How to Hire a Wedding Photographer: The Questions You Didn’t Think to Ask

Here is a list of questions (and my answers to them!) that I started compiling when my friends were engaged and needed help. They often turned to me for advice on booking their wedding photographer. Brides and grooms are on this journey for the first time and often don’t know what questions they should be asking to find their photographer.

 

How many weddings have you shot as a main shooter?

I’ve shot over 300 weddings as a main shooter.

Are all the images on your site shot by you?

Yes, absolutely! It would be unethical to attempt to “pass off” any image I show you on my website or in my office.

Can I speak with one of your past clients?

Absolutely. You’re welcome to check out my reviews on Google and/or Wedding Wire. I can arrange for you to get in touch with a past client if you would like to speak with someone who has already been through the process.

The Nitty Gritty

Do you charge a travel fee?

I do not charge a travel fee unless a wedding requires me to stay overnight. Typically this means one-way travel under 2 hours does not incur any travel expenses. Travel to major cities such as Philadelphia could require a fee depending on the specifics of the locations. I currently do not travel to NYC or Long Island for weddings and sessions.

Do you have insurance?

Yes! Professional wedding photographers should all have proper insurance for their business. Liability insurance provides protection in case Great Aunt Sophie trips over the photographer’s bag and breaks her leg. If a wedding photographer does not have insurance, chances are they are new to the industry or simply aren’t taking their business seriously.

Do you have backup equipment?

Yes! When working with electronic gear, sometimes things just stop working for no good reason, and it’s absolutely imperative to have backup gear. I come ready with two camera bodies, multiple lenses, and multiple flashes.

Do you backup your images after my wedding is over?

Oh yes! After a wedding is photographed, your images are backed up on a redundant hard drive as well as on a backup drive kept in a fire proof safe. You can never be too careful with irreplaceable images.

How long after the wedding will my images be backed up?

Final edited images (the ones you’ll receive) will be backed up for one year on my end. I recommend all clients download and back up their images from their online gallery so they can ensure to have them on their end as well.

What is your cancellation policy?

In the event that you must cancel our signed contract, I ask that you submit your cancellation in writing. Our contract will outline the amount that is non-refundable.

Before the Wedding

How does the booking process work?

Once you’re ready to book, I’ll put together a contract outlining the terms of what’s included and the payment schedule. The total cost of the package will be divided into 2 equal payments. The first half will be due with the signed contract to reserve your date. No date is reserved until both the retainer and signed contract are received. The final payment is due one month before the wedding.

What does the engagement session include?

Engagement sessions (if included in your package) include:

• 60-90 minutes of shooting time on a weekday
• Travel within 20 miles of Pittstown, NJ
• $100 credit toward the of your engagement session package

After the shoot, I will go through and select and process the best images (making them extra beautiful by enhancing the light, contrast, and color). You’ll then be able to purchase the package of digital files and prints via your online gallery.

How should I give you the details of the day?

We will meet up via zoom 2 months before your wedding. During that meeting, we’ll go through the timeline of the day extensively. I’ll be guiding you through creating your family group photos list and talking through ensuring any other requests you have are noted . We’ll also discuss any sensitive family situations, such as divorced parents, so no one feels uncomfortable on the wedding day.

You’ll have access to our shared document to reference in those final weeks leading up to the wedding. I’ll also advise you on many of the smaller details, like making sure your flowers are delivered to where you’re getting ready rather than directly to the ceremony location and also suggesting you tell family that photos are at 4:15 when they are really at 4:30. This is not my first rodeo 🙂

Should I give you a list of shots I want? Should I send you my Pinterest board?

We’ll go through a shot list together for your family formals, and you can let me know if there are any special groupings you’d like, such as college friends or coworkers.

You don’t need to provide a list of the major moments like “a photo of my flowers” or “a photo of me walking down the aisle”—I’ve already got those covered!

The best images I create often aren’t ones you can check off on a Pinterest list. You’re hiring me to document your wedding day—capturing the moments, emotions, and details that make it uniquely yours. I’d say don’t worry so much about Pinterest board, your wedding will be so much better because it’s yours.

The Day of the Wedding

Will you be the person showing up on the wedding day to shoot my wedding?

Absolutely! I am the person who will be the lead photographer at your wedding, and I’ll also be with you throughout the entire planning process to ensure that what you’ve communicated is exactly what you receive on your wedding day.

Do I really NEED a second shooter?

YES! I feel very strongly about this. All of the galleries on my website showcase what my work looks like with two photographers.

With two shooters, one photographer can focus on getting the “safe shots,” like the bride walking down the aisle with her father, while the second photographer can capture the more creative images or emotional reactions—like mom tearing up as she watches her daughter walk down the aisle or the groom’s expression as he sees his bride for the first time.

The second photographer also begins the day with the guys during groom preparations, allowing both sides of the wedding story to be documented simultaneously.

Will there be a second photographer? Are they just carrying bags or shooting? What is their skill level?

I always photograph weddings with a second photographer. These are photographers who, like me, own their own studios and are capable of functioning as lead photographers themselves. They are not there to carry equipment—they are there to serve as a second set of eyes and ensure your memories are captured from multiple perspectives, especially during moments that happen quickly and can’t be recreated.

What can I do on the wedding day to make sure I love my images?

The most important advice I can give is to communicate with me. If there’s something you’re self-conscious about or a pose you don’t love, please let me know. You won’t hurt my feelings by saying, “I’m not feeling this shot, can we try something different?”

It’s your wedding, and we’ve only got one chance to capture it. My job is to make sure you look your best, guide you into flattering poses, and adjust any small details that may look out of place. Try not to worry about things like “What do I do with my hands?”—I’ll help with all of that so you can simply enjoy the moment.

