7 Questions to Ask a Wedding Photographer
7 Questions to Ask a Wedding Photographer
A picture is worth 1000 words. This is never more true than when it comes to photographs of your wedding day. You have most likely found a photographer or two on social media that has work you really love. Or maybe you have been obsessed with the images in your best friend’s gallery from their wedding day.
After you have set up a meeting with a potential photographer (either in person, or over phone, skype, zoom, etc), make sure you come prepared with some good questions to ask.
So what are the best and most important questions to ask? I have created a list of 7 questions that I think you should ask your wedding photographer.
IS MY WEDDING DATE AVAILABLE? When meeting with a photographer it is vital that you specify the date and time of your wedding. Along those lines, you will want to clarify if the photographer will be the one shooting your wedding date, or if they will be using one of their associate photographers. This could be a deal breaker if you are only willing to work with the lead photographer and they are not available.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER, AND CAN WE SEE AN ENTIRE GALLERY OF SOME OF YOUR RECENT WORK? Remember this. When looking at a photographer’s website or Instagram you are seeing only the best of the best. Asking to see an entire wedding day gallery gives you a glimpse of 500+ images to see how they truly capture an entire day. Make sure you see that they are truly capturing the types of moments you would want captured on your wedding day.
HAVE YOU EVER WORKED AT OUR VENUE? This can be a legitimate concern for some couples. Especially if your venue is challenging, and provides a lot of opportunities for the photographer. The good news is that if you are looking at photographers with several years experience, and that have worked at venues similar to yours, they should be more than capable of photographing your wedding venue. A great solution is to ask your photographer if they’d be willing to walk the venue with you prior to the wedding day
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY STYLE? A wedding photographer can be the best in the industry in terms of skill and quality, but if their style does not match your vision for your wedding day, then its probably not going to be a great fit.
What is it like to work with you on the day of the wedding? Your wedding photographer is one of your VIP wedding vendors. They'll be the one by your side every step of the way, capturing all of the magic. The most important factor in finding your wedding photographer is that you are comfortable around them.
What do your wedding packages include? Talking about packages and pricing is a must. Most wedding photographers will offer different packages that include a certain number of hours, engagement photos, a second photographer, prints and albums. Clarify what is included within the quoted price and what add-ons will cost additional fees, such as travel costs for destination weddings, overtime hours or shooting other pre-wedding events like the rehearsal dinner.
What are the next steps? Once you've gotten through all of your pressing wedding photographer questions and you feel they are a perfect fit, the last question to ask is about the next steps needed in order to hire them for your big day. This might include asking how far in advance you need to book them, reviewing the contract, paying the deposit and going over other logistics, such as refund and cancellation policies, payment methods and liability insurance.
