I didn’t go into this business to make big money,” says John Vu, owner of Profinish Design in Rocklin, “but because I know my work means more to somebody else than it does to myself. I like being part of the connection between people, and knowing their children and their children’s children will be looking at these pictures—forever.”

Of course, there’s the flip side: If the shot is missed, if the photos are bad, if the video is cheesy, you’re out of luck. “Especially in this economy, brides are pressured because of finances—and there’s a tendency to look at price rather than quality,” says Michael Jensen of Jensen Films in Antelope. “But you can go with a bargain photographer and get back photos [no one] wants to look at.”

Visit studio websites. This gives you a sense of the photographer or videographer’s art, eye and style options. (Romantic and warm? Edgy? Funny? Black and white?) But professionals warn there are other considerations as well, and a main one is experience. “Hiring a wedding photographer with experience [means] 10 or 15 minutes and everyone’s back at the party,” says Rebecca Ford Soren of Ford Family Photography in Auburn, “and the bride and groom aren’t gone for two hours.”

Other advice? Meet for a consultation in the studio where you can look at a finished photo album or a full-length video. This also gives you the opportunity to customize your experience with slideshows or photo montages during the reception, or even short films, like a “love story” that tells how a couple met and fell in love. “I had one couple who met at Costco, and we got permission from the store to go in there and re-enact how he sort of bumped his cart into hers,” says Eric Leas of Acti-Video in Roseville.

You may opt for technology like Jensen’s “groom-cam”—a nickel-sized video camera that can be worn on a lapel, put into a cake, onto the bouquet—or his aerial footage from a helicopter or skycam. And there are fun reception activities, like digital cameras on the tables that provide an immediate slideshow or nostalgic photo booths, offered by Vu’s studio, where guests cram in, push a giant red button and get instant prints.

If you’re booking in a reasonable time frame (studios say six to 12 months is average), comparison-shop before making a commitment. When you know who and what you want, you’ll need to sign a contract. “It’s really to protect both sides,” says Soren, adding that studios also charge a non-refundable holding fee, deposit or retainer. This can range from a flat amount—usually between $500 and $800—or a percentage of the total package price. Some studios will work out payment plans, customize a package or negotiate collecting part of the fee after the finished product has been delivered. Work out special circumstances in advance so there are no surprises for either side.

Some studios consider an engagement photo optional, but most feel it’s a fun and important activity, and may even include it in a package at no extra cost. “It’s a time for the photographer and clients to warm up, get familiar with each other,” says Vu. Many couples use the engagement shot not only in a traditional newspaper announcement, but on a website that includes their “story” and a registry for gifts.

Called a “wedding day shot list” for photo- graphers and an “itinerary” for video-graphers, both are integral to capturing your event. The shot list includes specific portraits of the wedding party and families as well as an overview of the day: getting-ready sessions for the bride, the ceremony, reception activities, and so on. The video itinerary is similar: It’s a timeline of what will happen when—the more detailed the better. “If there’s going to be a dove release, we need to know ahead of time,” says Leas, “or we might be focused on the bride and groom kissing and miss the doves.”

While this timeline is mandatory, much of what’s included is optional. One bride will want footage of getting ready, while another wants coverage to start at the ceremony. Similarly, you’ll have to decide if you want highlights of the reception or someone there documenting until the send-off. The number of hours you hire a photographer or videographer will be negotiated at the time of the contract, or based on the package. In general, expect one to two photographers and an assistant, one to three videographers, and around six hours of coverage.

Plan on feeding the film crew and the photographers—you don’t want them missing a shot because they’re in the McDonald’s drive-through.

“If you’re having a buffet, just add us to the count and we’ll go through the line,” says Leas, “but if you’re having a sit-down dinner, it doesn’t have to be the five-course meal.” A box lunch or “vendor meal,” which most venues are used to serving, is perfectly acceptable. You also don’t have to provide seating with the guests.

As for tipping, many professionals blush at the question, but are often flattered, particularly if they’ve put in the extra mile.

At the end of the day, photographers will have “digital negatives,” and videographers will have “raw footage.” What happens next is sometimes up for contract negotiation and sometimes not. Some videographers will give you “raw footage” of your event, as well as an edited disc.

Similarly, some photographers will give you the negatives and let you print them yourself, while others won’t. “If clients really can’t afford [the album], I’m willing to work with them,” says Vu.

One last note of caution: avoid photos printed at Wal-Mart. If you’re going to print your own album or photos, use a professional lab. Soren tells horror stories of wedding photos that “faded” in a matter of years because of poor print quality. “Don’t skimp there,” she says. “At our studio, you can come in and see the proofs, and our lab guarantees everything for life.”