How to Choose a Wedding Photographer (in Detroit)

I’ve photographed weddings in Michigan for over 14 years, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that choosing a wedding photographer is a lot less about finding the “best” photographer and a lot more about finding the right one.

Because here’s the thing.

Most photographers today can take a beautiful photo.

The bigger question is: what happens when the timeline falls apart, it starts raining, your family is nowhere to be found for family photos, and you’re already running 30 minutes behind?

That’s where experience matters.

That’s where personality matters.

And that’s where you’ll quickly learn that pretty photos are only part of the equation.

Don’t Book Someone Based On Instagram Alone

I know. Instagram is probably how you found them but let’s be real, Instagram is a highlight reel.

I want you to ask for a full wedding gallery. Not the best 20 photos…the whole thing.

Can they photograph in a dark getting-ready room? Can they handle harsh sunlight? Can they make a rainy wedding day look beautiful?

Can they tell the story of an entire wedding day, not just create a few great portraits? That’s what matters.

Make Sure You Actually Like Them

I cannot stress this enough. You’re going to spend more time with your photographer on your wedding day than almost anyone else.

If their personality stresses you out on a Zoom call, that’s not going to magically improve after eight hours together on your wedding day.

Find someone who makes you feel comfortable because the best photos happen when you’re comfortable.

It’s really that simple.

Figure Out What Style You Actually Like

A lot of couples tell me they want “candid photos.”

What they usually mean is they want photos that feel real. Some photographers are documentary and some are editorial. Some are traditional and then most fall somewhere in between.

There isn’t a right answer. You just want to make sure the work you’re seeing feels like something you’d still love ten years from now.

Not just something that’s trendy today.

Your Wedding Gallery Isn’t a Pinterest Board (And That’s a Good Thing)

This might be an unpopular opinion, but your wedding gallery isn’t supposed to look like Pinterest.

Pinterest is a collection of the absolute best images from thousands of different weddings. The perfect sunset. The perfect venue. The perfect dress shot. The perfect table setting. It’s inspiration, not reality.

Your wedding gallery is something entirely different.

It’s the story of one day.

Your day.

A day that will likely include changing weather, a timeline that runs a little behind, happy tears, family dynamics, inside jokes, unexpected moments, and things that don’t go exactly according to plan.

And honestly? That’s where the magic is.

The couples who end up loving their photos the most aren’t usually the ones chasing perfection. They’re the ones who are fully present in their day. They’re laughing with their friends, hugging their grandparents, tearing up during their vows, and trusting their photographer to document it all as it unfolds.

Because years from now, you probably won’t care whether every napkin was perfectly straight or whether your dress sat exactly right in every photo.

You’ll care about how it felt.

You’ll care about the people who were there.

You’ll care about the moments you didn’t even realize were happening until you saw them in your gallery.

The best wedding galleries aren’t perfect. They’re personal. And in my opinion, that’s so much better.

My Advice?

Find someone whose work you love.

Find someone you trust.

Find someone you actually enjoy being around.

Then stop shopping.

Because at a certain point, continuing to compare photographers isn’t helping. It’s just making the decision harder.