Finding the Best Wedding Photographer for You

Finding the best wedding photographer for you comes down to one question: what do you value the most?

As a wedding photographer, and as a gal who just happened to get married herself last Fall, I completely feel the pressure of finding the best photographer (plus making sure all the other details fall into place).

In addition to getting married, restoring on our house, and managing life on the farm, this May marks Year Three of business. (I cannot believe this. Pinch me.)

Stokes Del Rio is about to hit the three-year mark, and I’m still learning new things all the time.

This third year has meant figuring out that “meeting people where they are” means learning where and when is right to show up for them in the first place. It means asking questions and having real conversations.

For me, one big question that bears asking is “How am I the best wedding photographer for them?” Hawaii elopement photographer Randi Kreckman explains beautifully in her post on “The Importance of Wedding Photography | The Value of a Wedding Photographer” just why it’s so crucial to find someone whose work you not only like, but someone you trust and who you genuinely like as a person!

When you search “how to find a wedding photographer” on Google, thousands of results populate trying to answer your question, but these results only answer half of the question, because only you can know who the best wedding photographer is for you.

The quizzes, checklists, sponsored listings, and vendor pairing sites are overwhelming. Despite the lack of activity on my blog, the process of finding the right fit is always on my mind. The only answer and the best advice I have when looking for your wedding photographer is relatively simple: decide what you’re looking for and never settle.

Hear me out. I know “never settling” sounds easier said than done.

Please know that you deserve a wedding photographer who makes you feel like a masterpiece. Just know that you shouldn’t have to choose between photos for life and photos for likes.

Your wedding photos will live on in your family for generations, longer than any Instagram “like” count could dream of. Pinterest trends come and go, but that framed newlywed portrait on your mantle is forever.

Here, what “not settling” means knowing what values you’re looking for in the person holding the camera and settling for nothing less.

You’re not just looking for a body with arms for holding a camera who can copy a viral photo from Pinterest. Probably.
(It sounds silly, but am I wrong? You need someone whose style, perspective, creativity, personality, and craftsmanship you can trust, right?)

What matters most to you?

How do you want to feel when you look back at your wedding photos and newlywed portraits in twenty years? Fifty years?

Finding the best wedding photographer for you isn’t always easy, but it is so worth it.

For many great photographers that I get to call friends and I know this to be true for me, we genuinely hope that every couple finds someone who captures their love authentically. Providing the best service as a wedding photographer also means giving space to determine what’s best for your chapter in life– for your wedding day!

To wrap all this up, trust yourself. Just by knowing what matters most to you in the person behind the camera, you’ll find the best wedding photographers.

Those are moments you’ll never get back, so, at least in my opinion, I think there’s nothing more important than finding the right person you can trust with your needs and wants.

What do you think? Drop me a line or comment below!