I love photography. I can't tell anybody how to take a picture and I am not a photojournalist, but I love to look at photos and say words like 'cool' and 'pretty'. So when it came down to choosing a photographer for our wedding I was excited. I pored over several websites of my favorite photographers and struggled with who we should hire for our wedding.

There are so many photographers in Austin and with the digital camera age so many people think they know how to take a picture. The reality is, I have heard from too many brides and grooms looking for their wedding photographer so they can get their wedding photos back long after they were due. I had already narrowed my search down to the wonderful people I have worked with over the years, and after a long discussion, we chose Ron Parks Photography.

We chose Ron for a variety of reasons, but there were three deciding factors. I knew Ron would get along with my family members, he would be able to take wedding photos and still do an amazing job as an artist, and lastly, even if he can't be there, the photographers on his staff will do just as great a job.


I asked Ron if he could tell me what the top three most important things one should look for in their photographer and here is what he had to say.

1. Budget: Be sure the photographer is within your budget and be careful to budget enough money for a good photographer. Your photos will be one of the few items that will remain after your wedding is over.

2. Chemistry: The photographer's personality should add to your day's experience, rather than take away from your wedding.

3. Dependability: This includes everything from returning phone calls and emails promptly, to arriving on time, not leaving early, getting the photos back within a reasonable amount of time, and delivering all that is promised. The best way to choose a dependable photographer is to look for referrals, ask about any awards they have received, ratings on wedding websites, and by how long the photographer has been in business.