The importance of selecting a wedding photographer who best matches your needs cannot be understated, as the images often represent the only thing you will be able to look back on in the years to come. Your photos should be a beautiful and timeless account of the most important day of your lives, helping the bride and groom to re-live the romance and excitement allover again.

Unlike the work of your other wedding vendors (venue, music, flower arrangements, cake, etc.), photographs aren’t things you can hear, smell, taste, or even see at first. You don’t know what you’re getting until after the fact. That means careful research and selectiveness regarding professional skills, artistic style, and personal demeanor are essential when choosing your photographer. Here’s some of our best advice to help you with this critical selection.

1. Choose a Style That Fits You!

Before you begin researching specific photographers, first, you’ll need to decide what type of photography style you prefer. Go wild with research in magazines, on the Internet, photos from friends, everything you can think of. This will help determine which kind of photographer you’ll want to shoot your wedding. Next, spend time noticing the many wedding photography styles, choosing any imagery you love, from décor shots to a fashion blogger’s Instagram feed to photos resonating with fine art, documentary (candid, off-the-cuff,) traditional, modern, etc.

Once you have a good collection of inspiring photographs, try to narrow in on what draws you to them specifically and dissect what feels most authentic to you and your partner. Maybe that’s formal-posed portraits, a classic photography style, or a lifestyle, photojournalistic feel. If you love sharp and contrasty shots, perhaps a photographer with a flair for the dramatic is the right choice for you. Remember that you don’t necessarily need to narrow in on one style in particular since many wedding photographers can do a blend of portraiture and documentary-style shots, a mix of black-and-white and color images, and so on. But if there’s a unique style you love, make sure to focus on photographers who specialize in it. Finally, you need to answer the questions: Do you like their work now? Will you love this style for years to come? Will you be happy having it hanging on your wall at home? And does it speak to your heart and tastes?

2. Do Your Homework

Start your search by reading reviews from recent newlyweds and browsing local listings on the Internet. Ask your friends and family for recommendations. Next, carefully review potential photographers’ websites and blogs to check out the photos of other weddings they’ve shot, which will give you an idea of their style. Next, delve into their gallery or blog section to look at complete weddings. Look for consistency, not just a few great images. How do they capture the moments important to you, like a mother bustling her daughter’s gown or an emotional first look? The website’s design may also have clues about the photographer’s personality and sensibility. Check out their Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter) pages, too, if possible. Is feedback from clients positive? How does the photographer respond? How do they interact with their Instagram followers?

Do they seem friendly and personable? You get the idea. If there are specific vital photographs (family portraits, fun, candid shots, detailed pictures, etc.), make sure you like the way the photographer shoots those types of images. Suppose you don’t see what you’re looking for in their posted examples. In that case, most professionals can supply you with samples upon your request. Finally, create your shortlist of photographers from all this research.

3. Set Up Interviews

This is not a decision that can be made on looks alone—it’s important to become very familiar with your potential photographer. If you like what you see on their site—and their fees are in your ballpark range—call to see if they’re available for your wedding date. Every good photographer will have some happy customers to vouch for their skills. If available, go ahead and send an introductory email with a bit about you and your soon-to-be spouse, your event, and the vision for your day, and feel free to attach five or so of your very favorite photos from your research, so they know what you love.

Suppose the photographer is already booked on your date. In that case, you may want to see if they have an associate or can recommend another shooter with a similar style. If possible, set up in-person meetings with three to five potential photographers who are available on your wedding date to learn more about their work. When a face-to-face meeting can’t happen, most photographers are happy to meet via video conferencing. Be prepared to talk about your venue, wedding style, and what you envision for your photos.

4. See a Few Full Wedding Albums

Don’t base your decision solely on what you see in a photographer’s highlights gallery or album. For a good reason, photographers show prospective clients a portfolio of their best pictures, all from different weddings, so you’re seeing the best of the best. The problem with that is you won’t get a well-rounded idea of their work. Ask to see two or three total galleries of real weddings they’ve shot (not someone else at their company), so you can get a better idea of what your complete collection of photos might look like after the wedding.

Suppose you see that the full gallery of images is just about as good as the ones chosen in the highlight gallery (that is, they’re all so good it’s impossible to choose!). In that case, you’re on the right track. And ask to see at least one or two complete albums of weddings in similar settings to yours. For example, if you’re planning an indoor affair with dark lighting, don’t just look at weddings shot outdoors in natural sunlight. And if you’re planning to say “I do” on a beach at sunset, you’ll want to see examples of that.