How would you describe your working style on the wedding day?

It’s always my goal to blend into the background and photograph your day as if I were a fly on the wall. Doing so allows me to capture genuine moments as they naturally unfold.

On the flip side, I also know when it’s time to take the reins. During bride and groom portraits or family formals, I’m not afraid to politely and confidently direct everyone to keep things moving smoothly. Whether it’s gathering family members for portraits or helping you feel comfortable in front of the camera, I’ll provide as much guidance as you need while still keeping the experience fun and relaxed.

What will you typically wear when shooting my wedding?

I typically wear black dress pants with a dressier top. My goal is to blend in while still looking professional—and to be able to move freely to capture every moment.

What happens if my guests are taking photos while you are?

It’s something I’m very used to! Most guests like to grab a quick iPhone photo while I’m setting up family portraits or other posed images. If there’s a large group of people photographing behind me, I’ll politely ask everyone to wait until I’ve captured my shot first. Otherwise, people end up looking at different cameras and no one gets a clean professional image.

Thankfully, most guests are very understanding and happy to give me a moment to do my job before taking their own photos.

The Deliverables

How many images will I get? 

Yes! You will be receiving the best of the best, usually about 600 images.

I’ll go through all the photographs I take that day (there are usually thousands—eek!) and remove the test shots, duplicates, images where people blink, and any that don’t make the final cut. You’ll receive only the strongest images that best tell the story of your wedding day. Trust me when I tell you, you don’t want thousands of photos.

 

What kind of editing is included in the images I’ll receive? What’s not included?

Every image you receive includes professional adjustments to the overall image, including exposure, contrast, sharpening, color correction, cropping, and straightening.

Adjustments made to specific parts of the image —such as removing blemishes, stray hairs, wrinkled clothes, etc — are referred to as retouching. I don’t include retouching on all images but I include up to 5 free images retouched upon your request. Those are usually the images that we’ll print for your album or for the wall.

How will I receive my images?

The digital files from your wedding day will be delivered to you via an online gallery. From there, you’ll have an easy way to view all your images, share them with family and friends and be able to download high resolution files.

In Case of Emergency

What happens if you are sick or unable to shoot on the day of the wedding?

This is a scenario that I still have nightmares about.

If I am physically able to be present at your wedding but unable to photograph it (for example, if I had a broken arm), I would still be there to help coordinate the day while another photographer with a similar style and skill level photographed the wedding. In that situation, there would actually be three of us present—myself, the replacement lead photographer, and the second shooter.

If I am physically unable to attend your wedding, I will arrange for another photographer with a similar style and skill level to take my place. While this is something I take very seriously, it is also something I have only ever had to do once in over 15 years of shooting weddings — when I found out I was pregnant and had a wedding scheduled 5 days after my due date. I had replacement photographers booked long before I told most of my friends and family I was expecting and made sure my clients felt good about the plan moving forward.

I’ve heard horror stories of couples whose photographer cancelled just days before the wedding. Because of the relationships and friendships I’ve built within the wedding photography community, I feel confident that I would be in a much better position to find you a comparable replacement than you would be on such short notice.

After the Wedding

How long after the wedding will I get my images? How long until I get my album?

You can expect to receive your images 4–6 weeks after your wedding date. At that time, you will receive your online gallery link.

The turnaround time for printed products varies depending on how quickly we finalize your selections and album design.

Once an item has been finalized, typical production times are:

• Prints, mounted prints, and standout wall prints: 2 weeks
• Books: 2–3 weeks
• Albums: 4–5 weeks

What is the process for putting together my album?

Most brides feel overwhelmed when it comes to going through their 600+ photos to select images for their wedding album. After your wedding photos are ready, I will typically put together an album “pre-design,” where I select the best images and arrange them across multiple spreads. From there, we will go through each layout and make sure it features YOUR favorite photos by making as many swaps needed.

I’ve found this speeds up the process significantly because I do the heavy lifting of choosing from all the images, and you simply tweak the design from there.

What do your album designs look like?

When designing your wedding album, my goal is for it to be as timeless as possible. I typically design each spread with 5–7 images, using simple white lines to separate each photograph for a clean, classic look.

Have a look at the finished product here:

 

What Made You Want To Become A Wedding Photographer?

I went to college for photography and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. I ended up interning with a wedding photographer the summer before my senior year. Seeing the personal impact the work had on those people’s lives made me fall in love with weddings. Knowing that what I create for my clients is important to them now, but will be even more meaningful to them (and their future families) in 50+ years is the most fulfilling thing I could ask for in a career.

I’ve heard so many horror stories from other people about their wedding photography and it makes me sad! I’ve found that usually it’s not that the photos themselves are bad, it’s that the photographer wasn’t professional or communicative with the couple. As a wedding photographer, I tend to focus more on the experience you’ll have when we work together. Of course I’m also working to provide you with images you’ll love, but I want you to look back on your wedding and think of me as someone you could lean on before, during and after your wedding.

One example of this is that I’ll be walking you through your timeline and providing you with a (rather extensive!) spreadsheet that we’ll create together for you to reference. Most of my brides don’t hire a wedding planner or day-of coordinator, so this is where I step in to fill in the gaps.

 

Questions to Ask Yourself When Deciding Upon the Right Photographer for You

You’ll be spending a lot of time with your photographer on one of the biggest days of your life, so it’s important to make sure they’re the right fit. Ask yourself:

• Are our personalities a good match? (Following them on social media is a great way to find out!)
• Would I want to be friends with this person outside of a business relationship?
• Am I comfortable with this person’s work and communication style?
• Has this photographer listened well and addressed all of my concerns?

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