Important Questions to Ask When Searching for a Wedding Photographer

Choosing a wedding photographer can be totally overwhelming. If you’ve never searched for one before you may not know exactly what to look for, what to ask, or how to choose. My hope is that this list of questions to ask a potential wedding photographer helps ease the process of choosing one.

Lauren and Jay’s wedding party at Woodlands Colorado in Morrison.

Lauren and Jay’s wedding party at Woodlands Colorado in Morrison.

  1. Ask about their style

    Though it may be easy to scroll through a photographers Instagram, website, or Facebook page, it’s still important to ask them what their style is. There are various styles of photography, from the way we shoot to the way we post-process our images, there is a style to everything we do. Style that people usually refer to is the post-processing (editing) style. There’s no right or wrong answer here, it’s just what you prefer.

I have a very detailed post here that goes over photography styles a little more in depth, and what my style is as a photographer.

Types of editing style include dark and moody, light and airy, true to color, bold and vibrant, and light and moody.

Shooting styles include documentary/candid/photojournalistic, fine art/editorial, traditional, and lifestyle.

As I said above, there are no right or wrong answers here! It’s your wedding day, and it’s all about what you are looking for in a photographer. Ask yourself what styles work best for your vision of your big day, and search for a wedding photographer that meets those styles that you love.

My answer: I am primarily a lifestyle photographer that blends both documentary and some traditional photos on wedding days. I work with clients to achieve the most flattering, natural, and authentic poses without interrupting unfolding moments. If I can be a fly on the wall, I will be. But I’ll also move your hand if it looks awkward (no Ricky Bobby hands, here!).

My post-processing (editing) style is considered light and moody, which is a blend between two reigning styles in the photography field. I shoot for the light of the situation and like to process it as such. I want you to be able to look back on a captured moment and not feel that it has been too heavily altered.

A kiss under the veil on Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen, Colorado.

A kiss under the veil on Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen, Colorado.

2. Ask if they are legal and insured

This one may have you scratching your head, and asking yourself “Do I really need to ask this? Aren’t all professional photographers legal?”
The answer is a resounding no, not all photographers are legal and insured. In fact, there are a ridiculous amount of photographers that are working illegally.
What does this mean exactly? It means that some photographers aren’t paying taxes or don’t have a legit business. It’s easy to slip under the radar if you aren’t full time. You can just pocket the 2 or 3k that someone pays you and move on with your life because the IRS probably won’t care about it. Why should you care about this? Because your photographer not paying taxes means many things, one of them being that you aren’t supporting a legitimate business and that what you’re paying isn’t going toward business expenses and taxes. If you like, you can ask what the name of the photographers business is and you can verify this online in small business databases.

Second, make sure they are insured. Most wedding venues require vendors to have insurance and some require vendors to prove that they are insured. If your photographer breaks something or causes damage somehow, you need to make sure they are covered so it doesn’t come down on you. You can ask to see your photographers proof of insurance if this is important to you.

My answer: YES. I’m legal and insured. I have full equipment, liability, on-location, and business insurance. I pay taxes and have a legitimate business.

Diana and Daniel’s beautiful Maroon Bells elopement in Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado

Diana and Daniel’s beautiful Maroon Bells elopement in Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado

3. Ask about pricing

This may be your first instinct, to worry about pricing, which is totally and completely understandable. But, just like everything, you get what you pay for. If you want a budget photographer under $1,000, you can’t expect to get high-end photos. If you’re here and reading this, then photography is important to you (as it should be).

One of my favorite quotes is, “You’ll have two things left after your wedding day, your spouse and your photos. You better love both of them.”

There is so much truth to that statement. As important as the cake, the flowers, table settings, cocktails, music, and food is, you won’t have any of that after your wedding day is over. Your photos become heirlooms, you’ll cherish them for the rest of your life and pass them down through generations. I have my grandmothers bridal portrait framed in my house, one day your granddaughter may have yours in her home, too. So, pricing is important, but the photos are worth it.

For a full day of professional wedding photography, expect to spend around at the very least around $2,000 or more. $2,000 is even on the lower end of wedding photography. Depending on the region/location, high-end photographers will be anywhere from $3,000-$10,000 for a full day.

When inquiring about wedding photography pricing, make sure to ask what the packages come with if it isn’t clearly stated in a photographers brochure or on their website.

Ask if packages come with the following:

  1. An engagement session - a lot of photographers, myself included, offer a complimentary one hour engagement session with all standard wedding packages.

  2. A second photographer or assistant - there is a big difference here. A second photographer or associate shooter will be working just like your main photographer and capturing moments, working to get shots from different angles or tackling two locations at once (i.e. one photographer working with the groomsmen while one works with the bridesmaids). An assistant may not be actually shooting, an assistant might just be carrying gear and doing minimal shooting, reading shot lists, etc.

    Not all photographers include a second photographer or an assistant, and that’s perfectly fine. This is just another thing to consider!

