Questions for photographer/videographer

How many photos you get per hour, how many hours you’ll get, if there will be 1 or 2 photographers, if we had to pay for photos without water marks or if we’d have them in a free virtual gallery and how long it takes to get your photos back.
My suggestion is to do a photo shoot with them before the wedding. My photographers package came with an engagement session; best thing ever! We got rid of all the nerves of having a stranger take our photos before the big day!

I agree with PP I would also ask how many weddings they have shot and look at their past work.

Emma’s suggestions are great. I also wanted to get a feel for personality and how they work, so I asked things like what’s your favorite part of a wedding, do you give a lot of posing direction, why did you choose wedding photography to specialize in, what kind of couples do you think you are a good fit for, etc.
Also, when can we expect a sneak peak and when can we expect our full album after the wedding, what kind of additional fees do you charge- travel, accommodations, etc.
We found that packages varied SO much in price and what was included that a lot of times it was hard to compare. Good luck!

First off, it depends on what style of videographer you’d like. We went with a cinematographer. Ask to see their packages. Also check out their videos!!!! Ask them if they give you all of the raw footage as well. My cinematographer does give us all of the raw footage including a 3 to 5 minute wedding video in HD. ask if they do drone footage.


****Keep in mind with drone footage, depending on the venue you have if it’s outdoors you may need to consult with your venue to see if there’s any fee for drone use or if they have any specific contract policy for it.
Ask how long the editing process takes.
****Another big one you may want to ask would be the music! Many videographers/cinematographers license their own music so if you have a particular song that you really want in a video, you definitely want to ask them first before signing a contract if they will be able to use that song! ****

-will you need us to provide you with a meal at the reception?

-do you edit your photos? All of them (If not, how many)?

-what if there are specific shots we want... how and when do we provide you with that information?

-what happens if you (the photographer) gets sick or has an emergency and ends up not being able to make it?

-what form of media will we receive the photos in? (Flash drive, Dropbox, etc)

-do we have the full rights to the photos?

-when is the first deposit due? When is the final payment due?

-do you charge a travel fee?

-when can we expect our photos back (and make sure to get this in writing! So many brides on here have had problems with their photographers not getting photos back in time, so just save yourself that trouble by making sure this one is in the contract or at least in writing in an email or something)? Will there be a sneak peek or preview before then (and if so, when can we expect that)?

-how many photos do you guarantee we’ll receive?

In addition to the questions already mentioned above, I asked the photographers we talked to about whether they stay in one general area (such as, the back row so they don't block guest views) for the entire ceremony and capture most pictures from that angle, or if they move around and get pictures from all angles (even if that means blocking guest views for a minute or two). I also asked about how they capture their shots (do they use the same set of poses in each location or do they try to be creative depending on the scenery?), and how many pictures we can expect to receive and in what timeframe.

All of these questions are awesome, but one question that really makes a difference is asking them how they feel about shooting weddings. You’re going to get 10x better photos from someone whose passion is shooting weddings versus someone who just do them for the sake of a job. I always love when people ask me how creative I’m willing to get, and if I’ll do any additional styles besides portraits. Pictures with layering and drama that are more art than portrait but still capture the day make incredible fireplace center pictures.

Hi Meghan! We have a couple of question lists you can check out as well:

10 Questions to Ask a Videographer Before Hiring Them for Your Wedding

14 Questions Every Couple Must Ask a Wedding Photographer

5 Ways to Research a Wedding Photographer, After Their Site

I had a long list of questions, and my photographer answered all but two before I even got the chance to ask them during our Zoom meeting! Those two questions were super specific to just us and our situation, though.


In addition to the suggestions already given, be sure you thoroughly go through their website first. Some of them will be answered there before you even have to ask. Also remember that the way you two mesh with the photographer is important too! You want someone you’ll be comfortable with.