Choosing the Perfect Photographer For Your LDS Wedding and Reception

After months of planning, your wedding day seemsand evaluate different photographers when you are
to happen in the blink of an eye and then it's all over.in a time crunch. Just a quick glance at the
We are so lucky to live in an age where we canprofessional wedding photographers' ads in your local
document every minute of the wedding day withLDS temple area is enough to tell you a lot about
wedding pictures. The fleeting memories of thethem. If you see their portfolio and love it you know
wedding day are captured in photographs that weto check out their website and contact them. If their
can look back on, year after year. Because thestyle of wedding photography doesn't move you,
wedding pictures are what will last long after themove on to the next in the list.
ceremony and reception are over, it's important toMost wedding photographers do a good job at
get it right. No matter where or when your weddingcapturing all the big moments of the day on film, but
takes place, preserving those memories in pictures isdraw up a wedding pictures list together with your
vitally important.fiancé just to make sure they don't miss anything
If you have the funds to hire a professional, thenthat is important to you.
you probably want to spring for one. Hiring aQuestions to ask a potential photographer are:
professional wedding photographer generally gives• How many years of experience do you have?
you access to better camera equipment and a more• Are you the one who comes to do the
experienced photographer and crew. Manyphotography?
professionals will also include additional services like air• What kind of equipment do you use when
bushing photos or compiling the prints in a high-qualityshooting weddings?
engraved wedding album when they're finished. Even• Do you use an assistant?
though the sticker shock may give you heart• Do you prefer to shoot weddings in black and
palpitations at first, realize that wedding photographywhite, color, or both?
is a very specialized art. You're paying for more than• How would you describe your photography
just a handful of pictures. A professionalstyle?
photographer carries his or her experience from• What has been your favorite wedding to
shooting hundreds of previous weddings and knowsphotograph?
how to make yours the very best yet. The wedding• Have you ever shot an LDS wedding before?
pictures taken by your photographer will last forever,The last question is perhaps the most important one
so you want to do everything in your power tofor an LDS bride and LD groom to ask a potential
secure a good photographer who you trust to handlewedding photographer. Mormon weddings, particularly
your LDS wedding.those that involve an LDS temple wedding (Temple
It is very important for the LDS bride and groom tosealing), are uncharted waters for many professional
do extensive for researching and selectingwedding photographers. They require an
professional wedding photographers. The internetunderstanding of the LDS view of marriage and the
provides a great set of resources to quickly andtemple that many photographers don't have. Of
conveniently without picking up the phone or leavingcourse it's possible to get great wedding pictures
your home. Use our vendor directory to look atwith a non-Mormon photographer, but it makes open
thumbnails of work of several photographers in yourcommunication with the LDS bride and groom even
local temple area. Seeing the portfolio of amore essential. You need to communicate to the
photographer's work is extremely important.photographer the protocol for taking pictures on LDS
Different photographers have very different stylestemple grounds.
of wedding photography. Some are more traditionalIn an LDS Temple wedding, the photographer cannot
and like to shoot "portraits" of wedding partybe present to photograph the actual ceremony. LDS
members as they pose and smile for the camera;brides and grooms need to alert the photographer to
others avoid staging shots and prefer to capture thethis fact, because it is probably a big surprise to most
spontaneous moments of the wedding on film asprofessional photographers! Instead of covering the
they unfold. Neither approach is better or moreactual sealing ceremony, however, there is a lot that
professional, just different.the photographer can do to capture the events of
Once you get a feel for the styles of whichthe big day. Pictures of the wedding party on temple
photographers you like best, visit their websites orgrounds, the bride and groom with the temple spire in
contact them for their rates in your area. Mostthe background, and shots of the newly married
include pricing information on their site, and oftencouple coming out of the temple after the sealing are
they will showcase their best work in an online gallery.all great ways to document an LDS wedding day.
It's important to weigh the quality offered byFinally, meeting your possible wedding and reception
different photographers against how much moneyphotographer in person is absolutely necessary. Even
you have to spend, otherwise you may find yourselfif their resume looks great, the price is right, and you
hiring the very best and finding that you really can'tlove their portfolio, personal chemistry is important,
afford it. Use the Wedding Budget tool available ontoo. Find someone that both you feel totally
this website and stick to it, because photography cancomfortable with.
easily become one of the most expensive aspectsIf your photographer puts you at ease, you will look
of wedding planning if you aren't careful.beautiful and relaxed in your pictures. If things don't
With wedding planning, things must be booked as"click" (we couldn't resist the pun)!
early as possible, and photography services are noCopyright (C) 2010 WeddingLDS (A Division of
exception. It can be very time-consuming to contactCelestial Publishing). All rights Reserved.