Step 1: Suit your style
First, decide what visual style suits you. If you loved your sister's nuptial snapshots and most of them are candid black-and-white action shots, you're probably leaning toward a cameraman with a penchant for photojournalism. If you prefer classic portraits and posed shots, a traditionalist is for you. Want your album to look like a glam magazine? Look for a wedding photographer with a high fashion sensibility. Also take into account whether you want to bring out the playfulness of your wedding or emphasize the drama.
If you're looking for special effects like a vintage retouching treatment or lots of black-and-white photos, now is the time to find photographers who regularly incorporate those touches in their work.
Don't underestimate the importance of liking and bonding with your photographer.
Step 2: Do your research
Start your search by reading reviews and browsing hundreds of local listings. Carefully vet photographers' websites. Do they have a blog? How often is it updated? The style of the website may also give you clues about the photographer's personality and sensibility. Check out their Facebook and Twitter pages, if possible -- many photographers say social media has replaced the practice of calling references. Is the feedback from clients good? How does the photographer respond?
Step 3: Meet and greet
Narrow down your favorites found online (and from your wedding planner's list of her preferred photographers, if applicable) and compile a short list of photographers to meet with. Before you go, be prepared to talk about your wedding date, you venue, your wedding style, and what you envision for your photos. If you liked specific weddings that were featured on the photographer's blog, take note and remember to mention them.
Step 4: Make sure they're a match
Don't underestimate the importance of liking and bonding with your photographer. Some of the best shots of your main event will be those taken behind the scenes, and you need to be comfortable about inviting your photographer backstage. They'll also have a lot of contact with your family and friends, and in general be a very visible "guest" at your wedding. To get the best photos, they have to be assertive enough to hunt for great moments, cajoling enough to coax relaxed smiles and natural stances from guests, and calm enough to be a positive force. They should ask lots of questions and be a good listener. You should also match the personality of your photographer to the style of your wedding. Big formal affairs call for an assertive person who moves quickly, whereas a laid-back, intimate wedding might warrant a photographer with a more relaxed personality.
Bottom line: Chances are, if you don't gel with the photographer during your first meeting, you won't like them on your wedding day either, and that will show in your pictures. Trust your gut. If anything about a photographer rubs you the wrong way, keep looking.
Step 5: Choose carefully
Don't commit before seeing complete albums of weddings the photographer has shot. Seeing 50 to 100 photos of an event from beginning to end, rather than a few highlight photos, will give you an idea of the full picture of what the photographer can offer. Look for the key moments you want captured: Did they get photos of both the bride and groom when they locked eyes for the first time? Was there a balanced mix of portraits and candids? Do the more journalistic shots convey a sense of emotion? Do people in the portraits look relaxed? Ask about the photographer's philosophy regarding wedding albums -- bonus points for those who talk about every album being unique or about how an album should "tell the story of your wedding."
Be sure to ask to see albums of weddings that are similar to yours in venue and time of day: If you're planning a sunset beach wedding, you'll want to see examples of that. Same goes if your wedding will be set in a candlelit ballroom or a garden in the morning.
Step 6: Get technical
Nowadays, nearly all wedding photographers shoot in a digital format, so ask about your digital negatives. Depending on the package you choose, you may or may not have access to the digital photo files. So ask about the negatives: How many images will you get? What format will the negatives be in (raw image files or JPEGs)? Will the files be high-resolution enough to print quality photos from later? How long will you have to wait after the wedding before receiving your negatives? And will you get the retouched versions of your negatives?
Speaking of retouching, come to your meetings educated about the process of post-production. Photoshop effects range from simple white balancing to beauty retouching and stylized art effects like super-saturated colors. Ask what retouching your photographer will do and what effects may cost extra.
Step 7: Double-check the details
Many larger studios have several photographers on staff. Since every professional has a different style, technique, and personality, you need to make sure that the one you interview and "click" with will be the same one to work your wedding. Be sure to ask who shoots the event in case of an emergency or illness. Will the photographer have an assistant? How many? And how will the photographer and the assistants be dressed?
Step 8: Confirm the cost
Expect to spend at least $3,000 and easily up to $10,000 and beyond on a seasoned professional photographer. You're paying for their time at your wedding, plus all post-production work such as retouching and assembling an album. Special effects and more time at the event will, of course, cost extra. Most basic packages usually offer day-of wedding coverage, online proofing (after the wedding, you'll get access to a website to view and select your photos), and a pared-down album. As prices increase, extras like engagement shoots, rehearsal dinner coverage, tricked-out albums, and poster-size prints get added on.
Step 9: Write it down
We know you know this, but we have to say it anyway: Get every detail in writing. Make sure the photographer's name is on the contract to ensure that the person you met will be the person shooting your wedding. Don't sign anything if the studio claims it has the right to send any staff photographer to your wedding and you feel uneasy about even one person in their stable of photographers.
Special thanks to Duke Photography, Todd France Photography, Jen Kroll Photography, and Salvatore Cincotta Photography
-- The Knot
See More: Wedding Photo + Wedding Video