10 Things to Ask Your Wedding Photographer

Be careful not to drop thousands of dollars on a wedding photographer before asking them these 10 must-ask questions.

There are so many things to ask your wedding photographer and videographer before booking them to make sure they are your perfect fit, but it's hard to know EXACTLY when you aren't in the industry. So, from a photographer who has seen all the good, the bad, and the absolutely insane sides of the wedding industry, take it from me: you don't want to spend thousands of dollars on a photographer without getting answers to these ten must-ask questions.

Pro tip: try to as sure you ask these questions either in person or over a call before you book. This will help you get to know each other better as well as get a handle on the vibes to make sure it's a good fit.

1. How would you describe your shooting style?

Every wedding creative has a different style and it's important to make sure your wedding photographer has one that speaks to you. Some photographers prefer more of a posed style and are very hands-on with their approach to posing. Others might take a documentary style approach to things and would rather go with the flow.

These differing styles produce vastly different results and also give you a different shooting experience on your wedding day, which, if we're being honest, is a pretty important part of your experience.

The same thoughts can also be applied to editing styles. While looking at their portfolio, you can see where they lean aesthetically. Make sure you don't book a photographer with an opposite opinion on colors to you. If you want bright greens, don't choose a photographer who mutes theirs. Editing styles are an artist's signature and don't change from gallery to gallery.

2. Do you have backup equipment?

The ultimate nightmare would be to show up on your wedding day only to find out the photographer's camera malfunctioned halfway through your ceremony. Every photographer needs to have backup equipment at a minimum of two camera bodies and two lenses. Most professional photographers shoot on two cameras throughout the day, anyway, but you'd rather be safe than sorry.

3. Can I see a full wedding gallery and video?

Think of Instagram, Pinterest, and a website like a photographer's resume—they only put the best of the best online. Wedding days are rarely a flawless lineup of perfect shot after perfect shot. You need to know that your photographer is capable of capturing a wide variety of moments.

Lighting situations, emotions, and locations change vastly throughout the wedding day, so it's important to make sure that you love the way your photographer captures every scenario you could be in.

The most important difference is seeing how the photos look once the sun goes down. Do they use flash? Do you like the way that their light shows up? What about if the sun is shining directly on us? Is their photo blown out, or do they go for a more vibrant look?

4. Are your cameras dual slot?

Oh, wow, this is so so so important. If you don't already know, dual slot means that while your photographer is shooting, your photos are being copied to two different memory cards. This is to ensure that if one memory card crashes (which happens more often than you think), the other memory card still has all of the images they captured throughout the day.

Not all cameras have the ability to copy to two memory cards (yes, even the big, fancy ones), so make it clear to your photographer that this is a non-negotiable for you.

5. Do you have a contract?

No matter what, when you are dealing with a large amount of money, a contract should be in place. This is even more important when it comes to wedding day coverage because it is something that can never be recreated. A contract will keep both you and your photographer safe in any situation. You are dealing with two important things—your wedding day and someone's income.

If your photographer isn't offering you a contract, this is a major red flag and I'd encourage you to walk away immediately. However, if they are willing to create one for you...great! Just be sure to review each section so you understand the terms of your agreement and aren't blindsided by anything down the road.

6. What happens if you get sick or have an emergency?

Everyone is human, which means that sickness, family emergencies, etc., can happen at any time. What is your photographer's plan if something prevents them from being able to capture your day?

Ideally, your photographer will find a backup shooter or associate shooter. This is a photographer with a similar style to your original photographer, whom they fully trust to capture the wedding day as their replacement. After this, your photographer will then edit the gallery. I've worked both as an associate shooter and as the hired photographer in the past and these galleries always turn out beautifully.

Other options they might offer would be for a partial or full refund. Though the best option by far is that they find you an associate shooter so that you don't have that extra stress right before your wedding

7. What is your turnaround/delivery time like?

This is different for every photographer depending on a variety of factors like their editing style, workload, gallery size, coverage time, travel time, and more.

In the U.S.A., the average wedding gallery turnaround time is 4-16 weeks, though there are a few that stretch beyond or below those times.

In my personal opinion, I'd always prefer a photographer with longer turnaround times. A fast delivery seems appealing, but oftentimes it is made possible by surface-level editing, AI assistance, outsourcing, and other ways of cutting corners.

If your photographer has a longer turnaround time, ask them if they provide previews. Many photographers who take more time to edit are willing to edit a few sneak peeks, so you have a little "appetizer" to hold you over until your full gallery is ready.

8. What are your payment plans like?

All photographers charge a non-refundable deposit or retainer to save your date. This is typically 30-50% of your total price. Most of the time, your final payment is due a few weeks before the wedding day.

There's a lot of wiggle room for different photographers as far as payments after the deposit goes. Some just do a 50/50 split, while others allow for monthly payment plans. This flexibility can be key when it comes to paying for your wedding. It is important to know that photographers should never deliver a gallery before the full payment is made.

9. How will we be receiving our photos and video?

While a lot of photographers nowadays send your memories via an online link, some use hard drives and USBs. Be sure to ask your photographer to see what they do. A hard copy might sound nice, but it is often an additional charge. You can always download your online gallery to your own hard drive to avoid this.

If it is an online gallery they deliver your media through, be sure to ask how long they leave the gallery online. Always download your photos immediately! This will keep them 100% safe with you.

10. How do you back up the photos and videos after?

What happens after the wedding day ends? How are your photos stored? Hard drives crash, computers crash, and memory cards crash. Making sure that your images are backed up to multiple locations during the editing process keeps this from being a devastating loss.

Any other questions you have about your wedding photographer!

Your photographer is one of the people you will spend the most time with on your wedding day. Their vibe should match yours to keep you from feeling awkward or uncomfortable on your special day.

The list of questions doesn't have to end at these ten; most photographers are more than happy to have a conversation with you and answer any anxieties you might have.

Good luck with the wedding planning process!