Why You Want A Great Wedding Photographer And Where To Find One

One of the biggest decisions in the wedding planning process is choosing a wedding photographer that you can trust.

Why Choosing the right Photographer is Important

With any wedding, whether you are lesbian or straight or any other kind of engaged couple, choosing the right photographer is so very critical. Here are my top 3 reasons why:

1. You want to have the best photos of you and your partner to look back on to remember this exciting day. (OBVI.)
2. You are going to be spending a HEFTY CHUNK of your wedding funds on this particular investment, this HUMAN BEING who you are putting a lot of trust and faith in to catch the most special moments and tender emotions throughout some once in a life time experiences. You want to make sure you are getting what you pay for at the very least.
3. You will be spending A LOT of time with this one individual (or sometimes two individuals.) You might actually find yourself spending more time with your photographer than with the person you are marrying that day! Seriously though, think about it. This didn’t occur to me until our photographer mentioned this briefly. Your photographer will be there potentially while you are getting ready, while you are with someone special to you, maybe a parent, as you put on your ceremony attire, right before you see the person you are going to make your vows to, every single time you pose for a picture that day, it is your photographer right there, helping you along and into the best and most flattering poses.

SO, IN CONCLUSION, you want to feel COMFORTABLE with your photographer and make sure that your personalities mesh well and that you get good vibes from this individual that will be sharing your special day with you in a very unique way.

Where do I find a Wedding Photographer?

1. Ask around, ask friends Brooke and I actually found our photographer through some mutual friends and we are so happy about it. Definitely don’t be afraid to voice what you are looking for and let word of mouth provide you with something better than even google could have offered.
2. Reach out to photographers you may know to put you in touch with a wedding photographer These days, there are a lot of people branching out and starting there own photography businesses. This is great because it means that there will be more wedding photographers and perhaps ones that have more competitive pricing if they are still building up their business. This can mean great pictures at a smaller price!
3. Ask your venue if they have a recommendation list (very helpful) This is seriously one of the simplest things to do. If you already have your venue picked out, the first thing you can do to get a jump start on wedding planning is to ask for a list of vendors that the venue works with often and trusts. Then, you can just go down the list and look them up online or call them to schedule a meeting to discuss what they offer and if they might be something you are looking for.
4. Google wedding photographers near you Google them. Honestly, it’s kind of a given, but once you have some names, look them up on Instagram or try to scope out their portfolios along with reviews or testimonials. I still recommend asking around too, but google can be a viable options for adding to your list of potential photographers.
5. Sift through local wedding photographers on social media. Many times you might have a photographer or two in your Facebook friends list that you might have forgotten about. Look them up on Instagram and see if they have a portfolio that excites you!

Seriously, Start Asking People.

You would think that it might be a cinch to find a lesbian photographer given the stereotype, but it can be difficult depending on the area you are in.

Again, I’m going to stress that you ask around for photographer recommendations.

Like I mentioned before, my fiancé and I got our photographer through a recommendation from another lesbian couple who is friends with the photographer. Our photographer happened to be exploding in popularity too because she had recently won an award on theknot.com and we got lucky that she still had our date open. We signed the contract with her right after our consultation with her.

Top Tips To Finding a Great Wedding Photographer

Start looking early!

Photographers can book up over a year in advance so do not dilly dally on this task. Go on a photographer hunt and create a list of potential photographers that you really think rock and that produce photos that make you go, “wow, those are amazing.”

Have a consultation, it’s kind of like an interview.

Go ahead and schedule some time to have a zoom call with the individuals on your potential wedding photographer list. One of the big things that I tried to detect was what kind of personality they had. Could I feel comfortable with them? Could I stand being with them for hours throughout a highly emotional day? Did they seem nice and caring and ready to help make your day run smoothly?

Ask them about their shooting style too. Is it bold, vibrant, wide shots, long shots? You should already have an idea of what their portfolio looks like, but see what they love to do the most, what their niche is that they prefer.

Another great thing to ask your potential photographer is if they have ever shot at your wedding venue before. It would be great if they had, but it is not necessary. It is a good sign, however, if they tell you that they would scope out the venue prior to the wedding. Again, it might not be necessary, but it would increase your trust in them if they did!

 Tell them your concerns

Tell the photographer your concerns and see how they respond. My thing was that I didn’t want to feel like I was in a straight photoshoot. Ellen Degeneres once did a bit on her day show of how it must be a “straight” thing for the girls to run and jump into the arms of the guy on the bachelor, all while squealing with anticipation and such. Lesbians don’t really have a distinct thing. All couples are different regardless, but lesbians especially don’t fall into specific molds and therefore you want a photographer who will make you feel comfortable and free to be yourselves and not do poses you don’t feel comfortable in or that you feel fake in.

Lastly, bring up any questions about packages or contracts and read up on these beforehand. Make sure they are insured. If they are not, you would be responsible for getting the insurance. If you choose not to get insured, you will be responsible for paying fully for anything such as photographer gear that were to break or get ruined for whatever reason.

We found a Lesbian Wedding Photographer!

Yes, we do have a lesbian photographer, and we are indeed pumped. Is a lesbian photographer a must for a lesbian wedding? No. I just consider it a bonus because it is nice to recognize a significant similarity you have with someone (such as being a lesbian.) It feels like an immediate preface for a trusting kinship. AND, I know that she fully understands what it’s like not to color in the lines all the time and how to work with couples that don’t fit that clean cut mold.

Final Thoughts

As with all parts of the wedding planning process, you don’t want to stress too much. However, you want to prioritize this one decision and make it sooner than later. That is what will prevent unnecessary stress. Photographers are in high demand, especially for weddings. You might need to get in touch with a few of them and talk with them before picking THE one. And in the end, it’s not even the pictures that really matter the most. (I know that sounds contradicting to what I’ve been saying in this post.) It really is how you feel on that special day. You want to think back on that day whenever you want and be filled with joy. And THAT is what I am hoping for on my wedding day. Yes, nice pictures would be very nice to have. But even the photos are secondary to the emotions I have surrounding my wedding day. And that is also why it is so important to not stress so much and enjoy this process of planning not just a lesbian wedding, but your lesbian wedding.