If you’re planning a Chattanooga all-inclusive wedding, you’ll have a lot of the details covered once you choose the right venue. (*cough* Howe Farms *cough*) And if you are indeed getting hitched at the beautiful Chattanooga wedding venue Howe Farms, you’ll have so much already there at your fingertips to make your special day absolutely perfect. But one thing you’ll definitely have to sort out is, who will document the big day? Photography is such a vital part of a wedding day, and can be such a powerful gift that gives forever. With the right images, you’ll be able to look back on your day and remember how you felt, the joy that consumed you, the little things that made you laugh, or the bits that didn’t go exactly as planned, but somehow managed to be even better.
So how do you go about choosing a Chattanooga wedding photographer? This town has A LOT of talent, so much so that the task can feel a little daunting. So our team at Howe Farms has developed a list of tips and things to consider when selecting a photographer to capture your wedding day.
1– Find Your Style
Of course, photography is all about aesthetics. Figure out the look you like, and start there. Do you like posed or candid wedding photos? Or maybe a nice combination of the two. Do you like bright or moody lighting? Saturated colors or desaturated? High contrast or low? Look at some wedding photography and figure out what style works best for your vibe.
2– Start Researching Photographers
Once you settle on a style you like, you can start searching local wedding photographers to figure out who best captures that aesthetic. Shop around. Ask your friends. Look at different hashtags, and surf instagram till you find a few Chattanooga photographers you think fit the bill.
3– Check in on Pricing
When you narrow things down a bit, you’ll want to start making sure the photographers you’d potentially like to work will jive with your wedding budget. Most photographers offer different packages to suit different budgets and time constraints, so chat with the ones you like to see what you can figure out.
4– Personality Check
You’ll also want to spend a little time getting to know a photographer before you sign any contracts for your wedding photography. Think about how much time you’ll be spending together?! It’ll be really important to find someone who you can one, feel comfortable with to ensure you get the best possible images, and two, someone you’d actually want to hang out with all day and night! Things to consider: Is this person authoritative and commanding enough to effectively wrangle everyone for group shots? (Trust us, this can be like herding cats.) Does he/she seem fun to be around? Will this photographer be a positive force on your wedding day? Will he/she be able to go with the flow, and make do if things don’t go according to plan? Just take some time to make sure you mesh well together so you’ll get the best outcome image wise. Maybe start with a coffee date to discuss your day!
5– Check out Full Wedding Albums
Any photographer is going to have a highlight reel. What you see on their instagram feed is the best of the best. So, before you decide on a photographer to shoot one of the most important events in your life, make sure you see a good bit of their work. If their website doesn’t display entire wedding galleries, ask if they’d be willing to share one with you so you can get a full picture of what you can expect from them. Bonus points if they’ve shot at the venue you have chosen for your Chattanooga all inclusive wedding.
6– Trial Run
One great way to ensure the photographer you choose is a good fit for you and your wedding day is to book an engagement shoot with them. This will give you a chance not only to spend a little time with this person, but also to see how they work. You’ll be able to see if you’re comfortable with the brand of direction they provide, their workflow, and ultimately with how the images come out. If that goes smoothly, you may have found your photographer!
Settling on a photographer is a weighty task. We hope our tips and suggestions help guide you through the process of choosing the right Chattanooga wedding photographer for your event. If you’re getting hitched at Howe Farms, our team would be more than happy to share with you a list of our preferred vendors, making recommendations for photographers we’ve had good experiences working with throughout the years. Best of luck to you, and happy planning!