You said yes to the love of your life, now it’s time to say yes to a wedding photographer! Trust me, sometimes finding a photographer is a tough decision! I’ve heard tons of horror stories about accidentally hiring the wrong vendors to bring your dream wedding to life, and as a wedding photographer myself, the last thing I want is for you to be one of those stories! So, maybe I can help. If you’re struggling a little bit deciding on who you want to capture your big day, then these might be some helpful questions to ask when inquiring with different photographers. Remember you’re looking to find the perfect match; your wedding photographer is someone you should feel comfortable with and trust completely so don’t be afraid to really get picky! There are tons of questions that you could ask and that will probably come up as you’re planning your wedding but for now, let’s cover these five questions to ask your wedding photographer.
1. “Can I see a full wedding gallery from you? I’d love to see how you capture the story of a wedding day!”
Ask to see a full wedding gallery. Photographers do more than just take a pretty picture… they tell a story. you want your story to be captured from the beginning to the middle and end. You want your story to be told beautifully in a way that feels like you, so make sure you’re seeing a true representation of their work. Often, photographers will show you the highlights… I mean, don’t we all? But, by seeing a full wedding gallery you’ll get a great idea of how they tell the stories of their clients’ wedding days. Also, you’ll want to make sure you’re obsessing over more than just those sunset photos!! Are they just as good at capturing your reception? Do they know how to capture moments in various lighting situations? by viewing a full wedding gallery you’ll be off to a good start when narrowing down your choices.
2. “Let’s talk about your contract and payment schedule, what does that look like?”
Ask to sign a contract and pay your deposit. This is a form of security not only for you but the photographer as well. You are going into a business agreement by hiring a wedding photographer for your wedding, so make sure you’re 100% ready to commit. If your photographer doesn’t ask for a signed contract and a deposit then you may want to reconsider… if there is no agreement stating when you’ll get your photos back, how they’ll be returned to you, contract times, etc. then there’s no way to guarantee that they’ll actually show up or give you grounds to stand on if you don’t receive your photos!
3. “Are you free to grab coffee sometime? We would love to get to know you better before the big day!”
How well do you mesh together? After a conversation with your wedding photographer, you’ll have a good idea of what that relationship will look like. These are the people with you for the longest period of time on your wedding day after all! Ask your photographer to grab a coffee or meet up to just chat and get to know one another. The stronger your connection, the more relaxed you’ll feel. Your photographer should be a calming presence to you and also be there to keep the smiles on everyone’s faces!
4. “So, what is plan B?”
What’s plan b? Let’s be real here… things come up and life happens. What if your photographer suddenly can’t make it to your wedding day?! Is there a backup plan?? You’re definitely going to want to know the answer to this. Now, let’s all hope for the best and assume that your photographer will actually be there but what’s the security set in place to ensure that you still have your day captured to the level at which you are expecting? Do they have a second shooter who they work with often and trust to take the reigns? or, are you just out of luck… make sure these details are also in your contract!
5. “How do you like to work on an actual wedding day? What flow works best for you?”
Get to know what their flow is like on the day of. Wedding days are stressful for everyone involved and that includes your photographer. There’s a lot of pressure on us to capture everything! So, you’ll definitely want to know how your photographer rolls on wedding days. Are they the type to take control or are they more likely to blend into the background? Will they be shooting more posed or candid? We personally love to shoot documentary-style and allow the day to happen right in front of us and we will capture whatever happens authentically. After all, that is the most raw and beautiful version of your wedding day but this style isn’t for everyone!
Wedding days can be a bit overwhelming, and overall a blur! So, ask the right questions and be sure you trust your wedding photographer to capture each moment perfectly for you. These are the photos that you will be sharing for the rest of your life so set your priorities high, you will not be disappointed!!
We hope you found this post about questions to ask your wedding photographer helpful, if you’re still searching for the perfect match, reach out, we’d love to get to know you!!
