Local Photographers
Some brides and grooms prefer wedding photographers that are local to the area of the wedding and reception. A personal touch can add a special dimension to your wedding day photos. Ask around to see whether Maine locals have a photographer preference, then go visit the referrals. As a courtesy, you may want to call in advance of this day trip so that your potential photographers can be sure to have some time set aside just for you. You can "thumb" through the Yellow Pages online or look up photographers in your area of choice. The Wedding Photo Journalist Association and WeddingphotoUSA.com are great places to start. You can also search under the basic locale of your wedding; for example, Bar Harbor, Augusta or the famous Downeast.Travel Time
If the photographer of your choice is not local to your Maine wedding, find out about travel costs. The photographer may or may not charge for fuel, tolls and other traveling expenses. These can add up, so be sure to do the math at home before making the decision to have your photographer go the distance.Sit down and talk to your photographer about why you're choosing him or her and how important his or her presence is to you. See what sort of package you can arrange for the full day including traveling and ask whether the photographer has performed Maine destination wedding services before. If the photographer is adamant about a cost that seems high to you, reconsider your choice unless your budget allows for this increase in anticipated costs.
Checking References
No matter how charming and competent your photographer seems to be, always ask for references. Five referrals from the past 18 months is a good rule of thumb. Don't accept references that are older than this; a lot can change in a year and a half, including a company's ownership, employees and corner cutting that may or may not impact the quality of your final photographs.If you'd specifically like to speak to couples who wedded in Maine, tell the photographer. For local professionals, this will be easy; for traveling photographers, ask for destination wedding references whether the wedding took place in Maine or not. This way, you'll get input from others who dealt with the issue of distance and how the photographer performed (whether he or she was on time, stayed within the original price quote range, etc.).