Wedding Photographer??

When you choose a big company that contracts out photographers, yes, this is common.

This would make me really nervous because I would want to speak with the photographer before I ever signed a contract with them. But like Caytlyn said, when you are working with a large company like this then it is very common.

I would not be comfortable with that. Each photographer has their own style. You don't want to but stuck with someone you don't like.

I wouldn't work with a photographer without speaking to them first...I'd try to find an independent if you can. Just me.

I definitely wouldn’t go with a big company. I want to know my photographer’s shooting style, editing style, why they choose certain shots, etc. I would not be willing to give up this ability for what is, in my opinion, the most important vendor just to get a good deal. However, I also chose a photographer who was over what I had budgeted for because I think photos are so important, so if photos don’t matter as much to you, take my advice with a grain of salt.

Agree with what PPs have said. One of the things we have learned during wedding planning is that it is very important to us to hire a person, not a company. In cases where we've talked to vendors where the actual person would be TBD or scheduled at a later date, we opted to move on to other options because knowing exactly who would be showing up our wedding day is important to us. This also seemed common with bigger DJ companies and Hair & Make-Up artists.

View Quoted Comment Thank you all for the advice!

Some companies give you a steal because they match you with a random photographer rather than the business owner who you interview with. I am not comfortable with that practice because after the wedding, photos and memories are all you have. Check out Instagram doing a search for wedding photographers in your city. There are usually many good ones that come up. Also check the vendor tab at the tab of this page.

View Quoted Comment Great idea Jana! Thank you.

Like others have said - NO!!!! I wouldn't work with a photographer like that - you should be able to see your photographer's work and be able to speak with them before signing. We spoke to several photographers before choosing ours.

I'd ask your venue if they have any preferred vendors for photo and video. A lot of times you get discounts for using a preferred vendor and also they know your venue very well and can get the best angles, shots, etc.

View Quoted Comment Thank you! Great idea.