Ten Tips to help you find the right Wedding Photographer

Make sure you don't meet JUST a salesman. You should at least be shown a portfolio of work taken by the photographer who will be covering your wedding day. Not someone who doesn’t know his lens caps from his f-stops.

Ask to see a complete wedding album. If someone has been photographing weddings for even a year or two the chances are that they can scrape together enough shots to produce a good portfolio. Insist on seeing a complete wedding album.

Find out exactly what is included in the price. If they tell you that you will get a particular album make sure they show you the album itself. Don't let them show you the best album they have and tell you your one will be similar. Make sure you are satisfied with the one you will be given.

Make sure the price they quote includes everything. You don't want to find out later that prints cost more money, you have to pay travel expenses, VAT wasn't included, a CD of images costs more or even that you have to pay the postage. Get a full quotation in writing.

Check that they can shoot the style of wedding photographs you want. If you would like a modern reportage style, don't take it for granted that the photographer can do this just because they take good traditional style shots and vice versa.

If you have ideas of your own then discuss them with the photographer well ahead of committing yourself to them. This helps you to avoid disappointment later.

Ask for referrals and check them out. A photographer with a string of happy clients will be only too happy to let other people confirm their abilities.

Discuss the back up equipment they use. For example if they don't carry a spare camera and the one they are using breaks down then there will be no pictures!

Check to see if they have covered a wedding at the venue before. If they haven't, find out if they will visit the venue beforehand. If they do then this should get them a tick in the box as being someone prepared to go the extra mile.

Make time to see more than one photographer. Choosing the right wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions you make. Choose the wrong one and you can't rerun the day and try again!