Yay! I’m really happy to hear about your engagement. I remember when I proposed to Becky like it was yesterday – that was 14 years ago this Valentine’s Day! One minute she said yes, and the next minute we were asking our questions to potential wedding photographers.

Before you meet a potential wedding photographer, it’s important to note down each of the questions you need answered. A video meeting is vital if you are to properly gauge whether this person is the perfect individual to capture your big day. But without the right prompts in front of you, you may end up missing out on some vital info.

Choosing a wedding photographer who matches your vibe, style, and understands what you need involves asking precise questions. And as someone who has been involved in wedding photography for some years now, I’ve had quite a bit of experience in understanding just what a client requires. Today I’d like to share my knowledge with you, and share with you the questions you should be asking a potential photographer, if you want to find someone who is a good fit for your wedding.

Important Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer

Are you available on our wedding date?

This one is pretty obvious, and your potential wedding photographer should be asking you this before you enter into any proper questions. But if not, do check if they are actually available, because photographers get booked up months, if not years in advance. So don’t just assume they are free because your wedding date is two years from now.

How much experience have you had shooting weddings?

For me I’ve been photographing for a couple of decades now. A wedding is a busy, sometimes chaotic event with numerous different things all going on. And your photographer needs to remain calm, and focused if you’re going to have all the moments captured you want. They’ll also need to know where and when to shoot the big events, as well as those candid shots that can truly complete an album.

What is your wedding photography style?

My style is in essence the art of storytelling. It’s a combination of candid moments and carefully directed portraits. If you want beautifully natural moments, you’ve come to the right place! I always tell people that I know when to be a fly on the wall but I’m also not afraid to direct. It’s important that you do some research on the type of styles in wedding photography, before you actually start contacting potential vendors – documentary, traditional, fine, etc. Doing some homework will help you narrow down your shortlist straight away. Then, when you actually meet each wedding photographer, you can verify their style as part of your questions. Rather than it be a mystery before meeting.

Have you worked at our wedding venue before?

I love working with couples whose venues are as unique as their love story. With beautiful landscapes and natural light that leaves you taken aback. The truth is it doesn’t really matter if a photographer has been at the venue or not. A good photographer would do research to become familiar with the location if they haven’t been there before. They may ask for a walk-through prior to the wedding – I like to do this to scope out all the beautiful photography spots throughout the venue.

What wedding photography packages do you offer?

This isn’t where I get into budget. I encourage you to think about what you’re looking for in a wedding package. If I’m being honest, the various wedding resources out there (The Knot, Wedding Wire, etc.) will low-ball how much wedding photography costs in your area. It’s true – you can get a basic package with minimal hours for what those websites indicate, but if you want more coverage for your big day, and maybe even two photographers or a videographer, know that the cost will increase substantially. In the Greater Toronto Area prices can range greatly. People with a lot of experience tend to be more expensive than others. Some great questions to ask are: How many hours will they be available? How will you receive the photos? Do they offer an engagement shoot? Get what is included in writing before you sign!

Do you take photo requests?

If your online mood board is full of specific shots that you’ve loved from other weddings, why not have them re-created for your big day. This, again, should be one of the questions your wedding photographer will expect. And normally, they’ll have a handy Q&A for you to fill out, so you’re both on the same page about exactly what you want captured. But if not, please ask the question.

When will we receive the wedding photography?

I usually take 6-8 weeks to turnaround your wedding but I try to do a sneak peek within 48 hours. The process of editing will differ from each wedding photographer to the next, and that is why this is actually one of the most important questions. Because you may talk to one vendor, and they’ll say they’ll send you the shots in 2 weeks. But then the next one you talk to will say 2 months. Get a rough date, and also find out what quality and format to expect them in.

What do we do now?

If you feel like all of your questions have been answered, and you’ve actually found your wedding photographer, it’s important to find out what the next stage in the process is – before you break out the champagne! Do they need a deposit now? How long do we have to review the contract? What is the cancellation/refund policy? Endeavour to get all the vital questions answered before you walk away; otherwise they might get forgotten.

These are all important questions you should ask your wedding photographer before you confirm your booking with them. Do you have a specific question you would like to ask me? If so, please visit my contact page.

You are also welcome to browse my various portfolios. Ready to schedule a consultation click here