When planning your wedding there are so many choices to make! How do you even begin to know what to ask each vendor? How do you find the balance between a good investment in your special day but not going over your budget? It seems like theres a million options and sometimes it would just be great if Pinterest could chill a bit and stop offering your more beautiful ideas every time you log in.

I have had the privilege of being invited into many many wedding days as the lead photographer. During the past 4 years I have collected what I believe to be some of the most important questions a Bride and Groom can ask their perspective wedding photographer, to really ensure they receive what they envision from your wedding photography.

• Firstly, I recommend always having a Zoom call or at least a phone call with one another, to really see if you vibe well. You will spend more time with your wedding photographer than almost anyone else on your wedding day, so please be sure you getting along super well, have a shared vision, and feel at the end of the day that the photographer is truly their to capture your most special day just as you hoped. Also that they are extremely patient and good with other people, as they will be closely interacting with every person you love dearly.

What to ask when interviewing a photographer for your wedding?

1. How long have you been a wedding photographer?

   { A newer photographer can be a great option to save a lot of money or for a small and simple wedding, but a more experienced photography would be desirable if you have a specific vision for your wedding, also if you have a larger guest list you would likely need a more experienced photographer to be able to capture everything amongst the large crowd and busier day. }

2. What is your style of photography?

   { See this blog to further explain the differences and why you might want one over the other }

3. Do you help with the planning of the itinerary for the day if needed?

   { The photographer should have enough experience with past weddings that this should come very easily and offer their expertise in a smoothly flowing wedding schedule. }

4. How many photos per hour hired should I expect?

   { Most photographers will offer 30-50 photos per hour hired. }

5. Do you offer a complimentary engagement session with your packages?

   { This is a big one! Even if you’re not someone who loves having their photos taken, it is really important to work with your photographer before your wedding, to help get a feel for how one another functions around the camera. It is also industry standard to offer free engagement sessions once a larger wedding package has been purchased. }

6. What are your wedding packages and their differences?

   { Typically this is based on the hours you would like photographed, 6-8 hours usually is the sweet spot for most weddings. For a smooth wedding day itinerary, including the different photography options, here is a blog for that! }

7. Do you charge extra for digital photos? Or are they included in your package?

   { This is a 50/50 split in the photography industry right now! A lot of photographers charge for the digital images they take. I as a photographer understand the logic for this but I believe it is a great disservice to the Bride & Groom. However, I choose, as well as many photographers to include these in the wedding package you’ve choose. }

8. Do you create a specific contract for each wedding? What are the main factors in this?

   { When dealing with wedding photography contracts, most of it is very cut and dry. However, the most important thing you need to check on is the ownership of the end photos. Most photographers reserve the sole, legal copyright of the photos, the reason they choose to do this is so they have the option to sell or have the photos published. If this does not bother you thats great! But if it rubs you wrong, thats pretty normal. Myself and other photographers though, believe your wedding day photos should not be exploited to make the photographer more money in the future. I choose to ‘share copyright’ with my clients, but the only thing I use these images for is in my portfolio. I do not own the rights to sell or repurpose your photos for any reason beyond this. }

9. What is your editing style of the final images?

   { Basic editing of color, composition, and retouching should be expected.}

10. Can we request a specific list of shots?

    { This is standard, and should be handled in a questionnaire that your photographer sends you once you’ve hired them for your wedding. }

11. How long after my wedding will i receive the gallery? Do you offer a sneak peek gallery?

    { 3-6 weeks is pretty standard. With a sneak peek within 48 hours. }

12. What is the required retainer to book? How can we split the payments?

    { Typically you can expect 20-50% to book, usually non refundable, if you’re on a tight budget be sure to ask if you can split the remaining payments in the way that works best for your budget. }