Ok, full disclosure, I am a professional wedding photographer. But when I got married, I wasn't. I was just a bride trying to save money, find good vendors and pay for all of it at the same time without going into debt. You too?
I learned the hard way on what I should have asked before I hired my photographer. I made assumptions and you know how that goes. Follow these 7 steps to make sure you don't make the same wedding mistakes I did.
More info: TiffanyHopwoodPhotography.com
Here's my Top 6: Ask This, Not That
(C) Tiffany Hopwood Photography
#1 DON'T ASK: How long have you been a photographer?
DO ASK: How many weddings have you done as the primary photographer?
This question gets you more to the heart of a wedding photographer's experience. I'm not saying you can't hire a newbie, just understand that all photographers are not created equal. Weddings are a unique event, it's worth making sure you have someone that's seen it all.
My mistake: My photographer's portfolio was limited. I should have asked to see more work.
#2 DON'T ASK: Have you photographed my venue before?
DO ASK: What's your approach to photographing a wedding?
No experienced photographer should have a problem shooting a wedding at a new place. I actually find my creativity is stronger on my first visit.
You do want to know their approach to how your day will go. Will it be directed or documented as if the photographer wasn't there? Will they pull you aside for an impromtu photo idea or just follow the timeline? All this is important to set expectations.
My mistake: There was no game plan for my wedding and I personally would have liked a little more direction/input/ideas from my photographer.
#3 DON'T ASK: Will I get all my photos on a USB?
DO ASK: How many photos can I expect to receive on my USB?
I typically deliver about over 100 images per hour. So a typical 6 hours wedding will regularly receive over 600 images. I would never dream to limit the full extent of what I captured. It's all yours.
My mistake: This was the biggest one for me. I received 200 images. I know there were more and I wished I got to see them.
#4 DON'T ASK: Can you work with a dark venue?
DO ASK: What type of lighting do you use during a wedding?
We use the highest level cameras, lenses and off camera lighting to make sure light is never a problem, no matter the venue. Make sure your photographer has a plan for lighting your venue and that it doesn't involve a pop up camera flash.
My mistake: Our ceremony location was extremely backlit and my photographer didn't have the lighting capability or experience to handle the silhouette effect.
#5 DON'T ASK: How much are your packages?
DO ASK: Do you have any current specials?
Most photographers will have their wedding packages and pricing on their website. It's so funny how many people send a message from my site asking for pricing when it's all on there. Photographers, can you relate?
After you browse the wedding packages, then, ALWAYS ask what the current specials are. They may seem like they are out of your budget, but you never know unless you ask!
Pro tip: Love their work, but not the price? Ask if they can adjust a package to remove something and lower the cost.
If you have a special scenario like a weekday wedding or you're a veteran, it never hurts to ask if there is a discount for you.
My mistake: I went with the cheapest photographer instead of one who I loved and was confident in their portfolio.
#6 DON'T ASK: Do you edit the photos?
DO ASK: What's your process for our processing our photos after the wedding?
You want to make sure you receive edited photos and this takes time. There are photographers that shoot and deliver without editing a photo. And then there are others that over edit like a crazy instagram filter.
Make sure you look at their portfolio and it has an overall look that you like. What you see is what you are going to receive.
If you want a bright and airy style, mention it up front. If you're looking for dark and moody, make sure it's something they can do. Ask specific questions about photos in their portfolio that you like and if they can be recreated.
My mistake: My photos were edited with unnatural colors and vingnettes when I wanted more classic.
#7 DON’T ASK: What's your photography style?
DO ASK: Can you show me some galleries of full weddings from beginning to end?
You will certainly be able to tell a lot more from seeing a full wedding from beginning to end for what types of photos you might expect to receive. An explanation of style like timeless or classic will be much less helpful. With a full gallery, you can see lighting, style, posed/candid ratio, and the general emotion from the day. And it's definitely bonus if you can see a full wedding from your actual venue which will really help you to visualize your own wedding.
Every photographer and venue puts their best highlights on their sites, so it is good to see the rest of the moments as a part of a full package.
My mistake: I only saw a handful of images from her portfolio, all in beautiful light, so I wasn't able to see how she handled a full day.