5 Reasons Why You Should Hire a Professional Wedding Photographer

Full Disclosure: If you haven't noticed, I AM a Professional Wedding Photographer.  So this post is naturally a little biased.  However, Professional Wedding Photographers are more than just photographers for a Bride to Be.  We consult, we calm, we lend a hand, and we are involved in all the details.  That said, I see so many Brides go with a family member or friend for their wedding photography and it breaks my heart.  Not just because their pictures might not be great but because there is so much more to a true professional than just the pictures.

So here it is, my top five reasons for hiring a Professional Wedding Photographer:

1. Experience I cannot stress this enough.  When you are hiring a professional you are getting experience from many many weddings.  A professional isn't just taking the shot in front of them, they are thinking ahead to the next shot.  This is crucial in weddings.  Weddings are hectic and a time crunch.  You want an experienced professional who knows how weddings flow, who knows what to expect, and especially who knows how to deal with the unexpected.
2. Professionals are, well, Professional As a wedding professional I am personally invested in each wedding I photograph.  I want to make a good impression and do my best for you.  Word of mouth is also key, I know that your friends and family are watching how I handle myself.  You don't want to hire a friend and have them hanging out with the Groomsmen when the cake cutting is going on.  This is my job and I give it my all.
3. Unbiased Third Party Weddings are highly emotional events which is why I love them!  The love is flowing, the friendship, but also the stress.  At times it is crucial to have a third party who can diffuse the atmosphere and does not have a history with anyone involved.  It's easy for me to ask a family or friend to go ahead to the reception while we do couples shots without hurting their feelings.  They don't know me and have no beef with me, or at least I hope not!  The point is its easy to give direction, instruction, and move people along with some authority when they don't know me.
4. Art My favorite part!  You are hiring an ARTIST.  There is so much more to photography than having fancy equipment, or just pointing and shooting.  Photographers are painting with light, gently revealing emotion, paying attention to color and lines, and capturing raw reactions.  This takes experience (see Reason #1), and an artistic eye.
5. Products A wedding professional is going to offer you amazing products.  The wedding day is over, Uncle Jim has given you your photos on an unlabeled burned CD and they're now sitting in your drawer.  And that's where they will stay.  I offer my clients high end albums, gallery wraps, metal prints, countless options so that their memories come alive off their walls.  You are going to pour so much time, energy, and lets face it--money into your wedding that you should have constant reminders of that amazing day surrounding you. That is what makes those memories last and remind you of those emotions years from now.

We all know that weddings are expensive and wedding photography is one of the most expensive parts of your wedding.  However, it is also the most lasting.  If you hire a professional you are not paying just for the act of taking photos that day.  You are paying for consultation, communication, behind the scenes, experience, an artistic eye, high end editing, gorgeous products and it will be well worth the money because you will have the best.