Are you newly engaged and on the market for your dream wedding photographer?
Not sure where to start or what to ask them?
Keep reading, this is for you!

Your wedding photographer is one of the vendors that will LITERALLY be with you throughout the entire wedding day. In most cases, you’re with your photographer more than your significant other! It is so important to ask plenty of questions, chat on the phone, have a zoom call, or even maybe meet in person to ensure this is the ideal person you want to document your day. You may be wondering, what questions should I ask a wedding photographer before booking? This is a fully immersive guide!

“Where do I even start looking for a wedding photographer?”

A great question! You could try Facebook groups, Google search, instagram, or literally any other platform that a photographer could use to display their services. Photography is obviously very visual, and while it’s important to like the images a wedding photographer posts, there is a LOT more that goes in to making the plunge to book, especially with a large price tag. In my opinion, finding a photographer that has a style of editing you like and that consistently puts out good work is step one. There are so many different types of photography out there, so it’s important to find one that fits what you want. For example, you’ll hear terms like “dark and moody“, “bright and airy“, or maybe “true to color”, which is what I consider to be myself.
In addition to editing style, there are also different approaches that a photographer can take. For example, there are more classic and timeless styles (like my own) or more trendy and edgy approaches that are all the rage. There’s no wrong answer and so many possibilities! What’s most important is that it’s true to you and your significant other so that it can authentically reflect what you want!

I found a style I like, what now?

Once you find a style you like, next comes the fun part! Reaching out to photographers via inquiries on their websites to see if they’re available for your wedding date (you should at least be locked in at a wedding venue and have a date before inquiring with a wedding photographer)! With this inquiry, include your date, your venue name/location, a way to contact you, and any other basic information their form requires (here’s the link to mine as an example). From here, they’ll be able to tell you if they are available and what the next steps are! Make sure you save this next part for when you chat with them!

Questions to ask a wedding photographer before booking!

While it is SO important to mesh with them as a human, here are a series of super important questions to ask your potential wedding photographer to ensure they withhold the level of professionalism and care that is a necessity in terms of protecting your investment, and ultimately, the only tangible thing you get from your wedding day (aside from your spouse, of course!) – not to mention be able to provide you with a seamless wedding day!

• What packages do you have and what do they include?
• What are your payment terms and do you offer payment plans?
• Are you insured?
• Have you shot at this specific venue or a similar one before?
• Do you have full galleries I can view?
• How do you serve me the best on my wedding day?
• How many images will I get in my final gallery?
• Are digital images included with this package?
• Do you include a second photographer? And if not, how much extra will that cost?
• Do you assist with making the timeline and/or portrait lists?
• Do you help with posing at all?
• Do you lean more towards a staged or candid approach when it comes to special moments throughout the day?
• How do you store my images to keep them safe?
• Do you include an engagement session?
• Can I add bridal portraits or other things to my package?
• What do I need to do to secure my date with you!?
• Will it be you there on my wedding day? Or an associate photographer?

Once you find THEE one, RUN (don’t walk) to sign a contract and pay your retainer because photographers book up quick!

I hope this helped you cross “hire wedding photographer” off your wedding planning to-do list!

Looking for a classic and fun wedding photographer to timelessly document your day? Find me at www.inbloomphotographync.com

Thanks for reading!

Joyfully,
Christan