When it comes to planning a wedding the choice of the photographer is one of the more important decisions that you will have to make. The photographer that you choose will be making a record of your special day that you will treasure for the rest of your life.

A lot of people are tempted to hire friends or family who believe they can do as good a job as a professional. They certainly may be able to take some good photographs but with so many things that could go wrong on the day itself only a professional wedding photographer should be considered.

Referrals are probably one of the best ways to get in touch with a photographer. Talk to people who have had weddings recently or who have been to a wedding recently. Usually if the photographer has done a good job they will be only too happy to share their experiences with you. You could view their album, find out how the photographer operated on the day, find out rates and so on. This should make your initial meeting with photographer an easier experience.

Most wedding photographers will have websites now. Do a search for photographers in your area and focus on their portfolio pages rather than the design of their site. From their website alone you will be able to gather a lot of information about them such as their experience, prices, availability, type of photographs they excel at. Usually you will have a choice of contacting them by phone or email so you can gather any further information that wasn"t available on their website.

Before meeting with the photographer write down your requirements. Do you want your photographs in a traditional style or a more modern style? Do you want a complete photographic record of the day from your home in the morning to the last dance at night? What groups should be featured in the pictures. What locations would you like to visit to take the photographs.

The meeting with the photographer should involve the bride, the groom and any other interested members of the family. When viewing their work try and view complete albums and not just individual photographs from several albums put forward. Other things to look for could be whether groups have been well organised, good detail in pictures, are the subjects relaxed, who chooses the final pictures etc. Don"t be afraid to ask questions. If possible try to talk to the individual that will be taking the photographs on the day if the firm has several photographers.

When it comes to cost generally speaking what you pay for is what you get. If you get several quotes make sure that the quotes are for similar jobs so you can make a judgement as to which photographer to hire. When you have decided on a budget make sure you know what you are getting for this.

So when hiring a wedding photographer do your planning well and with a little bit of luck to take care of the weather you should have a photographic album to treasure.