6 Regrets for not hiring professional Montreal wedding photographers

Getting married is expensive these days and we understand the temptation in cutting cost. However, we feel that capturing your special day is extremely important because the images will last a lifetime, such that future generations can enjoy. We encourage our clients to see wedding photography as an investment, with substantial return on the amount invested and not purely as an expense. Hiring a lower cost photographer is an option, although this comes with many risks. Many couples have regretted in making such decision later on which is often too late. Low quality imagery and an overall poor wedding experience are not things brides wish to deal with, weddings are already highly stressful as they are.

Here are the common regrets from Montreal brides for not hiring professional wedding photographers:

• Lack of professionalism
• Family problems
• No access to backup equipment
• Dealing with increasing amount of stress
• No reassurance, not trustworthy
• It ends up costing more

Lack of professionalism

Professionalism is one of the main reasons why it is important to have a qualified photographer at your wedding. You should know that you can count on this person and that he / she will do the best job possible to produce quality photographs. Red flags include not responding to inquiries promptly, showing up late during meetings and overall poor manners or communication. This is why we encourage clients to research wedding photographers in the greater Montreal area, such that you can interview them in person. It is difficult to gauge a candidate’s professionalism simply through e-mails and phone calls. A professional will always be ready to answer your questions and to work through various situations on throughout your wedding day no matter how challenging.

Family problems

Asking a friend or family member to take pictures can been disastrous for many couples. This may seem like an economic and practical option, but it usually ends in conflict. Family members often want to participate in wedding activities, allowing them to take photographs can lead to discussions about who should do what and how to do it. When you have a professional photographer, someone who is dedicated in capturing moments from start to finish, such conflict of interests are removed. The image quality will also be superior to those captured by guests, given the level of experience acquired by the professional photographer. By all means, family and friends are welcomed to take pictures as they wish, while being able to enjoy with the bride and groom.

No access to backup equipment

A professional photographer will have access to backup equipment, often taking pictures with more than one camera. Imagine that you ask a friend to take pictures of the wedding, that his / her only camera is malfunctioning. Now you risk in missing important moments or not being to capture them at all. Hiring a professional wedding photographer might cost more in the end but there is also a reason for that. Various lighting gear and accessories are also neglected, but essential during reception when ambient light runs low.

Dealing with increasing amount of stress

Planning a wedding can be stressful on many levels. Brides have enough to worry about and wedding photography shouldn’t be pre-occupying their minds. For this reason, hiring a professional photographer helps reduce the fear of missing out the big moments. The truth is that a wedding day can be unpredictable and often decisions are made last minute, bad weather being a good example. Not having an experienced wedding photographer present means not having alternative plans or local knowledge on where to take indoor photos in Montreal. Simply not knowing what to do will cause anxiety to everyone involved and this results in a poor experience. On the other hand, having someone qualified in charge of photographing the wedding day will allow you to focus on enjoying and not worrying.

No reassurance, not trustworthy

Weddings are once-in-a-lifetime events and clients want to know that they can count on their photographer to do their best to preserve memories throughout the day. The best way to make sure these memories are captured beautifully is to rely on an experienced professional photographer. Even though there are many to choose from within Montreal alone, not all photographers are rated equally. Taking the time to research the style, the person behind the camera and what it is being offered to ensure you hire the best candidate. It comes down to trust, you will feel reassured that you are in good hands throughout your journey.We compiled 7 important steps for choosing the right wedding photographer to help you get started.

It ends up costing more

The main reason why brides are reluctant to hire an experienced wedding photographer is often related to budget constraints. While there are many ways to cut cost during the planning, we often hear that it is more costly to hire the wrong photographer. From poorly captured moments that require further retouching to the delay in delivering images (in extreme cases, nothing is being delivered at all), brides find themselves scrambling dealing with such issues, costing them more in time and emotional stress. Finding the balance between price and quality can be difficult but certainly worthwhile in doing so. Brides should reconsider the priorities such as photo booths, multiple photographers and / or albums, some items aren’t deemed essential and by not having these, the budget can be allocated to hire a more reliable wedding photographer to begin with.