Finding the right wedding photographer in Italy is one of the most important vendor decisions you'll make. Luckily, there are plenty of places to get recommendations (stalk those recently married friends on social media!), ask your venue, and look at their online portfolio.

When reviewing a photographers website be sure to look for consistency in their work, not just highlight reels.

1. Do Your Research

Before you begin interviewing photographers, make sure you do your research. Look at their websites, social media and blog to learn more about their style and approach.

You should also ask about their turnaround time. It’s important to know how long it will take for you to receive everything from a sneak peek of images (some photographers can deliver these within a few days) to your wedding album.

Finally, be sure to ask if they have backup equipment and insurance. This will ensure that if (God forbid!) someone breaks an arm during your family photos or the images somehow get inexplicably erased from a memory card, you are covered. This is something that every bride and groom should consider before hiring a photographer. It could save you a lot of stress down the road!

2. Ask for Recommendations

As you go through the process of selecting a wedding photographer, be sure to ask for recommendations from people that you trust. Asking friends who they worked with, as well as checking online reviews and social media posts is a great way to find someone that aligns with your vision for your wedding day.

The best thing you can do to get a sense for how a photographer will perform on your wedding day is to look at a full gallery from their previous clients. This will give you a good idea of their shooting and editing style & consistency.

Inquire about the number of photos they typically send (you don’t want to compare photographers based on quantity but quality). Also ask how long it takes for them to deliver their photos to you - many photographers share their edit queues regularly on Instagram!

3. Look at Their Portfolio

When you're narrowing down your list of potential wedding photographers, a good place to start is by looking at their portfolios. Typically, you can find these on their website or on social media pages.

Be sure to look at full weddings from start to finish (not just a highlight reel from multiple different weddings). This will give you a better idea of their work ethic and whether or not they can shoot in your desired style.

Also pay attention to the composition of the photos; is everything neatly framed and well lit, or are some more candid shots mixed in? Also look at how the photographer uses light, colors, and emotion to convey the story of each photo. This is what will set them apart from other wedding photographers.

4. Schedule a Consultation

It’s important to meet your photographer in person and sit down for a consultation. This will give you the opportunity to talk about all of the details for your big day.

It will also help to get a feel for their personality. You want to make sure that you click with your photographer. They will be by your side for the majority of your wedding day and it is important that you like them!

When meeting with potential photographers, ask to see a full wedding gallery. This will help you to see if they can capture the entire day in a consistent quality.

It will also show you if they have experience with the many hiccups that come along on wedding days. From a broken arm during family formals, to images being inexplicably wiped off of a memory card.

5. Ask Questions

It’s important to ask these questions because they reveal how much experience the photographer has and how invested they are in their business. This helps you to weed out “fly-by-night” photographers who are only in the wedding business for the money and don’t have a solid understanding of their business model, ethical standards and best practices.

You’ll also want to find out what they include in their packages (e.g., whether they edit/retouch photos and host them on a private portal or send you high-res files) so that you don’t get surprised by any additional charges down the road.

Finally, it’s good to know if they’ve shot at your venue before so that you can assess how well they handle different lighting situations like dimly lit reception spaces or outdoor portraits during golden hour.