Finally, you've found the one with person with whom you want to spend the rest of your life. You have passed the point of that initial bliss and it's time to get down to work planning your special day. Between choosing  a church or sandy beach, buffet or sit down dinner, open bar or cash bar, and more importantly, big wedding or small wedding and what's will be the special date, newlyweds to-be are suddenly bombarded with decisions that can take 3 to 12 months to plan for just a 1 day event. Then, on the day of the event, the stress of family coming together, all the planning, all the dieting hoping you will fit into your gown or suit, and the flashing thoughts of a falling wedding cake or a slip down the aisle, hits you the same day that you realize, you're GETTING MARRIED!  

Even the most organized bride and groom with the world's greatest wedding planner will some degree of stress on their wedding day. Now consider this question. Who do you think you spend the most time with on your wedding day, other than your new bride or groom? Hint, it's not your Mother-in-Law, bridesmaid, best-man, or even your wedding planner. Yes,the one person that will be wherever you are from the beginning to the end, is your friendly neighborhood wedding photographer who has the amazing job of capturing a day of memories that will last you a lifetime.

When choosing a photographer, most couples think about the basics, quality of his or her portfolio, referral from friends or family, cost, availability, packages offered. However, with the internet publishing everyone's pictures and prices, all of these factors are going to be relatively easy to find and compare and most are going to be reasonably close in quality and cost. That being said, the one factor that separates one photographer from another, is their personality. A great photographer will be one that understands your stress, the importance of getting the right shots, and has the ability to put you at ease and can make you smile while he snaps 1,500 pictures at all of the right moments.

Here's a quick checklist of things you should do when hiring a wedding photographer.

1. Read the photographers reviews online and find out what the people you don't know say
2. Ask for referrals and call a couple, asking what it was like to work with the photographer
3. Meet the photographer and ask for his typical shot list and normal timeline throughout the day
4. Get to know his or her communication style, assertiveness, flexibility, and most important, your overall comfort level being around the person for 6-8 hours.
5. Note how much they ask you about what you want

If you find a photographer that can make you laugh or smile, one that can ease your stress, and one that is truly passionate about your needs, you will be much happier with the stress free smiles you see in the photo albums you share with your kids and grandkids.