Researching wedding photographers online first can save a lot of time before setting up any actual appointments.
View different photographers’ portfolios and read about their experience and approach — from this, you’ll quickly be able to tell if this is someone with whom you share a similar vision.
Ask how many weddings the photographer has done and whether or not he or she has photographed at your wedding venue. Familiarity with the space ahead of time will allow for more efficiency on the part of the photographer, who will be able to plan for different shots and situations unique to that venue.
Also, make sure that the photographer you choose will be the one who will be at your wedding. If you’re dealing with a large company who has several photographers available, they may send whoever’s available on your wedding date. Be sure to get this in writing, as part of the contract with the photographer.
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Once you narrow down your list and choose a photographer who meets your needs and style, talk with him or her about the various wedding services that they offer. Typical services include:
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Engagement Portraits
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Wedding Proofs
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Wedding Albums
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Parents’ Albums
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Extra Prints
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Negatives
The cost for each of these services varies greatly from photographer to photographer. Decide what you need before interviewing someone so that you have an idea of what the total cost will look like after ordering extra prints, purchasing the negatives, etc.
Note: Most experienced wedding photographers will charge quite a bit extra for orders of extra prints (which is also how they make their money) and for selling you the original negatives. Some photographers won’t sell the negatives at all. Find out up front what these costs are, and what your photographer’s policy on obtaining negatives is.
Some final questions to ask include the following:
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What is your payment/deposit procedure?
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What is the cancellation policy?
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What is your policy/cost for overtime, should my wedding run longer than scheduled?
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Do you offer any sort of money-back guarantee?
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Do you have a standard list of photos/poses that I can choose from? (Ex. Bride and Father Dancing, Exchange of Rings at Ceremony, Cake Cutting at Reception, etc.)
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How soon after the wedding will I be able to review the proofs? How many proofs will I receive?
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When will I receive my wedding albums?
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Do you have a website where our family and guests can order additional prints?