The Most Important Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer Before Booking
As a bride picking a photographer, there are a million potential questions that need answers before moving forward with the person that will document your wedding day. Are you feeling a little unsure of where to start when asking questions? I have a few questions that I highly recommend asking before booking your photographer. These should help you narrow down your list of photographers and make sure you end up with someone that is able to capture exactly what you are looking for on your wedding day.
What is your personality?
This is the most important thing! You don’t want a photographer who’s super stressed and makes you stressed, but you also don’t want someone who’s so laid back or shy that they won’t take charge when needed. Know their personality and make sure it’s someone you’re ready to spend the most important day of your life with! Also, make sure you know that the photographer understands they will be the one exclusively covering your wedding! It seems a silly question to ask, but it’s very common for other, less-experienced photographers to be hired as an associate to photograph your wedding. If they’re planning on hiring an associate instead of photographing it themselves, make sure you know that before hiring because they might have a different style and personality!
What's your photography style?
I’m a firm believer in timeless photographing and editing. I don’t want you to be embarrassed to show your wedding photos at your 50th anniversary because the colors and style were trendy back then but look ridiculous now. After you look at the editing style, look at the shooting style! Is every photo perfectly posed and exact? Is it very journalistic with no posed photos? What style are you leaning towards? I believe it’s very important to have the standard, Christmas card photo with everyone looking at the camera. I didn’t get that on my wedding day and it’s one of my biggest regrets! I love candid photos and want to capture all the reactions and emotions, but I wish I had a formal photo of just the two of us on our wedding day.
How many weddings have you shot?
Or take it one step further and ask: how many were similar to mine in style or venue choice? You want to be confident that your photographer is confident! I’ve heard too many horror stories of someone hiring a photographer because their portfolio is great but they’re heartbroken when their wedding photos don’t live up to their expectations. Make sure your photographer is confident in shooting in all situations and at all times of day, not just during the pretty sunset light at an ideal location.
What equipment do you use and are you comfortable using flash to photograph the reception?
Make sure they have backup gear! Two cameras in case something happens, extra memory cards in case they fill up, extra batteries if things go haywire. Don’t let the most important moment on the wedding day be forgotten because their camera suddenly stopped working and they didn’t have a backup. Make sure they’re prepared! If they’re a “natural light photographer” only and don’t use flash, don’t use them!! Natural light is very, very beautiful during the day, but it will not work for receptions and events after the sun has set. If you want your reception photos to have the joyful and emotional look of the reception experience, don’t go with someone who won’t be able to capture that accurately.
What's your turnaround time and how will the photos be delivered?
This is important so you have realistic expectations! I love to surprise my couples with some sneak peaks within 48 hours, but they know their full gallery won't be delivered for 4-6 weeks. Make sure you know how long your photographer takes so you won’t have to chase them down for your photos! As far as delivery, I prefer to deliver photos via an online downloadable gallery that can be shared with friends and family. Flash drives and CDs can easily be lost and web links are more reliable! Make sure you know if the gallery has an expiration and how long your photographer will keep your images saved in case you lose your hard drive after the gallery has expired.
What’s included in your wedding packages? What can be added on and are there any extra fees? Can things be customized?
The answer to this question is customized to my wedding packages. All of my wedding packages come with a complimentary pre-wedding session so we can meet and get to know each other before the wedding day. I highly recommend this so that we can be long-time friends on the wedding day rather than strangers! If you war booking with another photographer, be sure to know if they offer a complimentary introduction session or if an engagement session is an extra fee.
How many hours are included and does that include travel time between locations on the wedding day?
This is a very important question because it varies from photographer to photographer. Some photographers go where you go for a flat rate but for others, there needs to be more discussion about travel and the overall bill based on wedding day festivities.
Ask if they sell prints, albums, canvas, or if you have to print through their preferred print shop.
While booking your photographer is very important, knowing how and where to get your final photos is a game-changer as well! By asking this question ahead of time, you can prepare for getting those much-desired prints!
How is payment received, do you have insurance, will a deposit hold my date, and is there a cancellation policy?
These questions are more about the logistics associated with booking a photographer but they are all important questions! Some photographers require a 50% payment due at booking, others give payment plan options, and almost all expect payment in full 30 days before the wedding. The reason for the required advance payment is because that photographer has now blocked that day off and will have a slim chance of getting another booking on that day should you cancel.
Some of the answers to these questions can be found on the photographer's website but a lot of them require a conversation. Finding the perfect photographer that matches your style and wedding day requirements can take a little bit of work but in the end, I promise it is worth it!