There are a couple of questions that are super important for you to ask not just any photographer before hiring, but especially the photographer you chose for your wedding day

1. Are you licensed & insured?

If a photographer can’t answer this one that’s a HUGE red flag! All professionals are required to be licensed and insured by their state!

2. Do you have a backup system in place for our photos?

This is what my backup system looks like: 3 hard drives, a cloud system, and I don’t format cards until AFTER the wedding is delivered. If your photographer doesn’t have a solid backup system your photos could risk being lost!

3. Do you shoot with a dual slot camera?

This one goes for the wedding day and/or the engagement session. To ensure that your photos won’t be lost, a photographer should have what’s called a “dual-slot”, or simply, a camera with the ability to shoot to two cards. I’ve heard so many horror stories of couples only receiving part of their photos because the photographer didn’t shoot dual slot. This is extremely important!

4. Can we see a couple full wedding galleries?

You want to make sure you hire a photographer who is comfortable in all lighting scenarios. By seeing a full gallery, you’ll be able to see from beginning to end what a wedding day with your potential photographer will look like and the attention to detail!

5. Have you shot at our venue before? If not, are you willing to do a walkthrough prior to the wedding day?

If the venue is not in the photographers hoem state or it’s too far of a drive, they can call and possible set up a virtual tour! Some veneus even have them right on their website!

6. How do you describe your style?

For instance, my style is described as warm, earthy, and candid! My brand leans towards more spontaneous images rather than overly posed ones. You want to find a photographer who knows exactly what their brand is!

7. Do you charge a travel fee?

Most photographers have a standard travel fee that looks something like “$.50 per mile over 35 miles”. Or, if you’re doing an out of state wedding, they most likely a set fee for that!

8. Will the images be in an online gallery? How long will we have access to the gallery?

Online galleries are the easiest way to receive your wedding photos! No more potentially losing a thumb-drive and having to replace it, you can access the photos wherever and whenever you desire!

9. Can we create a custom package to better fit our needs?

I give all of my brides the option to customize their packages. Some brides don’t want a second shooter so we may swap they out for an engagement session. It all depends on what your needs are!

All in all, trust your gut! You’ll know who is the right choice 🙂