5 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer Before You Hire Them

When it comes to choosing your wedding photographer, you want to be certain that they are the right fit for you! You’ll be looking at those photos long after your wedding day and be passing them down for generations to come. So your wedding photographer requires careful consideration. When reaching out to different people, you may not know which questions are important to ask. So I’m here to help with a list of 5 questions to ask your wedding photographer before you hire them.

1. Will you be the one shooting my wedding?

This first question is an important one! So make sure you ask the person or company your thinking of hiring – “Who will be the actual photographer on my big day?”. Some wedding photographers have a team of photographers or associate photographers that work with them and will therefore schedule one of them for your day. So this may mean that the photographer you contacted, may not be the one who shoots your wedding! Ask your photographer whether they will be the ones to shoot your day or will it be someone else from their team? If they have a team of photographers, be sure to ask for the portfolio of the person who will actually be taking the photos. This will ensure they match your vision and expectations. It’s also important to set up a time to chat with your day of photographer to make sure your personalities fit well too.

At Alicia Petitti Photography, your primary photographer will always be me, Ali! Three of my four wedding collections also include a second shooter. Second shooters are recommended for weddings over 75 people. As the second shooter can help me make sure I can do my best job at larger events with more moving pieces happening at the same time. Such as help organize family members during family portraits, If you and your groom are getting ready in two different locations, no worries, we got you covered! My second photographer can capture your groom and his groomsman. While I am taking beautiful getting ready photos of you and your bridesmaids. And it’s always nice to be able to get two different angles of your ceremony. You can have confidence that I only work with photographers that I trust to deliver exceptional photographs on your big day.

Not sure if your wedding needs a second shooter or not? Send me a message and I will be happy to help you figure out what collection will best fit your wedding day needs!

2. What exactly is included in your packages?

Wedding packages are not standard across different photographers. When meeting with a photographer, it’s important to get a clear understanding of what they include in their wedding package(s). Some questions to ask your wedding photographer include:

• How many hours are included? 
• Will there be a second photographer?
• How many photos can I expect to receive in the final gallery?
• Do I receive the digital high-resolution images to print from? or do I have to purchase the images after the wedding?
• How do I receive my images after my wedding?

Regarding the price of the packages, some important questions to ask your wedding photographer about include:

• Does the package include an engagement shoot?
• How much coverage do I need for my big day? Do I need to add on time to my package?
• Will there be any additional travel fees?
• Do you include albums in any of your packages?
• How much is the deposit?
• When is full payment required?

When working with me, Alicia Petitti Photography you will have the option of four different wedding collections to choose from. There is something for every kind of wedding from intimate elopements to grand 300+ person weddings. Collections vary from six to nine hours of coverage and you’ll also have the option of one photographer or two depending on which collection you choose. All wedding collections include high-resolution digital files with print release.

I also have various add-ons such as extra time, albums, parent albums, engagement sessions and more. We will discuss all of the details prior to signing the contract so you know what you’re getting and what collection will work best for your big day. If you do not find a collection that fits your needs, no worries! I am always happy to design a customized package that fits the wedding day of your dreams.

3. How would you describe your photography style?

Before you hire your wedding photographer, one of the most important things to establish is the style of photography they use. Each photographer has a unique style and you want to be sure they match what you’re looking for. Firstly, photographers shoot digitally, with film or both. Secondly, they may also prefer candid shots or more traditional, posed photos. Their editing style is also unique to them and that provides a signature look to the photos. So you’ll want to make sure you check out their website wedding portfolio and social media accounts to see if you like what you see! Make sure to ask what their editing process is. Knowing whether they include retouching, color adjustment or other corrective services to your gallery. Your photographer should be able to show you a full gallery of their recent weddings to showcase their style, if asked.

At Alicia Petitti Photography I would describe my style as bright, clean and crisp. I shoot digitally and enjoy including a mix of candid and posed shots throughout the wedding day. It’s important to me that I bring out your personality in the photos! So my shoots do include some posed shots but they’ll be prompted to ensure they feel natural. Check out our gallery to see more of the Alicia Petitti style or send me a message and we can go through some full albums!

 

4. What happens if there is an emergency?

The last thing you want to worry about on your wedding day is a last minute cancellation from your photographer. Be sure to ask what their policy is if they are unable to attend the wedding due to an emergency. Also check whether they have emergency equipment backups in case of failure. Accidents can happen and you never know with technology, so backups are key! 

When working with me, I have a network of backup photographers in the event of an emergency. This is even included as part of our contract! When it comes to emergency equipment, to be honest, I am a little bit of an equipment hoarder. I have backups for my backups! My cameras have two card slots so every time I take a photo, it’s backed up immediately.

 

5. How long after the event will the proofs, album, etc be ready?

Once your wedding day is over, you’re probably still on that wedding high and can’t wait to see those photos from the best day ever! It is important to understand that for many photographers, the bulk of their work happens after the wedding. We have to go through the photos, choose the complete gallery and then edit them prior to sending them to you. Make sure you ask your photographer what their typical turnaround time is for the images and when you can expect to see them.

If you choose to work with me, you can expect your full gallery in 2-3 weeks for engagement sessions or 6-8 weeks for weddings. I love to send sneak peeks prior to releasing your full gallery so you can expect something the first week after your big day!

Other questions to ask your wedding photographer before you hire them

Some other questions that you may consider asking your wedding photographer before you hire them include:

• What does the process of working with you look like?
• Will you hold our date while we decide? If so, for how long?
• Will you post our photos on social media or wedding websites?
• Can we share our wedding photos with our other wedding vendors?
• Can we order prints directly from you?
• Do you have liability insurance?
• And of course….Are you available on our wedding date?