Your wedding photographer in Lake Como is one of the most important people you will hire for your big day. They will be responsible for capturing all the precious memories that you’ll look back on years from now.

Before hiring a photographer, make sure you do your research by asking recently married friends for recommendations and reading reviews online. Here are a few tips to help you find the perfect match for your special day!

1. Look at Their Portfolio

When looking at a photographer’s portfolio, pay attention to their ability to capture the emotion of the day. Also, see how the images are lit—do they feel moody and dark, or light and airy?

Photographers often showcase their work on blogs and social media, so be sure to check those as well. Look for full galleries of weddings they’ve shot to see a wider range of photos, from family portraits to reception detail shots.

Lastly, ask the photographer how they approach their work, and how long they’ve been shooting weddings. If they’re just starting out, they may offer steep discounts for their first few weddings to help build up their portfolio. This is a great way to save money and get the experience you want without breaking your budget.

2. Ask About Their Style

After you've found a few photographers that have portfolios/galleries that jive with your aesthetic, ask about their style. Do they prefer a more candid approach or do they prefer to pose everything?

Also, be sure to ask about their editing style. Do they prefer a bright and airy look or a more warm and moodier feel?

You should also make sure to ask about their availability for your wedding date and their photography rates. Most wedding photographers have packages based on different variables like length of coverage so it's important to get all the information up front. You can then figure out if they are available for your wedding day and if their rates work within your budget.

3. Check Their Pricing

While it may seem like a tedious task, checking your photographer's prices is very important. It will help you determine whether they fall within your set budget and make sure you aren't compromising on other elements of the day because of this.

Pricing varies by region, as well. Photographers in more costly cities, like New York City, typically charge more.

It's also worth evaluating what is included in their pricing, such as engagement sessions and print/album options. This can help you decide if you'd like to add or remove items from the contract before making a final decision. Lastly, ask your wedding photographer about their insurance policy. Most venues require that all vendors have business liability insurance. If they do not, you may want to move on to another option.

4. Check Out Their Reviews

Once you’ve narrowed down your list of prospective photographers, ask for some reviews from past couples. This is a great way to get an idea of whether or not they are easy to work with, and if they deliver quality photos on time.

It’s also helpful to know whether or not they’ve shot at your venue before. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t be able to adapt to your wedding, but it does help you feel confident that they’ve worked at a similar environment and can handle any issues that may arise on your day.

Finally, make sure to ask about their pricing. Many photographers have packages based on coverage, add-ons like prints and albums, and retouching options. Some even have a non-refundable booking fee to ensure that your date is reserved.

5. Ask Questions

Sometimes it can be easy to get caught up in finding the perfect photographer and forget all of the important questions you should be asking. Make sure to ask about their availability, what happens if they are sick on your wedding day, how long it takes to receive the final photos, how many images will be in your gallery, do they backup the files and more.

Also, it is important to ask about their pricing early on in the process to make sure that they are within your budget. Often times photographers will have add-on fees that aren’t always made clear at first glance on their website. Also, ask to see a full wedding that is similar to yours so you can see how they handle the lighting in different settings.