Wedding photography

Q. What is the first thing you would save in a fire?
A. Your wedding photos!

Gone are the days of capturing your special day on a disposable camera. Your wedding photography should be a fantastic collection of polished artwork to capture the precious moments of your wedding day. And while you can rest assured there are plenty of professionals out there you can hire to make it all happen, it is worth doing your homework to ensure you get the most out of your photographer, and take home a quality wedding album that you can treasure forever.

What to look for in a wedding photographer

When you are planning a wedding, delegation of tasks is paramount to avoiding a complete nervous breakdown of the bridal party! It is best to find a wedding photographer who not only shows up on the day to take great photos, but also packages your photographs into a beautiful album, and can then order any number of reprints you like for family, friends or photo frames.

5 tips for finding a wedding photographer

Some points to consider when choosing a wedding photographer include;

• Where the photographer is geographically located?

It’s a good idea to find a photographer based close to the location of your wedding venue; if you’re holding your wedding in the Whitsundays, it might not be the wisest move for all parties to drag a photographer from your hometown of Melbourne. This can take extra organisation at the outset, but usually pays off in the end. Local photographers have a better knowledge of areas surrounding your wedding venue which can be incorporated in a photo shoot.

• How comprehensive will your wedding photography be?

Do you really need your photographer to be present from prior to the ceremony until the end of the reception? Remember, wedding photographers are usually paid by the hour, so it may be more economical to choose a certain period of the day when the most photos will be taken - perhaps during the ceremony, for a photo shoot, and the cake cutting as the final photo needed.

• Write a wedding photography contract with your photographer

Well before you walk down the aisle, finalise the ins and outs of your wedding photography. Do you want to be involved in choosing each and every photograph to enter your finished album? Do you want digital copies of your images? How will the photographer present the finished product to you?

• Get a quote

Do not fall for deciding upon a price for your wedding photography after the last glass of champagne has been tipped. Get a quote from your wedding photographer upfront and agree on it before the big day arrives. This way you know what you're paying for and can alter your budget. Similarly, the wedding photographer knows the budget within they are expected to work.

• Pay a percentage of the fee upfront.

Wedding photographers often demand a certain amount of the quoted price is paid upfront - before your wedding day. Not all require this, but it is usually a good idea. Money equals motivation. If your wedding photographer understands you are serious about the work and will usually strive that little bit harder for results on the day if you have already paid a sum.

Keeping the five tips above in mind - alongside staying true to the style of photography you really want - can help you achieve your goal of getting timeless photos that you'll want to keep forever. Don't forget to ask married friends about photographers they might recommend - or ones they advise you to steer clear of; you could find yourself saving heaps of time and a lot of grief.