How to Choose the Perfect Wedding Photographer

Your wedding photos will be the biggest takeaway from your wedding--so choosing the right photographer is one of the most important decisions you'll make! But with so many options in the Omaha and Council Bluffs area, how do you find a wedding photographer who truly understands your vision? You want the authentic, emotional moments and high-quality images, so the right photographer will make all the difference.

Here, I'll walk you through exactly what to look for when booking your wedding photographer, the right questions to ask, and how to make sure your photographer is the perfect fit! This is a heavy post, so save it if you need to refer back.

Key questions to ask.

Once you find a few portfolios you like, reach out and set up a time to talk with that photographer. There will be several things you'll want to ask, but be warned--there are a lot of lists of questions out there that were clearly not written by photographers, telling you to ask them questions that aren't actually going to have any bearing on your day or photography services. Here are some good ones:

• How many weddings have you photographed as the lead photographer? A good answer, in my opinion, would be 10 or more. If it's less, I'd follow it up by asking them if they've second shot for another photographer and for how many weddings they've done that. Weddings are very different from portrait sessions. They happen quickly, and there are a lot of moving parts. Once a moment is gone, it's gone. An experienced pro will have experienced the flow of common weddings enough times that they can almost predict what will happen. This is expertise not something one can gain from styled shoots or portrait sessions in a controlled environment, and some photographers have a lot of images from styled shoots on their websites and socials.
• What is your process? Everyone does things a little differently. I don't often get asked this directly, but I think it's important so I offer it up pretty early in my consultation calls. This is important because it should answer a lot of questions in one fell swoop. It should answer when and how you should expect to hear from them, when and how payments are due and collected, how they prepare for and manage the flow of events on the day, and when and how images are delivered. If they don't tell you these things, ask because you need to know. Seasoned pros will have this process down pat, and they will be able to rattle it off to you without you even needing to prod further, rather than someone who may still be figuring it all out.
• What is your contingency plan for equipment malfunction? This is every photographer's worst nightmare. Professional cameras now have dual card slots, which wasn't always a thing. There is no reason for worrying about corrupt memory cards anymore if that photographer is responsibly using two cards and backing them up to more than one place when they get back to their office. And to add extra security, having more than one camera and extra lenses with them in their bag is also important incase one malfunctions or gets dropped during the wedding. Weird things happen, so they need to be prepared, and a seasoned pro will be.
• What if something happens to you? What if your photographer loses a loved one, gets sick, breaks their leg...or worse? What is their network and their relationship with other photographers like? If something happens to them with plenty of notice, you can try to book someone else on your own. But if anything would happen within a few months, weeks, or days of the wedding, your options are a lot more limited. The photographer having a network of other qualified pros they can call for an emergency, or even just for a second photographer, is the best insurance for both you and them.
• What are the payment details? No one likes talking about money. They probably already sent you the pricing by the time you get on a call with them to ask this, but you may still need to ask some details. Do they take credit cards? How do you pay? How much is the retainer? When is the final amount due? Do they allow payment plans? What exactly is included? Get it all out there. Chances are, once you bring it up, they'll just go through it all because, as we've figured out by now, a seasoned pro has been asked all of this a lot of times and knows exactly what questions to answer without being prodded much.

Why experience and personality matter as much as skill.

If the photographer takes beautiful photos, that should be all that matters, right? Unfortunately, no. You'll have memories of your photographer and the experience of that day every time you think of your wedding. I once heard of a couple trying to actively avoid their photographer on their wedding day because it was so uncomfortable to be around them, and I just couldn't get over how sad that was. Personality seems like a small detail when choosing a pro to hire, but think about it--you're spending the majority of one of your most memorable days with this person. You won't really be hanging out much with your caterer or your florist. Your experience, not only on the day itself, but also leading up to it, is impacted by the photographer. Use your consultation to chat with your photographer prospects and see who you jive with. Who could you enjoy hanging out with on any other day? Maybe meet up with them for coffee. I've often had coffee dates with potential brides that lasted 2-3 hours because we just had so much to chat about! And we had a great time at their weddings and are still friends years later! Also, take advantage of engagement sessions and any other consultations they offer to build that relationship before the day of the wedding. I know, it sounds a little "date-y", but developing a friendship with your photographer will make your day so much more fun!