When you should Book Your Wedding Photographer

When it comes to booking your wedding photographer, you don’t want to wait until the last minute. Trust me, you don’t want to be the one saying “I do” to a subpar photographer because you procrastinated on booking the good ones. So, don’t be a slacker – get on it!

It’s important to book your photographer as soon as possible, especially if you’re getting married during peak wedding season. The earlier you book, the more likely you are to snag the right photographer for you in your area.

Standard Engagements

Traditionally speaking 12 months is what it normally should take you to plan your wedding. After you pick you venue, you should be looking for your wedding photographer. Many wedding photographers book popular wedding dates anywhere from 9 – 18 months in advance.

It is also important to allow enough time to meet with potential wedding photographers so you can find the right one for you. I can’t stress that enough. You need to find the right photographer for you. You want to be able to have a connection with them and build trust. They are going to be with you all day in both your most tender moments and when your humanity is at its truist.

Short Engagements

If you just got engaged and need to plan you wedding in 6 months or less, you should start to look at photographers ASAP. But fear not, as photographers may still have dates open in their wedding season for you. Don’t be discouraged if you receive responses from multiple wedding photographers saying that they are booked on your wedding date. You will just have to do some researching.

Elopements & Off Season Weddings

These weddings are in their own little world when it comes to planning a wedding photographer. For off season weddings and local elopements, you can usually book you wedding photographer closer to the wedding date. If you are having an adventure or destination elopement, I wouldn’t wait too long as a lot of planning and travel arrangements do come into play.

Elopements

Many photographers have a rule on the earliest you can book with them that will still allow them to deliver the quality of service they stand for. This is more common during the busy season. However photographers may only book elopements 2 – 3 months before your wedding day.  This is so they do not lose out on the opportunity to photograph a full wedding on popular dates.

Weekday Weddings

Fridays are still a popular day to have a wedding, while Mondays – Thursdays can book up just as quickly as some weekends.  Especially for those randomly popular wedding weekends every season. However, I would still suggest booking at least 3 – 6 months in advance, because weekdays are when photographers typically might do engagements, proposals, and or have Honey Moon sessions that were included with your wedding packages.

Off-Season Weddings

If you are getting married during the off-season, you can usually book a photographer closer to your wedding date as chances are there are very few couples booking for those days. I would still suggest booking at least 3 – 6 months in advance, because the off-season is a popular vacation time for wedding photographers.

Date & Season Popularity

Very Popular Dates

There are always going to be a few weekends in each wedding season that are absolutely flying off the shelves so to speak. Knowing this, wedding photographers might take on 2 of these weddings in that weekend. think 11/11, 5/4 for you Star Wars fans like me, and if you love the fall, all Saturdays in October. These dates will start to be booked closer to 18 months in advance.

Popular Seasons

If you are having a wedding during the busy season in your state, 12 months in advance is when you should book your wedding photographer. For the Connecticut area, this is typically May, June, September, and October.

Less Popular Dates

Fridays and Sundays are still great days to have your wedding, and in fact, some venues and vendors may be cheaper for those days because they are less sought after. It is fine to wait 9 months before the wedding to book your photographer. However, your Friday or Sunday date is during the busy season for your area, I wouldn’t wait longer than 9 months.

What are the most popular wedding dates?

The most popular wedding dates tend to be weekends in the spring and fall, with Saturdays being the most sought after day for weddings. Saturdays are typically the busiest day for weddings, with many couples choosing to have their ceremonies and receptions on this day due to its convenience and availability of vendors. Some of the most popular wedding dates include:

• Saturdays in the summer months (June, July, and August)
• Saturdays in the fall months (September, October, and November)
• Saturdays around holidays, such as Valentine’s Day, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve
• Saturdays that fall on important anniversaries, such as a couple’s dating anniversary or the anniversary of the day they got engaged

What are the most popular geeky wedding dates?

There are several popular geeky wedding dates that couples may choose to celebrate their love. Some examples include:

1. March 14th – “Pi Day,” a celebration of the mathematical constant pi.
2. May 4th – “May the Fourth Be With You”
3. June 3rd – “World Dinosaur Day,” for couples with a shared love of prehistoric creatures.
4. June 23rd – This date is the day that the character Captain Jean-Luc Picard is born in the Star Trek.
5. August 8th – “International Cat Day,” for cat-loving couples.
6. September 9th – “Fandom Wedding Day,” a celebration of all things nerdy and geeky.
7. October 21st – “Back to the Future Day,” a tribute to the classic science fiction film.
8. November 11th – “Doctor Who Day,” a tribute to the popular science fiction television series.
9. December 17th – “Harry Potter Day,” a celebration of the beloved fantasy series.

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Now that you have learned all about when you should be looking to book your wedding photographer, allow me to introduce myself. Hello, I’m TJ. I’m a tattooed coffee connoisseur, Wookiee linguist, and stalker of light, that has a set of chops that make Wolverine cry. As a passionate storyteller, I only take a limited number of weddings each year to ensure that every wedding story gets the personalized attention and care it deserves.

I’d love to have a chat and learn all about what you are cooking up for your wedding. So if you’re looking for a wedding photographer who truly cares about your unique story and will work with you to create a customized experience, look no further. Reach out to me today for a quick chat to see if i am the photographer for you. Let’s create a wedding album filled with beautiful, meaningful, and memorable moments that you’ll treasure forever.

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