Finding your wedding vendors can be time-consuming! Some of you may know exactly who you want handling your wedding day, but most people have to begin a hunt for just the right vendors to make your wedding day your dream day. I think one of the most important vendors you will hire, if not THE most important, is your photographer. My brides typically spend more time with me on their wedding day than any other person. From getting ready to wedding party pictures to the ceremony to bride & groom pictures to the reception, I am there capturing all those little moments and big parts of the day.

When I get an inquiry from a bride or groom, the first thing I do is try to get ahold of them on the phone. I think it’s important to start a conversation and see if we are a good fit. I love hearing about how my couple met, how he proposed and get a feel for your vision for the wedding day. I ask my potential couples a lot of questions. I think it’s important for couples to ask good questions as well.

Here are a few questions that you might want to ask a wedding photographer before signing the contract.

1. “What would you say is your photography style?” You’ve probably taken a look at their website, Facebook page and Instagram accounts. You may have even seen a full wedding gallery. So you probably have a pretty good handle on the style, but asking this question opens up a discussion about what’s important to the photographer to capture and how they are going to approach the day. Are they more journalistic in style? Do they focus on portraits? Do they step in and direct the day or quietly observe and capture the day from a more observatory eye? These are great questions to ask to make sure that you know that you are getting what you want.
2. “We are awkward in front of the camera! Will you help us?” This is a very legit concern for some people. If you feel totally uncomfortable having your picture taken, but want beautiful, emotional wedding pictures, you need a photographer that will be able to help you with this. This is one reason why I always offer and encourage an engagement session with my couples. Getting to know my couples, letting them get comfortable with me and easing them into posing that feels and looks natural for them is so much easier during an engagement session and makes the wedding day go much more smoothly. I think the first 15-20 minutes of any session is just taking time to ease into and get rid of those jitters.
3. “What kind of products do you offer?” If you want professional quality products, you are going to have to go through your photographer to order them. If you are looking for something specific, be sure to ask. While I offer prints, canvases, metal prints and custom albums, another photographer may offer something totally different. It’s worth asking ahead of time if ordering products from your photographer is important to you. In my opinion, everyone should have a beautiful, professional quality album from their wedding day. It’s the perfect way to tell the story of your wedding day to your friends and family, and to share with kids and grandkids through the years.
4. “How long will it take until we see our gallery?” We get it! You want to see your pictures as soon as possible after the wedding day. Some photographers promise 6 weeks and others promise 6 months. What’s important is that you know when you are going to get your pictures so you aren’t constantly wondering. What seems typical in the industry is 2-3 months. In my opinion, you should never have to wait longer than that for your pictures. I love posting a sneak peak the week after the wedding, but that’s only going to hold you over so long. 🙂 You deserve to have your pictures quick so you can get them hanging on the wall or printed in an album!

Of course, there are hundreds of questions you could ask your photographer. Figure out what is most important to you and go from there. Just make sure you’ve asked the important questions!