In my six years of shooting over 75 weddings, there’s questions I’ve been asked by clients to give them the peace of mind to document their wedding days. Weddings only happen once and can’t be recreated! Because of this, it’s absolutely necessary to find a photographer who has experience, confidence, and integrity. Here’s some questions to ask as you begin your adventure of finding the perfect photographer!

1. Do you have insurance?

   This one is critical! In case of any mishaps during your wedding or during the process of working together, you want to make sure your photographer is fully covered. Some venues even require vendors to have insurance.

2. Are you a registered business?

   You definitely want to make sure your wedding photographer is operating legally and paying taxes!

3. Can I see a full wedding gallery?

   Photographers typically post only their absolute best work on their portfolios. Make sure to take a look at one of their full wedding galleries to ensure you like their work from every part of the wedding day.

4. Do you have backup equipment?

   Technology can always go wrong! Make sure your photographer has a backup camera and flashes. Also, make sure they backup your files so that if their storage fails, they have your photos somewhere else!

5. Do you have a contract?

   Contracts are put in place to not only protect your photographer, but to protect you. It’s important to have one in place to guide both parties in case anything goes wrong.

6. What happens if you are unable to shoot my wedding?

   God forbid if the worst should happen! You want peace of mind to know your photographer has you covered in case of an emergency. Make sure they have a backup plan if they cannot make it to your wedding for any reason.

7. What is the turnaround time?

   This varies so much from photographer to photographer! You want to set your expectations and know exactly when you will receive your photos. It’s normal to see delivery times vary from a couple weeks to a few months.

8. How many photos will I receive?

   Some couples love a whole lot of photos of their wedding, some are good with just a few hundred. Decide what you’d like and then ask your photographer what their average is.

9. How many weddings have you shot?

   It’s important to have a photographer that knows weddings like the back of their hands. You want to make sure they know exactly how to execute each part of the day and to guide you with a specific wedding photography schedule. A good photographer with tons of weddings under their belt knows exactly where to be when!

10. What is your shooting style?

    There are SO many different types of photography! You want to make sure you find a photographer who has a style you vibe with. If you love more candids, find a documentary photographer. If you love the vogue look, find a photographer who specializes in classy, posed shots.

Want to get some more tips? Here’s some blog posts to help you out!