Diamond Wedding Photography

Ask to see a PROOF PORTFOLIO album from the photographer. This will show you every photo taken during a normal Wedding. Many photographers will only show you their best, giving you a false impression of the type of photos you will actually receive. Some even use professional models for their display albums.

Make sure you are HAPPY with the photographer. Always ask the studio to see a sample of the photographer’s work who would be allocated to cover your wedding. Beware - some studios use sub-contractors and therefore will be unable to show you photographs taken by that contractor or even give you their name.

Make sure you are ON TIME. The Bride should always have her make-up and hair done first. If a bridesmaid has to miss photos it is not important as the Bride, and these can usually be caught up later without any problem. If the Bride is running too late, it may cause problems later in the day and important photos can be missed.

Give a lot of THOUGHT to the type of photos you would like. A good photographer can adapt to the style of photographs you prefer. One good way to do this is to have a scrap book with photos cut out from bridal magazines, and list the ones you do & don’t like. Hand this scrap book to the photographer at the pre Wedding interview and fully discuss your preferences & any special requirements.

ORGANISATION is the key to your successful day. Sit down with your photographer at least 1 week prior to your Wedding and discuss everything. Make sure the photographer writes it all down, and that sufficient time is allowed for at each location throughout the day. Allow a little extra than you expect for travelling time. A documented Wedding day timing schedule is a good idea.

GET everything confirmed in writing, and make sure you fully understand exactly what you will receive. Many problems arise with customers, as they do not have any evidence of what was agreed to during discussions. This problem is further magnified with time delays between the original booking, actual Wedding date & final completion as well as changes in staff.

Check out the REPUTATION & Experience of the photographer. Talk to your friends & relatives, who may have been married recently, and find out their impression of the photographer they used and what they did & didn’t like. Ask the photographer how many years experience he or she has had, and how many Weddings they would photograph in a typical month. Check for professional memberships such as AIPP (Australian Institite Of Professional Photography) which insist on full-time status & is not available to part-timers & hobbyists who generally deliver a lesser quality product.

Discuss an ALTERNATE PLAN with the photographer. Even on the best of days in the middle of Summer it can rain. Have an alternate plan organised particularly if your Wedding is outside in a garden. Less problems will be caused if you already know what to do if the weather turns bad, as your back-up plan has already been organised.

PRICE is one of the most controversial issues when it comes to Wedding photography. Try to get firm pricing confirmed at time of booking, and watch out for inflated enlargement & re-print prices. Also be aware of hidden extras such as photographers fees. You should be able to get full coverage of the day for somewhere between $1500-$4000. Sometimes you can be paying for a photographers image and inflated overhead costs. Ask what your total cost for the final album will be.

After your Wedding day your photographs are the only reminder you will HAVE for the rest of your life. You will be spending many thousands of dollars on the reception, dresses, flowers & cars, many relatives & guest have come together, so you must make sure you have professional coverage of the memories you will keep forever - a once in a lifetime opportunity.

YOU are the customer and it is your Wedding day. You are paying a lot of money for professional coverage of one of the most important days of your new life together. Make sure that you get exactly what you want, because you won’t get any second chances.

Diamond Wedding Photography - Hints & Tips