Julia Boggio Photography

Choosing a wedding photographer is almost as difficult as choosing your venue. There's an extensive choice out there and this is probably the first time that you've commissioned someone to take professional images of you. The good news is that the ideal photographer for you definitely exists…it's simply a matter of finding them!

Weddingtv.com chatted to professional photographer and Dirty Dancing bride, Julia Boggio, who shared her top tips for finding the perfect wedding photographer...

Decide what Style of Photography You Want

Before you even start looking at wedding photography specifically, look at photography in general. What images do you like when you look through magazines and photography books? If you love the style of the images in high end magazines, then there is no reason why you can't have something like that at your wedding. It's your day, after all.

Wedding photographers get their inspiration from the same sort of media as you: films, TV, art galleries and magazines. I had a client tell me once that he loved The Godfather, so, on the day, I shot him sitting Pacino-style with his best man hovering respectfully at his shoulder. He loved it and the framed image now has pride-of-place on his living room wall.

Set a Budget

The rough rule for setting a photography budget is to allocate 10% of the cost of the wedding. However, you also need to consider how important your photography is to you, as this may mean you want to spend slightly more. Remember that a really good wedding photographer can make the village hall look like the Taj Mahal.

Price-wise, you will be able to find someone who will shoot your wedding for anything from £150 to £7000. Once you start doing your research, you'll see what kind of photography you can get for your budget. Just keep in mind that photography is not the place to scrimp and save.

When I was looking for my own wedding photographer, the one I found cost more than my husband had budgeted to spend. But I knew what I wanted and I'm good at convincing my husband to do things he's opposed to at first (like the Dirty Dancing dance). After the last guest has left and the band has packed up, your wedding photographs are your only lasting memory of the day and, in twenty year's time, neither you nor your husband will care what they cost.

Hire a Professional

Sometimes, couples may find themselves with an issue on their hands and that is: Uncle Bob is a keen amateur photographer and, as a present, he really wants to take your wedding photos. So what do you do? Wedding photography is a highly specialised area and it's not worth taking chances with it, if you can afford it.

The pros know when we can and can't take pictures on the day; we understand the cadence of a wedding day; and even though most people think they are a bit naff, it's actually a difficult skill to take a good old traditional group shot. If Uncle Bob wants to get involved and you don't want to hurt his feelings, give him an assignment on the day, like taking candid photos of all the guests. That way, you're both happy and you've avoided gambling with your wedding memories.

Do your Research

This is the exciting bit; it's when you start looking for your wedding photographer. There are a number of ways to begin your search. The internet is a fabulous resource and you'll be able to tell a lot from a photographer's website. However, if a simple search isn't bringing up the kind of people you'd like to work with, then start asking for referrals.

Julia Boggio Photography

Many photographers rely on word of mouth to meet new couples. Your venue or any other supplier you have already hired will definitely have worked with photographers that they'd recommend (and wouldn't recommend!). Also, ask your friends for their suggestions. Either they've been married or they've been at a wedding where they really liked the photographer.

You can also look in bridal magazines to see who is advertising with them or see who their editorial images are credited to. There are also websites of professional photography organisations that list their members, like the Master Photographer's Association, British Institute of Professional Photographers or the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers.

Create a Short List

During your research, you will see loads of photographers that you don't want and a few that you do, so creating a short list of five or so should be easy. Some couples even manage to decide on their photographer just from the website, but then there is the question of the photographer's availability. This is the scary bit: what if your favourite photographer isn't free on the day?

Contact Your Short List

You could send an email at this point, but I would actually pick up the phone instead. Talking to the photographer is a good way to get an initial sense of whether you like them or not. If you contact your photographer a year or more in advance of the wedding date, then hopefully the majority of your short list will still be available.

Make an Appointment

If geographically possible, it's a good idea to meet up with the photographers you are considering before making a final decision. That being said, I never met my photographers before booking them because I knew enough about photography to know they were the ones I wanted. But for most people, it's a good idea, especially if you are undecided between a number of photographers.

Ask the Right Questions

When meeting with the photographer, there are a few things you should be asking. For example, what do you get for your investment? Is an album included? Ask to see not just their best images, but also examples of a full wedding. Other questions are: does the photographer work with an assistant? If there is an element of travel involved, how much extra cost is there?

Compare Your Data

Now it's crunch time. You've met your potential photographers and have to make a decision. Alternatively, you may already know 100% who you want. However, if you don't, then think about the following questions: do you like the photographer? Is he or she someone you could imagine being friends with? After all, it would be unfortunate to have someone you don't like at your wedding.

This is probably one of the most important issues for you to consider. Another thing to consider is the album design. Did you like the way the sample albums looked? Do you trust that the photographer can tell the full story of your day in a timeless, well-presented way? On the other side of the coin, one issue that shouldn't affect your decision is whether the photographer will give you all the digital files or not.

Is it more important to have a beautiful album or a CD of images that you'll never look at? When I hired my photographer, I bargained with them and got the CD of images instead of an album. Two years later, I haven't even designed my own album yet. But the CD looks really nice on my shelf! As a service to my clients, I offer them the CD of images to purchase for a very reasonable rate on their third anniversary, which I think is a fair compromise on the issue of copyright.

Make Your Final Decision

Well done! You've now chosen the person who's going to make sure your valuable wedding memories are captured and recorded. As a courtesy, it's a good idea to let the unlucky contenders know you haven't chosen them. But after that's done, uncork some champagne and celebrate completing one of the most difficult tasks of your wedding planning.

• Julia Boggio runs a successful wedding photography business based in London, operating nationally and internationally. You can view her fun and glamorous style of wedding photography at www.juliaboggiophotography.com

For further press information, please contact Emma Ward Hunt on 0798 9979693.