What questions should you ask your wedding photographer?

As you plan your wedding, it’s likely that you’ll get to know each of your professionals very well. Hair and makeup trials take time, so you’ll probably spend a couple of hours speaking to your hairdresser and makeup tech. You’ll usually have various wedding dress fittings and appointments with your wedding photographer or videographer to make sure you’re on the same page. This is why it’s so important that you get along with each of your suppliers. You should see eye-to-eye and have the same ideas about what you want from them.

When it comes to choosing your photographer, every one has slightly different methods and techniques and their photos can look very different from one another. This is why it’s imperative that you choose a photographer because you love their work. But what kind of questions should you be asking a photographer before you go ahead and book them for your big day?

I’ve included a list of questions that I get asked by brides and grooms all the time to help you choose your photographer when the time comes.

Are you free on my wedding date?

How long have you been a wedding photographer for?

Do you have any examples of your work?

• Every photographer should have a website and a couple of social media channels. You should look at all of these to see some examples of their work. You could also ask the photographer to send you some additional examples when you’re making the decision.

How many weddings do you do a year?

Have you shot a wedding at [X] venue?

Will you visit our venue before the wedding day?

Have you shot a wedding similar in size to ours before?

How would you describe your photography style?

What packages do you offer?

How much do you charge?

Do you have a contract that we need to sign?

What information do you need from us before the day?

• There’s quite a lot of information that your wedding photographer will require. They may need to know what formal shots you want (e.g. which groups of people), what photos you absolutely want from the day, where you’re getting married and where the reception venue is and what the schedule of the day is.

Do you have any reviews from previous couples?

Do we need to cover your travel costs or are these included?

What’s the farthest distance you’ll travel for a wedding?

• If you’re getting married 100 miles away from your hometown or even abroad, you need to make sure that the photographer is willing to travel this distance. For this reason, it’s also important to ask the question above this one to check what the additional costs are for this. Remember, an abroad wedding could take up more of the photographer’s time, meaning they have to turn down other couples.

What time do you start photographing on the day?

What time will you finish for the day?

If we want you to stay longer, is there an additional cost?

Can we have a secondary photographer and can you provide one?

Do you need to meet the videographer before the day to discuss anything?

What happens if you’re ill and can’t work on the day?

What will you wear on the day?

Are guests okay to take photos while you are?

• Guests can sometimes get in the way and some photographers may prefer that guests don’t try to take photos while they are, for example during the wedding service or the speeches. It’s definitely worth asking your photographer what their stance is on this.

What extras can we have? (e.g. smoke bombs, props, etc.)

Can we provide examples of the kind of photos we’d like?

What kind of camera do you use?

Do you bring back-up equipment on the day?

• Most photographers will be organised and bring backup cameras, memory cards and batteries so that there’s no chance of anything going awry, but it’s always good to check this with them beforehand.

Do you have insurance?

Do you require a deposit?

When is the full payment due?

Do you offer a payment plan so we can pay in instalments?

Are albums included in the price or can we pay extra for these?

Do you edit all the photos?

How long will my photos take to arrive?

How many final photos will we receive?

Do we just receive the prints or do we get a USB with the photos on that we can download unlimited times?

• Many couples want to get their photos on a disk or USB so that they can have additional albums made, send the photos to friends and family, or even create memorabilia such as printed canvases or cushions. Therefore, you should double check that you’ll be sent all the photos digitally to do what you want with.