Hiring a Great Wedding Photographer or Videographer

When choosing a wedding photographer and/or videographer, it can be daunting to try to find a GREAT one! The following list is 7 things to consider when trying to find the right one.

Personality: Does your personality and the personality of the photographer you are considering to hire mesh well? Are they fun and likeable? Willing to work with you? Flexible? Will they give you a custom experience. Here at Wonderland Weddings, our flexibility shows through in our pricing. No two weddings or couples are the same so why should the pricing be? We consider flexibility in how many hours, number of edits, video add-ons, and additional items a couple might need. This ensures that we can give you everything you need within the budget you have to work with. Finding the right personality for your photographer/videographer will also allow you to have fun and be comfortable on the day of your wedding. Wonderland Weddings is all about this! We strive to blend in with guests in order to give your images a photojournalistic look and feel. Organic moments are always better than created ones!
Expectations: Make sure expectations are clear and that the photographer can exceed your expectations for things that are a priority to you. For example, Wonderland provides three edits of the best images within 24/48 hours of the wedding, and no more than 4-weeks to receive the final edit of the wedding. By having your expectations appropriately set prior to starting the relationship, you lay the foundation for clear and easy communication.
Style vs. Price: Make sure you have identified if photo and video are a priority or if you are focused on price. If imagery is a priority, focus on style and body and work before cost. You get what you pay for. If you pay on the lower end for a photographer, they may not provide the full service you are expecting.
Additional services: Do they offer aerial video? Photo booth? Time-lapse? Live Streaming? (Consider these reasons of why to have a photo booth at your wedding.) Often there are incentives, such as with Wonderland, for bundling these services with your wedding package.
Check track record: When trying to find your wedding photographer, it is very important to check their track record with photographing or filming weddings. Look at their reviews on websites such as The Knot, Yelp, or the OC Hotlist. Evaluate their relationships with venues or vendors they have shot with. Google to see if they have any awards. For example, Wonderland has just won The Knot’s Best of Weddings for the second year in a row and were voted OC’s #1 Video Team and #2 Photo Team by OC Hotlist. These things will build a case for a teams reputability.
Ask the right questions: Ask about their team. Do they have a second shooter? You can find a list we have put together here.
Resourcefulness: A good videographer or photographer can offer valuable information on venues, vendors, scheduling or general planning for your wedding. Finding a photographer that will be open to answering any questions you have can be very helpful in relieving any stress in the process leading up to your big day.