Want Versus Need
Envision the final product. Will you have large keepsake albums with shots from your wedding and reception for yourself and your family, or will a small album and a few 5″ × 7″ photographs for your parents and wedding party serve your needs?
Size Matters
The package deal you make with your photographer can be as big or as small as you want. A friend or family member can take your photographs for free, or you can hire a team of photographers who will charge you thousands of dollars.
If a grand album of wedding photographs isn't a high-priority item in your wedding budget, then scale down the photography package. Ask the photographer to take fewer shots and develop fewer pictures. See whether it's possible for him to cover fewer hours than he normally would.
For a modest budget, choose a less ornate album and fewer posed shots that take a lot of time to compose. Larger photography packages and complex shots increase the price.
Alert
Don't feel obliged to give away lots of wedding pictures to your family and friends. Share your photos on your wedding Web site or attach them to e-mails. If these aren't options, let your family and friends know how they can order copies from your photographer.
Photography packages differ in the number of hours covered, the number of shots taken, and the way your photos are delivered. You can order your photos à la carte, in an album, or in a coffee-table photo book.
Photographic Styles
Photographers have many different styles, and it's important to find one who will give you the photographs you want. Today's style is photo journalistic, without formal posed shots. The photographer captures the real emotional moments between the happy couple and their friends and family. These photos tell a natural, intimate story.
Essential
Some enterprising photographers offer discounts if you trust them to present the story of your wedding day the way they choose. You could end up with a storyboard or an unconventional album. This lets photographers experiment with new techniques and services that they might eventually offer in their regular packages.
Often, couples place these photos not in albums, but in white mats and simple, thin black frames and group a number of them on a wall in their home.
At the opposite side of the spectrum, formal photographers specialize in taking posed shots. These shots are easier to control, so you know what to expect from the photos. Posed shots give you a chance to be photographed with as many of your guests as you like.
You can also find a happy balance between photographic styles. You can have formal portraits with your family after the ceremony and candid shots of your friends at the reception. You also need to decide whether you want to use black-and-white, color, or sepia-toned film.
Additionally, increasing numbers of photographers have gone digital, so think about whether you prefer film or digital cameras to document your wedding. You can mix and match styles and film to get the photography package that suits your needs.
