Deciding on a wedding photographer can be an intimidating task. There is now more options out there than ever to choose from, and the sheer number of products each may offer can be overwhelming. Outlined below are three guidelines that can be considered when interviewing a potential candidate. Each should help narrow your options, and help you find the best vendor to capture your special day.

One important question to ask your potential photographer is whether or not digital files will be included with your package. Even in today’s digital age, a quality wedding album or professional prints cannot be replaced. However there is a growing place for digital files. Between social networking, online photo galleries, or TV set top entertainment boxes, having digital files can be important. Be sure to ask if you’ll receive a copy of these files after your wedding.

Another important question to determine is how well your photographer will work with you and your fiancé personally. Your wedding will of course be one of the biggest days of your life, and your photographer will be with you for all of it. It’s important to understand how they will work, and what approach they will have to the day. Personality is huge, so be sure your candidates will mesh well with not only the two of you, but also your family and bridal party as well.

Lastly, it’s always a good idea to establish the exact style your photographer will shoot in. Not all wedding photography is created equal, especially in today’s age, when it’s easy for just about anybody go pick up a camera. Determine if you are looking for a photographer who specializes in portraits, or one that focuses on capturing candid moments. Then ask for samples of full weddings from each photographer you are looking at to find the style that best fits your tastes.

Article submitted by Ryan Collier www.collierstudios.com

We invite you to read this insightful article by Stacie Tamaki on hiring wedding entertainment.

How Much Should Your Wedding Dj Cost? click here to read more

“You can have your event in your garage and serve beans and franks, and if the entertainment is great, you’ll have a fantastic and memorable event.

OR you can have your event at the Ritz Carlton and serve 5 star cuisine, but if the entertainment is mediocre or worse, the event will suffer and guests will leave early.”

- Mark Ferrell

Beyond just music, it takes a professional “Master of Ceremony” to effectively guide, direct, and inform the audience and create the overall “tone” for the event.  That individual has the ability to dramatically impact an event and make it a success or failure. Even with great music, a bad MC can set the WRONG tone for an event. How many times have you been to a wedding and heard someone on a microphone shout loud and fast and no one understands what is going on? Maybe they come across like a sports announcer or a club jock? Even worse, what if they talk too low and frequently use repetitive phrases, or say “ummm”, “errr” and “ahhh” all night long? How will that impact the perception guests have at the event? How will the guests react? Will they feel engaged or bored? Are they committed to staying the entire night? Will they talk about the “overall” day as a positive experience?

An MC/DJ does more than push play on a CD player. The individual will be the spokesperson for the entire group and the way guests will decide if they will have a great evening or not.

Anyone planning a wedding celebration should ask themselves, “Do I just need music” or “Do I need someone to be a Master of Ceremony and direct my event”.  If the goal is having ONLY cool music, then honestly why not simply rent a jukebox or use an ipod? It’s certainly safer and more affordable. However, if the goal is to create a fun and engaging evening that will offer a great memory for everyone involved, the more effective solution is to find a professionally trained Master of Ceremonies, Event Planner, and DJ that can work to help produce the intended result.

Robert Lawrence

• 72% of all brides say they would have spent more time choosing their reception entertainment.
• Almost 100% say they would have spent more of their budget on the entertainment.
• During wedding planning, Brides say their highest priority is their attire, followed by the reception site and caterer – reception entertainment is among the least of their priorities. Within one week after their reception, 78% of Brides say they would have made the entertainment their highest priority!
• When asked 81% of guests say the thing they remember most about a wedding is the entertainment.
• 65% of all couples that chose a band to entertain at their wedding, said, if they had it to do over again, they would have chosen a disc jockey.

*statistics published in St. Louis Bride & Groom Magazine in 2003. Sources include: Simmons, 2001; USA Today, 2002; National Bridal Service, 2001; The Knot, 2002; Brides Magazine, 2001.

* photography by Diane Carroll