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ForBrides

January 28, 2019

Contacting A Fargo Wedding Photographer

What You Should Know Before Contacting A Wedding Photographer

A wedding photographer is one of those big wedding vendors you want to book early in your planning stages! However, there are a few details that need to be decided on before contacting a wedding photographer

Picking a Wedding Date

Most importantly, you need to have a wedding date. One of the first things a wedding photographer will ask you is your date. Nothing else matters if the photographer isn’t available on your date. No matter your budget, timeline, or location, if they are already booked, that photographer can’t be at your wedding. You don’t need a date the minute you get engaged, but just keep in mind you will need a date to start booking vendors!

Booking a Venue

After you pick a wedding date, you now need a venue. This is important because booking a venue secures your date! Many bride and grooms will adjust their date by a week or two to get the venue they want. Once the venue is booked, your date is set in stone and you can start contacting other vendors. Some vendors even require a venue before they will allow you to book with them!

Finalizing Your Budget

Not only is it important to find a photographer that is available for your date, but also someone that is within your budget. There is a wide range of photographers in every area and their packages vary greatly! Talk to your significant other, or whoever is paying the bill, and decide on a photography budget. This will help you narrow down your wedding photography options. There is no reason to contact a $10,000 photography, if you know you can only afford $3,000!

Discussing Details

Now that you have the big decisions made, and the list of wedding photographers narrowed down to who is available and who is in budget, you can start discussing details! A lot of photographers offer multiple packages for wedding photography. Which is great because it allows you to get the wedding coverage you need. However, it also means you need to know how much time you will need a photographer at your wedding. This may seem like a huge decision to make so early in the wedding planning process. Thankfully, photographers are pros at making wedding timelines! They just need to know what time your ceremony and reception are, along with your photography priorities.

How Many Hours Do You Need?

When you start discussing packages and details with your photographer, be ready to give them a rough idea of your ceremony and reception times. Wedding coverage is very different for a 1:00pm ceremony and 7:00pm reception, compared to a 4:00pm ceremony and 6:00pm reception! Are you unsure of what times you want? Just pick tentative times! Most photographers are flexible with their timelines and can work with you closer to your wedding date to finalize timelines. Right now, you just need to know how many hours are needed overall!

Narrowing Down Your Priorities

Wedding photographers also want to know your priorities to help make sure you get every photograph you want. If you want photos of you getting ready, your ceremony, and some portraits, a smaller package is perfect for you. But, if you have always dreamed of getting photos all the way through to your first dance, you may need to consider a larger wedding photographer package!

Contacting a Wedding Photographer

By making your date, budget, ceremony and reception times, and priorities clear to the photographers you contact, your list of photographer options will quickly narrow down, leaving you with the perfect photographer for your wedding! Don’t be afraid to include as much detail as possible in your initial contact. If a photographer is out of budget, unavailable, or just not a good fit, they will let you know! Every detail you know beforehand gets you one step closer to finding your wedding photographer!

Are you ready to start discussing details? Contact me today to get started with your wedding photography!