I’ve been to so many consultations with well meaning brides-to-be that have a list of “questions to ask your wedding photographer” that they’ve either gotten from The Knot or that they’ve complied themselves from multiple websites. I totally respect these brides and the way they are trying to prepare for the day. There are several issues with this method though, keep scrolling to read about them!
The “Questions for Your Wedding Photographer” are Irrelevant
I’ve seen the lists. From The Knot or from Brides.com about what to ask your wedding photographer. While some of the questions are very important, some of the questions are simply not information that needs to be on your “important questions” list. For example, if you like a photographer and you’ve browsed their site, you have a good idea of how they shoot and edit. If it is unclear what their shooting style is, that is a problem with their consistency, not a question that you should have to worry about. A photographers website should make it clear what their shooting style is and how their images are edited. If you feel that this is a question you need to ask you photographer, maybe you should keep searching. Any question related to style or the photographers experience should be clearly stated on their website.
The Questions Can be Offensive
We know that you mean well and we know that you wouldn’t want to offend us. When potential clients question our ability or our gear, it can come across as distrust. No photographer wants to feel that their clients don’t trust them. The “what gear do you use” and “how long have you been shooting weddings” questions can take a back seat on your list. The only exception to this (in my opinion) is if you are taking a chance on a newer photographer who is just starting out. In that case, ask away on how they would handle certain situations or their experience.
Related: Trust Your Photographers – Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer
The “Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer” Will Probably be Answered During the Consultation
This has only happened to me a couple times, but picture this. You sit down with your potential clients and before greetings are through, the questions start. Again, I respect these prepared and direct brides. They’re organized, they know what they want, and they know how to communicate that. During my consultations I start with getting to know my potential couple and their story. Once I feel that I know enough about them and it is now time to talk business, I will take control of the conversation and walk my couples through the complete wedding process, from consultation to gallery delivery. Typically after these *ideal* consultations, the couple has no questions for me because they have been answered. If you’re patient and let your photographer run the consultation, they should answer all of your questions before you need to ask them!
Questions you Should Ask Your Wedding Photographer
These are questions that I believe are necessary and can be helpful to any couple! You should definitely ask these – unless your photographer answers them before you can 🙂
-Do you recommend a first look? Why?
-What is your favorite part of the wedding day?
-How do you handle over bearing guests?
-Can I see a full wedding gallery to see how you completely tell a couple’s story?
-Do you have a list of recommended vendors?
-Do you help with timeline planning?
-Do you plan to have our wedding published?
-Do you work well/coordinate with other vendors?
