Top Questions to Ask When Choosing Your Wedding Photographer

You’re engaged! And have now officially entered into the “Wedding Planning” world- Congratulations!

I’m sure your head is spinning with wedding “everything”. Luckily there are lots of resources out there to give you a step up in planning your BIG DAY! There is a ton to think about, and you have spent days, weeks, months and maybe even years planning every tiny detail to your day, and now it’s time to choose your photographer!

So where do you start?

1.) Settle on a Style – Research Portfolios- Be sure you both love their work and editing style!

2.) Do your Homework– Review websites, Check blogs, Read Reviews

3.) Set up Interviews- Meet potential photographers in person & make sure your personalities mesh

4.) Compare Wedding Packages- You won’t won’t be able to know an exact dollar amount until you are sure of what you want (albums? prints?)

5.) Determine Cost and Sign the Contract- Be sure to read over the legal details and you know exactly what you will get before signing the contract

When meeting photographers, its okay to ask lots of questions and you SHOULD! But, are you asking the right questions?

This is someone, who is with you your entire day, capturing every moment with the people you love most. This needs to be someone you can trust! Here are a few of the BIGGEST questions you need to ask when meeting your potential wedding photographer.

Download the printable questionnaire right here!

Wedding Day
First Off – Is my wedding date available?
How many other weddings will you be photographing that weekend?
Will you have any assistants with you on the day of the wedding?
How will you be dressed?
How far in advance do I need to reserve a date?
What information do you need from me before the wedding day?

Background/Experience
How long have you been shooting weddings?
Roughly how many weddings have you photographed? Have you done any that were similar to mine in size and style?
Have you shot a wedding at my venue before? *If not*, are you going to check it out in advance?
Do you have a portfolio of weddings you’ve shot from start to finish that I can take a look at?
Do you have any testimonials/references I could have a look at?

Equipment/Lighting
What type of equipment do you use?
Do you have back up equipment if something goes wrong?
Do you bring lighting? What kind of lighting do you use?

Wedding Pricing & Packages/Payment
Do you charge a travel fee and what does that cover?
What kind of packages do you offer?
Can I change the package to fit my needs?
When will I receive a written contract?
How much of a deposit do you require and when is it due? Do you offer any kind of payment plan?
If we needed to cancel – what is your refund/cancellation policy?
Do you have liability insurance?
Do you offer albums and prints? Do you have samples? Do you offer digital files?
When are the images expected to be ready after the wedding?

Lastly- Don’t forget to bring this list with you to your first meeting with your photographer!

Shot List- Yes? No?

A quick tip about shot lists. Most photographers will welcome a (short) shot list to make sure you get the specific pics you want and maybe with a few examples of pictures for ideas. But don’t overwhelm them with hundreds of requests or pictures you’ve seen —if you hire a good pro, you’re hiring them for their eye as well as their experience creating amazing albums, so let them do their job. Trust your photographer 🙂

There will be lots of stresses along the wedding planning journey over the next few months But hopefully with these tips- choosing a photographer won’t be one of them!

Thanks for following and we appreciate all comments!