Wedding Photography: emariegraphy.com
Photography
Finding a photographer can be hard, fortunately for us we happen to know an amazing photographer who was willing to work with us. Kelsey not only photographed our wedding but she was also able to do our Engagement pictures and our after wedding pictures in New York City. We joke that she is our #lifetimephotgrapher but it really is true. We love her and she did such an amazing job and we could not have hoped for anything more perfect. With that being said I know that Kelsey can not photograph everyones wedding even though I know that after seeing how amazing she is, I bet you all wish she could!
Here are some tips on finding a quality photographer no matter where you live.
Comfortable
Find a photographer that you are comfortable working with, someone that makes taking photos easy and care free. If you feel awkward or uncomfortable around your photographer then you will not be able to get the most genuine photos. The best way to determine how you will be able to feel is meet with several different photographers and see which one you are most comfortable around.
Similar Photo Style
Look for photographers who have a similar style to you or find someone who is really good at adapting to what you prefer in photography. You can do this by looking at their past work and seeing what types of photography they do well. Many photographers have websites, Facebook pages, and Instagram pages that showcase their work.
Tell Them What You Want
Talk to your photographer in detail and make sure to explain what you want. Give them a timeline of the wedding so that they are aware of exactly what is happening on wedding day. Make sure to discuss when you want them to arrive and how long you expect them to be there. Discuss specific pictures that you really want on wedding day, even make a Pinterest board and share with your photographer so they know what you are looking for prior to wedding day.
Make a List
While you may already have a Pinterest board it can not hurt to make a detailed list of specific pictures that you want throughout wedding day. Make a list of pictures you may want with certain people, that way you will not miss any photos with friends or family. This will help you avoid forgetting any pictures that you really wanted.
Spend the Money
Good photography is worth the money. This is the person that is not only spending several hours with you on wedding day but is also capturing those special moments. I believe that it is worth cutting down in other areas regarding the wedding and spend a little extra on photography!
I am so overjoyed with how beautiful our pictures turned out. And I am so happy that Kelsey was able to capture so many amazing moments. I picked out some of our favorites and I hope that you enjoy a little look into what our wedding day looked like. It was absolutely beautiful. I can not wait for Kelsey to photograph Jmo and I again.
DJ/Band
I wanted to talk briefly about our DJ. The truth is, we did not have a DJ. Are you surprised? Maybe confused? In order to save some money and knowing that most of the time DJs do not always play exactly what you want them to, Jmo (my husband) decided to be the DJ. It worked out perfectly. We rented speakers, hooked up his computer and played a playlist. And anytime someone wanted a specific song then Jmo just went up to the computer and changed it, it was so simple and easy and we loved it. We were able to determine exactly what songs were played and when we wanted them.
Obviously this route is not for everyone so I have listed below so tips on finding the perfect DJ.
Budget
Set up a budget for your DJ or Band, and do not over spend. I promise it is not worth it to spend thousands of dollars for someone to play music at your wedding. Set up meetings with several different DJs or Bands and see which ones fit best in your budget.
Compatibility
Once your have narrowed down your search to those who are in your budget, find someone who is compatible to the type of wedding you are having. Someone who is easy to work with, flexible with music choice, similar personality, and any other quality that you find important in your DJ or Band.
Set Up A Playlist
Too many times I have been to a wedding where the same song gets played multiple times, or the music is just not good. Work with your DJ or Band and make a playlist of music that you expect to hear at your wedding. Discuss what they will do if a wedding guest requests a song, have a straight NO playlist, and go through the reception timeline with them so they know what is going on throughout the night.
I personally loved that we did not have a DJ or Band, it was so fun to have Jmo be in charge of the music. He absolutely loved every minute of it. We both felt like we were in control of exactly how the night was going to go. After all, we wanted it to be one big party and I would say we definitely accomplished that!
June 10th will forever hold a special place in my heart and I am so glad that it was a wonderful night to remember with fun music. And I am so glad that we had a photographer that was able to catch all those special moments in gorgeous photography.
Wedding Photography: emariegraphy.com
XO
Katelyn Moshier