One of the most important parts of wedding planning is ensuring you vibe with the vendors who will help deliver on your celebratory vision. When it comes to the busy wedding season, wedding photographers book up well in advance and the last thing you want is the last choice when it comes to who will be responsible for your wedding photos. Ensure your memories are captured how you want by asking your wedding photographer the following questions before you ever even say yes to having them take your photos on your special day.
The 6 Most Important Questions to Ask
Some questions may be nice-to-haves and customized based on your style and preferences as a couple. However, the following questions are what you need to start with as soon as you begin reaching out to potential wedding photographers:
- Are you available on the date we’ve chosen?
- What different wedding photo & video packages do you offer?
- How many weddings have you photographed before? Can you tell me a bit about their size and style?
- How long have you been in business?
- Do you have a portfolio, or Instagram/website I can look at?
- How long after my wedding day will I receive my photos and in what format?
Questions for Destination Wedding Photographers
The list of essential questions will certainly grow if you are hosting a destination wedding. If that’s your plan, be sure to ask these additional questions as well. Pick and choose accordingly, dependent on whether you have chosen a wedding venue with an in-house photographer. We always recommend choosing an in-house wedding photographer as they have the most knowledge of the location and know the best spots to capture beautiful photos.
- Are you familiar with the area/venue at all or have you worked somewhere similar?
- Are you willing to travel and what are the costs associated?
- Have you ever photographed a destination wedding before?
- How long have you been working with the wedding venue?
- Do you have samples of weddings at this location?
- Do we need to pay a vendor fee at this destination?
- What is the best time of day for photography at my destination?
Questions Regarding Photography Vibe & Style
Some brides and grooms want to have an extremely formal affair, while others are looking to celebrate during a low-key day with a bohemian vibe. Whatever you picture for your wedding day, ensure your photographer is onboard – or, at the very least, adaptable to different styles.
These questions will help you determine if your potential photographer is going to fit in with your theme or if they’re going to be rigid about the poses, stylistic elements and tone they think should be set for your photography:
- What is your photography style?
- Which types of weddings do you like to photograph most?
- Do you offer both photo and video coverage?
- Do you feel comfortable working both indoor and outdoor venues?
- Do you provide a shot list, or can I specify specific shots I would like to have included in my wedding?
- Do you offer additional coverage such as rehearsal dinners?
Logistical Things to Get Clarification On
There will be so much to think of on the day of your wedding. It’s best not to leave anything, which matters to you, to chance. So, dependent on what may affect the enjoyment/logistics of your day, you may want to consider asking any/all of the following questions:
- Do you have a photography team/assistant, or will you be the person taking the photos?
- What time will you arrive to set up and what does that require?
- How many cameras do you bring?
- Are there any additional fees for editing the photos?
- Does my photo package come with a wedding album or other photo products?
- What would happen if, for some reason, you suddenly became unable to shoot the wedding?
Hopefully, when you’re looking for a photographer, many of these questions will be clearly laid out on their website. Luckily, you may also be able to find reviews online to supplement what the photographer tells you. Together, armed with these questions and a sound understanding of what you want your wedding day to look like, you should have no problem sorting out who your ideal photographer is and how best you can work together on your big day.
If you are planning a destination wedding, we hope you will give our talented photographers at Adventure Photos the opportunity to work with you to create an incredible wedding photography experience. We work with resorts across Cancun, Dominican Republic, Puerto Vallarta, and Costa Rica, so we are well-versed in the best practices for destination photography that will absolutely wow you.
