Alright friends, let’s get real for a few minutes here…

oops….TOO real. 😉 Here we go…

The Proposal

So you’re engaged! That’s such a crazy exciting time! You have probably been anxiously waiting for your significant other to pop the question, and now they finally have! The excitement is so much you can hardly take it, and you HAVE to share it with all your friends on social media, call your besties, and maybe even tell your family ;). The days press on, and you can’t help but stare at your new gorgeous bling that has adorned your ring finger, and find yourself frantic when you forget to put it back on the last time you washed your hands, because you HAVE to take it off every time you do that so it doesn’t get dirty (we’ve all done it), but then it happens. The stress of wedding planning, and the beginning of something most like to call, the…

…Bridezilla.

photo from huffingtonpost.com

The moment everyone close to you has been dreading. Between having to decide if you want peonies or roses, white cake with buttercream or fondant, which caterer you want, what venue can hold all 300 of your guests, you start to go a wee-bit crazy. It happens. We have all been there, or witnessed it, or unfortunately, been on the other side of the phone with our friends dealing with it. So while all of those pieces of your wedding are very important, somehow the photographer just gets pushed down the to-do list until it gets closer and closer to that date.

Pretty soon you need engagement photos and you don’t know who to look for, or where to even start!

You check out The Knot, or even the Wedding Wire website in hopes that you will find someone to even work with you. Unfortunately, they seem to be all out of your budget, or you would have to give up your first born child in destination fees. Well guys, I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be that way!

Searching for the Perfect Photographer

There are so many ways to find the wedding photographer that you love. Here’s some of THE BEST ways!

Social Media

I don’t mean looking them up on social media. The end of wedding season is coming to a close, and more and more couples are getting engaged and getting their engagement photos taken. I’m sure some of them are your friends! So check out their photographer! Like their Facebook page or Instagram feed! Show them love when they post something that you LOVE! They will love you for it!

Ask a Friend

You remember that show “Who Want’s To Be A Millionaire?” They had the option to phone a friend because it’s one of the best things you can do! Were you in a bridal party last year? Or know someone that was? Or know a bride or groom that RAVED about their wedding photographer? You want to ask them who it was! Ask them if there was anything they would have done differently or wish they would have picked differently. Find out why they picked their photographer!

Pinterest

There are so many things on Pinterest you can find, and a great photographer is one of those! So many times brides scour pinterest for the perfect bouquet, or the tablescapes, or the reception decor, but they forget to check out photographers! That’s Pinterest’s main attraction, is the photos, and what a perfect way to find what you want!

Other Wedding Vendors

Already know your DJ? or Venue? Ask them who they recommend? They usually have a list of people they have worked with that do a great job and know the rules. It’s a great place to start.

Let’s Finish This

Those are just a few options in finding your perfect wedding photographer. There are many ways that you can do it, and none are perfect, but if i could give one HUGE token of advice it’s this.

LOVE. THEIR. WORK.

So many times I have seen brides and grooms merely settle with the photographer they choose. They were a family friend, or a close friend, or a sister’s brother-in-law’s aunt, or because that was all they could fit into the budget after everything else. The last thing you want to do it settle with the ONE piece of your wedding that you will be able to keep forever. These are the images that your grandchildren will be able to look at. They will be able to see your wedding documented for years, maybe even decades to come.  When the cake is eaten, the lights get turned off, your flowers die, the ONLY thing that you will have to remember your wedding day is your photos. The images that will help you remember all the little details of your day. If anything, budget around that.  Budget around the one thing that is going to last, but also find a photographer that you love, that you get along with, that is happy to work with you, that wants to be a part of it all, and everyone comes out on top in the end.  This is why I do what i do. I want to build that connection with my clients. I want to be a part of their special day and be able to provide them with images they can “cherish for a lifetime” as my past bride, Sarah, said in this heart-felt review.

I love my clients, and I want them to love their wedding photos, but also love the time that we spend together. So if that’s something you think you are looking for, they we need to work together.