Questions to ask when booking your wedding photographer
You’re engaged!!! YAY! Now what… Take some time to enjoy you and your new fiancé! Pop the champagne, have a party, and celebrate. I hope you’re not surprised when people start asking you when are you getting married, when are you getting married, what are your colors, whose your photographer? It’s gets crazy fast! So don’t be afraid or feel guilty to just take sometime to enjoy your engagement and this special season of your life.
When you are ready to start planning your wedding the first few things you’ll want to do is pick a date and a venue. Sometimes this is easier said than done… Because you’ll need an approximate guest count to see if you can fit in the venue. You’ll need a ballpark of your budget so you can make sure you can afford your venue/catering (if they have a preferred caterer). Once you’ve booked your venue you’ve gotten the hardest part over with!! It’s a lot easier for things to go into place!
I highly recommend looking for your photographer as soon as you have a date because a lot of times we book two years in advance. I can’t tell you how sad it makes me when I have to say I’m booked to a couple that seems really sweet and like people I could have connected really well with.
When a couple inquires with me I try respond ASAP. I want my couples to know they are a priority to me! I want to be the first to respond to them incase they reach out to multiple photographers. I like to hop on the phone with my couples so I can hear their voices, get to know them a little better and talk to them about the experience I offer. To me it seems much more personal to talk on the phone than to just send emails back and forth. Instead of having couples read a bunch of words and numbers I ask them whats important to them, what they’re excited about, what their vision for their day is over the phone! I love hearing about their dreams and plans for their big day. I want to my couples to feel like we can be friends so I want to hear more about them and their story. Then I go over the experience I offer. I tell them about the free engagement shoot I include, what my communication leading up to the wedding looks like, what the day of looks like for me, what the process after the wedding looks like. I go over packages, pricing & what booking with me looks like. I’m a big fan of phone calls or even a FaceTime. I think its way easier to have a 15 minute phone call than emailing back and forth for days. But the most important thing for me is that my couples feel special and excited, can trust me, and look forward to and love the moments and memories their photos provide. Going above and beyond and providing a unique experience for each and every one of my clients is my goal!
When you begin looking for your dream photographer make sure you love more than just their Instagram feed. You’ll want to ask them some questions before you sign a contract. Whether you’re emailing them back and forth, texting or scheduling a phone call here are some ideas and suggestions of things you’ll want to ask.
What is your shooting style? Are they light and airy like you want? Are they relaxed and easy going to match your personality? One of my favorite reasons I talk on the phone with my couples first is so I can get to know them a little better. I want to make sure I’m a good fit for my couples and will enhance their wedding day and give them the kind of experience they’re looking for.
Do I need/want a second shooter? Is a second shooter included or is that extra?
What does a normal day look like for you? Ask them what a normal timeline looks like for them. Do they show up to take detail shots, will they stay until the end?
What is your back up plan incase you get sick? Will someone replace you? Will they still edit your photos afterwards?
What is your cancellation policy like? Are there any exceptions due to COVID-19?
How do you backup your files? (Do they use dual card slots so your photos are automatically backed up right away)
Do you have any hidden or extra fees? Any extra fees for milage, downloading or printing photos? (Sometime photographers will offer a cheaper package but then only include a set amount of photos and make you pay extra per photo…)
What does moving forward with you look like? What do they need from you to secure and hold your date. Most likely it’ll be a signed contract and some sort of deposit.
What is your payment schedule and when is the final payment due?
What is your turnaround time? Aka how long will it take me to get my photos?
How will I receive my photos? Through an online gallery, usb or both?
And lately I love when my couples ask if they can see a full gallery of photos! THIS is gold when you’re between a few photographers or just aren’t sure. It’s very helpful to see a full story and get an idea of what your day could look like as well make sure you love all
So whether you are looking into booking me or another photographer make sure you LOVE and TRSUT the experience they offer. You are the bride, its your wedding and your day! Hopefully the experience you choose and the photos you receive are something you look back at and cherish and never regret.
