Picking a wedding photographer can be one of the most difficult things to do while wedding planning! With so many different styles of photography to choose from, picking the best wedding photographer can be such a tricky task! When you have to include your budget into the mix of everything, picking a wedding photographer can seem impossible! Luckily, we have an abundance of Minnesota wedding photographers to choose from!

Mistakes You Don't Want to Make With Your Minnesota Wedding Photographer

Because there are so many different Minnesota wedding photographers to choose from, there are also tons of mistakes that you can make, too. Which sucks, but we're here to help! Since we've been in the business longer than I've been alive (I'm a millennial, y'all), we definitely know a thing or two about picking the best Minnesota wedding photographers! Read on to find out the worst mistakes you can make when picking your wedding photographer and how to avoid them at all costs!

Mistake #1: Not reviewing your timeline with your photographer

This is a big mistake that is easy to forget about. Do you know what time you need your photographer to be there? Have you both clarified where you're going to be meeting to take your first set of pictures? Does your wedding photographer know how much time you have set aside for pictures? What is plan B if the weather turns sour? What time is the best lighting for pictures? These are all important questions to ask yourself as well as your wedding photographer. It's important to be clear with your Minnesota wedding photographer from the get-go so you both can skip the drama!

How to Avoid Mistake #1:

As I said earlier, be clear from the get-go. I would recommend that you or your coordinator send over a detailed itinerary to your wedding photographer. Clearly explain the day's events and point out the exact time slots you'll have for photo sessions. Don't forget to collaborate with your wedding photographer, as they will know the best times to take pictures and will have good tips on making the day go smoother for the both of you.

Mistake #2: Not having an engagement session with your photographer

An engagement session is basically a trial run for the big day. An engagement session will give you a good feel for the wedding photographer's style and personality. Do you feel comfortable around the photographer? Can you and your fiancé be yourselves around them? Do they encourage you and seem to genuinely enjoy taking your pictures? It's pretty important that you enjoy being around your wedding photographer since you will be spending one of the most important days of your life with them!

How to Avoid Mistake #2:

Every Minnesota wedding photographer has their own distinct photography style that makes them unique. It's important to get comfortable with your wedding photographer before the big day, and an engagement session is the best way to do just that. Ask if your wedding photographer includes an engagement session in their total price before signing the dotted line! Otherwise, that engagement session may end up costing you an extra $200-$500.

Mistake #3: Not hiring a second photographer

Although this may sound excessive, we highly recommend that you consider hiring two photographers instead of one for your big day. Why? Because two photographers will be able to catch more candid moments than one! Two photographers will also be able to catch different angles and perspectives of the same moment that you wouldn't be able to have with only one wedding photographer.

How to Avoid Mistake #3

I totally understand if you're concerned about the price of 2 photographers! I would be, too! Luckily, I know of a great Minnesota wedding photography company that offers 2 photographers for a VERY affordable price! Most Minnesota wedding photographers cost this much by themselves!

Mistake #4: Not getting a wedding album

This is a big mistake you absolutely don't want to make. Your wedding album will be something that you will cherish for the rest of your life, and besides, what else are you going to do with all of those wedding pictures?? Every moment was precious, so it's important to save all of those moments for you and your partner to reminisce in for years to come!

How to Avoid Mistake #4

There's a pretty easily solution to this problem: buy a wedding album. Wedding albums can get pretty pricey sometimes, but like I said earlier, I promise that they're worth of it. Wish your wedding album came with the total price of your wedding photographer? You're in luck! Tulips & Ties offers a free wedding album in all of their wedding photo packages!

Mistake #5: Not asking about what happens AFTER the wedding

Have you ever thought about what happens after you get married? I'm sure you have! But have you thought about how quickly you want your wedding pictures after the big day? You may not be thinking about that now, but after the big day, I promise that you'll hardly be able to wait for your wedding pictures.

