10 Questions to Ask Before Booking Your Wedding Photographer

Choosing your wedding vendors can be a very difficult decision because there are so many talented options out there! Here are 10 questions that you can ask potential wedding photographers you’re interviewing to help see who’s the right photographer for you.

1. What’s your photography style? It’s so important to find a photographer that fits the style you’re looking for. Are you drawn to a light and airy style or more of a dark and moody style? Or perhaps you prefer earthy tones or a more vibrant, true-to-color photographer. Whichever style you prefer, you should find a wedding photographer that slays with that style. These are the photos that you’ll have forever and that you’ll be hanging around your home so they should really reflect the style you want.
2. How would you describe your working style on the wedding day? Some photographers approach weddings with a documentary, photojournalistic style. They prefer to let the wedding day unfold naturally without directing the day and often call themselves “a fly on the wall” as they photograph mostly candid moments. Other photographers arrive on the wedding day with a more traditional approach to taking photos. They may have a shot list and they take charge for how the photos should take place. In my opinion, the ideal photographer would be able to incorporate both approaches!
3. How many weddings have you photographed? A common question clients have is how many years has a photographer been in business or how long they’ve been doing photographer. While this is a reasonable question, I think a much better question when hiring your wedding photographer is: how many weddings have they photographed? Most wedding photographers didn’t immediately start with weddings. They usually get into weddings after shooting things like families, senior photos, etc. A photographer may have been in business for 5 years but primarily has experience with portrait sessions and only shoots 1-2 weddings per year for example. Weddings are completely different from portrait sessions. They’re high-stress, fast-paced, unpredictable, and they include a number of different lighting situations. For these reasons, it’s important to hire a photographer who is experienced with shooting weddings.
4. Can I customize my wedding package? I would say that most wedding photographers offer wedding collections they put together for you to choose from. For example, Collection I might include 6 hours of wedding photography, an engagement session, and a wedding album for X amount. Other wedding photographers offer a la carte pricing where you can build your own collection that fits your wedding day needs. No matter what option your photographer offers, it’s important to know if they can customize what you pay for. For instance, if the package you buy includes an engagement session but you already had engagement photos taken by a friend, can your photographer apply that amount towards something else like an extra hour of wedding coverage? For this reason, I offer a la carte pricing so that you can choose exactly what you want and you aren’t paying for things you might not need.
5. When can I expect to have my finished wedding gallery? The timeline when you can expect your wedding gallery can vary greatly between photographers. Some wedding photographers have an impressive turnaround time of 2 weeks while others can take 10 weeks or longer. I would say that the average turnaround time is anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks. 
6. Are you insured? Your wedding photographer should have insurance and some wedding venues will even require that they do. Let’s say that a guest trips over your photographer’s camera bag or that one of their lights accidentally catches the building on fire (this is very unlikely to happen by the way), you want to make sure that your photographer is covered so that no one holds you responsible.
7. Do I get all the digital files or do I have to pay for prints? Funny enough, releasing digital files vs. in-person sales for prints is a pretty controversial topic in the photography community! Some photographers believe in giving their clients access to all of their photos from the wedding day with an online gallery, while other photographers have you pay for prints. Wherever you stand, it’s a good idea to make sure you and your photographer are on the same page about this. 
8. Do you have other wedding vendor recommendations? Your photographer is typically one of the first vendors you book for your wedding, so why not take advantage of their knowledge and connections to find other trustworthy wedding vendors? Your photographer should have a list of other vendors they can recommend to you. By getting recommendations from a professional you already love and trust, you’ll have extra assurance that these vendors will do a great job on your wedding day and you already know that they’ll work well together since they have in the past.
9. Why do you love photographing weddings and what makes you different from other wedding photographers? This is such a unique question for every photographer and it should be! By asking this question, you’ll see your photographer’s heart and their why for what they do. Hopefully their answer will resonate with you and confirm that you’re hiring the right person.
10. Do you have any advice for how I can help you create beautiful images on my wedding day? There are actually a few things couples can do in preparation for their wedding day that will help their photographer create even more stunning of photos! Here are just a couple of things you can do: choose a getting ready space that has neutral walls (white is amazing but not necessary) and natural light, keep the clutter in your getting ready space in one corner of the room away from photos, and get your ring cleaned before your big day. Your photographer might have more tips like these for you!

Bonus Question: What is your policy on rescheduling due to COVID-19? Unfortunately, this is a pretty necessary question to ask these days. Every photographer will have a different policy on how they run their business, but I recommend finding someone who addresses rescheduling because of COVID-19 in their contract so that if the situation arises, you’ll be covered.

Finding a wedding photographer is easy, but finding the right wedding photographer for you can be a little daunting. I hope these questions help you in your search for wedding photographer! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment or shoot me an email at kaylabowenphotography@gmail.com.