is “consistency in the portfolio, can indicate reliable results.” Another thing to keep in mind with photographers and videographers (we’ll touch on them soon) is lighting. Pay attention to the lighting
in their photos, as this is an indicators of their skill and how they capture moments. See how they capture the ceremony, golden hour, reception, send off and our favorite…the night time photos! Lighting plays a very important part in getting that perfect shot!
2: What kind of wedding photography experience do you bring to the table?
Photo by Cupcake Photography
Photo by Cupcake Photography
While any photographer with experience can technically shoot a wedding, those who specialize in weddings will have the knowledge to handle the fast-paced nature of the event and anticipate key moments. Always important to ask, if they have ever shot a wedding at your wedding venue. Photographers familiar with your type of venue, whether it’s a beach, barn, or ballroom, will know how to handle the lighting and setting to capture the best shots. Being familiar with your venue will allow the photographer to be better equipped and better prepared. This is the number one reason why venues, including us, have a preferred photography list. Generally, they are photographers who have shot wedding and have produced beautiful artistic work. Here at the Hidden Gem of Gruene, we only add vendors to our list, who have had successful weddings. We actually add them once we hear back from the Bride and Groom. If they rave about them and love the photos…you know they will be on the Hidden Gem of Gruene’s List of Preferred Photographers!
3: How do you handle unexpected situations or challenges?
Always important to know if your photographer has a back up plan. Although it’s rare, it is always great to be prepared and know what to expect. What happens if they fall ill or have an emergency and cannot come to the wedding. Great photographers should have a backup photographer or a plan in place. Most photographers have a trusted team that they can rely on that can shoot your wedding. That’s why it’s very important to be able to meet your photographer in person, or at least, virtually. This helps build the trust and rapport. That way, in the event that an emergency comes up and they cannot be there themselves, you as the couple can rest assure that your photographer has your best interest at heart. This also ties into why it’s crucial to have a professional wedding planner/coordinator, which we will get to on the next blog :)
Photo by Unity Reel
Photo by K Larson Photography
Photo by K Larson Photography
Photo by K Larson Photography
4: What is your editing process and timeline to deliver the gallery?
This one is huge, especially if you’re wanting to have photos to post right away! Knowing your photographer’s post production process is great because this will help you, the couple, understand what they have to do and their time frame for a finished gallery. A common misconception couples have is that they will be getting their gallery within days. A professional photographer will let you know a head of time, when to expect the gallery. Most photographers have their wedding day highlights or sneak peaks with 24-48 hours from the day of the wedding. These are usually the photographer’s favorite or top 5-10 photos they loved the most! We have seen this more and more, especially living in a world where having that Instagrammable photo is a must!!! We as venue, love it when we to see our inbox the next day with an email from the photographer saying: “Here’s the link to the sneak peaks from yesterday weddings at the Hidden Gem of Gruene!”
Photo by CMH Studios
5: How can we make sure we take all the photos we are wanting?
This also ties into knowing and understanding your photographers package & which one you chose for your day. Knowing & understanding how many hours of coverage you chose from your photographer will help you, as a couple, get a better understanding of what all can be captured. If you know you are having a full day (12-14 hours plus at the venue) you know you will want to choose a photography package that has the most hours. For example, a standard Saturday here at the Hidden Gem of Gruene is a 14 hour venue rental. Your photographer will usually arrive a few hours after the Bride & Bridesmaids have started their hair and make up services. A standard “full day” photography package consists of 8-10 hours of coverage. Prior to your wedding day, you should have a meeting with your photographer to go over whats known as a ”shot list.” This shot list, is all the photos you would like for the photographer to capture on your wedding day. This can include things like: details shots, detailed list of family photos, golden hour shots, and so much more. This is your time to tell your photographer what you want captured from your special day. It is also good time to ask during this meeting, if there will be a 2nd shooter. Second shooters do come with an added cost, but it also comes with a much more added value. As this allows for more photos to be captured at a quicker rate, thus ensuring you are getting all the photos you want on your wedding day. Selecting a photographer from the venues preferred list, does ensure that you are working with an experienced and seasoned vendor that knows the venue and can move quickly through the shot list.
By focusing on these factors, you’ll be able to select a wedding photographer who not only captures beautiful moments but also makes your experience seamless and enjoyable. That is our number one goal here at the Hidden Gem of Gruene…to provide you with the best photography vendors to help bring your wedding vision to life!
Thank you so much for stopping by our blog, we hope you found this information helpful. We want to use our blog to increase awareness and support for locally owned wedding venues. Locally owned wedding venues tend to provide a higher level of expertise, service and dedication. They also have far less turnover than corporate owned or investor owned venues. As you plan your wedding we hope you will consider a locally owned wedding venue like ours. You can find locally owned wedding venues on this wedding venue map. Below is a shout out to fellow locally owned wedding venues around the country!
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