3 Essential Tips for Choosing the Perfect Wedding Photographer | Wedding Photography Advice

Here is what I feel is the top 3 essential tips for choosing the perfect wedding photographer for your wedding. While planning a wedding and choosing your vendors can be an overwhelmed task when you are first engaged, there are so many things to consider and so many vendors offering so many different services. As I am heading into my 17th wedding season as a wedding photographer, here are 3 tips to consider when hiring a wedding photographer.

(Note: This goes along with you liking their work. )

NUMBER 1: Do you want to build a relationship with your photographer? Are they someone you just want to have just show up and take photos or are they someone you would like to know a little more so you can feel comfortable with them in the most important day of your life? ​

If you answered yes to the first question, then you will want to get to know your photographer as much as you can through your wedding planning process. For Aaron and I we know that’s different for each couple since everyones lives are so busy these days but we try to help our couples and get to know them as much as we can. We don’t want their wedding day to be awkward. We feel it’s implanting for our couples to know us, like us and trust us so they can truly relax and enjoy their wedding day. We offer engagement and wedding photography bundles for this very reason.

Number 2: A timeline. Are you choosing a photographer who rolls with the day and takes a backseat approach or have you chosen photographer who helps you flow through your day and enjoy it while staying in time?

Unless you are working with a wedding planner or wedding coordinator who will guide your wedding day, it is important to have a photographer who helps you build your wedding day timeline and knows how wedding days flow. Having someone know how long things take is quite helpful. It’s the difference between an organized day you can enjoy and a non organized day is chaotic and strssed.

Over the years I have build hundreds of wedding day timeline and given our couples countless options to see how they would like their day to go so they can best decided. Sometimes it means mapping out a day with a first look and a day without. A day with a sunset ceremony and a day with a 3:00PM ceremony. No matter how many ways I help our couples plan their day the goal is for our bride and groom to not have to stress about planning when each vendor should arrive and what time thing should get done.

Number 3: Does you photographer create a detailed family list or help you make one. It’s a crazy time of the day and you don’t want to be taking family photos for an hour. Some Churches cut off the time inside after the ceremony so having an efficient photographer that is organized is key. 

While it’s great to have a family photo list to give to your photographer, having one that creates a system with family photos so they can tell you how long it will take and make sure you’re not missing anyone is very helpful. You not only know if you will make the church’s cut-off time to be out but you know you will have everyone included in photos and not be standing there for an hour over family photos.

I always joke my couples when we plan out family photos and say that though it sounds like my line of questioning for family photos is a game of 20 questions, I promise it all makes sense. Yes, there is a method to my madness and the end result is a lovely family photo list that allows you two, the bride and groom, to be able stand there while your family flows in and out of photos.

Despite most of our brides being based in the Greensburg, Latrobe, and Pittsburgh Pennsylvania area, I have still found these three things to be helpful with our destination and travel weddings too. When finding the perfect wedding photographer, choosing a photographer with organization built into their wedding day packages is ever so helpful. Not just to you both, but your family and bridal party as well. to you the bride and groom and also to our vendors. It allows the day to flow as smoothly as a wedding day can.

BONUS TIP for OUR COUPLES: I own Joy Filled Occasions, a wedding planning and coordination company, and offer a unique blend of wedding styling & design, planning, and coordination services exclusively for my Jackson Signature Photography couples. This hybrid wedding planning package, valued at approximately $1,750, combines key elements of my wedding planning services to ensure a seamless and stress-free wedding day.

Why do I include this for my couples? Because I believe that capturing a wedding day goes beyond just photography, it’s about creating the best wedding day experience. By offering wedding planning and styling, I not only help couples plan their perfect wedding but also serve as their go-to guide in the months leading up to their big day. On the wedding day itself, I step in as a point person, ensuring that everything runs smoothly so my couples can fully enjoy their special moments while I document them.

If these three tips align with what you’re looking for in a wedding photographer, contact us here to begin.