^{Image Courtesy of Kylee Ann Photography}

When Choosing Your LDS Wedding Photographer

Your wedding day will pass in a beautiful blur.

There will be laughter outside the temple. Quiet moments you didn’t expect. The way your parents look at you. The way your husband reaches for your hand without thinking. These moments cannot be recreated.

Photography is the only way to preserve them.

That’s why choosing your wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions you’ll make—not because of the pictures themselves, but because of what they represent. Your memories. Your story. Your beginning.

And while there are many wonderful photographers, there are also avoidable mistakes that can lead to disappointment. Understanding what to look for will help you choose someone who can preserve your day with the care it deserves.

Experience matters more than equipment

Today, many people own professional-quality cameras. But owning a camera and knowing how to use it under pressure are two very different things.

An experienced wedding photographer knows how to work quickly when timelines shift. They know how to organize large family groups outside the temple. They know how to find flattering light, even in difficult conditions. And perhaps most importantly, they know how to help you feel calm and confident when emotions are running high.

Your photographer becomes part guide, part artist, and part quiet observer—capturing moments as they unfold naturally.

Choose someone whose work speaks to your heart

When reviewing photographers, pay attention to how their images make you feel.

Do their photos feel warm and genuine? Do they capture emotion, not just poses? Can you imagine yourself in those images?

Just as important, notice how you feel when you talk with them. Your wedding day is deeply personal. You want someone whose presence feels calm, reassuring, and professional.

Trust and comfort matter.

Be cautious of photographers with limited experience

Everyone begins somewhere, and there are many talented emerging photographers. But your wedding day is not the place to gamble on uncertainty.

Ask questions such as:

• Do they use a written contract?
• Can they show full wedding galleries—not just a few highlights?
• Have they photographed multiple weddings before?
• Do they understand LDS wedding timelines and temple exits?

A professional will be able to answer these questions clearly and confidently.

Look for consistency across an entire wedding

Anyone can capture a few beautiful images. What matters most is consistency.

When reviewing a photographer’s work, ask to see a complete wedding gallery. Notice whether they captured:

• meaningful family moments
• quiet candid expressions
• beautiful portraits
• important details
• the joy and emotion of the day

Consistency is a sign of experience.

LDS weddings have unique timing and traditions

Temple weddings move quickly. Large family groups gather at once. Lighting conditions change rapidly outdoors.

A photographer familiar with LDS weddings understands how to organize family photos efficiently, manage large groups, and capture temple exit moments gracefully.

This familiarity helps everything flow smoothly.

Book early to protect your date

Temple wedding dates—especially spring and summer Saturdays—fill quickly. The best photographers are often booked months in advance.

Securing your photographer early ensures you can choose someone you truly love, rather than settling for limited availability later.

Remember: photography is an investment in memory

Flowers will fade. The cake will be eaten. The decorations will be taken down.

But your photographs will remain.

They will be the images you show your children. The memories you revisit on anniversaries. The visual record of the day your eternal family began.

Choose someone whose work you trust, whose presence brings peace, and whose images reflect the love you share.

Because when the day is over, your photographs will help you relive it again—and again—for the rest of your life.