  3. A gallery - some photographers don’t provide a full gallery with the wedding package. There isn’t a right or wrong here, but sometimes you’ll just get a proof gallery with watermarked images where you either have to buy individual images or purchase the full gallery after the wedding is over.

    So, just ask if your package comes with a gallery!

  4. Specific hours - is your photographer contracted to work a specific number of hours? My packages are broken up into hours. I have 4, 6, and 8 hour packages with the option to add on additional hours for longer days.

  5. Prints - some photographers include printing and albums in the price of the wedding. These will typically be on the higher-priced end of photography.

I want to finish this up by saying there’s absolutely nothing wrong with being on a budget. I think most people are who are planning weddings out there. If you have a super strict budget and professional photography is a daunting cost, then reach out and ask about custom packages. I work with clients to create custom packages all the time. Photographers build their packages based on what’s included. You can ask to shave off some of the extra stuff and see if you can get the price down to something more manageable to you, that way everyone is happy!

My answer: This is not a super straight forward answer, as I do have multiple different packages and price points. If you’re interested, submit an inquiry and I can send over all the details for you to look over and see what package works best for you. If you’re just wanting an idea of what my prices are, head over to my investment page to see starting costs.

Cath dancing with her grandmother on her wedding day at Sunlight Mountain Resort

Cath dancing with her grandmother on her wedding day at Sunlight Mountain Resort

4. Experience and gear

While gear is very important to professional photography and shooting weddings, I lumped these two together because I feel that they go hand in hand, since gear is really nothing without experience. Someone can successfully shoot a wedding beautifully on a cropped frame 10 year old DSLR if they just know what they are doing and how to control lighting, manual settings, and composition in photos. On the contrary, someone can have the most expensive gear on the market and not know a single thing about how to use it or shoot a wedding.

So, where do you come in and how do you talk to your photographer about it? First, ask about experience. How long have they been shooting photos professionally? How many weddings have they shot as a lead photographer? How many weddings do they typically shoot in a year? How do they control lighting? Do they have external flashes, strobes, umbrellas, etc? Do they have multiple cameras and backups in case of an emergency? (Nothing is worse than the horror stories I’ve heard of a photographers only camera breaking mid-wedding.)

Most of the time, I think you’ll know whether or not you’re chatting with an experienced wedding photographer. You may not feel the need to ask these questions, but if you get an inkling that the photographer may not be as experienced as they say, it’s definitely a good idea to touch base on these questions.

My answer: I have 10 years of professional experience working in the photography field. I started out assisting and second shooting for some incredible photographers when I first purchased a DSLR when I was 18. Over the next few years I began taking on my own clients, attending photography classes, went on a study abroad photography program in Greece, graduated with a professional photography degree, and focused in on my growing my business. Throughout my early twenties I dabbled in everything from editorial magazine photography, interior/architectural work, festivals and live music… the list goes on.

Now I’m a full time photographer and I shoot on average 10-14 weddings and elopements a year right now, as well as portrait sessions, events, and studio work in between.

As far as gear goes, I always shoot on two cameras (Canon 5D Mark IVs) at weddings and I do have a back up camera body in case of emergencies. I have multiple lenses I like to use for different situations throughout the day, as well as external flashes and lighting when I need it for indoor venues.

Katie and Kara’s beautiful autumn wedding at the New York Botanical Gardens in Bronx, NY

Katie and Kara’s beautiful autumn wedding at the New York Botanical Gardens in Bronx, NY

5. Travel costs

This one may not apply to you if you’re only planning on hiring vendors local to the area of your wedding, but it’s an important one if you’re looking at photographers that are even slightly out of the region.

It’s important to be ready to cover travel and lodging costs for your photographer if they need it. Even a photographer that lives 3 hours away from the wedding location may want lodging for the night. 3 hours may not seem like a long drive, but when 6 extra hours is added into an already 8 hour wedding day, lodging is usually needed.

Other travel factors to consider are gas mileage, airfare, rental car, etc.

So, just don’t hesitate to ask about travel costs! Most photographers out there, myself included, don’t need 5 star hotels and can post up at a Holiday Inn or a cheap Airbnb for the night.

My answer: First of all, YES. YES. YES. I will travel and I love to travel. My costs for weddings doesn’t change with travel, I just ask that any travel fees are covered, depending on what is needed.

If you’re planning a destination wedding in one of my bucket list locations, I will offer a little discount on the package cost.

Katie and Spencer’s first dance on the deck of the Marble Lodge at Beaver Lake Campus in Marble, CO

Katie and Spencer’s first dance on the deck of the Marble Lodge at Beaver Lake Campus in Marble, CO

6. Ask to see examples of work/galleries

This is a huge one. So often, potential clients peruse social media and websites without seeing what a full wedding day looks like from begin to end with a photographer.

