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Choosing a wedding photographer is weirdly hard.

There are SO many talented photographers around Eau Claire and Western Wisconsin, and when you first start looking, it can feel like you’re scrolling through hundreds of beautiful photos trying to figure out what actually makes one photographer different from another.

After photographing weddings throughout Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, and Western Wisconsin, I think there’s a lot more to choosing your photographer than simply liking their Instagram feed.

Start With a Photography Style You Actually Love

Before you start comparing packages or counting how many hours of coverage you’ll get, look at the photographs.

And not just the five best photos on Instagram.

Look through real weddings.

Do you love true-to-color images that still look like the day actually looked? Do you want photographs that feel joyful and romantic? Do you love genuine moments but still want someone who will tell you what to do when it’s time for portraits?

That’s where my own photography style falls.

I photograph wedding days with a mix of gentle direction and genuine moments. I’ll absolutely tell you where to stand, help you find flattering light, fix your dress, and give you direction when you need it.

But I also know when to stop directing and let something happen.

Because some of the best photographs from a wedding day are the ones nobody planned.

Find Someone Who Knows the Eau Claire Area

There is definitely an advantage to hiring a photographer who has experience photographing weddings around Eau Claire and Western Wisconsin.

I’ve photographed weddings at places like Dixon’s Apple Orchard, Lake Wissota Golf, Lilydale, Eau Claire Event District, Cady Acres, Florian Gardens, and other venues throughout the area.

Knowing a venue means I already have an idea of where the light is beautiful, where we can go if we need a quiet portrait location, and what options we have if Wisconsin weather decides not to cooperate.

But even at a venue I’ve never photographed before, years of photographing weddings means I’m constantly looking at light, backgrounds, weather, and what’s happening around me.

Ask Yourself How You Want Your Wedding Day to Feel

This might actually be more important than photography style.

Do you want to spend two hours taking portraits?

Some couples genuinely do.

I am probably not the photographer for them.

I want you to have beautiful wedding photographs, but I also want you to actually attend your wedding.

I want you hugging your grandma, drinking champagne with your friends, laughing during dinner, dancing with your favorite people, and experiencing all the little moments you spent months planning.

Your wedding day isn’t a photoshoot.

We can create gorgeous portraits without making photography the center of your entire day.

Candid Doesn’t Have to Mean Zero Direction

“Candid wedding photographer” gets thrown around a lot, but most couples don’t actually want a photographer who never gives them direction.

You shouldn’t have to magically know what to do with your hands.

I love candid moments, but I also believe in helping people feel comfortable.

During portraits, I’ll guide you enough that you aren’t standing there wondering what you’re supposed to do. Then I’ll give you room to interact with each other so the photographs still feel like you.

During the rest of the day, I’m watching for the moments happening naturally—the reactions during your ceremony, your parents on the dance floor, your friends losing it during speeches, or the tiny interaction happening across the room that you didn’t even see.

It’s a little bit of both.

Look Beyond the Perfect Portfolio Images

When you’re comparing Eau Claire wedding photographers, look for full wedding stories.

Can they photograph a dark reception?

Can they photograph people laughing and moving?

Do skin tones look natural?

Can they handle harsh afternoon sun?

Do you see emotion?

Can they photograph the beautiful portraits AND the chaos happening on the dance floor?

Wisconsin wedding days can give us bright sun, clouds, rain, wind, and a ridiculous sunset all within a few hours.

Your photographer needs to be able to handle all of it.

The Right Photographer Should Feel Like the Right Fit

At the end of the day, there isn’t one “best wedding photographer in Eau Claire.”

There is a photographer who is the best fit for you.

If you love authentic moments, joyful photographs, true-to-color editing, romantic portraits, and the idea of actually being present for your wedding instead of spending the entire day taking photos, there’s a pretty good chance we’d be a great fit.

I’m Cait of Ruxin John Weddings, an Eau Claire wedding photographer serving couples throughout Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, and Western Wisconsin.

And if you’re currently searching for your photographer, my biggest advice is simple:

Find photographs you love.

Find someone you trust.

And then go enjoy the heck out of your wedding day.