When it comes to your wedding day there are many important things. One needs to ensure it is one of the greatest and most memorable days of your life. First and foremost would be finding the right person to marry of course but then there are things like the perfect dress and a great photographer to capture all the moments for your special day.
When choosing the photographer, you need to find someone who's style you like and one who is adaptable and easy to work with. Some wedding photographers have been doing this for so long they have a set shot list and expectations and they are sure they know what is best for you. While that may work for some, others may need a photographer who is more adaptable and willing to let you decide what kind of memory shots you would like.
Keep in mind these are the pictures you will have for the rest of your life and you want to capture all the big moments from your special day as well as all the little ones and everything in between.
When choosing a photographer there are two things I suggest to people. First, ask to see their portfolio or website and see what style and creativeness the individual has. Second, price is also a big factor for many people and wedding photographers can get very expensive very quickly. The going rate for most professionals in a city is around $5,000. With that said, you do get a great selection of top quality shots but there are other photographers out there with just as much talent who charge less. So do some shopping around if you are in a city.
For people who live in more remote areas, your options may be limited. With any luck you will have at least one solid photographer in the area but if not, you can always hire someone from a larger city centre. Keep in mind that many of the big city photographers have different size packages as well.
Okay, once you have the professional you would like lined up, there are some things you need to do to help them and to make sure you get exactly what you want in the way of photos.

Below are some suggestions on how to achieve your goals.

1. Think about the location in which you are getting married and make a list of shots you would like to compile that day. It can be as simple as things like: walking down the aisle, rings, leaving church, at the water's edge, in the garden, in the car, etc.
2. The family photo part of the day can get out of hand in a hurry and be very frustrating for everyone involved. My suggestion is to nominate a family member or friend who can be in charge and delegate people. They can round everyone up or follow a list you provide such as, parents of the bride first, parents of the groom, siblings, friends, wedding party, etc.
3. While most photographers shoot everything throughout the day, make sure you get them to take pictures of the small details too. This means the rings, your shoes, flowers, table settings, etc. This way when you create your wedding album it is well rounded and tells a great story about your incredible day.
4. Discuss the unexpected with the photographer. Talk about shots in the rain and the sun, indoors and outdoors and always have a back up plan. While you may have a specific location you want photos taken outside, have another one you really like inside just incase the weather is uncooperative.
5. It may also be helpful to ask the photographer if they are able to come to your rehearsal. If that is not a possibility, send them a list of pictures of people you really want photos of that day aside from the obvious. This could be a special aunt or friend or a great grandparent you know won't be moving around a lot. It would be horrible to miss someone special that day, so giving your photographer a heads up is always helpful. Some people have said that they will show me the important people during the day but weddings turn into a bit of a frenzy sometimes. The couple very often gets caught up in the moments of the day as they should. Therefore, planning in advance is key so you can focus on the important things that day, not worrying about getting a picture of "Uncle Ed."
6. Finally, make sure you have met with your photographer before hand and have agreed on a price, a list of expected shots, format options, and pretty well all of the above. I would also suggest asking how long the photographer keeps the originals incase something unexpected happens and you lose your original photos. If you have any questions or concerns work them out before your special day starts. As a side note, many weddings put the disposable cameras on the tables during the reception and it is a great way to get funny and candid shots that the photographer would not take.
In closing, remember to ask questions, be up front about what you want, get a photographer who is creative and easy to work with and most importantly, have fun.