Wedding photos and videos are investments that will preserve the memories of your big day. That's why you want to ensure you hire the right professionals to get the style and quality you want.

"The wedding photo and video vendors are the people you will spend the most time with on your wedding day, aside from your planner," says wedding and elopement photographer Emma Thurgood of Emma Thurgood Weddings, which is based in New England. "It's important that you get along with them and feel totally comfortable around them."

She explains you really have to trust your photographer and videographer, especially because they're going to witness a lot of dramatic, personal and emotional moments.

*Be Wary of 'Fauxtographers'

Get suggestions from friends and family who have worked with the photographers and videographers. Make sure the vendors are experienced and legitimate.

"There are tons of what are called 'fauxtographers' who don't follow best practices, don't have any wedding experience and are operating their business illegally," says Thurgood, who recommends reading online reviews. "If you see lots of less than stellar reviews, it's a red flag."

Ask the vendors for testimonials, too, and if possible, talk to couples who actually used the vendor's services.

*Review Their Work

Look at the photographer and videographer's work on their respective websites and social media pages. Do you like their content? Is their approach and style appealing to you?

"Photographers and videographers are photo and video people," says photographer Brittany Sisk of Asheville Wedding Photography in Asheville, North Carolina. "They should have a minimum of 40 social posts per year that they've been in business. That's less than one post per week."

*Ask Questions

Atlanta photographer Robert Lopez of Two by Two Photography encourages couples to ask questions of their prospective photographer or videographer.

He suggests couples consider: 1) Do you like the editing style, and do you see examples of your specific lighting conditions in their portfolio? 2) Does the vendor have insurance? 3) Do they have sufficient backup gear to be able to document the whole day without malfunctions? 4) Do they have good time management and people management for the group photos? 5) Do you like the vendor's personality, and can you imagine spending your wedding day with them?

Thurgood recommends asking "behind the scenes" questions, such as what kind of planning the vendor does before the event, how he or she works on the day of the wedding, and what steps they take to protect the image files from being lost before they can be delivered to the client.

*Budget

While couples are almost always budget-conscious during wedding planning, photography and videography are typically not the categories to trim.

Lopez cautions couples not to tell a photographer, "We're on a budget." That's because budgets can vary. Instead, he says to be specific about the coverage you want and the range of money you can afford to spend,

"Don't look at photography as money spent; instead, think of it as an investment," he says. "At the end of the wedding, this investment will be what you have left to relive your special day."

He says being frugal with your photography budget could cost more in the end, especially if you have to hire a different photographer to correct the images after the wedding.

Sisk reminds couples that there's more work being done than what couples see on the big day. "For every hour that your photographers and videographers are on-site shooting your wedding, they'll spend an additional two to three hours (per coverage hour) sitting in front of a computer screen culling and editing your wedding images for delivery," she says.

*Memorable Moments

There are no wedding day do-overs, so make your moments count, especially when captured in photos and video.

"Flowers will wilt; food will be gone; but the photos and video are the tangible memories that you have of the day and the things that you'll share with your children and grandchildren," says Thurgood.

Don't wait to book a photographer or videographer too close to the wedding date. Since these vendors are in demand and considered essential for weddings, they book early. Couples who wait to book may have limited choices and may not be happy with the outcome.