Questions You WANT To Ask Your Wedding Photographer

Wedding Planning Tips // Wedding Photographers in Huntsville, Alabama

They’re all over Pinterest and have an entire section in your wedding planning binder: The List of Questions To Ask Your Wedding Photographer.

We’re all about taking the time to make sure your potential wedding photographer not only creates the images you want, but who can also match the expectations you have for your wedding day.

There are dozens of amazing wedding photographers for you to choose from who are unique in their vision and artistry. No wonder Pinterest gives you a 2-page list of questions to ask!

Do these questions really matter?

Questions about the most memorable wedding we’ve ever shot or if we have solutions for potential weather don’t bother us at all, honestly. If it’s something you’re concerned about for a specific reason, ask away!

But if you’re just running down a pre-made list because you’re a little overwhelmed at not knowing what to ask, it’s okay! So many of our J&A Couples come to their first coffee date knowing that they want something amazing, but they can’t really define it into words.

You know that questions are important, though, even if it’s just to help you feel confident that these photographers will meet the expectations you aren’t totally sure how to put into words.

So what questions matter?

Questions You Actually Do Want To Ask Your Photographer

Honestly, the important questions are going to look a little different for every bride and groom. What matters to you might not be important to another engaged couple. This list is to help you figure out what you care about, what you don’t, and how to distinguish between the two.

None of these questions have a right or a wrong answer. For example, a photographer who has you select printed art instead of automatically giving you the full gallery of images isn’t doing anything “wrong”. It’s just different from those who freely give the digitals. Did you know that some couples prefer that route? It’s all about finding the perfect fit for you!

Here are some questions to get you started.

“The List”

• What is it like to work with you on our wedding day? You might not know what questions to ask to get a feel for that, but you can see if your expectations match with how your photographer describes their working style.

• Do you use a second shooter? Is the second shooter there the whole time or just a portion of the day? A second shooter might matter to you, and it might not. Some photographers are confident to cover your wedding day without a second shooter.

• Do we get a gallery of digital images? Can we print them ourselves elsewhere or only through you? Ask so you know ahead of time what you can expect to receive.

• What is your process for purchasing prints, canvas collections, or albums after our engagement session or wedding day? How much should be budgeting for that? This helps you plan ahead with your budgeting.

• What is included in your different packages? Here’s where you ask about the package details! Tell your photographer what you’re looking for so they can help you find the right fit for your day and budget.

• Do you help us make a timeline so we know how much coverage time we need? So you and your photographer can agree on how you want the wedding day to flow. It also helps you have a realistic expectation of how many hours of coverage you’ll need for your day.

• How long after the wedding will it be before I receive my gallery? This can range from 5 days to 8 weeks or more. This gives you accurate expectations so you’re not unintentionally disappointed later!

• Do you have a blog post or sample album that shows past weddings you’ve shot at my venue? This will help you visualize yourself through the photographer’s lens at your unique venue. Don’t worry if your photographer has never been to your venue, though! An experienced professional will be able to handle new locations confidently. Sometimes we’re actually extra excited for a new “canvas” to work with!

• Do you like to get front and center throughout the day and during the ceremony, or do you try to be as unobtrusive as possible? Brides have different preferences on this. Make sure yours matches your photographer!

• If I give you a shot list, do you welcome that as helpful or will it disrupt the flow of your routine? What kind of things would you like us to list? If you’re planning to have a long list of requests, talk it out with your photographer ahead of time.
  
• What happens between booking and the wedding day? What can we expect from you? A good experience has so much to do with matching expectations! Whether you like hands-on wedding help or prefer your photographer to just email if necessary, see if what they offer is a good match for you.

The Most Important Question Of All

The most important question you can ask is the one that matters most to you.

When you think about your wedding day and how you want your pictures and/or experience to turn out, what do you want the final result to be?

You might not care exactly how many images are in the final gallery, but you care about how gracefully your photographers will be able to handle a potentially difficult family situation.

Maybe you totally trust all the photographers you interviewed to produce beautiful pictures, but you’re really searching for someone who will make you feel confident and comfortable throughout the entire process.

There’s not a one-size-fits-all perfect list of questions because every bride is so different. Browse through all the lists if you want, but don’t let the insignificant questions bog you down.

Find The Right Fit!

The whole point of all these questions is to find a photographer who is an amazing fit for your wedding day vision and your personality.

We think finding the right photographer is so important that we created an entire guide to help you find yours! You can download it absolutely free right here.

Photographers, wedding planners, brides! We want to hear from YOU! What questions do you think really matter when it comes to finding the right wedding photographer?

*hugs*
Amber

P.S. Looking for more wedding planning tips? Don’t miss our post on Quick Tips for Your Wedding Day Timeline!