Just got engaged? Read about where to begin. For many wedding photographers, there are two “busy” seasons. One is shooting season the popular times of year that couples tie the knot. The other is engagement season, the time of year when so many couples announce their engagement to their friends and family. The best photographers’ phones ring wild with couples rushing to nail down wedding vendors for their upcoming weddings. Jewelry advertisements on the radio and TV are abundant and it seems there are so many mentions of engagement rings and diamonds all over the internet.
After recounting how the question was asked and celebrating the occasion, its time to sit down and think about when you’d like to get married, talk about budgets, and determine what resources you’d like to have in planning your wedding. Pinterest is popular for designing a dream wedding, but a great wedding planner will help you work with realistic expectations. If you’re changing jobs, studying for the bar exam, or in the middle of your residency, setting a time frame as to when it makes sense to get married is a great first step.
Today I spoke to someone who just got engaged and they determining if they’re having a wedding local, back in the hometown where they grew up, or having a destination wedding so that they can have a mini-vacation with their closest friends and family. Once you’ve got an idea of what you want, its important not to get overwhelmed with the resources that are out there. I’ve lost count of the different wedding blogs that have sprouted up over the last five years. It can be a daunting task to navigate to find trustworthy wedding vendors with great reviews.
Each year there are dozens of wedding photographers that quit their day jobs to take a stab at becoming a professional photographer. At the same time, many of these new photographers realize becoming a sought-after wedding photographer is much more difficult than showing up at a wedding and pressing a button on a camera. After a few years, they realize it was a lot more difficult than they thought. When you are looking for a wedding photographer, make sure they have professional training in photography. It’s not rude to ask if they went to an accredited photography school. Understanding artistic composition and having a solid knowledge technical knowledge of photography equipment isn’t something that can be learned overnight or even in a few years. Because there are no do-overs, your wedding should not be a testing ground for someone to grow their portfolio. If you’d like to learn more, check out my FAQ section and wedding tips pages.
If you are looking for a list of reputable wedding vendors with great reviews, I have a preferred vendor website that I have put together. I do not offer commissions or kickbacks so you can rest assured, this list is of people I have personally seen do an exceptional job.