Questions you should ask every photographer

Finding the right vendors for your wedding can seem daunting. How do you know which one is right for you? How do you know what to ask them? What is the “normal”? I want to provide 6 questions that you should be asking potential photographers for your wedding. Luckily most of these questions can also be applied to most other vendors.

I feel that wedding photography is pretty much the most personal vendor you will bring on to your #teamwedding. Your photographer will literally follow you around ALL DAY from the happy tears to the special cheers. If there was one vendor you want to be the most comfortable and most confident in it’s your photographer.

Here are 6 questions I feel like you should be asking every photographer you are interested in.

1. Ask to see a full gallery. Most wedding photographers offer an online gallery in their packages. To see the most accurate example of what you will be getting in your own photos look through a full gallery. Pro tip: before you ask the photographer what their style is look through a full gallery to deduce their photographic style (ie. photojournalistic, traditional, candid, bright, moody, etc.) Also, do a bit of research what the difference between all the styles are.

The next five questions can be applied to EVERY vendor you are thinking about investing in for your wedding.

2. Ask how they approach a wedding day and their working style. You will want to know if they prefer to be a fly on the wall or a conductor. Do they blend in and become one of your wedding party or do they remain just a vendor at your wedding?

3. Ask for testimonials. What do their past couples say about them? Website testimonials are typically the highlight reel. If they don’t provide references or testimonial then they either don’t have any or potentially have issues with their couples.

4. Ask about their process/experience. What does working with this photographer/vendor look like? Is it just a transaction or is it an experience where they guide you through each step and are proactive at checking in. How responsive are they? What is the turnaround time for images? What do they expect of you and what do you expect from them?

5. Ask if they will be the one photographing your wedding. You want to make sure the person you met with and connected with will be the one photographing your wedding as opposed to their associate photographer.

6. Actually read their contract and ask questions. Contracts can be sticky and scary but in fact they aren’t. They are simply a written set of expectations between two parties. Ask questions if you don’t understand. If you have an expectation question after hiring a vendor look through their contract first before emailing them, often the answer is in there.

Pro tips for choosing the right one:

Meet them in person– I always meet every couple in person. You get instant response to your questions, get a sense for the photographers personality and sense of humor. I always prefer to meet a couple over some coffee as opposed to emailing back and forth for 2 weeks.

Check out their blog/social media (follow them) for recent work– Most photographers utilize social media and have a blog. These online hubs are where you can find the most recent work. Be sure to check those places out. Bonus points: follow them. Even if you don’t hire them you might find some inspiration from their photos.

Make sure you like their photos AND their personality– This is a big one. Your photographer will be stalking you, camera in hand, for 8+ hours on a very emotional, exciting, and often stressful day. It is super important that you like their personality and get along with your photographer.