1-Decide on your photographer budget.

Think long hard about how much you are willing to pay for a professional photographer`s services. 

A professional photographer will respect your budget no matter what it is, not shame you, and tell you what and if they can provide services for you without judgment. 

Remember cheap photography is not good, and good photography is not cheap. 

2-Do your research. 

Ask your friends and family for their recommendations, scour many photographer's websites, and find reviews on google as well. The more photographers you find and compare, the better chance you’ll have of finding a true professional.

Do not ask in a local wedding or photography Facebook group; you will likely be disappointed or lied to by non-professionals who just see dollar signs.

3-Check credentials. 

In Ohio, it is required to be registered with the state to do business. A professional photographer would have no problem sharing this certificate.

You can research this yourself by clicking on the link below. You should search twice. Once by their full name, then by their business name.  

Click here to run a business search on the Ohio Business Gateway: Click Me

4- Do they have business insurance. 

They should if they are calling themselves a professional. Insurance can be found for around $40.00 a month, so if they can not budget or afford that, they are doing something wrong.

Does your venue require your vendor to have insurance? You might want to check before you sign with a professional, as the venue can deny them access to the property the day of your event if they do not show proof.

5- Hire a true professional.

We all know someone who “takes photos”, but taking great pictures and understanding how to set up a great shot, engage with clients, and edit photos are skills that require hours of training and experience. 

Look at their websites, portfolios, reviews. Professional photographers have a website.

6-Wedding photography

The wedding market is more saturated than any other field of photography. If you still need additional avenues to find a photographer for your wedding day reach out and ask a local wedding planner, other wedding vendors, or even your venue to see if they have a preferred vendors list. 

Check to see if they offer wedding albums or prints if this is something you are interested in, as not all photographers offer albums and prints. 

Most importantly as to see galleries from real weddings, not styled weddings they have put together for their website.