Your photographer is the vendor that is with you the most on your wedding day

Your wedding photos are one of the only things that last long after the day itself—and choosing the right photographer is about so much more than loving their Instagram feed. This is the person who will be by your side during the quiet, emotional moments, the chaotic in-between times, and the once-in-a-lifetime memories you didn’t even realize were happening. Knowing what to ask before you book can make all the difference between simply liking your photos and absolutely treasuring them.

Whether you’re starting your vendor search from scratch or narrowing down your top choices based on your venue’s preferred vendor list, these are the questions to ask your wedding photographer before signing the contract so you can move forward feeling confident, excited, and completely at ease!

Expertise

1. How would you describe your approach to capturing a wedding day? Do you offer a lot of direction or take a more candid approach?
2. Have you shot at our venue before?
3. Can we see full galleries of weddings you’ve photographed with a similar style to what we are planning for?

Planning

4. How many hours of coverage do you recommend for our day?
5. Is a second photographer included in your collections?
6. Is an engagement session included in your collections?
7. Do you have a sample timeline we can look at?
8. Can we add on extra hours up until our big day?
9. Do we need to know if we want an album when we book or can we order one after the wedding, too?
10. I have a huge family! What’s your approach during family portraits?

Payment

11. Are credit card processing fees and taxes included in the total cost?
12. What forms of payment do you accept? (check, credit card, Zelle?)
13. After how far would a travel fee need to be tacked on?
14. How is your payment schedule broken down?

Deliverables

15. How many final photos do couples typically receive?
17. When does our online gallery expire? Are there privacy settings on it?

Contingency

18. Are you insured?
19. What happens if you are sick or cannot photograph our wedding?
20. How do you back-up our images and for how long?

One final note: pay attention to how they answer, not just what they say. Your photographer is with you more than almost anyone else on the wedding day — you want to feel a connection with them. If they feel like a trusted friend who can make you smile, but also extremely knowledgable about their craft and how business works, chances are, they’re a great fit for you!