Planning a wedding involves numerous details, decisions, and collaborations. One of the key relationships you’ll establish is with your wedding photographer. Effective communication with your photographer is crucial to ensure your vision is understood, expectations are met, and the entire photography experience is seamless. In this blog post, we’ll address the common question: “How often should I be communicating with my photographer?” Let’s dive in and explore the importance of regular communication throughout the wedding planning process.
Your Wedding Photography Inquiry
When you first connect with a potential photographer, it’s essential to establish clear lines of communication. Reach out via email or phone to express your interest and inquire about their availability and services. Prompt and responsive communication from both sides sets the foundation for a productive working relationship.
At Rebecca Ann Aesthetic, we always respond to client inquiries within 48 hours, and monitor our incoming messages on a continuous basis. Please keep in mind however, that it’s important that you go through the formal channels. At time of writing, our instagram has nearly 30k followers- meaning we receive countless DMs every day. If you message us there or even on the less popular Facebook, it’s a real possibility that you get lost in the shuffle.
The appropriate place to contact any professional photography company is through their contact form on the website
Wedding Photographer Consultation
Once you’ve selected your photographer, it’s time to schedule pre-wedding consultations. These consultations provide an opportunity to discuss your vision, preferred style, specific shots you desire, and any unique aspects of your wedding. Aim to have at least one or two face-to-face meetings, either in person or virtually, to ensure you’re on the same page and develop a rapport with your photographer.
We are personal proponents of zoom- as many of our clients are hundreds or even thousands of miles away. This ensures that we can sneak in visits on a more regular basis than if we had to fly out for coffee in person!
Regular Updates and Coffee Chats
As your wedding day approaches, maintain regular communication with your photographer regarding any updates or changes. Share important details such as venue changes, ceremony timing adjustments, or additional events you’d like them to cover. This helps your photographer adjust their plans accordingly and ensure they capture every significant moment.
A professional wedding photographer is going to arrive on your wedding day with the exact gear needed to provide the services they are expecting. If you suddenly decide you want a styled bridal portraiture session- we wouldn’t have the necessary backdrops and stands to do so. However- as long as your photographer knows ahead of time, these requests should be absolutely doable.
Collaboration with your Wedding Photographer
Collaboration is key to achieving your desired wedding photos. Communicate your expectations, preferences, and must-have shots to your photographer. Share inspiration photos or create a shot list together, outlining the essential elements, family groupings, and specific moments you’d like to capture. This collaborative approach ensures that no important shots are missed and that your photographer understands your unique style and preferences.
Please keep in mind however that not every shot is available on every single wedding day. All great plans have pivots, and these can happen due to lighting, timing or even weather. Every accommodation can be made, but only the wedding that happens can be captured.
Further, we feel it’s important to point out that the images you see in our portfolio are often very intentional, and are from weddings where the couple had very talented planners, florists and designers. If you’re longing for those luscious images set amongst overflowing florals- you have to ensure that your budget and coordination provides that.
Scheduling
About a month before your wedding, we will finalize your photography and videography schedule and send to you for approval. This includes ceremony and reception timings, locations, and any specific photo opportunities you’d like to incorporate.
Many wedding photographers don’t provide this service, and instead work with whatever the bride tells them to do. This is not how our company is ran, and it’s very much for your benefit. We carefully coordinate the lighting, time of day, event needs, family size etc. into our photography schedule to ensure that you have multiple opportunities for individual wedding day shoots of different kinds (getting ready, first look, post ceremony, sunsets).
Wedding Photography Follow Up
After the wedding, communication with your photographer doesn’t end. Discuss post-wedding activities such as album design, editing preferences, and delivery timelines.
Effective communication with your wedding photographer is vital to ensure a smooth and successful photography experience. From the initial contact to post-wedding follow-up, regular and open communication allows you to collaborate, share expectations, and create a comfortable working relationship. By maintaining consistent communication throughout the planning process, you can ensure that your photographer captures the essence and beauty of your special day, leaving you with cherished memories that will last a lifetime.
Remember, there is no such thing as over-communicating when it comes to capturing your wedding memories. Reach out, ask questions, and keep the lines of communication open to ensure your photographer understands your vision and delivers the stunning photographs you deserve. Happy planning!
Still trying to decide where to go from here? Check out these blogs to help you learn more about the wonderful world of wedding photography and videography with Rebecca Ann Aesthetic