5. Review Albums Carefully

This can be tricky but try to separate the photographer’s work from the weddings they shoot. Whether you like or dislike the dress, or the venue should not affect how you view the photographer’s work. When reviewing a photographer’s album, look for the key moments you want to be captured: Did they get photos of both the bride and groom when they locked eyes for the first time? Also, look for crispness of images, thoughtful compositions (does a shot look good the way it was framed, or is there too much clutter in the frame?), and good lighting (beware of washed-out pictures where small details are blurred—unless that’s the style you’re after).

It’s also imperative that you detect sensitivity in capturing people’s emotions; make sure the photographer’s subjects look relaxed, not like the proverbial deer caught in the headlights. Finally, while you two are essential, of course, you want to see smiling shots of your friends too.

6. Make Sure Your Personalities Mesh

Don’t underestimate the importance of liking and bonding with your photographer. Is the photographer excited by your vision when you describe it?

When they make suggestions, do they present them clearly and respectfully, or are they timid? Are their mannerisms off-putting? To get the best photos, go with a pro who has a firm grasp of social graces but is bold enough to go out hunting for outstanding images and who, above all, puts you at ease and doesn’t irritate you in any way. Remember: They’ll be shadowing your every move, and the more comfortable both of you are with the photographer, the better the photos will turn out. Likewise, you don’t want the photographer to offend or annoy any guests but to shoot them in their best light in an unobtrusive way. They will be there until the very end of their designated time (overtime is usually charged at a higher hourly rate).

Also, consider your photographer needs to be assertive enough to seek out great moments, cajoling enough to coax relaxed smiles and natural stances from guests, and calm enough to be a positive force. They should ask lots of questions and be good listeners.

7. Compare Packages

You won’t be able to nail down an exact dollar amount until you’re sure of what you want, how many albums you need, and where your photographer is based. When interviewing candidates, ask for a general range based on the photographer’s standard “shooting fee” and package, plus their standard rates for the type of album you think you’ll want and the amount of coverage you’re hoping to book them for (day of, entire weekend). It’s crucial to find out what’s included in the standard package, plus the basic range for any extras you may want, like an engagement shoot, special effects, or additional coverage, so that you can compare rates. Find out exactly how many hours of coverage are included.

Ideally, you want your photographer to be there for your entire wedding day—from when you start getting ready until after you make your grand exit from the reception. While packages vary, most include about 6 to 12 hours to cover everything from pre-ceremony events (getting ready with your bridesmaids or first-look photos) to the end of the reception.

Also, check if there’s a second shooter included in the contract, and if there’s not, ask about the possibility. It’s likely the second shooter can be confirmed later, but the main benefit to having two shooters is, of course, you get twice as much coverage. For example, one photographer can capture formal photos during your traditional photo session. At the same time, the second one can get behind-the-scenes, photojournalistic images, like your guests mingling. Suppose you’re having a larger wedding (250 guests or more). In that case, you might even want to ask about having three shooters so your photography team can be sure to capture the event from all angles.

8. Get the Post-Production Details

It usually takes at least a month to receive digital files back from your photographer. Why? Your photographer is shooting enormous raw files far more extensive than your typical JPEG. Shooting raw files gives your photographer a more extraordinary ability to correct the photo. Still, it also takes a longer time to upload, process, and edit all those files (to restore color levels and so on). It varies, but many photographers say they spend an additional 40 hours editing images from a single wedding, so it can take up to six to eight weeks (or longer, depending on the photographer and how busy they are) to get proofs back.

Here’s what to ask: How many images should I expect? Will they be high resolution or low resolution? Will I be able to get prints made myself, or does the photographer retain the rights to the images? Will the proofs I see be the retouched versions, or does that happen after selecting the photos I want? Regarding retouching, ask about options and special effects (which can range from simple white balancing to beauty retouching and stylized art effects like super-saturated colors) and the additional cost for both.

9. Prep Together for the Day-Of

Remember that your photographer is the pro, so—while it’s helpful—you shouldn’t spend too much time putting together a detailed shot list for them. Instead, pass along your day-of timeline, give them an idea of what images you’d like captured (like a shot with each of your bridesmaids in addition to wedding party portraits) and let them do their thing. This is also the perfect moment to give them a heads up on any familial or friendship intricacies they should be aware of, like divorced parents, a grandmother that needs to remain sitting for portraits, or a groomsman and bridesmaid that don’t get along (yes, it happens!). If you’re hoping to get your wedding day published online or in a magazine down the road, be sure to relay that to your photographer. This way, they’ll emphasize snapping shots of all your unique details. In addition, they will likely come armed with gorgeous styling accessories like ribbons, linens, and more to help your wedding aesthetic genuinely stand out. That’s a Wrap!