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Why is it so important to hire a professional wedding photographer to photograph your wedding?

1/13/2019

As photographers we often hear the phase, I think I will just have a friend shoot my wedding, they have a nice camera. While I totally get budgeting and saving money I promise you this is one area you will not want to skimp on. Why? Because you will regret it. I can tell you first hand that one of the biggest regrets most people have from their wedding is not hiring a professional photographer. Since so many people have shared this regret with me over the past couple years I thought I would explain why it is so important to hire a professional wedding photographer to photograph your wedding.

I think it is important to hire a professional wedding photographer for many reasons, but I especially thing you should because we realize how many things can go wrong on your wedding day. I hate to say it but a lot of things will happen on your day that are out of your control and trust me we have seen it all. The number one thing I notice is that a lot of times the wedding day schedule gets changed because of unforeseen things happening and people running late. There have been weddings I have shot were I only have had 30 min between the ceremony and reception to capture family photos, bridal portraits, and bridal party photos photos (which is the big majority of what I capture on your day). Because of my professional experience I can handle situations like this wonderfully because I don’t have to worry about knowing and messing around with my camera settings. I am familiar with lighting situations and am confident in what posing directions I need to give in order to insure that you get what you paid for especially with working with larger groups of people! Professionals have seen everything and we know how to handle moments like these so you don’t have to and so your day can be as carefree as possible. 

Jacy Hermes Photography- Phoenix, Arizona https://www.jacyhermesphotography.com/

My biggest piece of advice in hiring a wedding photographer and WHY you should hire a professional is because you won’t regret it. If you do your research and find someone that truly connects with you as a couple and as people, then you’re bound to have an incredible experience. You aren’t just hiring someone to take and edit your photographs from your day, you’re hiring someone with EXPERIENCE in photographing weddings of all different sizes, lighting situations, and family dynamics. As professional photographers, we’re able to handle anything that comes our way and we are the last thing you ever need to worry about. 
Melissa Nelson, Sonoma County, California
www.melissaatle.com

Weddings are one of the most challenging things to shoot, simply because they happen ONCE. Other shoots can be redone. They can be rescheduled if it rains, or if there’s construction outside the venue, or for any number of reasons. A wedding is one day that you won’t get back, and it’s a day that flies by super fast! As a professional wedding photographer, I am trained to know when and where to be to in order to capture the emotion, movement, and meaning of each minute. It’s a huge responsibility, and one I don’t take lightly! And that’s why we as professionals in the industry TRAIN. We shoot in all kinds of lighting, and in all kinds of weather. We know how to pin a boutonniere and bustle a dress. We know to scout locations beforehand and how to organize 50 people for a family photo. We learn how to connect with our couples and put them at ease so we can capture their love authentically. Can a friend shoot your wedding? If they are a wedding photographer, of course! I shoot a lot of my friend’s weddings. But having a ‘nice camera’ simply won’t cut it, and I think you’ll really regret not hiring a person who knows the ins and outs of navigating a wedding day. What you won’t regret is having amazing photos to look through for the rest of your life, even if it meant paying a little extra for them. Is it an investment? For sure. But being a recent bride myself, it’s the best investment you can make on your wedding day. 

Abigail Connor, Boston,Massachusetts

 https://www.abigailjeanphotography.com/

Let me start out by being completely honest. Photography is not rocket science. And it is really not that difficult to learn. But! When it comes to your wedding…you don’t want to hire a rookie. You want someone with experience. Experience with dealing with every lighting scenario. Experience dealing with so many different kinds of people. And the most important…experience in documenting and preserving your memories.

Elise Aileen, Sonoma County, California

https://eliseaileen.com/

Why is it so important to hire a professional? Exactly that they are a pro. We know how to help you with the timeline of the day, know how to set up a shot correctly and will not miss the important details of the day. We have a trained eye to know moments before they arrive and years of experience of shooting. Our years of experience means that we know our style, so when it comes to editing we are going to be consistency producing great work. Just having someone come with a nice camera means you might have missed shots or have under or over exposed shots of key moments of the day. Worst case scenario some images could end up being lost due to not hiring someone that knows how to back up their work. I do not say all this to scare you, but rather to encourage you to think about hiring a professional photographer. Does it have to be one that charges 7 grand? No. Find a photographer that you love and one that is more in your price range then make room in your budget for them. Instead of a little extra decor or an extra side dish spend the money one something that will literally last a lifetime.

Jana Contreras, Sonoma County, California

  1. […] For more wedding tips check this out: Why it is important to hire a pro wedding photographer. […]

  2. My fiance and I are getting married in a couple of months, and we have been debating whether or not we should hire someone to do our wedding pictures for us. I found it really helpful when you explained that hiring a professional photographer is something that you won’t regret. It seems like hiring someone would be a good way to help us create memories of our special day that we can look back on.

    • jcontreras says:

      Thank you so much so glad it was helpful! Hiring a pro for your wedding will be the one thing you do not regret. 🙂

  3. My sister and her fiance’s wedding is fast approaching, which is why I’m currently looking for a photographer as a wedding gift to them. I agree with you that a professional photographer will be able to handle any lighting situations. Well, you have a point that the right photographer must be hired because he will be responsible for preserving all the memories of that event.

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