12 Questions To Ask Your Photographer Before You Book...

Your wedding day is one of the most special days of your life, and you are going to want to capture every moment and every detail to cherish forever. For most couples that responsibility will fall to their chosen photographer and as with every supplier you choose for your big day you will want to do your research first. Here's 12 key questions to ask your photographer before booking them.

Do You Have My Date Available?

Ok this is an obvious question but some couples, in their excitement and keenness to work with their preferred photographer, forget! Ensure you ask if the date you have confirmed, or are thinking about, is available early in your communications and get clarity how far in advance you’d need to secure them for the date with a deposit.

Can I View Some Full Wedding Albums?

A photographers website and social channels will give you a good feel for their style and how they work but as with everyone’s digital presence it is just a snapshot (pun intended). Seeing a full album from a previous wedding they have shot will literally give you the bigger picture, allowing you to see the whole day and evening. Make sure the album(s) are recent and all the work of the photographer.

Have You Worked at Our Venue Before? If Not, Will You Visit Beforehand?

This isn’t a dealbreaker but if a photographer has worked at your venue before they will obviously have experience already of the layout of the venue, and where to get the best shots. If they haven’t worked at the venue before a key question to ask is whether they will visit beforehand with the ideal answer being yes…

What's Included in the Wedding Packages You Offer?

A key question to ask so you can understand how they will fit in you budget. If the photographer is top of your wish list and you’re willing to compromise on other elements to get them you need to understand their costs early in your planning process.

According to Bridebook’s UK Wedding Report on average couples spent £1,289 in 2022 on their photographer but remember this is just the national average so the cost of your preferred photographer might be far higher.

Important things to understand from the off are how many hours the photographer will be with you on the day and what images you’ll actually get and in what format. Another key question to ask is if there will be a second shooter. It’s also important to get everything in writing so there is no room for miscommunication.

What is Your Photography Style?

The main photography styles are reportage, traditional and contemporary. Reportage is a candid style of photography which is natural and relaxed. Traditional photography is a more formal style with a lot more posed images, and contemporary is an editorial style of photography creating a fashion-led look and feel.

A top tip is to ask the photographer to show you their favourite wedding photos and you’ll instantly get a good understanding of what their preferred (and therefore more natural) style is.

Do You Offer Engagement Shoots?

During the last few years engagement shoots have become more popular and having one with your wedding photographer of choice is a great ‘practice run’ for the big day, allowing you to get used to being centre of attention in front of the camera. It will also allow you to get to know your photographer better before the wedding.

What Time Will You Stay Until?

Being clear with your photographer about timings is super important, including what time they will start and finish. Some weddings are super long days and photographers shouldn’t be expected to work a 7am – midnight day as standard. Have the conversation early on about timings and ensure it is written into the contract for complete clarity.

Will You Require Feeding?

Providing your photographer with refreshments and food is completely up to you but the general consensus is it’s the polite thing to do. Most people are happier in their job if they’re not hangry!

When sorting out the details of the day just check what they would like – you can either arrange for them to have a plate of whatever you are having or if they would rather factor in a meal allowance payment so they can cater for themselves.

An Emergency Happens – What Is Your Back-Up Plan If You Can’t Attend?

You certainly don’t want to think about a worst case scenario but your photographer is only human and humans fall ill and family emergencies can happen. All reputable photographers will have fellow professionals they can call upon if needed – don’t be afraid to ask the question as they should be happy to reassure you they do indeed have a back-up plan, and share details of what it is.

Can We Share the Photos Online?

Ask this question from the offset to avoid any confusion further down the line. Most contracts will include permission to share and print the images, as a personal use copyright, but always best to just double-check this with your photographer of choice.

When sharing it is considered good etiquette to credit and tag your photographer so ensure you have their correct details when the time is right.

Tell Us About Yourself!

As with all the suppliers you choose to work with for one of the most important days of your life you want to feel a connection with them, especially one that is going to be with you in person on the day, so ask them a few questions to get to know who they are a bit better. Most will have bios on their websites, and you’ll get a good feel for them from their socials but asking them a few direct questions as well will help. Nothing too personal though!  

For more helpful advice like this for your wedding day visit our blog here.