6 Key Questions to Ask When Hiring A Wedding Photographer

Wedding Tips

Choosing your wedding photographer is an extremely important decision. Not only will this person be documenting your celebration for you to remember for the rest of your days, but they are also one of your more intimate vendors. No other vendor is by your side from the time you are putting on your shoes in the morning to when you are kicking them off on the dance floor at night. Be sure to ask these 6 key questions when hiring a wedding photographer.

1. “Can I see a full sample gallery?”

Asking to see a full gallery is important because it will give you a good idea of what your wedding day will look like from the perspective of this photographer. Pay attention to how you feel as you scroll through the images. Does the day look clean and calm, or more candid and goofy? How does the photographer capture indoor shots, versus outdoor, versus nighttime?

2. “What’s your approach to posing?”

Are you and your partner camera shy and need some posing direction, or prefer to just have someone snap away while you do your thing? There are varying levels of how much photographers will guide you in your photos, so make sure you end up with someone who matches the level you are looking for.

3. “When will I receive my gallery back?”

Gallery questions are often the most overlooked and cause the most frustration in a client-photographer relationship. We get so caught up in the excitement of planning the day that we forget to even ask when we can see those beautiful images! It’s industry standard to get your gallery back in 4-6wks, but some photographers (like myself) are much quicker. Still others can take several months. So be sure to ask the specific timeline and better yet- be sure it’s mentioned in your contract.

4. “How many images can I expect to receive?”

Good storytellers can capture the day in a condensed amount of images. But exactly how trimmed down of a day are you going to get back? Some photographers will give back 300 images while others will give back 3000. Be sure to know the specific number your photographer promises. (And bonus- again be sure this number is in your contract).

key questions to ask when hiring wedding photographer

5. “Will all the images be edited? If so, to what extent?”

Some photographers will send over a gallery of every single image they took- unedited. Others will do heavy touch-ups on select images. And still others, like me, will do full editing (minus cosmetic retouching) on every single image you get back. Be sure to ask what you are paying for in your package. If you are looking for someone who also does cosmetic retouching (sliming, acne removal, etc), be sure to ask if they offer this- as many do not.

6. “If I’m interested in moving forward, how do I book you?”

Last but not least, be sure to ask about potential next steps for booking. If you are very interested in your photographer, do hesitate to start the booking processes and add them to your dream team!

questions to ask when hiring wedding photographer

Bonus Questions

What will our interactions look like prior and post wedding day?
What would you say your photography style is?
What things will you need from me in order to make the day a success?

Want to read more? Check out these articles!