8 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Wedding Photographer

So you’re planning your wedding and you want to know what questions to ask before hiring your wedding photographer – I’ve got you covered! Hiring a wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions you will make when planning your wedding. After all is said and done, all you’ll be left with is your new spouse and your photos! But hiring a wedding photographer can be totally overwhelming, there are so many choices! After you determine what style of photography you like, these 8 questions are going to help you get to know your photographer and ensure you’re the best fit!

1. Ask to see full wedding galleries.

Make sure what you’re seeing on Instagram or their website isn’t just a highlight reel and they have actual wedding experience. When interviewing photographers, ask to see one or two full wedding galleries to see what an entire day looks like from beginning to end. Everything from getting ready to family portraits and reception images can be in different lighting so you’ll want to make sure your photographer is prepared for anything. It’s even more helpful if you can see a full wedding similar to yours (all indoor, all outdoor, summer wedding, winter wedding, etc.)

2. Do you have insurance?

Professional photographers will have proper business liability insurance and can provide a copy to your venue.

3. How long will it take to receive your wedding gallery?

The answer will be different for every photographer, but it’s important to set the expectation and be on the same page. Many photographers will send a sneak peek gallery within 24-48 hours after your wedding of a handful of images for you to share with friends and family and post on social media. Again, communicate with your photographer and make sure you know what to expect.

4. Do you help couples create a wedding timeline?

Timing for photos on a wedding day is crucial. For example, a sunset ceremony with no first look means you’ll be scheduling family photos, bridal party photos and bride and groom portraits after the sun has set leaving you in the dark. Not ideal. Your photographer should help you create a timeline for the best possible photos.

5. What rights will we have to the photos?

Again, this answer will be different for every photographer. Some will include high-resolution images with full download and printing rights, others will send a proof gallery and require to you purchase photos individually. Communication is important here.

6. How will you protect our images?

From shooting on multiple memory cards, copying files to multiple external hard drives and using a cloud-based backup system, your photographer should be taking every precaution to ensure your images are safe!

7. Do you have an emergency backup plan?

In the very unlikely event your photographer has an extreme emergency or is too ill to capture your wedding day, they should have a backup plan in place. Make sure you feel comfortable with this plan and that it’s written in your contract.

8. What is it like working with you on a wedding day?

On your wedding day, you will spend more time with your photographer than anyone else, maybe even your partner! Because of this, it’s really important you actually like your photographer and vibe well together.

Want more wedding tips? Check out 5 Tips to Get Stunning Wedding Detail Photos

Also check out more of my current work on Instagram