Hi Ladies!

I know we have ages to go but just looking into everything!
How do you choose a photographer?? They are soooooooooo expensive. I know it money well spent because these photos will be with you for life and its very important to capture very special moments of yourself and family and friends, but HOW?
Your talking about 800-1500 pound! That like a quarter of our wedding budget.
Theres so many out there just how can you choose between them all?
ANy ideas and tips would really be appreciated.

Thanks

Natalee

P.S How far in advanced should you pay for them?

xxx

I always feel that where you book your wedding, that recommendations may be a bit of a who haa - i'm sure there not but that just how i feel lol. But actually thas is probably a good start - Using someone that have Photographed at the venue. Thanks hunny x

Have a look at groupon etc...

Photogs are expensive but they have huge liabilities against them if they get it wrong... you can get them cheaper than £800 but I'd be wary of quality and/or what you actually get for your money so hidden extras to pay for like access to your images on a disc may cost more.

We got a fine art photog for £1350... inc all day and a disc of edited images... she was £1500 first but negotiated 10% discount. if you don't ask, you don't get!!!

NP!

There's a thread about choosing your photographer, I'll bump it for you xx

Recommendations are usually good, but I think more often than not when you meet photographers you will get a 'feel' of whether you like them or not, we met loads of photographers and none of them really grasped the ideas we were giving them, they all seemed more keen to do it their own way and that's not what we wanted.

The photographer we have now is amazing, she made us feel really relaxed in front of the camera, she totally understands what we want from her and the pictures on her website are just stunning, I couldn't be happier. So I would say see as many as you can within your budget, explain what it is you want and see what kind of vibe you get, you'll know the one when you meet him/her x

We found ours on Book of Face - they must have tagged someone or a place I knew as I saw their pictures then checked their website
They are a lovely couple. Our package is £1250 but that is full day from getting ready to evening with two photographers, 500 edited prints, a photo printed on site for guest book frame, all photos on USB stick plus an album costing £550. We felt so at ease with them and they really listened and took on board what we wanted. We were impressed too as they came to our house so we could view their work whereas the other ones I contacted (from a google search of photographers in the area) either didnt respond promptly or wanted to meet miles away - which put us off. I have since been recommended people by friends who have attended weddings or got married but we are happy with our choice.

Thank you ladies!!! We are going to splash out on the photographer. We are just going to take our time and not rush into booking one x

I booked mine via F-Book, we had previously met him at a wedding fair so I liked him on F-book and booked him when he had an amazing offer on. This is what we get for £495:

This package includes my personal attendance at your wedding anywhere in the UK with photography coverage of:

The Groom's party getting ready
The Bride's Preparation
Guests Arriving
The Bride's Procession in
The Ceremony
The Bride & Groom's Presentation & Procession out
Posed & Group Shots
The Reception
Speeches
The Cake Cutting
Informal shots
The Evening Event
The 1st Dance

Producing over 250 hi-resolution and fine detailed digital images on disc supplied to you with full copy, print, use permission and a printed wedding album as a perfect bound book displaying over 50 of your favourite images from the disc.

This all inclusive wedding day package is just £495!

Mrscs2b Your post wasnt there when i wrote mine, Our packages sound the same lol can i ask who you are using?

Hi MrsX, I am using Richard Atkin from Tewkesbury x

That's exactly how I saw it MrsX, package should have been £895

Hi,
You should check out *****************************she was the photographer at our wedding and she did an amazing job! She is based in London and very professional. Her prices are very reasonable and her style is very relaxed and creative. Congrats and good luck!

EDIT - LINK HAS BEEN REMOVED DUE TO IT BRAKING NON ADVERTISING RULES OF THE FORUM

We had ours recommended by a friend of h2b's - I was a little worried as I didn't like her website - teach me to judge a book!!

She visited us at home and was fabulous from the moment she walked in the door. She already had ideas of where she could get some lovely before shots outside my house just from walking around outside for 5 mins before coming in lol. She took down details of all our family and special people we wanted photos of - she even made a note of the fact that mine are divorced and are under no circumstances to be forced together lol. She was so down to earth and friendly and she asked if we had any specific type of pictures we wanted and will do a mix of classic and contemporary shots for us as me and h2b have different ideas of what we like.

Then she refused to take a deposit on the day - encouraged us to look around at other people as she was the first we saw and promised to give me a call if anyone else enquired about our date to give me a chance to book her if we wanted.
She was upfront and honest about all of the costs involved in booking her including copyright if we want to print off photos ouselves without using her which I wouldn't have noticed in t's and c's i'm sure!! She broke down all of the packages and helped us compare them to see what we really needed and what we could do without.

But I think what grabbed me the most was her obvious enthusiasm about photographing weddings even after 16 years of doing it, and the fact that I thought I liked her enough to have her photographing me and h2b all day esp as I hate my photo and am usually first to duck and cover when I see a camera!

Are any friends/family photographers? My mum isn't a photographer by trade but is by hobby and has done a few weddings and had gorgeous albums made. My brother hired a photographer but I think my mums photos were so much better. Anyway I have three photographers in my family so I'm going to ask them to do photos as a gift and I will order from them and mum can create my album. On my budget it makes sense as mum is going to be with me my whole day. She did my friends wedding and as she is a crafter as well I have never seen any album as stunning .

I know it's controversial to ask guests etc but like my mum said after bros wedding she took the photos anyway.