Why Investing in a Professional Wedding Photographer is Worth It!
When I first started getting into wedding photography, I wanted to do the nice weddings at all the popular venues in 2014 (gosh, that’s such a long time ago! 😵💫) Mind you, I had no wedding experience, didn’t know how to work with indoor lighting, and didn’t know how to create a better customer experience. Would you hire someone with this lack of experience? I think not!
Thankfully, I have been working hard for the last 5-7 years to learn more about photography, especially in the wedding experience investment!
Let’s go over why I think a professional wedding photographer is worth every penny. But before we go any further, check out this blog post to see my top 5 Edmonton wedding photo locations!
1. Vibes and Clicking with Clients.
Some clients want to spend all day being photographed; other clients won’t be interested in the art we create. Depending on your style and how you photograph, some of our best work can be used with a little bit of time and having an extra set of hands. I’ve photographed some weddings where the client doesn’t care for golden hour portraits, or creative photos – that’s OK! Remember, it’s their wedding day not yours. (Yes, you can guide your clients to suggestions and list why but what if they don’t want to do it, just let it go.) I work best with clients that want me to be creative, and work with me on timelines – again, I will be spending 6+ hours with you and your partner – it’s important that we click!
2. Value.
If your clients truly value photography, they’ll listen to you. I had a wedding where the client had a smaller budget for their wedding but the photography was the biggest expense = worth it! They’re wedding day was everything and more. If you looked at their photos, you would’ve thought it had more money. Nope! Because they spent time on their timeline and listened to what I had to say, they had so much fun with me as their photographer; I was able to create photos that focused on a little bit of art, little bit of portraits = worth the investment.
3. Education.
I felt it was so hard to find educational books when I first started into photography; I never heard of workshops, online classes or even Youtube channels. Thankfully, in the last 6-7 years, I’ve been able to learn and educate myself quicker than learning on my own. In the last year, I decided to add express prints, quick turnarounds, and in-person digital proofs which means the client experience will be better! I cannot wait to share this new and improved system moving forward for my clients. The more we spent trying to improve the client experience, we can always continue to learn and grow for the next client.
So, should you invest in a professional wedding photographer?
Yes, you can definitely find photographers who do it cheaper but we’ve all seen TikToks of clients being upset with the quality of photos on their big day because they felt the wedding photography investment wasn’t worth it, at the time. I suggest you pick a photographer that you vibe with and you can see more of their work. Yes, they might be more expensive but the assurance that you’ll have wedding photos that you can be happy with, is worth it. Nobody wants to be unhappy, especially on a day that you cannot recreate.
If there’s anything that I write that you take away – I say, you won’t care for the niche wedding trend of this year but in 20-40 years, you’ll want photos that you can look back on proudly. Get the photographer you want by booking right away and invest in quality prints/albums.
If you want to see my top 5 Edmonton wedding locations, check out this blog post.
🩷 Love, Dani
If you would like for me to photograph your special day, click here to fill out my contact form!
