2018 is a new year and it's a new year for my business. Being close with my couples has always been a goal of mine, and sometimes I succeeded in 2017 but sometimes I wasn't reaching my brides as well as I wanted. All of my brides are amazing, hands down they are the best. But I want to be more than just a wedding photographer for my clients, I want them to feel like they know me... to feel like I am their friend. I think that's a really important when telling your wedding day story as a whole. Your wedding photos should be about your wedding day, but even more about the story of you two and who you are together and who you are with the special people in your lives. I could not possibly feel like I am doing my job effectively if I do not take the time to get to know you.

If this isn't important to you, please don't pick me as your photographer.. I would only get on your nerves! ;) I have listed a few tips below on how to book the PERFECT photographer for you :)

1. Pick a photographer's style that you LOVE

If you really find yourself oohing and ahh-ing at all of those light and airy pinterest wedding photos, then you should totally pick a photographer who's photos usually look like that! If you really love black and white photos, you should pick a photographer who posts black and white photos often because that means they probably deliver them often! If you love the candid cheeses more than the very posed smiles, pick a photographer who brings that genuineness to their photographs. If you enjoy the studio setup of photos, pick a photographer who can offer you that on location for your wedding day! Don't settle for a photographer just because you like the price or they are the only person you know... you are more likely to be 10x more in love with your photographs if you love the work the photographer puts out already :) Do some research of photographers in your area, or in surrounding areas!

2. Price isn't everything

Price really isn't everything but it can be important in determining the right photographer for you. Obviously some photographers can be very out of budget but some could be totally under budget. You definitely get what you pay for in the photography world but just because someone is cheap doesn't mean that their work isn't good, they just may lack in some areas of their business that higher end photographers would not. Let's take the booking process for example, higher end photographers pay someone to make a sturdy contract that protects you and them. Lower end photographers, usually do not have a contract or maybe not a very detailed one so if something goes wrong with your wedding photos, you are both out of luck and it would be up to a court to decide.

Location can also be a factor in price. Someone who charges $4,000 and lives in Somerset, Kentucky could probably move to Orange Beach California and charge $7,500. The price differences are not as big of difference between Lexington, Kentucky and Somerset but there is a still a huge gap! So what I am trying to get at, is that if you live in Lexington and see that someone in Somerset is charging $2,000, it's not that they are not professional, it's just that big of a market difference and that could be something to think about when researching photographers, especially if you ARE on a budget! :)

The main thing you should consider when picking a photographer should not be your budget, but that you LOVE them! You always hear the line "if it is expensive, it has to be good" but that is not always the case either. If you book someone BECAUSE they are expensive, you could also be terribly sad if their work isn't what you wanted. Maybe they are light and airy, but you really love dark and moody stuff. If you love their work, love their personality, it's one of the best investments you can make for your wedding day because after all, the work they give you is the only way you will remember the day 100% until you are 100 ;)

3. Like the photographer as a person

It's soooooooooooooooooo extremely important to pick a wedding photographer who seems like your kind of people ;) Maybe they love the same stuff that you love, or they have a similar home dynamic or pet or something! Maybe they stand up for topics on social media that you feel like you stand up for! Make sure you can relate to them! It will make the wedding planning process A LOT easier, so much less stressful and SO SO SO much more fun if you can giggle about the same things along the way! By finding a photographer you relate to, the photographer is much more likely to see your wedding day vision the same way you do!

4. Pick a photographer that has the tools you need

If you are really bad at planning, find a photographer that would love to help you! Some photographers offer day-of coordinating and some just simply help you put a timeline together for your day... Some photographers just show up and do as you tell them! It really is all about what YOU need/want!

If you are an intricate planner and you would love help with a timeline, I'm your gal ;) If you hate planning schedules and want someone else to do it for you, I'm also your gal :) Together, we can figure out just how much time you need for each wedding day event and how many hours of coverage you need with me! I've picked up on a lot of things in this business that sometimes brides alone don't think about!