Just starting your journey to memorable day? Not sure where to start? Need some help and advice?
Look no further….in the weeks to come I will start to provide hints and tips on how to choose the right professional support for you and your wedding day. This is a big decision and you want to make sure that you are choosing the best professional for the job within your budget.
This first blog will be about choosing your Photographer or Videographer also known as Creative Media.
A good place to start is by joining wedding forums or social media groups, however, you may find that there is a bias towards certain professionals. Some may have paid to be seen in that forum or group. Some may be recommended significantly, both of these lead to great exposure for the professional, but you still do not really know if they are for you.
An example I often see perspective couples asking is a very simple and expected question. “Can anyone please recommend a photographer?” The simple answer is yes, everyone can recommend a photographer, and based on the number of people recommending a certain professional will usually sway your decision and you will book them.
The question here is, why have you booked them? Was it because they have been highly recommended with comments such as, amazing, first class, brilliant?
Realistically, you still have no idea why they are amazing, brilliant or first class, so the best way to carry out your research is to structure your question like this.
I am looking for recommendations for Creative Media / Photo and Video, can you please provide your recommendations and give reasons for this choice.
- Is it value for money?
- Is it the the service you have received from the supplier with a skype call to discuss your requirements, needs and wants.?
- Is it the quality of the editing ?
- Is it the style of work, it suits your theme and is the style of work something you and your partner both like?
- Was it the amount of photos being edited by the supplier (for example, some may only edit 30 photos out of every 100 taken)?
- Is the delivery time of your photos acceptable, 2,3,4,5 months ?
- was your decision to book your chosen supplier none of the above but based purely on the fact the supplier is highly recommended?
Some companies have several photographers / videographers working for them, some may work alone, but a good question to ask is Who will be the photographer / Videographer on the day?
Styles change, and some examples of the work you have seen and like, may change between booking and your wedding day, so make sure that the professional knows exactly what you want. If their style or editing changes, a good professional will let you know in advance.
Before you make your decision, read the small print of the contract or the terms and conditions, there may be some hidden extras you have not been told about, such as, transporting you to your photoshoot, or buying vendor meals.
Remember, your experience with your Creative Media Team is a personal one, they are capturing future memories at a unique event filled with love and laughter, the more you know how the team work the better the end result.
The next supplier blog will discuss floral suppliers and things to consider.
Happy Planning