23 tips for finding the right wedding photographer in 2023

How do you choose a wedding photographer?

Do you want adventurous wedding photos in the Highlands of Scotland, glamorous photos where the wind gently blows through your hair or do you prefer classic and intimate photos? Are you looking for a beautiful photo location in nature or are you staying at your chosen wedding venue? Whatever you choose; it is important that you feel comfortable and that you can be yourself. Therefore, it’s super important that you click with your wedding photographer. Besides your partner, this is probably one of the people you will see the most on your wedding day. But how do you choose a wedding photographer that suits you? Don’t worry, we’ll help you on your way!

What’s your style?

Choosing a photographer that fits your style is important to realise your dream wedding photos. Have you already scoured Instagram and Pinterest to see what you like? Do you prefer the vogue editorial style or do you prefer a more journalistic approach?

There are many different types of photographers, each with their own style. Our style is a mix of romantic and artistic photos in a casual atmosphere. Where we sometimes interfere with the photos, there are also photographers who focus entirely on a journalistic style; these photographers stay more in the background and will (almost) never interrupt your day because the photo is not perfect! And then you also have the editorial photographers with a great eye for details such as the decoration, the dress and other details of your day.

Match made in heaven?

You’ve scrolled to the bottom of Instagram, busted Pinterest, and seen dozens of portfolios. You have finally found a photographer that suits your needs and style. As we mentioned earlier, the click with your photographer is very important. Not only do you feel much more at ease when there is a good click, but your photographer is with you all day long and it would be nice if the photographer is a nice person ;-). That is why we recommend that you first schedule an introductory meeting before booking. This way you get an idea if it’s the right person for you. He can tell you more about his way of working.

Does the photographer fit in the budget?

Photographers can be found in all price ranges. But don’t immediately choose the first and cheapest wedding photographer. Nowadays there are many amateur photographers who offer their services for a small price. This is of course not without risks: after all, you can’t just start your day over. If you do have a budget, try to use that budget as smartly as possible and, for example, chat with your photographer about whether he wants to help you think about how to spend the money. On average, a professional wedding photographer charges around €175 per hour. Of course, it all depends on what you want in your package. Photographers often offer packages that contain ‘the basics’: capturing the wedding day itself and an xxx number of photos. Extras can be ordered: a luxury album, parent albums or a slideshow. We already wrote about why you should not save on your wedding photographer and you can read the blog here: click!

Check availability

It doesn’t work if you pick the best, most expensive or cheap photographer if that person is already booked on your big day! As soon as you book and secure your venue, or if you decided on your wedding date, you have to decide on your photographer. Check if they still have availability! Nothing more frustrating than trying to find a good photographer and hearing ‘no’ everywhere you go!

Got your intake planned? HELP!

Totally nice, an introductory meeting… But what do you discuss during such a conversation? How do you decide if that photographer fits you? What should you pay attention to? Preparation is key here. Prepare with the following tips and questions so that you get what you need from the conversation!

• Which photos are a must-have?
• What do you want your package to include? Do you want a carefree package for the whole wedding day including an album, or would you rather have some formal photos and a couple of photos of the ceremony?
• Do you want one or two photographers? Your photographer can only be in one place at a time and shoot from one angle. By choosing a package with two photographers, you often have a more complete picture of your wedding and photos can be taken from two places at the same time. For example, think about the getting ready of both the bride/groom, both reactions during the first look, and so on.
• How do you want your photos delivered? In a digital gallery or in an album?
• What is the waiting time for the pictures?
• How does payment work?

Get to know your photographer with an engagement photoshoot!

During the introductory meeting you often already know whether there is a good match or not. Are you convinced that you have found the right photographer? Ask if you can try it out! It is often possible to schedule a love shoot before the wedding. This way you not only get nice photos that you can use for your invitations, but you also get used to your photographer and his working method. You will also gain some modelling experience, which will make you look even better in the photo on your wedding day! ;-)

Finding a photographer in time begins with starting your quest early!

In the Netherlands, the wedding season runs between May and October. Most photographers are fully booked during this period. Start looking for and booking your favourite photographer in time. We recommend starting this search at least six months in advance. The sooner the better! There is always a photographer to be found, but there aren’t many that are perfect for you. You don’t want to miss out!

