Photographer Advice

We shortlisted a few based on their websites and FB pages and then contacted them to discuss quotes/availability. We ended up only meeting with the one in person, as my OH liked him so much that he wanted to book him straight away.

Ask to see examples of full weddings if not included on their website already. And check that they can photograph indoors, in rain, at dusk/night etc. I know someone who is a wedding photographer and all the photos on his website are outside in good weather...probably because his low-light photography is pretty poor!

Also, if you are contacting a team, check out that the one who is doing your wedding is the one who takes the pictures that you like. Our photographer worked with a relative, and, as I suspected, he was not the one who took all the best shots on their website

What the other two have said is spot on especially, low light, rain, indoors as your wedding is October.

Look for ones showing lots of shots on their website - I mean 100s and 100s as it easy to portray a high standard with only 30 shots.

When looking at shots look to see if the details in the dress have been blown out to just white.

Do they show a lot of "things" shots - basically anything but people because stuff is easy to shoot and people are not.

Some shooters have little experience other than being a second shooter/ helper so look at the couple shots do they look like they were looking at someone else in the shot.

Look at the colours, skin tones - do they look natural. Look at the overall colour tone, is it yellow ?, are whites white and blacks black. Some shots may look great and artistic with a vintage look but would you want the whole wedding looking like that.

Look at the backgrounds for, lampposts, signs, close to or in-between the people or drain covers which will show you how much editing they do - or the lack of it. I could show you some really bad examples but I can only demonstrate with my own here

Being able to "get on with them" should not be so much of a thing as you think, you don't need them to be your new best friend - yes you don't want an arse at your wedding but it should be easy to filter them out with just a phone call or vid chat. Are they all "me me me" or do they want to hear about you and your wedding.

Check out their reviews.

Lastly I would say choose one who has had experience working at your venue which would also usually mean a local one -- see here - keep it local