How to Give Wedding + Elopement Photographers Feedback

As planners, Tapestry Event Co. guides couples to vendors that we think will vibe with their vision, style, and personality. But when it comes to nurturing those relationships and expressing needs, the communication is down to the couple. We can always act as an in-between, but we prefer for couples to be able to openly communicate about their visions with their vendors. Below, we have interviewed one of our favorite photographers on how best to share feedback, when in the process it is invited, and what you need to know before working with them.

A bride and groom holding hands in front of a lake that is just under a mountain peak. The bride and groom are looking at each other while walking. The groom is in all black while the bride is in all white with a gray stole.

PHOTOGRAPHERS.

from Megan of Megan Montalvo Photography.

I truly want every client to be awe-struck by their images. Maybe you have stage fright, some things you're self-conscious of or and are worried that you won't? There are a few steps you can take and feedback you can offer to ensure you're left with the gallery of your dreams. Here are a few tips on how to best ensure you're left with the images you love and what to do if you're not.

CHOOSE THE PHOTOGRAPHER FOR YOU.

There are SO many different photography styles, editing styles, and personalities involved in a photography experience. Do a bit of research before settling on one photographer. I encourage clients to view full un-curated galleries so that you have an idea of what to expect from your images. It is easy to catch a killer image and oftentimes those are all that are shared on social media. It is much harder to capture a consistent gallery with variety and intention. Make sure you love the different focal lengths offered and the editing on days with different types of weather and lighting. Clients wanting images that only look a certain way if there are clouds or sun are setting themselves up for potential heartache. There are always variables out of everyone's control for an outdoor wedding.

A photo of a groom buttoning his vest by a window in black and white.

A bride standing by a beautiful mirror framed in reclaimed wood in a minimalist and beautiful bathroom.

A bride sitting at a table decorated with green, blue, and white florals in a cabin.

PARTICIPATE IN + LEARN ABOUT THE PROCESS.

Trust and communication are key. Photographers are not mind readers but they do have a routine flow for each wedding day. Complete any questionnaires thoroughly sent your way and share any pertinent information. It is unreasonable to expect a photographer to copy 100 images off of Pinterest while offering an enjoyable experience BUT if there's a "must-have" pose or something that has meaning to your day that could easily be missed, make sure to communicate it! We are ultimately there to provide you the best experience possible and communicating any dreams or expectations is an important part of that process. Have things organized, present, and ready when your photographer arrives. The less time we spend coordinating, the more time we have to document!

You’ll also need to understand the circumstances surrounding your day, factors outside of everyone's control (weather especially), the amount of coverage you have and know that it's likely unrealistic to "love" every single photo of yourself (although we can all hope right?!) If you have enough images from your day that make your heart happy to fill a wedding album with that is amazing. "Hide" the images you don't love and relive the ones you do. The goal is to aim high and that each image delivered is perfection but if you're left with an album of your dreams with a few here or there that you don't care for, know that is a job well done.

An image of a bride and groom hands’ clasping each other with their rings displayed.

A bride and groom standing at the rocky edge of a roaring river, smiling at each other.

A bride, groom, and officiant standing on a rocky pacific northwest beach by a river holding a ceremony.

OFFER FEEDBACK.

After Receiving Your Previews...

Positive or negative -- let your photographer know your thoughts about your previews. If things are so far off from your expectations or something doesn't sit right with you, please make sure to communicate that. Sometimes it can be a simple fix or something that got accidentally overlooked. If we're aware before editing an entire gallery, it's much easier to adjust or keep an eye out before exporting and uploading an entire gallery.

A bride and groom laughing while walking through a snowy trail in Mount Baker for their elopement.

A groom holding his bride while on a snowy winter trail for their elopement in Mount Baker.

After Receiving Your Gallery...

Yay! You got your wedding images!! Even if you offered feedback after previews, please make sure to respond after your gallery is delivered. Everyone's goal is for the clients to be happy and we love to hear about it! Offer specific feedback if you're not thrilled so that there's a chance to fix it or prevent another couple from going through the same experience. Whether it's the images themselves, an experience you had on your day, or a vendor you didn't enjoy that was part of your team -- we want to know all of it. Oftentimes vendors will send a questionnaire but if not, here's a few helpful things to share:

What did you love? What completely shocked or made your day or the planning process? What could have been better? How was your overall experience? All of the feedback is helpful to the industry as a whole and while working with other couples for their future wedding days. If you need to offer image-specific feedback...is it the editing? Is it something you're self-conscious of? Is it cropping? Is there a way to improve anything?

Be willing to screen share or hop on the phone. Be direct. I will go above and beyond to ensure that I've done everything within my power to make clients happy and just like any relationship, open communication is key!