Make an agreement

If you found the right photographer, it is important to get good agreements. This is to prevent unpleasant surprises.

Be clear in your agreements about further communication between you and the photographer.

Make sure all your agreements are on paper. Professional photographers usually work with a contract that already contains most of the agreements. Make sure your photographer is in contact with your master of ceremonies or maid of honour and that they have each other’s phone numbers so they can communicate properly on the wedding day itself.

Meet with your photographer in the weeks before your wedding day. Go over the script of the day so that they can prepare for your wedding.

Make a list of group shots with the must-have combinations, and have someone ready who knows all the family members, and who could help the photographer to match all the people together. Don’t choose too many combinations, because before you know it you’ve spent more than an hour taking group photos! About 5 to a maximum of 10 combinations are still fine.

When you have finally found THE best photographer available and affordable, and someone who suits you in terms of character, style and professionalism and when you have agreed on what you get, it is time to book. You usually make a booking definitive by signing a contract and/or by paying a retainer. Before you sign, make sure you have no more doubts and that you understand the contract well. Read the contract thoroughly! Feel free to ask your photographer questions if you don’t understand something, or if you disagree with something. Sometimes photographers want to bend somewhat in the agreements (we are talking about agreements such as ‘photographer consults with you whether he can include a photo in his portfolio, post on social media or use for advertisement’ or something similar. There will – of course – be little flexibility about paying retainers, for example).

After the wedding

Perhaps you will go on a honeymoon after the wedding! Then you have probably already had a preview of photos from the photographer. You have already been able to share it with family and friends. The wedding photographer is now working on the post-processing and editing of the wedding photos.

Hopefully, you’re satisfied when you get the gallery, but if that isn’t the case, have a calm conversation about it with your photographer.

What can you do for the wedding photographer if you are completely satisfied? Recommend him to engaged couples, write a review on Google, Facebook or at a relevant wedding site. A very nice way of thanking photographers is tagging the wedding photographer in the photos you post on Instagram and/or Facebook! They are very happy with that and that is also very simple for you to do!

When’s the best time to have the love shoot?

As wedding photographers we can only give one answer; when’s not a good time!? 😉 Your wedding day is of course a beautiful day, so we can take beautiful pictures all day long. But it doesn’t hurt to schedule a time slot in the day so that there is some time purely for you & your photoshoot. With the right wedding photographer, beautiful photos will of course be taken all day!

Often the moments in between are the best memories. Like the first look, or during the ceremony when your father sheds a tear. At Tim Wouters Photography we always look for a mix of spontaneous, emotional photos and during the wedding shoot we naturally also take classic and romantic images.

Time!

Not totally unimportant; the choice of when and at what time everything takes place. Are you getting married outside? Then take the position of the sun into account. You don’t want to squint all the time during the ceremony because you can see this in the photos and it is highly uncomfortable. You also don’t want the sun to be fully focused on your guests, because that is very hot in the summer and then they cannot enjoy your moment. Honestly, the best time for your wedding photography or ceremony is during the golden hour, at the end of the day. Then the sun is low and it gets a nice warm glow. The sky often also colours beautifully!

A photoshoot after the wedding?!

Do you want to fully enjoy your wedding and spend a lot of time with your family and friends? Don’t feel like leaving the fun for a love shoot while having a drink during cocktail hour? Is the weather not optimal, or can’t you leave during the golden hour?

Have you ever thought about moving your love shoot to another day? This way you not only have a good excuse to put on your beautiful wedding dress again, but you can also have photos taken during sunset or sunrise, for example. You can also choose a special location that really suits you. Or perhaps you let the photographer tag along on a day during your honeymoon to have a beautiful photoshoot there in wedding attire! This is not (yet) very normal in the Netherlands, but why does everything have to be done in the traditional way? It’s your wedding day, do what you like!

