27 Important Questions To Ask Your Wedding Photographer & Videographer
Let's face it - most decisions in life aren't exactly a "flip a coin" type of matter. And this is especially true when it comes to picking out the perfect Wedding Photography Services or Wedding Videography Services for your special day.
After all, you've only got one shot at making sure everything goes flawlessly - so working with the right team is absolutely key.
Whether you're considering bringing us onboard or trying to figure out whether or not another studio will be a good fit - here are 27 questions you can ask to find the perfect creative professionals to capture every magical moment of your wedding.
1. Before Anything Else: Establish Their Availability
Before you go asking for portfolio samples or trying to scope out style familiarity - it's a good idea to figure out whether or not the team is available on the dates you've got in mind.
For example, you could ask:
"Would you be available on the date we’ve got in mind to shoot a wedding?"
"How many other weddings will you be shooting in that stretch of time?"
"Are you planning to shoot my wedding personally? If not, is it possible to meet the person who will be doing it?"
Keep in mind, that it's not always a bad thing if a photographer works solo, as assistants aren't always a necessity - it really depends on the scope of the project at hand.
2. Learn About Their Background & Experience
Before you settle on a studio or team to shoot your wedding, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with their experience, portfolio, and signature style.
At this stage, you can ask questions like:
"How many weddings have you shot before? What about the venues we’re considering (outdoors, indoors, nature, etc...)?"
"Could you forward me a few samples of some of your recent shoots?"
"Have you ever worked with the wedding planner we're going to work with?"
"Do you plan to check out the venue we're planning to go with in advance?"
"Is it possible to request specific shots that we're interested in?"
"Do you bring backup equipment to avoid technical failures?"
3. If You Plan To Involve A Videographer Too
Still shots are amazing, but it's no secret that one of the best ways to really immortalize the memories of your wedding day and capture some of that magical essence is via wedding video.
If you plan on working with a videographer alongside a wedding photography professional, or better yet, if they're part of the same studio, it's a good idea to figure out the logistics of their coordination ahead of time.
These are a few of the questions you could ask them:
"Which parts of the wedding day are you planning to capture?"
"How many cameras and operators will be filming during the wedding day?"
"How long does editing a wedding video take?"
"Is it possible to make changes to the film once they show you the first draft?"
"Who owns the copyright to the wedding video that comes out?"
"Will the film be watermarked with the studio's logo?"
"Will the video be more of a music-video or will it use some of the dialogue from the wedding day too?"
4. Get Familiar With Their Style
While having a look at their portfolio should shed some light on whether or not a particular wedding photography and videography company has a signature style, as well as what styles they're familiar with in general - this is a good point in time to discuss some of your own tastes and stylistic preferences to see how well everything fits together.
At this stage, you can ask questions such as:
"How would you personally describe your photography or videography style? Is there a signature shot you're well-known for?"
"How do you typically work? Will you be choreographing shots, or are you going to be more in the background, capturing those all-important candid moments?"
"Do you mostly shoot with film? Digitally? Or is it more a mix of both? Which of them are you most comfortable with?"
5. Pricing, Prints & Logistics
Once you've established what sort of services they offer, the experience they possess, their stylistic preferences, and other factors - it's time to talk about the logistics behind the wedding.
From the date to the travel coverage, dress code, to the packages and costs, flexibility, backup policies, printing, and more - there's a wealth of details to cover in order to make sure that this studio or team is really a good fit to provide wedding video and photography for your special day, and that everything will go stellar.
At this point, some good questions to ask are:
"What is included in the packages you offer? What are the addons that we can consider?"
"Is there the possibility to customize a package to fit my particular needs?"
"How many hours are included in the package? If extra hours are needed - how much will those run?"
"Does your studio offer a photo booth for the guests?"
"Do you charge a travel fee? If so, what does that look like in terms of coverage and distance?"
"Can we order prints and albums of our photos from your studio? If so, what are the costs and turnaround time?"
"How will the images/videos be delivered after the wedding? What is the average time to edit a shoot?"
"What's the required deposit?"
"Is it possible to pay installments, or is it a lump-sum payment? When's it all due?"
"How will you and your assistant be dressed?"
"What is the backup/refund policy in case you're unable to shoot my wedding unexpectedly?"
Closing Thoughts
Undeniably, a wedding is one of the most important days in everyone's life. And to no surprise - weddings can be just as stressful as they are magical. From all the insanity surrounding the planning and coordination to making sure that everything does off without a hitch - there's a lot for you to worry about.
Thankfully, taking some time to interview your preferred studio or team in advance can alleviate a huge chunk of that stress.
Today, we've shared 27 of the best questions you can ask your wedding photographer or videographer to help you pick out the absolute best professionals to capture your special day.
If you're planning your wedding and need a great team to help you capture it all - give us a shout!
Lumina Inc. is Vancouver's leading team of wedding video & photo professionals with one of the most vibrant portfolios and some of the brightest creative minds to help you make your special day truly magical.