Of course a photographer is going to say this — but choosing the right photographer might be the most important vendor decision you make. Why?

• You’ll spend more time with your photographer than with any other vendor, and it’s not even close.
• If you’re not comfortable around your florist, no one will know. If you’re not comfortable around your photographer, your photos will show it.
• All the decor from your wedding day come down that night, and you may soon sell some of it so someone else can enjoy it. Photographs are the only thing you’ll have with you forever – except your new spouse, of course.

How do you choose the right photographer? Start by knowing yourself…

Know what you want.

1. What style do you like? Artistic or documentary? Light and airy or crisp and clean? Formal or informal?

Know your personality.

1. Are you playful or more on the serious side? Are you looking for regal / dramatic photos or candids that show the real you?

Know your budget.

There is a huge range of services, coverage and product offerings. Before you start your search, decide what you must have, and what you’d like to have if you can find it in your budget. Prioritize. Write a list.

Now that you’ve interviewed yourselves, it’s time to interview a few photographers who you think might fit the bill. I’m assuming you’ll have narrowed down your search based on your budget and on the photos you’ve seen on his/her website and social media accounts.

Questions to Ask Prospective Photographers

Yes / No Questions

• Will you shoot my wedding or will you assign someone else to do it?
• Will there be a second shooter for all / some of the day?
• How many weddings have you shot?
• Can we see some full weddings?
• Have you shot at our venue before? If so, can we see the images?
• Have you shot in lighting conditions similar to our venue’s?

Other Questions

Ask some open-ended questions that will get a conversation going. You want to see if you can build rapport. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions – they’ll just help you figure out if you’ve found your photographer.

• • Tell us what we can expect our day to look like.
  • How will you help me / us relax and be comfortable being photographed?
  • Tell us about shots you love to take that aren’t on our list.
  • How much communication will we have between now and the wedding day?

This is obviously not a full list of questions to ask – there are technical questions about contracts and gear and whatnot that you can find with a simple Google search. My list helps you find out things that brochures can’t tell you.

You already know that there are a lot of photographers who would love to help you. I hope these tips help you find one you click with. (Groan.)