Whenever I hop on the phone or zoom call with my potential couples, about 90% of the time they have no idea what questions to ask me - which is totally fine! This is most likely your first time getting married! You don't have to have all the answers and all the questions right away, that's why I'm here to help. So, here are 5 great questions you should ask your photographer before you hire them:
1. Ask to see two full galleries of recent weddings or elopements they've done.
if they haven't already shown you, ask to see two full galleries of recent weddings or elopements they've done. This will give you an idea of what their shooting style looks like as well as their skill level throughout the day - like direct sunshine, different angles, indoor lighting, flash photography, all that jazz.
2. Ask them how many photos they'll deliver and how long their turn-around time is.
Some photographers deliver about 300 images from an 8 hour wedding while others deliver up to 1,000. Just like some photographers only take two weeks in their turn-around time while others can take up to 3 months. Personally, I deliver about 450-750 images and I like to take my time with each gallery so my turnaround time is anywhere from 5-7 weeks.
3. Ask them if they offer printing rights to your photos.
This is such an important question because some photographers give you access to download and print your photos for free, while others don't give you the right to download your images without paying an additional fee per image. So depending on the photographer you end up choosing, you may be paying more to print off those photos.
4. Ask them what will happen if they're unable to make it the day of your elopement or wedding.
God forbid anything happen, but it is always the photographer's responsibility to let you know their course of action. I've never had to cancel on a couple before, but if I did have to, I already have a backup photographer I reach out to the week prior to check their availability for your date, so if need be, I'd pay them what you've paid me, they would come and shoot your wedding for you, then deliver the RAW images to me so you would still get your photos in my style. But not all photographers have this as their backup plan, so be sure to ask.
5. Ask them if they can help with your timeline for your day.
I think this one is also important. If you don't already have a wedding planner, or if you're eloping, that task should automatically go to your photographer. It's a lot easier for your photographer to help you decide when to do a first look, when your ceremony should start depending on if you want it to be golden hour or if you want your reception or dinner to be during golden hour and your ceremony earlier in the day. Some photographers offer this assistance, while others don't. It's completely up to you if you put priority on this but it's definitely worth asking.
BONUS QUESTIONS:
Above all else, when asking these questions, don't forget to throw in some fun ones too! Your photographer is going to be with you throughout the course of your entire day as well as the months leading up to your day, so it is wildly important that you form a connection and friendship with one another!
Haven't found a photographer yet?
I really hoped this list gave you some great inspiration for questions to ask. If you're planning your own elopement or wedding and haven't found your dream photographer yet, you can fill out my contact form and we can hop on a call to see if we're a good fit! If we are, we can start the planning process together so we can create an intentional day filled with laughter, love, and ALL the wild adventure we can!
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