Wedding planning is officially ON! Done the venue tours and the moodboards? You’re ready to choose your photographer. You’re not just picking someone to take pictures — you’re choosing the person who will preserve the emotions, the joy, the tiny details, and the heartbeat of your day forever.

It’s a good idea to know the things that are important to you and your fiancé as you head into looking at websites or having a call, and then to make sure that your vendors are aligned with your needs and values, asking questions like:

What matters most to us when we look back on this day?

How do we want to feel while being photographed?

Once you know those values, you can choose a photographer who feels aligned with them. Here’s what to look for when searching!

Reliability

Your photographer should feel like a wedding professional who always has your back. Reliable photographers:

Respond promptly
Make booking simple and stress-free
Know exactly what they offer (no guesswork!)
Have packages that make you feel taken care of, not confused

A reliable photographer shows you, right from the first message, that you’re in good hands and can relax knowing everything is handled.

Vibe

This is so important — maybe the most important! Think about how you want to feel on your wedding day: Playful and pumped full of excitement? Calm and relaxed, soaking in the love? A mix of glamour and authenticity?

Your photographer is by your side all day, which means their energy becomes part of your experience. So choose someone whose personality matches what you want on your day, and make sure you have confident answers to these questions after talking with them:

Do you feel comfortable being yourselves around them?
Do they make you laugh, relax, or breathe easier?
Do they feel like a friend cheering you on?

If you feel a click — that’s the magic.

Price

Let’s talk honestly about wedding photography pricing local to Montreal and Ottawa, because the range is pretty big, what these seemingly random prices mean can be confusing, and everyone has a budget.

Low pricing for wedding photography is usually under $2,000. You would get photos, but the quality of those photos, reliability of the photographer, and experience while shooting may be questionable. The price reflects the experience level of the photographer and development of their style, and artists who make this their trade have rates that allow them to deliver thoughtful and energized results.

Mid-range pricing is within $2,000-$8,000. That may seem like a large range, but many factors go into different packages. The largest factor is coverage time and number of photos, while other factors are often whether prints or albums are included, second photographers, combined photography and videography, and more. This range should mean that your photographer is reliable, that their art is high quality and consistent, and that you have a comfortable experience in front of their camera. Support should be readily offered and top-tier, and photos should be beautiful!

High range pricing is $8,000 and above. This range usually means that you are booking an artist who is in high demand or takes on limited clients each year, has experience handling large or high budget ceremonies, and offers stylized and refined photography.

Photography is one of the only things — besides your marriage — that lasts after the day! The investment is made in your photographer’s vision.

Choose the price point that feels right for your dreams for your celebration!

Style

Wedding photography isn’t one-size-fits-all — it’s art!

Think about the vibe of your relationship and how you want it visually told. The style should match your vibe together, or the kind of art you love.

Candid

Real moments as they unfold — laughs, hugs, tears! Often crooked angles, blurry motion, kind of like if your uncle dropped the film camera perfectly every time!

Documentary

Different than candid, even though they sound the same! Learning to describe your style can help your photographer know exactly what your dreams are. Documentary is story-driven, immersive, and true to life — like a visual journal of your day.

Editorial

Chic, magazine-worthy photos with a stylish and polished feel. High-level posing by your photographer, and frames on your wall that everyone will be shocked about later!

Timeless

Classic, clean photos that do not incorporate trends — photos that won’t be dated, and will focus purely on your relationship.

Cinematic

Moody, dramatic lighting and creative compositions that each look like you paused a movie from the director you love. Realistic and artful, while highlighting your most beautiful features.