When it comes to your wedding day, your wedding photographer is up there with the most important suppliers (even if I do say so myself). The images from your wedding are still going to be there once the flowers have wilted and the cake has been eaten. You need to make sure that you’re going to love them for years to come.
By asking these questions, you’ll know for sure whether the wedding photographer you’re enquiring with is the one for you and will capture your big day perfectly.
Availability
Is our wedding date available?
This might sound like an obvious question, but wedding photographers tend to get booked 12-18 months in advance, so if you lead with this when you first enquire, you won’t be wasting your time or theirs.
How many weddings will you be shooting that weekend?
Shooting multiple weddings in a weekend is in no way a deal breaker, especially during peak wedding season and the most popular weekends during the summer, but it can definitely help you set expectations for how long you could be waiting to receive your images afterwards.
Have you worked at our venue before?
Again this is definitely not a deal breaker, but it can be an advantage if they’ve shot at your wedding venue before, as they will be familiar with the layout, lighting and any restrictions that might be in place (eg. church that doesn’t allow flash photography)
Can we see a full recent gallery?
Seeing a gallery from a previous – but recent – wedding, can help you get an idea of what to expect from your wedding photos. Instagram and portfolios tend to be a highlights reel, whereas a full gallery will show you all the little details, the family shots and whether they have a consistent style of editing their images.
Pricing and Packages
Can we add extra hours?
Most photographers will have packages that they offer, usually with a set number of hours. Depending on how long the package covers, you may be able to request extra coverage. This will likely come at an extra cost, so find out how much it’ll be per additional hour.
How much would a second shooter be?
A lot of wedding photographers will work with a second shooter as a second pair of hands and eyes. If you’re having a big wedding, you may want to ask about the additional costs for adding a second shooter. If you’re unsure on why second shooters are a good idea, take a look at this blog post!
On The Day
Do you have insurance?
This is a biggie. Your wedding photographer must have both professional indemnity and public liability and if need be, should be able to show you the documentation. This just makes sure that they’re covered for anything that could go wrong.
What happens if there’s an emergency and you can’t make it?
All photographers worth their salt will have a contingency plan in case something goes wrong. We’re all human, things go wrong, people get sick and it is honestly our WORST nightmare for something to happen that means we can’t then photograph your wedding. Wedding photographers tend to have a whole network of photographers they can trust and rely on to help in an emergency and this should all be laid out in their contract.
Do you have backup gear?
Things can also go wrong at the wedding. Most photographers will have multiple camera bodies with them on a wedding day along with alllll the spare batteries and memory cards, so heaven forbid anything goes wrong with their equipment, they’re ready and backed up to carry on.
Do we need to feed you?
Okay so weddings are LONG days. And your wedding photographer will be there just as long as you will, and you get to have a sit down meal half-way through. We will ALWAYS appreciate being provided with a meal, and some photographers will even have it written into their contract to either have a meal provided or be given an allowance. So check with your potential photographer, but if you feed us we will love you forever.
Can we give you a list of photos we’d like taken?
Most photographers will ask you for a list of group photos that you’d like us to capture, usually capped at 10 (because no one enjoys the group shots, let’s be honest). But if there are some other photos you’d like us to get during the rest of the day, like a nice photo with your grandparents, or a shot with your old uni housemates, then let us know and we’ll do our best to capture them!
Images
How long will it take for us to receive our images?
This can vary from anything from a month to 8 weeks. It’ll depend on both the time of year and the process of the photographer themselves. During the peak wedding season, the time it takes to get your photos can increase as the editing pile grows. It can also depend on how the photographer edits their photos, whether it’s just some quick colour grading or in-depth retouching.
How will we receive our photos?
This again depends on the photographer. A lot of photographer these days will send you over a link to an online gallery as a quick way to share with friends and family. Many will also send you a customised USB as a keepsake, so have a think about what you’d like to receive.
Are prints or albums included in our package?
There are a lot of packages out there that include a number of prints, and you should be able to request extra prints, but bear in mind this will probably come at an extra cost. Wedding albums can also be pricey. Some photographers include this in their larger packages, and some offer this as an extra service.
What rights do we have with image usage?
With your wedding photos, you will have the printing and sharing rights. You’ll be able to plaster them ALL over the gram and print them off for your grandparents. However, you won’t be able to sell them on in any way. You may also be requested not to share your images with any other suppliers. This is because your photographer will want to work that out with the supplier themselves to arrange any usage rights for them.
Will you be sharing our images?
Chances are your wedding photographer will want to share some images from your beautiful day on their social media. They may even ask you if they can submit them to wedding blogs and magazines. Of course if you’d rather keep them private, then that’s absolutely fine, just let your photographer know. Or if there’s just one or two photos you don’t want shared (like one showing that tattoo your gran doesn’t know about…), then they can easily be avoided.
And there you have it. Let me know if there are any questions that you asked your wedding photographer that I haven’t included! This isn’t an exhaustive list, but this will help you work out if you’re making the right choice. If you like my style of wedding photography and would like to ask ME the answer to any of these questions, drop me a message over on Instagram, or contact me here!
[…] Make sure you love their style and want your day to be remembered like that forever. Ask questions and also consider the packages that they offer – How much coverage will you get? Do they […]
[…] of the biggest investments you will make for your wedding day. There’s already a number of questions to ask and choices to make – the right package, the right style, all sorts, so when you’re […]