Obviously, social media pages and websites are a great place to start, but as photographers we just put up our favorite and best work. These are our digital portfolios, so it’s curated exactly the way we like. While it’s important to see how we like to curate our portfolios to get an idea of our style, it’s also important to take a look at what a full day of working with us looks like.

I personally send out 3 example weddings with every inquiry for all my clients to look through. I picked three weddings that showcase different lighting situations (one cloudy day in a white barn, one bluebird sunny day outside, and one overcast/rainy day in a dark venue). I just think it’s incredible important for my inquiries to get a really good idea of what a full wedding day looks like with me.

So, if you’re chatting with a wedding photographer and you haven’t seen any full galleries, just ask!

My answer: I always showcase full galleries of work before I even have a client book with me. This is something that I do right off the bat with the inquiry.

Kevin and Bavithira’s winter mountaintop elopement in Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado

Kevin and Bavithira’s winter mountaintop elopement in Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado

7. Turnaround time

Super simple one, here! Just ask how long the turnaround time is for the photos.

Expect, on average, to wait anywhere from 4-12 weeks depending on when in wedding season your wedding is, how busy the photographer is, etc.

My answer: My average for delivery time seems to be somewhere around 4-6 weeks for full wedding gallery delivery. This does shift and change, so just be sure to ask if you’re curious! You can always text/email your photographer and check in as well if the curiosity is killing you :)

Darci and Chris at the Redstone Castle in Redstone, Colorado

Darci and Chris at the Redstone Castle in Redstone, Colorado

8. What happens if they can’t shoot the wedding?

I think I’m speaking for all photographers when I say, we NEVER want this to happen. But, sometimes it does. Family emergencies happen, illnesses happen, accidents happen, etc.

It’s important to ask your photographer if they have dealt with this and how they resolved the situation.

So far, I’ve only had this happen one time in my career as a photographer, and it was actually within the last month. I caught COVID and had to find a replacement for the wedding. I have an incredible repertoire of trusted wedding photographers who I can turn to in a situation like this. Luckily, a good friend of mine who’s also a super talented wedding photographer was able to step in for me.

It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen. Just talk with your photographer beforehand about this and if they have dealt with it before!

My answer: In the unfortunate case of an emergency cancellation, I will cover the cost of a fill-in photographer. All the photos will still be delivered to you in my style and through my brand. This alleviates any stress on the client to try and locate an available professional so close to a wedding day.

Kemba and Chance’s intimate wedding in Estes Park, Colorado

Kemba and Chance’s intimate wedding in Estes Park, Colorado

9. Do you offer prints and albums?

Not all photographers offer printing and album building services, and that’s ok! We live in a digital age, afterall.

But, if having physical heirlooms is important to you then this should absolutely be on your list of questions to ask.

My answer: I do offer printing as well as album design. If you’re interested in seeing examples of this work, reach out! If we have an in-person consultation I always bring a few albums with me to look through.

White Sands National Monument elopement

White Sands National Monument elopement

10. Why are they a wedding photographer?

Last, but certainly not least, is this question. Why do they do what they do?

I think this is a great question, and can give you some awesome insight into who your photographer is as a person and what drives them in their craft as a professional photographer.

Every photographer seems to have a different spark. So, while this may not be the deciding factor in why you book with someone, I think it’s an insightful question to ask.

My answer: I love light. I love magic. Wedding days are full of both. Harnessing light through my camera and telling lasting stories feels like a superpower. From the champagne popping to all of the inevitable tears to the “I do” to Uncle Bob busting a sweet move on the dance floor, weddings have it all and I aim to capture as many of these sweet little moments as humanly possible.

I invest myself in the stories that unfold around me every day. I’m an emotional person, and I will most likely be shooting through teary eyes throughout your wedding day. I think being a sensitive and caring human has shaped a big part of why I love being a wedding photographer. Tapping into these moments to see what makes them so special is of the upmost importance.

Luis and Lina’s Maroon Bells elopement in Aspen/Snowmass, CO

Luis and Lina’s Maroon Bells elopement in Aspen/Snowmass, CO

Well, there you have it, folks!
I hope this blog post was informative and helps you on your search for a wedding photographer.

There’s a ton of information out there, and lots of articles/blog posts similar to this one. I just thought it would be a good idea to write it from a photographers perspective. Hopefully this helps someone on their search!

Best of luck to all the couples out there who are on the search and planning their perfect day.

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or inquiries.

August’s bridal portrait at the T Lazy 7 Ranch. Maroon Bells, Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado

August’s bridal portrait at the T Lazy 7 Ranch. Maroon Bells, Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado

Lyndsay and Jamie’s intimate wedding at the Denver Botanic Gardens

Lyndsay and Jamie’s intimate wedding at the Denver Botanic Gardens

Michal and Jason’s canyon side ceremony at Colorado National Monument in Grand Junction, Colorado

Michal and Jason’s canyon side ceremony at Colorado National Monument in Grand Junction, Colorado

Dried floral bouquet, White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

Dried floral bouquet, White Sands National Monument, New Mexico