You’re Engaged, Now What?

Congrats lovebirds! I see you out there showing off your bling to whoever will look at it and regaling everyone with your romantic love story (I want to hear it too by the way). So now you’re engaged and thinking about booking a photographer and it may start to seem a little overwhelming. But don’t worry! This is the fun part. Picking a photographer to be there on your special day is an important task. After all, your wedding images are the only thing that will last once the day is over. You might be wondering what is the next step, where do you start and how does this process work? I am here to help.

First things first. It won’t be possible to book a photographer without first having chosen a date. After all, you need to make sure that your photographer is available on the date you choose. If you have a specific photographer in mind it might be worth it to keep the date fluid and check their availability first before you nail it down to make sure they will be available for you. If not then go ahead and pick a date and book your venue. Photographers love to know which venue you’ve chosen. That way they can tell whether you will be a good fit to work together, whether they’ve shot at the venue before or whether your styles will mesh.

Once you’ve nailed down a date its time to decide what you are looking for style-wise. It’s okay if you don’t know all of the lingo. I always suggest sifting through a few photographers and writing down exactly what it is you like about their images. Do you like the colours, the way they showcase emotion, their focus on details or certain kinds of lighting? Once you have an idea of what you like you can decide what you don’t like and work from there. Keep in mind that all photographers will have their favourite images on their websites, images that show their style and focus. When it is time to book ask to see a full wedding so you can see what to expect from start to finish.

Okay, now you’ve decided on who to reach out to, send them an email and let them know a bit about you. If you have a wedding planner that is awesome! But it is important to contact the photographer yourself or let your wedding planner schedule a meeting for you. Your photographer is the one vendor that needs to really get to know you in order to capture your unique connection. Let them know your personality a bit. Tell them about your proposal or some basic wedding plans. This also gives the photographer a chance to show you their personality too. I know that I want you to have the best fit possible for your big day. If we’re not a good fit then you deserve to go find the perfect photographer that is.

Once you’ve determined that you’re a good fit personally then you can talk nitty-gritty details. Find out how the images will be delivered, how soon after the wedding you can expect them, what their process is on the wedding day and what you can expect, how their payment schedule works and what exactly is needed to confirm the booking. Your photographer should be able to share with you and let you know what to expect in the coming months and make it as easy as possible for you. I always send my clients a welcome magazine that goes over tons of helpful tips for you during your engagement. This should be a fun experience for you and not a stressful one.

Finally, you’ve done it. Pop the bubbly and sit back and relax. Once your main vendors are booked this often means a bit of a break to enjoy your engagement. Don’t let it pass you by.