Florida Beach Wedding Guide

The comprehensive guide to planing a wedding on the beach in Florida!

Wedding on the Beach Florida

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Choosing a Photographer

Author’s Note: I’ve placed Choosing a Wedding Officiant and Choosing a Photographer ahead of Choosing a Beach because it is always a good idea to consult with these folks first. Find out what they recommend, where they normally work and why, who they work with, etc. You might also consider a company that offers Florida Beach Pacakges for both Wedding Photography and Wedding Officiants (like us!), as this is usually less expensive and the people are used to working together.

 

Choosing a Wedding Photographer

To choose the right Photographer for your wedding on the beach in Florida, remember these three words: Style, Style, and Style.

If you want a photographer who will take 37 posed portraits with each and every possible combination of family members and friends. Look for one who presents this in their portfolio or website.

If you want a photographer with a photojournalistic style (such as Claire Copeland, one of the top Florida Beach Photographers!), who will catch you wiping that tear away, or that grin on your new husband’s face as you walk down the beach, or…whatever floats your boat, look for a photographer whose work displays this.

Don’t hire one and expect the other!

Also, keep in mind that shooting on the beach in Florida is not like going to a studio and having your picture taken. There will be wind, water, sand, birds, sticks, crabs, people, etc. on the beach. Most people think these things add realism and natural beauty of the event. But occasionally people have the wrong expectations - If you don’t want these things in your wedding pictures, you probably shouldn’t be getting married on the beach!

You should also have an idea of what you want on the back end – hard copy proofs or online proofing?; rights to your digital images or just hard copy prints? Make sure both you and the photographer know each other’s expectations before you make that deposit!

Finally, look very, very carefully at your photographer’s website. Does their work captivate you? Is the website laid out professionally and updated regularly? If not, you can probably expect the same level of commitment to your images!

So where do you find a good one? Well, word of mouth is your best bet. But not all of us have that luxury! Of course, we recommend Simple Treasures Photography by Claire Copeland, one of the Top Tampa Florida Beach Photographers if you're visiting the Tampa Bay region!

Other good places to look are the local Chamber of Commerce and Photography Directories such as:

WeddingDot.net Wedding Vendor Directory

Photography Pros.com: Find a Pro in Your Area!

Photographers Index: The Worldwide Directory of Professional Photographers

The Photography Directory: Photographers and Photography Sites

Photography & Photographers: Find a Photographer

ZuZuWeddings.com

eFloridaWeddings.com
The Fast and Easy way to plan
the perfect Florida Wedding!
eFloridaWeddings.com

 

 

Tips for hiring a wedding photographer

How to hire a wedding photographer  |  Tips for hiring a wedding photographer.


So you are engaged, congratulations!  By now you have surely called all of your family and friends to share the exciting news.  Now it is time to get down to the nitty gritty of actually planning what will be the happiest day in your life so far.  There is a laundry list of people to call, meet with, interview and determine if they are worthy enough to work for you on your wedding day. 

One of the most important people you will hire will be your photographer.  Why is he the most important you ask?  The product he sells you is the only, let me repeat that, the ONLY product you will pay for that will last the duration of your marriage.  Everything else will be drank, eaten or thrown away at the end of the day.  There are many qualities you should consider when choosing the perfect photographer for your special day.
First, talk to your local friends and family and ask what they thought about their wedding photographer.  If they loved him you should meet with him on your own.  If they hated him or if he made blatant mistakes make note of his name and do not call him.  Word of mouth is the best advertisement you can start your list with.  Chances are if you talk with enough brides you will soon see a pattern of the best and worst photographers in the area.
Other places you can look for photographers is in your local phone book, wedding magazines, wedding websites, PhotograpphyPros.com, wedding shows and many times other wedding vendors will recommend a great photographer to you.  Just remember you should reserve a good photographer at least 4 months before your wedding and do not be surprised if the best photographers are booked a year out.
Once you have your list comprised you should call and make appointments to meet with the top 5 photographers.  Undoubtedly you will have a budget for your entire wedding, what portion of this budget are you willing to spend on your photographer?  There is no golden rule as to what percentage is acceptable because each bride sets different expectations on the outcome of their day.  You just need to have a very clear understanding of your budget when you meet with the photographer because if you decide to spend more than expected you should know what you will be giving up in another area. 

When you go to meet with them you should have a very clear idea of what your dream wedding photographs will look like.  Do you want a more traditional photographer or a photographer who will take several “in the moment” shots?  Be very clear about your wishes because not every photographer is great at both styles of shooting.  When you meet with any photographer he should have available to you a portfolio of previous weddings he has shot.  Look very carefully at these photos because it is what your wedding pictures will look like.

The people will be different but the style and quality will be the same.  You should also have a detailed list of the different photographs that you will require: bridal party, family portraits, pictures of your dress, etc…  This list will help the photographers you meet with develop a better sense of who you are and what your expectations of the final products are.  They may realize that from your list they will need to spend more time before the wedding with you than they usually do or you may want them to only spend an hour at the reception as opposed to the entire time.  From this information they will also be able to direct you to the best package they offer that will meet your photography needs. 

Once the photographer has directed you to a package he feels will meet your needs, feel free to ask what else is included.  Do you want engagement portraits, bridal portraits, pre-wedding, wedding or reception pictures?  Many times you can negotiate with a photographer to include a certain number of bridal or engagement pictures into the package prices.  The next question is who will own the actual images?  There are a few options here as well.  If you are fortunate, the photographer you choose will either give you or offer for you to purchase a CD with all of the images.  If this is the case you own the images and can do with them what you please but you will also be responsible for finding a printer who can provide you with high quality prints.  Other photographers will maintain ownership of the images and in order to get prints of them you will have to purchase the through the photographer. 

Purchasing your prints through your photographer is more expensive typically, but you also tend to get higher quality prints than you would if you find a printer on your own.

Last but not least, do you like him?  This is a person who will be with you more than anyone else for the entire day.  If you find his voice makes you want to run and hide, he is not the photographer for you.  If you feel that you would be perfectly comfortable with him taking pictures of you getting into your wedding dress then it is pretty safe to assume that through all of the festivities you will welcome his presence.   
At the end of the day, you should know without a doubt that your wedding photographs will rival those in all of the wedding magazines you have pored over for months.  There is no one thing that you should focus on more than the others because each element of choosing a wedding photographer is equally as important.  With that said, do not hold the highest value on the price because the most expensive photographer is not always the best and the cheapest is not always the worst.  Of course the exact opposite holds true as well.  Remember this is your day to enjoy so do not let poor quality photographs put a quick end to your wedding day bliss.

Find your Wedding Photographer at www.photographypros.com!

 

Continue to the next section: Choosing a beach for your wedding.

Not getting married? Be sure to check out our Florida Beach Vacation Guide or Florida Beach Portrait Guide!

 

 

Planning a wedding on the beach in Florida? Be sure to check out

 My Party Planner

for a complete vendor listing!


Looking for other  Wedding Resources, Photography Resources, or Florida Travel Resources? Don't miss our Recommended Sites & Links Page!

The Florida Beach Wedding Guide is provided free of charge courtesy of Simple Treasures Photography St Petersburg FL and Simple Weddings Florida

Please tell us what you think about our guide and of course, please consider us when planning your wedding on the beach in Florida or shopping around for family portraits on the beach!