While wedding photos may not feature prominently in your actual wedding ceremony, they will be an eternal reminder of your special day and will serve as a way to share it with your future friends, children, and loved ones. With this in mind, think carefully about how you want to approach your wedding pictures. This may seem like an easy task…after all doesn’t your cousin take pictures? However, as many others will tell you, there is nothing more disappointing than looking back over your wedding photos only to find thumbs, blurry pictures, and a lot of ‘less than flattering’ candid shots of your wedding guests.

The wedding ceremony itself can be truly overwhelming, and it is hard to take in everything around you. You want quality photos that will capture all the magical moments of your wedding so you can not only relive your favorite parts, but also be a witness to those things you might have missed while you were there, like the look on your bridesmaid’s face when she caught your bouquet, or the adorable flower girl sprinkling rose petals up the aisle.

There are a lot of things to consider when planning your wedding photos. Below are some things to think about when organizing your wedding pictures.

Cost
A professional photographer can get very expensive, but if the pictures turn out amazing then it might be well worth your money. Make sure to plan your budget ahead of time and figure out how much you can afford to spend on a photographer. Also, do some research to find out general pricing information and to get an idea of what the average photographer charges so you don’t end up paying more than you have to.

Compatibility
Making sure that you and your photographer are compatible is extremely important. Remember that this person will be attending your wedding and that you will be spending a lot of time with him or her. Make sure that you two get along and have the same ideas as to how your wedding should be pictured. It is also highly recommended that you view some of the photographer’s previous wedding pictures. Photography is an art, like painting, and you want to make sure you have the same artistic tastes as your photographer.

Timing
One important thing to discuss with your photographer is when you want your wedding photos taken. While many photographers will also take a number of pictures during the ceremony and reception, most do one or two private sittings where the pictures are planned ahead of time and carefully composed. When you choose to do this is up to you and your photographer, but consider the following. You want your pictures taken when you look your best, which is probably right before the ceremony, but many people choose not to do this as it allows the bride and groom to see each other before the actual wedding. Another time that is commonly chosen for pictures is after the ceremony but before the reception, while the guests are still changing locations. This way you haven’t started dancing yet or had much opportunity to wrinkle your recently pressed attire.

Planning
Increasingly, couples are turning to wedding planners to help them make decisions about wedding photos, caterers, florists, etc. A wedding planner will have undoubtedly seen numerous photographers first hand, know their level of professionalism and most importantly the types of results they achieve. A wedding planner is also likely to get you a better price on your photographs because they have previous knowledge of pricing and may already have an ongoing business relationship with the photographer. Your wedding planner can help you to choose the photographer that works best for your wedding, and will also handle all of the little details so that you don’t have to!