Do’s & don’ts

DO

• Choose a photographer that suits you.
• Ask for full galleries the photographer has already delivered to clients and take a good look at his portfolio. This way you can be sure that the photographer will take photos that match your taste and wishes.
• Invest in your photographer. We **know; your wedding day is expensive enough, but a good and professional wedding photographer provides a timeless and priceless memory of your beautiful day that you can look back on with pleasure for more than 20 years. Precisely because it already costs so much money, it would be an eternal shame not to have it properly recorded.
• Make sure you take plenty of time for your photo shoot and preferably plan it at sunset or split it up so that you take a moment during the day and at the end of the day. Also nice*:* this way you also have some time with your partner alone to enjoy all the beautiful things that happen to you.

Keep in mind that your dress or suit can get dirty during the photo shoot. This is not a problem: during the reception and the party, it will get dirty as well! Trust your photographer, who knows what he is doing and ensures that the photos are worthwhile! This is also a good reason to plan the photo shoot after your ceremony. After your wedding day, you can always have your dress professionally cleaned at the dry cleaners and it will look beautiful again.

Be sure to let your photographer take pictures during your party. This is, of course, the cherry on top of your amazing day and is often where lots of fun and memories are made that can make for great pictures!

DON’T

• Unnecessarily moving locations for the photoshoot Your day is busy as is and there probably will not be a lot of time for your photo shoot, because you also want to be with your family and friends. Changing locations is often quite time-consuming and gets you out of the flow of your shoot. Consult with your photographer upfront about what your wishes are and if the photographer wants to think about locations and their possibilities. Choose one versatile location with several possibilities. By choosing a good location, you will have a lot more peace of mind during the love shoot!
• Give your wedding photographer full Pinterest mood boards. You should choose the photographer based on his portfolio and have confidence in the skills and knowledge they have. You have to have confidence that he will capture all the beautiful moments of your day that will match your wishes and needs.
• Expect everything to be captured. A second photographer already provides a more complete report, but so much happens on a wedding day that perhaps not everything is captured. After all, your photographer can only be in one place at a time. You can assume that the photographer captures the most important moments and knows where to be at every part of the day. We always work with two photographers ourselves so that we can capture your day as completely as possible!
• Have too many group photos planned. Of course, you want to be photographed with your bridal party and all groomsmen must be photographed. But try to limit your group shots to just the essentials. This part always takes a lot of time you can spend with your guests.

Last but not least!

Relax and enjoy! Your whole day is full of beautiful and emotional moments and it is important to capture these beautiful moments well. In addition, you will want stunning photos that you can hang on the wall. When you have chosen a good and professional wedding photographer, he will take care of both and you can enjoy your day carefree.

Some final tips so that you get the most beautiful wedding photos…

Ignore the wedding photographer

Your photographer will be present throughout the whole day. You get the most beautiful and purest photos when you try to ignore the photographer. Just pretend he’s not there! That sounds cruel but it is highly effective ;-)

This way, the photographer can capture real and pure emotions, rather than fake smiles. If the photographer wants something to happen, or that you do something for him, let him know! Trust your photographer! Oh, and yes, we love a chat, but during the official moments, you can ignore us!

Golden hour

We can’t say it enough, but make sure you always get away with your photographer during the golden hour. Even if it is only 10 to 15 minutes, the most beautiful light, the most beautiful colours and often the most beautiful photos are taken at this moment! The stress you might have had during the day is also gone during this time of the day and you can see this in the photos.

Want a cheeky surprise for your partner in the form of a boudoir shoot?

How nice would it be if you went to your bridal suite with your partner on the evening of your wedding day and then you had a nice and exciting surprise for him? A bridal boudoir shoot is a shoot where you are photographed looking beautiful and sexy. It’s a whole experience and also good for your self-confidence! There is nothing more fun than when your partner sees these photos and he/she looks with pride at his/her new wife. But it’s not just fun for him/her! It is also nice for you as a bride to have such beautiful pictures of yourself to look back on later to see how beautiful you are!

A luxury fine-art album

Nowadays everything is digital and people tend to forget how good it is to browse a photo album! A photo album is easily grabbed if you are chilling on the couch. It takes you to your special day. It tells your story over and over again. The wedding photographer often offers to make your wedding album and we certainly recommend that! It not only saves you loads of time, but most of the time the albums are of way higher quality. We work with a Dutch printer where albums are still made by hand. The colours are consistent with how the photographer meant them.