The popularity of weddings seems to have increased in recent years, despite the decline in 'traditional' values. When you look at the amount of expense that goes into that one day, however, you may think it causes more misery financially than it does happiness on the day itself. Last year, the average US couple spent k on their wedding, with the average in the UK being far higher at a whopping £20k, or k. I don't have to tell you that's an insane amount of money to spend on a single day. As the recession gets worse and job security declines, brides and grooms to be are become incresingly wary of such expensive weddings and are naturally looking for a cheaper way. Among the drastic measures being taken are asking guests to help with food or music, trimming down invitations to close friends and family only, and the idea of a 'pre-worn wedding dress' has appeared in recent years, which was unheard of just 10 years ago. Yet the photography is one area few are prepared to compromise on, and with good reason. Because your wedding photos are the one thing that linger after all the dust has settled and the money has been spent on the rest of the celebrations – so naturally you would want it the pictures to be perfect. I've put together my 5 top tips for how to find a fantastic wedding photographer without breaking the bank.

 

1. Google is your friend

Any wedding photographer worth their salt will have a website displaying their work, and the best way to find them is, as always, by Googling. Yet with the market being so saturated it's easy for couples to miss out on some amazing photographers and great prices by not using the power of Google enough. Do not make the mistake of not going beyond the first page of results or the top few sponsored links in Google. By ensuring you take your time on your search you can get the best possible short-list of potential wedding photographers to choose from. Additionally use specialist search terms like "black and white", "reportage", etc, as well as looking for wedding photographers from other towns within a couple of hundred miles from you, as most are happy to travel. For example for my wedding I not only searched for "Wedding Photographer Sussex" – we also looked at other surrounding areas such as Kent, Hampshire, London and Surrey.

 

2. Be Wary of "Stealth Charges"

Gone are the days when your wedding photographer had to develop their own prints in a darkroom – its all digital now. Which means that the wedding photographer prices are a lot more simple now too. Yet many photographers are still working off the model of charging couples for each print they want after the wedding – that's an additional cost on top of what you've already paid for their time! I would strongly suggest you forget about these guys and go for someone who will provide a hi-res CD of all the images from the day. That way you can get prints done at a fraction of the cost at your local photo printing lab.

 

3. Make your Own Photo Books!

Traditional wedding albums with flowery covers and peeling pages are becoming a relic of the past. These days contemporary wedding photo books are a big hit with most couples – but the problem is if you go through your photographer these will often cost you an arm and a leg. But if you can be bothered and have a flair for creative design, you can now design photobooks yourself using specialist software downloaded from the net, and get them printed up at ludicrously cheap rates. Ditto when it comes to canvas prints or blow up posters really – as long as you have high quality original image files from your photographer, you can pretty much do it all yourself!

 

4. Yes, There are a Few Swindlers Out There, But You Can Easily Avoid Them

I have heard so many stories of unfortunate couples who have been taken in by unscrupulous con artists posing as wedding photographers. Such criminals, who it must be said are few and far between, lure couples in with a too good to be true package, often stolen photos, and once they receive the deposit you never hear from them again. It breaks my heart to hear about this sort of thing. However the good news is that they're easily avoided. Firstly, ensure that any payment of deposits or fees are done via bank transfer – its the most secure method of payment, and can be traced and reversed in the event of a problem. And be sure to get a proper contract from the photographer which makes clear what you are getting and what you are paying for – this provides protection to the couple. And lastly, just make sure you have your radar up – try and visit the photographer, see lots of examples of his work and ask lots of questions.

 

5. Dont Go Over the Top!

My last tip is perhaps the opposite of a moneysaving one, but just as important as the others. I know you're trying to save money but it it possible to take that overboard! Like I said, the photography is quite possibly THE most important part of your wedding, especially when you look back. There are a lot of amateurs out there with little experience, talent and lacking in the proper equipment. By focusing purely on the price you could be misled into thinking these offer a great deal. But sometimes the biggest bargains can be found by going up one price point. The bottom line is this: if you look at your photographer's previous work and it doesnt make you go "wow" then is it really worth paying for a professional?