As soon as you got engaged (and maybe even before you had that ring), you probably started browsing Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Google, etc. for a wedding photographer to capture your big day in the most beautiful way possible. Or you had already started ~casually~ following some rockstar wedding photographers on social media. “Just to get ideas,” you may have told yourself.

I have a question for you: Why don’t you deserve your dream photographer?

(Hint: You absolutely do ;))

You’re drawn to their photos & their personality for a reason. You keep coming back to your page. Maybe you’re worried they’re just out of your budget or that they’re booked on your wedding day. My advice to you — inquire anyway!

There are SO many reasons why investing in a high quality, professional wedding photographer is a vital part of your wedding planning. Consider this: Besides your wedding bands, what tangible item are you going to take away from your wedding day?

Cake gets eaten, people go home, flowers die, venues make you leave and dresses get stored away. But photos/videos? Those last FOREVER.

Before I get into this, I want to be clear: you do NOT need to invest $8k in a wedding photographer to have a good experience & get quality photos. I’m not telling you to break the bank. I AM encouraging you to plan to invest in a great wedding photographer (whomever that may be to you) for reasons other than the fact that you like their pictures. Hear me out:

They’ve been there before. Is this your first time planning a wedding? Do you feel overwhelmed by just how much STUFF you need to do? All the details you’ve never even heard of before (what the heck is uplighting?!)? I have some good news for you — your dream wedding photographer you’ve been following on social media? Yeah … they’ve got this in the bag!! They’ve helped countless brides plan their weddings before and they can help you, too.

They’re reliable. Wedding photographers have inevitably experienced the common wedding day mishaps. Did it randomly start raining? They have umbrellas for you & your spouse. Did you forget to bring a nice hangar for your dress? They brought one just in case! Need stain remover? They’ve got you, boo.

Your photos are safe. Experienced photogs know how to store your photos and will have copies for safekeeping even after your wedding gallery closes. That being said — accidents happen, so it’s best to invest in a hard drive and save the photos for yourself as well.

They focus on your experience. Yes, the photos are important, but when you reminisce on your wedding day your memory will inevitably be tainted by how you felt. Great wedding photographers will be hyper-aware of your wedding day experience in addition to making sure they get fantastic images. There’s a bit of a selfish motive there — it’s easier to make genuine, joy-filled photos when there’s joy in the air — but I’d say that’s a pretty darn good detail to look out for!

It’s all about you!!! No, seriously, this is YOUR wedding. YOUR fairytale. YOUR dream come true. Why skimp on a sub-par photographer on one of the happiest days of your life?!

So what do you say? I hope I’ve gotten you fired up to find the professional wedding photographer you love and DESERVE for your super important day. Go get ‘em 😉