Six Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer

Although I rarely still do in-person consultations or phone consultations, they do still pop up time to time. People haven’t fully committed to the online Borg yet, but with each passing year I do more email solo consultations. When I do find myself on FaceTime with a new couple, often times its because they read on a blog that they should be speaking on the phone with each of their vendors, which does make sense! But usually they’re not quite sure what to ask, and thats where this blog comes in. If you google “questions for wedding photographers”, you’re bound to get hundreds of answers, but if I was a bride planning my wedding, these are the ones I would be sure to ask, based on my experience in the industry.

Are you insured for venues like ours?

Photographers are often required to have insurance policies for venues up to a million dollars. I am personally covered through my business insurance, and its super important to have these policies in case the worst happens at your event. These policies cover things like venue damage, guest injury related to photography, and more. When you put so much time, effort, and capital into your wedding, you won’t want a surprise cost for damage after all of your hard work.

What is your turnaround time for our photos?

I would never encourage someone not to hire a photographer because of turnaround time. Whether its two weeks or 20 months, these are the images that will be decorating your home, passed down to your grandchildren, and are the best way to relive the magic years later. That being said, wedding photos are exciting! Couples want to get them back as soon as possible to share with friends and family. My turnaround time for engagement photos is three weeks, and for weddings twelve weeks. The reason for the longer wedding turnaround is wedding season is busy! I want to make sure I have time to give each and every photo the attention it deserves. I want your gallery to be absolutely meticulous, consistent, and reflective of the magic you felt that day. Your wedding photos absolutely deserve your photographer’s complete and thorough attention.

What is your backup system like?

This is a question that will help you weed out the pros from the early learners. Professional photographers have multiple backups for your images, so if something (heaven forbid), was to happen to the memory card with your files on it, file copies are stored safely and securely in another place, such as the cloud or an external hard drive. Also, make sure that your photographer has multiple camera bodies with them the day of your wedding. A professional photographer should be able to have one camera completely drop dead during your ceremony, and still not miss a single shot. I carry two Sony bodies with two Sony lenses on them, as well as two Godox flashes, along with multiple memory cards and batteries in my fanny pack to grab in a pinch.

How would you describe your shooting style during our wedding?

This question is important for each couple based on their personal preference. When I get married, I know I will want to be cherishing that intimate moment with my spouse, not feel like the paparazzi is all over me and in my face. That’s why I use a long lens during your ceremony and certain parts of your reception, in order to make you feel like you two are the only ones in the world. I often get comments like “I didn’t even know you were there!” or “you were so subtle!” regarding my shooting style. However, if you don’t mind your photographer being RIGHT in your business and blocking your mom from the audience watching your vows, you should feel free to hire someone who takes a more aggressive approach. The result can be some truly beautiful, detailed images.

What is your payment process?

My wedding clients pay a 15% deposit for their weddings, and the balance isn’t due until the day of your wedding. A more common plan would be a 50% deposit to reserve your date, and the balance due 30 days before your wedding. I like to give my clients more flexibility, and allow them to make payments of any size or frequency before their event. Wedding planning can be expensive and stressful, so I like to give my clients as much flexibility with their payments as possible. I want to help my clients have their engagement time be as comfortable and stress free as possible.

What are the costs associated with your wedding packages?

One thing to remember is the concept of “you get what you pay for”. If you’re interviewing a photographer and can’t believe how great of a deal you’re getting, it might be too good to be true. I recommend couples always ask to view at least one or more full galleries, in different types of lighting, to make sure their photographer is ready to handle any challenges that may be thrown their way. My packages are set up to be fully customizable, so that you’re only paying for exactly what you want, and not a bunch of extra add-ons that you’re not sure that you need. You also have the option to add on any a la carte items after you’ve already booked your package. This means if its two weeks before your wedding and you think “wait! I actually want 9 hours instead of 8!”, you have the option to make those adjustments. Heck, add an extra hour the day of your wedding!

Choosing a wedding photographer is a big decision for couples to make together. These images will be the most lasting thing you have from your wedding, so choose deliberately and stick with your gut. Friends and family will all have their own opinions about photography styles, but at the end of the day, the only opinion that matters is yours.