24 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer
Before you book, ask a wedding photographer whether your date is free, what each package covers, how the files are backed up, when the gallery arrives, and who holds copyright. The 24 questions below are grouped by topic, and the last four are for the planning call after you book.
Availability and fit
1. Is our date free, and do you shoot another wedding that weekend?
Confirm the date first. A wedding the day before yours can mean a tired photographer and a longer editing queue.
2. Will you shoot it yourself or send an associate?
Some studios send an associate. If so, ask to see that person's work and put their name in the contract.
3. Can we see two or three full wedding galleries?
Sample photos are curated. Full galleries show consistency across a whole day, including dark rooms and family photos.
4. Have you shot at our venue, or one like it?
A photographer who knows the light and the layout plans portraits faster. If not, ask how they prepare for a new venue.
5. How would you describe your style, and how much do you direct people?
Some photographers pose most shots, others step back and document. Choose the one that fits how you want the day to feel.
Coverage
6. How many hours does each package cover, and what does overtime cost?
Check the hours against your timeline so coverage does not end before the send-off.
7. Is a second shooter included or available?
A second shooter can cover both getting-ready rooms and the guests during the vows.
8. What do you need from us on the day (meal, breaks, a family list)?
Agree on meals, breaks and who gathers family for the formals before the day.
Backup and file safety
9. Do your cameras record to two memory cards at once?
Recording to two cards keeps a copy of every frame if one card fails.
10. What happens if you are ill on the day?
Ask who would replace them, and whether that is written into the contract.
11. Do you carry liability insurance?
Some venues ask vendors for proof of insurance. Check your venue's rules and ask for a copy if needed.
12. How do you back up our files, and for how long?
Ask where copies are kept after the wedding and how long they keep them after delivery.
Delivery and the gallery
13. When do we get a sneak peek and the full gallery?
Get both delivery dates in the contract.
14. Roughly how many edited photos do you deliver?
Ask for a range for your hours of coverage so you know what to expect.
15. How do you deliver them?
Online gallery, download, USB or prints? Ask which are included and which cost extra.
16. How long does the gallery stay online, and can guests view and download?
Ask how long it stays up, what it costs to keep it longer, and whether guests can view and download.
17. Can our guests' phone photos go in the same gallery as yours?
If yes, the photographer's set and the guests' phone photos sit in one gallery. With a wedding photo sharing app like PicBee, guests scan a QR code and upload from the phone browser, with no app.
Rights, price and contract
18. Who holds copyright, and what can we print and post?
Ask who holds copyright and what you may print and post. Get the answer in the contract.
19. What is in each package, and what costs extra?
Ask whether albums, prints, extra hours and travel are included or priced separately.
20. What deposit is due, and what are the cancellation and rescheduling terms?
Read the deposit, the payment dates and the rescheduling clause before you sign.
After you book
21. Do you want a shot list and a family photo list?
Ask which they want, then start from a wedding photo checklist.
22. How much time do you need for family photos and portraits?
Their answer sets the photo blocks in your wedding photography timeline.
23. Do you recommend a first look for our timeline?
A first look moves couple portraits and some family photos before the ceremony, which frees up time after it.
24. Can guests take photos during the ceremony, or should it be unplugged?
Some photographers restrict guest photography during the ceremony. Agree on it, then tell guests when phones can come out.