Let’s be honest, you’re inundated with choice when it comes to photographers. There are a lot of us!
So it’s hard to pick, even if you narrow down your search, for example just by trying to find a Hertfordshire wedding photographer.
You only need one of us for your wedding day so how on earth do you start figuring out who is, and isn’t, a good fit for your wedding day?
1. You’re all about the candid (or documentary) shots
If you’re currently making Pinterest boards of curated, posed couple photos then I am probably not the right person to capture your day. If you’re all about having the day captured in a natural, relaxed way and want you to look back on photos that remind you of how you felt on your wedding day, more than just how you looked then I feel confident that we’ll be a perfect pairing.
I live for the little moments of magic that will make your heart sing when you look back on your wedding gallery. I aim to capture lots of moments that you didn’t even spot happening. And most of the couples that are most attracted to my style of photos don’t want to spend hours posing whether that is for group shots or for couple photos… they’d rather be in the thick of it laughing with family, doing shots with friends or throwing shapes on the dance floor.
Don’t worry, within your wedding day of course we’ll take some group shots because your parents love those mantlepiece shots and we’ll get some epic photos of the two of you together, but overall, my focus is on capturing how your day unfolds with minimal interference.
I’m all about the love, the laughter, the tears, the hugs, the dodgy dance moves, that time you drop a jelly shot down yourself or the time your mate split his trousers doing the limbo. It’s all that natural, happy wedding photography and the little moments that make up your perfect day, rather than getting you to stand like some grinning cheshire cat for hours on end.
To me, these are the photos that’ll stand the test of time and mean the most.
2. You looked at the photos before the pricing tab on my website
Everyone has a budget when it comes to their wedding and yes that’s important, but I think you need to be looking for photos that get you right in the feels. That’s more than a budget thing.
Yes, you need to know what your investment will be, but if you look at the photos to see if they elicit an emotional response before looking at the pricing tab then you’re my kind of peeps!
There will be a lot of photographers in a budget you’re willing to spend, but there will only be some that take photos that make you think “it has to be them” or when you speak to them “this is a buddy in the making”. These are the relationships that are meant to be!
The couples that feel like that about my photos or when we chat have had me travel up to Oban in Scotland, down to Devon and over to France with them.
My favourite couples understand that the best stories are told when I’m there from getting ready all the way through the day into the dancing. That is how great stories unfold and how people get the most relaxed around my camera.
I used to have one package which simply read “all day” and I loved it. Everyone now wants to know how many hours. But if the idea of ‘all day’ appeals to you then that’s what a wedding should be about to me.
And you only get great dancing photos if someone stays longer than the first dance after all!
3. You love candid photos more than photos of details
Are you currently knee deep in wedding magazines planning favours, flowers and themes? Is that what you’re obsessing over when it comes to thinking about your wedding?
Or is it excited anticipation about marrying your best friend and planning an awesome party for your nearest and dearest? Are you thinking about playlists for the dance floor to make sure you have the most epic party ever?
If it’s the latter then get in touch, we’ve gotta chat!
As you’ll see from my gallery of wedding photos and real weddings the photos that light me up most are all the little moments of magic between the two of you and between you and your nearest and dearest.
Weddings are all about love, commitment to your person and celebrating both of those things in front of your people.
I absolutely take photos of all the little details that you’ve worked so hard on like flowers, favours, shoes etc (although some of my couples don’t even want them), but they aren’t my focus. If I hear someone howling with laughter while taking a photo of a table setting, I’ll always turn to the laughter!
If you want to see lots of pictures of pretty details from the hundreds of weddings I’ve photographed then go and search for me on Pinterest. It’s great to see what past couples have done as well, but still nothing trumps those real, candid wedding moments.
4. You want someone who you’ll get on well with on your wedding day
I really pride myself on being a mate with a camera rather than the hired help. I get to know you both before the day (often on an engagement shoot and definitely read more about the benefits of having an engagement shoot) which means I turn up as a friend on the day. This helps you be more at ease with me and in turn feel more comfortable for me to get better photos on the day.
I’m also super friendly to your guests, kids, dogs that happen to be at the wedding and fellow suppliers.
I’ve embarrassingly been caught having a dance with a bride’s Grandad who just wouldn’t take no for an answer, I’ve help a bride write a thank you card to a mother-in-law, I’ve even stitched a button onto a groom’s shirt (not impressed that he couldn’t sew a button however!). I have my camera up most of the day and fade into the background a lot, but I’m there to be a friend as well and will offer you all and any support you need. You can see more about how people have having me around by reading some wedding testimonials from previous couples.
If you’d prefer someone that will be seen and never heard that’s not really me. If you fancy making a new friend and having someone who will be in the thick of the action to capture all the best photos close up on the day, I’m your girl!
5. You get that good things come to those who wait
Your wedding images will take about six weeks for me to edit and deliver to you. It’s super important to me that your photos are ready before you see them and that takes time. I know that some photographers can promise a quicker turnaround, even next day utilising AI editing etc, but I deliver quality not speed.
The old adage is never truer… good things come to those who wait!
If you believe that your wedding photos, which will become your lasting memory of the day, deserve someone who will take due care and attention with them to deliver the best photos possible, then that’s me.
I hand edit every photo, by myself. No AI editing, no outsourcing. I want your photos to be good enough for you to love them. Not just ok enough for you to have them quickly.
You can see lots of before and afters on my Instagram page where I show exactly what detail I go into with editing if you’d like to see a little more. Or like this first dance photo you can see the straight out of camera photo and the delivered photo:
Am I the right wedding photographer for you?
There you have it, some of the reasons I may be the perfect fit photographer for your wedding day. If they sound like exactly what you’ve been looking for for your Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire or Hertfordshire wedding day photography then I’d love to chat to you.
Of course, there are all the intangible things that you can’t put in this list too, for example how well we mesh when we have a chat.
Getting on with your wedding photographer really can’t be underestimated; they are around you all day long and you need to like and trust them. If you don’t like someone on an initial call then run for the hills 😂
STILL LOOKING FOR A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER?
As you plan your wedding, I very much hope I can be there to capture ever laugh, tear and hug for you. My style of happy, relaxed Hertfordshire wedding photography is the perfect accompaniment to every wedding day so have a good look through the gallery and let’s chat about your wedding plans. I can’t wait to hear from you! I hope you’ve found these tips helpful, enjoy your wedding planning!
