Envisioning your perfect wedding photography - Wedding Compass
Perfexct Wedding Photography - RayAnthonyWeddings.com

As you’ve lived your life and envisioned your own wedding, you will have looked at the wedding photographs of your relatives and friends (images that span a generation), pored over the memories of the ceremonies and the emotions clearly visible within these images, and studied them meticulously. These images provide the most fascinating insight into the memories of the family and their personal love stories. 

Wedding photography is unique, in that it preserves moments in time from one of the most special days of your life. These images are always looked back on with such fondness and joy, and it is this sensation which provides the professional photographer with such a love and passion for their craft. 

Without a doubt, trying to find the perfect individual to capture all of the special moments that take place on your wedding day is a rather daunting prospect.

But their job is to make the dreams that you have for your wedding photography a reality. This is their promise to you.  So in this article we have compiled a list of our recommended ways for you to help ground the vision that you have for your dream wedding photography, in order to provide the perfect base for you to work with your chosen photographer to make it a reality.  

Speak to friends, family (or strangers).

If you know anyone (in your group of friends, your family or even amongst your more distant acquaintances) who has recently gotten married, ask them about their wedding photographs and if they were happy with the final results? Did the photographer deliver the kind of photographs they expected, or do they regret their choice and why? Did the couple understand what style the photographer focused on, whether this be styled shots, classic portraiture, documentary? It can be really useful to receive these personal accounts to further develop your own requirements when deciding on who you will commission for this very important day! You might even spot a stranger on social media who has absolutely perfect photos of their wedding. If so, don’t be afraid to get in touch with them to ask them about their experience with a Detroit wedding photographer (9 times out of 10, they’ll be delighted to help you out). Make the most out of the full reach of your social network to learn about how you would like your wedding photographs to look. 

Learn more about your options

Invest some time into researching styles of wedding photography. This will help you establish a clear idea of what you’d like for your wedding photos and the style of photography that is your favorite. 

This is one of the most important lessons learned as a professional wedding photographer.

When a relationship is established, a friendship initiated, trust, respect and understanding develop. There is nothing better for your photographer to walk into your wedding day knowing you are excited he or she is there! There is nothing better for the couple to focus on being in the moment, taking in all the incredible feelings they will experience in that one day without any trepidation or hesitation that their photographer is going to miss a thing! There is nothing more frustrating, and potentially crippling, for a photographer to deal with than being treated negatively on your wedding day. By building a relationship, seeking advice for your wedding day ideas, and investing time to discuss the entire day’s itinerary, will go a long way to putting everyone on the same page when the big day finally arrives.

Spend time as a couple with your photographer before your wedding

Photographers should place a high priority on getting to know the couple, Getting to know you and understanding your needs from the day first meeting. We will guide you further through this process, working with you to secure a clear and detailed vision of the most important day of your lives. Photo teams are artists who are passionate about their craft. They are always excited by the prospect of working with new clients to turn the dreams that they have for their wedding photography into treasured realities.

It can really be worth the investment. 

If you see someone with the perfect portfolio with photos from previous weddings that are the images of your dreams, why take a chance on someone else who might be less expensive. When the wedding day is over and the photos are sub-par after the wedding, how will you feel then? Think of wedding photography as an investment, not just a service. There are photographers of all levels of expertise, style and artistry. Some are in the industry to make a few extra bucks, and others are there because they live and breath wedding photography. It’s their passion! These are the ones who excel and earn international acclaim. Selecting someone of this caliber is like selecting a famous artist to paint your portrait. You won’t regret the extra investment needed to acquire a top wedding photographer when you’re looking back 10, 20 or 50 years from now at the beautiful photographs they produced for you.

The photographs are, after all, your permanent keepsake from your wedding day. The flowers that you buy for the ceremony will look beautiful, but if your budget is tight and you’re struggling to decide what to prioritize, we would sincerely stress the importance of investing in sensational photography that perfectly captures every moment, interaction and emotion felt on the day. 

From the Design The Wedding Editor:

Ray Anthony is a National Wedding Photographer based in Michigan. A great eye for detail! Contact Ray here: RayAnthonyWeddings.com

His style of wedding photography is specifically documentary, also known as wedding photojournalism. Ray is the top wedding photojournalist in Michigan, seventh in North America, and ranked 28th in the world by the Wedding Photojournalist Association.

Make the most out of social media tools like Instagram hashtags too. If you search for a relevant hashtag – such as #detroitweddingphotography – you’ll get countless images to scroll through at your leisure.