How to Avoid Mistake #5

The best way to avoid this mistake is to ask your wedding photographer how long it takes after the wedding to get your pictures typically before signing the dotted line. And hold them to that! You ideally don't want to wait longer than 3 months after your wedding to get all of your pictures, so be sure to be clear with your wedding photographer about your expectations, and reconsider your decision if they are resistant to your expectations!

Mistake #6: Waiting too long to book a photographer

This is a very common mistake that a lot of couples make. If you find a photographer that has the style that you want, DON'T WAIT to book them! You want to snatch your dream photographer up as soon as you can so you don't have to go searching for a different Minnesota wedding photographer if the one you really wanted is not available.

How to Avoid Mistake #6

The best way to ensure that you get your dream photographer is to start searching for your Minnesota wedding photographer about a year and a half before your event, and once you find your photographer, be sure to book them a year before your event. Although this may sound like a simple solution, it can be really difficult to pull off if you procrastinate, so we're begging you not to procrastinate!

Mistake #7: Not signing a contract

This sounds very simple, but it is very important. If your wedding photographer does not offer a contract to sign when you decide to book them, I would run! A contract is super important when you're paying for such expensive services!

How to Avoid Mistake #7

Be upfront with your wedding photographer. Ask to see the contract, and DO NOT forget to thoroughly read through it all, including the fine print! Don't be afraid to ask questions as well! I've heard of too many brides getting into bad deals with other Minnesota wedding photographers because they did not read the fine print before they signed the dotted line, so don't make that same mistake!

Mistake #8: Not researching enough BEFORE signing the contract

This is also another big one. Sometimes couples will research a few wedding photographers, get quotes from each, and immediately book with one of them without looking at the other options out there. This is a very dangerous game to play as it is possible that you will later find another Minnesota wedding photographer that you like better!

How to Avoid Mistake #8

The first step to finding the perfect Minnesota wedding photographer for you is to research what the various photography styles are out there! Do you like a more classic, unedited-looking style? Or do you like contrasting colors that are brought to your attention? Do you like abstract work? Do you want your pictures to look bright and fairy-like? These are all questions to ask yourself before looking at wedding photographers. After looking at the various styles, you next need to scour Google and social media for wedding photographers! There are so many Minnesota wedding photographers out there! Don't look at just a few. Check out at least 10 wedding photographers, and take the time to thoroughly look through their full wedding album portfolios before making a final decision.

Mistake #9: Only looking at the highlights of a wedding photographer's portfolio

I hinted at this in mistake #8, but this is also a big one when you're picking out your wedding photographer. Every Minnesota wedding photographer's going to have their favorite shots from every wedding, but don't choose your wedding photographer based on these highlights alone.

How to Avoid Mistake #9

Request from each wedding photographer that you're considering at least two FULL wedding albums to check out so you can get a feel for their style from start to finish. Some wedding photographers ignore details that others do not. What shots are on your must-have list? Make sure that the wedding photographer you choose regularly includes these shots in their wedding albums, or those shots won't get taken.

Mistake #10: Not asking about your rights to your pictures

This ties into fully reading your contract before signing. Some photographers ask before using your pictures while others have it in their contracts that they can do whatever they want with your pictures. This means that you could end up on a blog like this one! Don't like the thought of that? Well...

How to Avoid Mistake #10

Don't forget to ask about your rights with your wedding photographer before signing the contract. Be upfront with them about you are and are not comfortable with. If your wedding photographer isn't very responsive to your comfort levels, find another wedding photographer that is!

Looking for an affordable, high-quality, and customer-friendly wedding photography service?

We were too, so that's why we recently launched our new photography service, Tulips & Ties. We kept the customer in mind with this new service, unlike some Minnesota wedding photographers. Tulips & Ties understands that there's more to wedding photographer than just capturing memorable photos--it's about great service, too. Our talented photographers will capture your big day, and then our team of editors and album designers work their magic behind the scenes to deliver everything promised in a timely manner, something you don't get with most Minnesota wedding photographers. There are NO surprise costs, no "fine print" (phew!)--just quality work with fast turnaround times!