How to pick the wedding photographer that's right for you

If a picture is worth a thousand words then your wedding pictures are priceless! You will never again recapture the moments of your wedding day, but great wedding photos can certainly help you reminisce.

There are many wedding photographers to select from. Meet with a few and you should have no problem finding the right one for you. Some specialize in black and white photography; most have digital services; others devote the entire day photographing every moment.

Some considerations are prices, quality and professionalism. Your choice of photographer should be within your budget, produce quality images, proofs and enlargements, and care deeply about providing you with pictures that will be memories for a lifetime. There are a lot of things to keep in mind when interviewing and selecting a photographer. Here are the most important ones.

Budget at least 1,200 dollars for your wedding photos. In this area, perhaps more than all others, you can count on getting what you pay for. Quality wedding photographers can cost as much as 5,500 dollars.

Meet with the photographer in person. Check out his/her wedding albums and other work. Ask for references from the photographer's last two weddings. Call the brides and inquire about their experience with the photographers.

Go with a photographer that you like. Personality is important and you need to make sure you hit it off and can handle spending the most important day of your life with this person as he/she tells you where to stand and when to smile.

If there's a need to save money, have the photographer shoot the wedding itself and have family shoot candids of the reception.

Finally, you need more than just an oral agreement. Get all the terms in writing and make sure both you and the photographer sign the contract as soon as you book the date.

John has been a licensed and ordained minister for 41 years. He has served as wedding officiant and Maui wedding photographer for more than 1,000 Maui weddings with his wedding planning business, Maui Me Inc. All of his ceremonies are original and he performed his first wedding 35 years ago. John has written almost 50 Christian books (which have been translated into eight languages). When not writing or coordinating weddings, he is active in real estate investing.