10 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer

So you just got engaged - woohoo!!! You are now in the process of planning one of the most amazing days in your entire life… now what? Well other than securing a date and venue, making sure you track down your dream vendors is next up on your list. Keep in mind that any wedding vendor can be booked up to years in advance for a wedding date. To be sure you snag up your most wanted vendors, book them WAY in advance. One of those wedding vendors may be a wedding photographer. If that’s the case, trying to find one can be like finding a needle in a haystack. Luckily for you I’m going to give you the best questions to ask your wedding photographer. Get to know them while they get to know you and make sure you hire someone you 100% trust.

1.) What is your photography style?

Your photographer’s style plays a huge role in choosing a wedding photographer that’s perfect for your wedding day. Take a look at your potential wedding photographers’ social media and website and make sure their style matches your wedding vision. Do you like the angles they choose and how they capture the wedding day as a whole? Can you imagine your own wedding photos as you look at their work? Is there something that you see that you immediately know is a game-changer for you? These are some additional questions to ask yourself when trying to determine whether their creative style matches your vision.

2.) What is your editing style?

Don’t be confused by the last question, as your photographer’s editing style is completely different from their photography style. The wedding photographer’s editing style is what your final images will look like. When you receive that final gallery, what type of images are you wanting to see. Think if you’re more for the light & airy ( hey that’s me! ) or warm and golden or moody and dark or maybe even vintage. There are TONS of different editing styles that wedding photographers use. Each being completely unique and catered to that photographer. Being able to determine which editing style and tones you’re looking for in your wedding photos will narrow down your options a ton.

3.) How involved are you throughout this process?

Finding a wedding photographer who fits your needs for wedding support is key. While there me some wedding photographers who are more hands-off than others, finding one that fits your comfort zone is ultimately the goal. Whenever I work with my couples, I am there for them every step of the way. Think of me as your wedding photographer/BFF/resource! Throughout my time working with my couples I’m sending questionnaires, check-ins, calls, and resources to make sure that you are fully taken care of. Wedding photography is an investment and not just with your images but with your entire experience. Finding someone who is within your comfort zone of support is key to finding your perfect wedding photographer.

4.) When will we see our final gallery?

Imagine this…. You just got married and you are just itching to relive the day. Come to find out that you are waiting 3 months for your wedding photos that you weren’t aware of. By the time you have your wedding, you should already know how long it will take to deliver all of your wedding photos. Asking your wedding photographer will make sure you are aware of the turnaround time. Keep in mind that your wedding photographer is editing away as fast as they can. It does take a ton of time to curate and edit all of your images but trust us when we say it’s worth it.

5.) How long have you been photographing weddings?

Making sure you feel comfortable with your wedding photographer’s level of experience is important. While there is nothing wrong with being a beginner in the wedding photography world, making sure you feel okay hiring someone at a certain experience level is something you should look into. An experienced photographer may charge a bit more than a less experienced one. Solely based on the fact that one wedding photographer has more experience and expertise in the field than the other one. I’ve been doing wedding photography for 8 plus years and every year I fall more and more in love.

6.) What is it like working with you on the wedding day?

Now you don’t just want a good experience before the wedding, but during it well… obvi. Making sure that your wedding photographer is invested in your wedding day is crucial. The care and nurture that goes into planning your wedding day is priceless and it should be cherished. How invested is your wedding photographer in your special day? While some may be more hands-off, me on the other hand I am ready to go whenever you need me. Need a wedding dress fluff? I got you. Need me to pin something down? Got that too. I told you, I am your wedding photographer BFF!

7.) Do you have experience shooting at my venue or my type of wedding?

If you are worried about the way your wedding venue may be photographed, asking your wedding if they’ve photographed weddings at your venue or similar to it may be helpful. Every wedding venue is different and has different types of lighting and decor so make sure that your wedding photographer has had some experience shooting weddings in similar conditions.

8.) What happens if you get sick?

Ah now, this is the million-dollar question. I guess it’s time to collect! Many wedding photographers have their own backup plans if they end up getting sick. You want to make sure that your wedding photographer will have a backup plan in the off chance that they get sick and can’t photograph your wedding. For the most part, your wedding photographer will hire someone to go in their place. This is someone chosen by the wedding photographer who has experience. The photographer would go in place of the other, photograph the wedding and give the photos to the original wedding photographer. Then the wedding photographer would edit the images as normal. While this does happen in the wedding photography world, it happens so much that most wedding photographers have their backup plans set up and in place.

9.) How do you make sure our photos aren’t missing?

Backup should be my middle name. All wedding photographers know that the number one fear is somehow losing your images or having your SD card read the dreaded “corrupted” notification. That’s why ALL wedding photographers should have backup systems just in case. Having a dual SD card slot ensures that if one SD card gets corrupted, the other one isn’t. When we upload our images onto our computers we have hard drives to back everything up. Making sure that you are working with a wedding photographer who has a solid backup system is VERY important if not on of the most important things.

10.) Do you have insurance?

Most wedding photographers should have some kind of insurance whenever your are working with couples on a wedding day. Insurance not only is amazing for equipment theft but it also provides liability protection just in case something were to happen involving you and a guest at the wedding. Your wedding should have insurance to ensure that not only they’re safe but everyone else is too!

Trust me when I say I could go on and on about this. However, let me leave you with this. Your wedding photography is an investment, one that should not be taken lightly. Wedding planning can be hectic as it is so you want wedding vendors who support you and make you feel at ease. Your wedding photographer should be someone who you feel comfortable being yourself in front of and get the wedding photos you have been dreaming of.

If you loved reading all about these Questions to Ask your Wedding photographer, you’re going to love reading about this New Jersey Wedding at The Mainland.