Choosing a wedding photographer is a “BIG THING”, so I’ve compiled a list of questions to ask your wedding photographer before you book to help with the process. Hopefully, you’ll find it useful.
1. Is My Date Available?
Photographers get booked up pretty quickly, especially during the summer months. Aim to start making enquiries as soon as your venue is booked. This is one of the main questions to ask your wedding photographer before you book!
2. What Wedding Packages Do You Offer?
Some wedding photographers will simply shoot from bridal preparation through to the first dance. Others will offer half day options. Similarly, you might find packages include albums and prints whilst some come with just the jpegs as a digital download. In the same vein, mid week winter weddings may come cheaper than a weekend summer wedding. Ask the question, be sure.
3. Are You Local to me or The Venue?
Interestingly, most wedding photographers will include travel expenses in their package price so what you see is what you pay. Meanwhile others might charge a travel fee, especially if your venue is further afield. Bear in mind that while a photographer might be willing to come from far and wide to attend your wedding day, he/she will possibly be involved with the expense of a hotel the night before to ensure no last minute traffic delays on the day. This is a cost you might be charged for.
4. What is Your Style and How do You Like to Work?
If you’ve done a little research, you’ll have an idea of your photographers style. Obviously this differs greatly from person to person. However it makes sense to find out also how he/she shoots. Are they a reportage type photographer? Someone who blends into the background and shoots what they see. Alternatively, are they a more hands on photographer? Someone who will take control and create posed portraits for you.
5. How Much Experience do You Have?
Importantly, your wedding photographer needs to know what he/she is doing! It’s ok to ask how many years they’ve been doing it, or how many weddings they shoot a year. Is this their only job, or are they part time. Photographing a wedding is not a job that you want to entrust with no experience. It’s a fast paced day which when photographed well should reward you with pictures that make you feel like you are back in your wedding. Trusting your photographer to do this is a big one!
6. Can we See More of Your Work?
It goes without saying that a wedding photographer will showcase their best work. Ultimately though you’ll want to check out full galleries to see that their work is consistently good. A good wedding photographer will be willing and proud to show off their work, illustrating that what you see on the website is a true reflection of what you should expect from your own wedding photography. Similarly you should ask to see albums and prints too.
7. Can we Meet?
So, if all the above is going swimmingly you’ll no doubt be at the meeting up stage. Your wedding photographer is going to be with you all day, you need to be comfortable around them. Therefore, meet them, size them up and make sure you get along. Understandably, there are going to be circumstances where this isn’t always viable so at the very least make sure you FaceTime or Skype.
8. Do You Know my Venue?
Not a deal breaker at all, but one to ask out of interest! In fact, I love a new venue personally. It keeps things fresh and exciting. However, it’s encouraging to know that your photographer may visit your venue beforehand if he/she hasn’t been there before.
9. What is the Booking Process?
Securing your date once you’ve chosen your photographer is paramount. Ask how to do this. Most probably you’ll be asked to pay a booking fee and the remainder of your balance several weeks before the wedding. Make sure you know this to help with your budgeting!
10. What Happens Once we Book?
You should be guided through this. It is helpful for wedding photographers to know the timeline of your day before the big event happens. In addition to this, if your photographer is taking some group and family shots they will ask for a list of these prior to the day too. Personally, I like to meet up with my couples a couple of weeks before the wedding day to go over any last minute details to check all is in place for the day.
11. Do You Have a List of Testimonials?
Don’t take your photographers word for it! They might think they’re great, but listen to what others say. Read the reviews, look at social media comments. If you know someone who has used them before ask their opinion on the service they got.
12. What Happens if You Can’t Make it?
Trust me when I say that any wedding photographer will have to have broken a leg to not make it to your wedding. None the less, accidents and incidentals do happen. Sometimes these things just can’t be helped, but your wedding photographer should have a back up plan in place. This usually comes in the form of a team of stand in wedding photographers with a similar style.
13. Do You Have Insurance?
Just an add on to the above really. Because it pays to cover all eventualities.
14. Do You Have Back-up Equipment?
Again, it’s best to be on the safe side…One of my top questions to ask your wedding photographer before you book.
15. How Long Will I Wait For my Photos?
Apres wedding the fun starts for your wedding photographer! Hours of editing starts to happen and the turn around time varies greatly from season to season. Manage your expectations!
16. Do You Design Albums and Books?
Now you are probably going to want to do something wonderful with all your photos. Find out about album design and whether this is included in your package or offered as an add on. Secondly, if prints are you r thing it makes sense to get a price list for these too.
17. Will You Cry at The Ceremony or Speeches?
I’m kidding! Kind of. (Although it’s not one of the most important questions to ask your wedding photographer before you book!) This one might be personal to me as I get pretty involved in your day. It will matter to me, you guys will matter to me. So if I get a bit choked up at the key moments you won’t notice anyway. I’ll be quietly hidden behind my camera 🙂
To Wrap up Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer Before You Book.
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