Featuring Tips and Photos Nicole Aston Photo
For all couples getting married in 2023, you may still be trying to find the right photographer to capture your destination wedding. Finding the right one that matches your ideals, vision, and style can feel overwhelming with the vast choices available, especially in Utah. How can you find the best photographer for your big day? We interviewed one of the pros in the wedding industry, Nicole from Nicole Aston Photo, and asked for her best advice to couples with such an essential vendor.
For those who are meeting Nicole for the first time, she's a Utah-based wedding photographer who believes in telling the story of all lovers through her work. She does her share of traveling for her clients and has a passion for keeping our parks safe. She's a must-follow on Instagram for her ability to capture her couples in the grand scenery. We'll dive into her top advice when you're selecting a wedding photographer.
#1. What Should Every Couple Know Before Booking a Wedding Photographer?
I can't recommend this enough...
"Always ask to see their full galleries! A great Instagram feed does not a great wedding or elopement photographer make. Ask to see the full galleries from weddings or elopements similar to yours, or will have similar elements, to ensure you like their work and style across all facets of a wedding day (and not just those golden hour photos we all know and love).
Be sure to also find time to hop on a video call with your photographer (or, better yet, schedule a pre-wedding engagement session!) to make sure you also click personally! Your wedding photographer is the person you'll spend the most amount of time around on your wedding day (even including your spouse or parents!), so you want to make sure you get along! "
#2. What's a common question Couple Usually Have When They Meet You?
Permits. All the time. Permits.
"The most common question I get from red rock couples is how to obtain their wedding permit(s)! This can be a confusing field to navigate with each park or public land having different rules, restrictions, pricing, and allowed ceremony areas. Not only can I point you in all the right directions to obtain the correct permits, but we also discuss the pros and cons of each available ceremony site, and help you select the one that is the best fit for you and the day you are planning!"
#3. What are 3 things that make a great photographer?
My top three things would be...
"1. Trust your photographer - your time in front of the camera with me will be some of the most fun you've ever had. You may have never had your photo taken before or feel like the most awkward human alive in front of the camera, but you'll join the ranks of every single couple I've serviced, all of whom walk away saying 'that was so easy and fun!'. You'll feel like professional models when you get your gallery back!!
2. With over 10 years of experience in the wedding and elopement industry (and having traveled all over the world for weddings!), you'll be hard-pressed to find anything I can't handle or make look amazing through my camera. I've seen it all, and if you manage to surprise me, you'll find me capturing it like I've done it 100 times before.
3. I can honestly say I was truly born for weddings. They feel as natural to me as breathing. I love the energy, the adventure, the crowds, and the creation from all the beautiful chaos a wedding or elopement day contains. Being naturally outgoing and energetic as hell, even the most grumpy family members or most awkward-feeling grooms find themselves having the time of their lives when in front of my lens! By the end of the night, I'll have you all feeling like you were born for this, too. "
Bonus Question: What are your 3 Favorite Locations to Photograph in Southern Utah?
My top 3 favorite areas in Southern Utah are...
1.) Dead Horse State Park - My favorite place in the entire world is Dead Horse Point in Moab. I have it tattooed on me!
2.) Bryce Canyon State Park - So overlooked and full of the most incredible trails and overlooks that show off how wild Utah can get!
3.) Capitol Reef - The Temple of the Sun and Moon in Capitol Reef. A harder to-access spot with the most jaw-dropping reward.
Each new wedding and elopement gives me a new 'favorite' moment! I become so close with my couples that it's hard to not walk away with a new favorite moment to remember. Some of my top favorites are the awestruck moments we share when I show couples the view from the cliffs at Dead Horse Point for the first time, or the tears they shed during their vows and first look. You'll find me wiping away my own behind the camera."
We're thankful to Nicole for her time to help us answer some useful advice about booking a wedding photographer. Nothing makes us happier than knowing you'll have the resources needed to find the right wedding vendors for you. After all, the more you know, the more ideal your wedding day will be. Congratulations on your engagement and we wish you all the best from Zion Brides!
See More Amazing Images from Nicole Aston
