So you just hired your wedding photographer, right? Congrats! That’s one of the biggest things besides venue and your fiancé(e) ! Give yourself a pat on the back because you deserve it! Whoohoo! Wedding planning *almost* complete!

But while you were looking through millions of websites, trying to sort through who is way over or under budget, and figuring out what style you love, you might have forgotten some things.

But what did you forget to ask when you hired your photographer? Read on…

1. How hands-on are they?

This question is huge and could mean the difference between a happy experience and unorganization.

I mean this in a number of ways. Ask them outright how hands-on or hands-off are they in terms of…

• Planning

• Creating timelines

• Communication with your venue or other vendors

• Communication with you

• How they guide your posing

• How they interact with guests

• How they get your family together for photos

If you want someone who is more type B and simple, relaxed, and stays out of the way, make sure you know that going in! If you want a wedding photographer who is communicative, helpful, and goes above and beyond for you, find that out too!

Because wedding vendors are often entrepreneurs, there’s every type of personality out there, so make sure you hire one that fits what you’re looking for perfectly! You will never regret doing some extra research if it means the difference between a happy experience and a sub-par one.

2. Did they send you a full gallery?

So many photographers nowadays hide behind a pretty instagram feed and a few great “hero” shots on their website. Just because they have taken a few good photos in the past does NOT mean they are good at capturing your entire wedding. Wedding photography is it’s own animal and isn’t for the weak.

Also, there’s this thing called a “styled shoot.” Most of my couples did not know what that meant when they were looking for a photographer.

A styled shoot is a fake wedding that vendors put together to show off their creativity and create portfolio work. They’re great and serve a purpose, but they can be deceiving.

BUT… there’s a huge trend right now where photographers are doing a ton of these fake weddings and ONLY showing these on their sites, but their actual photo or people skills are nonexistent. And as a couple, you only see these PERFECT pics that are not real at all. Honestly, I’ve seen so many photographers with great websites but their work in real life kinda sucks (sorry, I’m being harsh and calling people out, but I’m doing this for you so you don’t end up hating your wedding photos!)

When people don’t have a bunch of full, beautiful galleries, it means they have only shot these fake weddings (professional models, huge budgets, no actual guests involved, no time restrictions, AKA not reality). This could mean they have no idea how to direct people, shoot in ugly lighting, use flash, able to shoot in the dark, or handle the stress of a real wedding. Steer clear!!!

Of course having no full galleries could mean they’re new, which isn’t a bad thing. But either way, you should be aware of their experience level before hiring them.

all that to say… ask for at LEAST 4-6 FULL GALLERIES from any potential photographer.

A few things to be ask yourself when looking through galleries:

• Do you love detail shots/flat lays? See if the photographer does them well!

• Are you all about dancing photos?

• Close ups and far away? A mix of both?

• Do you like their style in each part of the wedding?

• How many photos did they deliver?

• Did they capture what’s unique about the wedding?

• How did the photos make you FEEL? To me, a great gallery is one that makes my heart beat fast or when I can “feel” the vibes of the wedding through an image.

3. Will they help build a timeline?

Building a timeline or a photo schedule for the wedding day is not common practice because coordinators usually handle all timelines.

However, just because a coordinator is making a master timeline does not mean it is going to leave enough (or too much) time for the photos the couple requested. I love working with couples and coordinators together to come up with a solid, breathable timeline that not only helps the day run smoothly, but keep you enjoying the day and getting the best photos ever.

4. Are they actually a business?

THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. I could write novels about all the times I’ve heard people hiring friendors (friend + vendors) or photographers who look like they have it all together and… they don’t. And I’ll spare you the time to say those stories don’t turn out too good for the couple.

One thing that is suppppper important to ask of any vendor is are they licensed and do they have liability insurance. If they don’t, move on. Trust me, you don’t want to hire someone who isn’t doing things legally. Even more than that, but if they do something wrong, you might have to pay $$$ for it.

Simply ask them for a copy of their liability insurance listing your venue as additionally insured. You’ll likely be required to send it to the venue anyways!

5. Is it a personality match?

Find out who they truly are as a person. Their website and socials should hint at it, but I encourage you to actually CALL on the phone and see if you vibe well.

This is #1 because it should be the most important thing when hiring a photographer. It’s so much more than pretty pictures.

Yes — much more important than how much they charge, what their photos look like, how many reviews they have, who referred them, and how many awards or followers they have.

Here’s the deal. It’s a relationship. And just like any relationship, there’s someone for everyone.

Lemme scream it from the rooftops: THERE IS SOMEONE FOR EVERYONE.

You’re gonna spend more time with them than your own spouse on your wedding day!

So don’t settle. Listen to your gut. Go with someone you literally are jumping up and down to hire, because that’s what you deserve! And you will NEVER regret spending more $ or whatever when you hire someone you truly vibe with.

Ask them these questions to get a good gauge:

Could you see yourself being friends with them?

Will your fiancé(e) would be comfortable with them?

Do they listen to you empathetically?

Do you trust & have confidence in them to take care of you and make decisions for you when you’re not there to make them (cuz this happens on wedding days!)?

Are they the life of the party? The documenter in the background catching things as they happen? Do they guide your posing to the millimeter? Or do they gently guide you to make it more candid?

Last thing is not a question, but a word of encouragement:

Trust.

This is #1. Whoever you pick to be part of your wedding, you are relying on them completely to be a positive force at your wedding and complete their services well, but also you’re trusting them to be the squad that will back you up and go above-and-beyond for you during the entire wedding process.

If you can trust their:

• style

• judgment

• character

then it’s a right match!

Good luck, friends!!! I hope you have a BLAST at your wedding, and good luck with the vendor searching!