Choosing a Wedding Photographer is a “BIG THING”-LET’S MAKE IT SIMPLE
To help you make that huge decision, I’ve compiled a list of questions to ask your wedding photographer before you book. This will simplify the process and ensure you’ve covered all bases, leaving you confident that you’ve found the right photographer for your day. Of course, feel free to ask any that aren’t listed here too, it might be important to you know their last played tune on Spotify!
before asking your wedding photographer any questions have a chat
Honestly, this is so important. Your wedding photographer should want to listen to you, to delve into who you are and what makes you tick. You are going to want to vibe a little, and begin to click. After all this person will be with you for most of your day, so feeling comfortable around them now is a really good start. You know when something just feels right? First impressions and instinct counts, so having a good feeling about your wedding photographer shouldn’t be ignored. It’s then that you can get on to the serious stuff! So, before asking your wedding photographer questions, take a moment to talk.
1. Check that they’re free on your wedding day
Sounds simple, but getting this out of the way early means you’re not wasting yours or your photographers time. Book your venue first, then once that’s sorted you have a date to base every other enquiry on.
2. prices, packages and payments
Everyone has a budget and it’s important to prioritise what’s most important to you. Photography is the one thing that remains after your day is done, so ensure you invest wisely! Check for available packages and what they include. You’ll want to know how many hours they cover, whether there’s any hidden costs like travel and if there’s any extras on offer like prints or USB’s. I’d suggest that you check that all of this is covered by a contract to safeguard both you and your photographer.
KIND WORDS
“YOUR STYLE FITTED OUR BREIF PERFECTLY! THAT RELAXED, COMFORTABLE, EASYTO GET ON WITH KINDA VIBE.”
3. How will your wedding photographer approach your day
You’ve decided on a shooting style as well as your editing preference, that’s fab. If you haven’t, I’d suggest you read this article which will help with that. Ask what your timeline might look like, when your photography could start and finish. Make sure you’re both on the same page when it comes to group shots and couple shots. How much time will your photographer allow for these and does that align with your expectations. Do you even want them? I’ll shoot the majority of your day candidly, spending just a little time with the two of you alone, away from your guests. Make sure you know how your potential photographer works.
4. experience, portfolios and reviews
Given that your wedding photography is an investment, it is imperative to know how much experience your photographer has. You’ll want to know have complete confidence in knowing they’ve got you covered. You’re then free to enjoy your wedding, safe in the knowledge that your beautiful moments are being captured. It is good to see full client galleries to check for consistency, or blogs of real weddings, ask to look at these. Check out their portfolios (see mine here) and look for reviews to check previous client experience.
5.Do they have a contingency plan for illness?
It’s the thing many a wedding photographer has nightmares over! To cover both parties, it’s imperative that your photographer has a back up plan to cover illness, failed equipment and any other awkward scenario. I work with a carefully chosen selection of photographers who use each other as backup, I have spare kit in case of failure, public liability and indemnity insurance, always arrive with a heavy rain plan, planned routes to and from locations, and would have checked out your venue before the day. Ticking these boxes beforehand takes away a lot of stress on the day.
6. what happens after the wedding day?
So your day has happened and everything has gone quiet, this is the time that you don’t want to be kept hanging! Check with your photographer to find out whether they offer a sneak peek of images soon after the day. And then check how long it will take for them to get the whole gallery to you. This varies massively, between 3/4 weeks to 3/4 months. If you are keen to include an album or photo book find out how the process for these.
7.what’s the booking process?
You love everything you’ve heard and think you want to book. Find out how to do this, check the booking fee and when the balance is due. Some photographers offer payment plans so you can pay in instalments. I’d suggest that if you’ve found a wedding photographer that feels right for you, to book straight away. All wedding suppliers get booked up, especially during peak season so it makes sense to secure your favourites. Plus, it’s a job ticked off that growing wedding list!
and finally, a little personal note
I’m just going to touch on empathy, this is a big one for me and here’s why. As a documentary wedding photographer I’ve learnt the advantage of getting close to my couples and their families both mentally and physically. (In a non stalker-ish way!) I get close to create beautiful intimate images from authentic unscripted moments. This approach needs empathy. I’ll take the time to get to know you and your family dynamics to understand how best to approach your day.
There is a well known quote by photographer Robert Capa that says “If your photos aren’t good enough, then you’re not close enough” I totally subscribe to this.
So my last question to ask would be, does your wedding photography have empathy and will they read the day and feel it as you do?
