What to Ask Your Wedding Photographer Before Booking

Ask the right questions before booking your wedding photographer. Style, timelines, delivery, pricing, cultural weddings, and must-know tips.

Choosing a wedding photographer is more than just picking someone who can take nice pictures. It is choosing someone who will capture the emotions, family relationships, and memories that mean the most to you. Your photographer will be there for some of the most intimate, joyful, happy, and emotional parts of your day, so asking the right questions before you reserve their services will help you feel supported, comfortable, and confident.

Having worked as a wedding photographer and videographer based in Dallas, I have learned the right questions couples should ask before deciding to accept their photographer. Whether you are preparing for a classic white wedding, a festive Desi wedding, or a Dallas outdoor romantic wedding, feel free to use these questions to consider your options.

1. What Is Your Photography Style?

Your photographer’s style should match your vision – classic, editorial, documentary, light and airy, bold and vibrant. Ask how they work with different lighting situations, cultural traditions, and emotional moments.

If you’re looking for natural, soft, light, emotional photography, ensure they can produce this look every time. A photographer’s style should be identifiable across white weddings, South Asian weddings, outdoor ceremonies, and indoor receptions.

2. How Many Weddings Have You Photographed?

Experience matters more than most couples realize. A photographer who has photographed many weddings, including different cultures, seasons, and venues, will be prepared for anything. Experienced photographers can navigate unpredictable Texas light, schedule changes, large bridal parties, excitement from families, and emotional moments, without ever losing their calm. 

And of special importance for South Asian or Desi weddings, there are rituals like the Baraat, Pheras, Nikah, Rukhsati, Sangeet, etc., that will require a photographer to really understand the order of events and where to be at the right time. Asking someone about their experience gives you peace of mind that they are not going to miss something important.

3. Do You Offer Both Photography and Videography?

To have a seamless experience, hiring a photographer that is also a videographer, or has a partnership with a videography team you trust, is incredibly advantageous. Photography is a skill that captures emotion whereas videography captures movement, sound, and atmosphere. 

By asking the question, you’ll understand whether the photo and video stylistically go together, if the teams are coordinating during the ceremony, and whether a photo and video package exists. This question is particularly beneficial for multi-day South Asian weddings, where utilizing the same team ensures a harmony of captures of all the important rituals and details.

4. What Packages Do You Have?

Weddings come in all forms, from small elopements to full weekend cultural celebrations. Asking about packages helps you evaluate whether a photographer can be flexible in creating a plan that works for you. Most couples are interested in finding out about hours of coverage, engagement sessions, second shooters, albums, and customs quotes, and more.

It is usually a given, for example, that most South Asian weddings will require multi-day coverage but having a photographer who can create the package to fit Mehndi, Sangeet, Nikah, or Walima is much easier for planning purposes. A good package should feel well-fitted for your wedding style and vision!

5. How Do You Help With the Wedding Day Timeline?

A photographer that offers to help you plan your wedding day timeline is a photographer who genuinely cares about your experience. Your timeline dictates how smooth your day runs, your level of relaxation, and how lovely your photos will turn out. Ask them if they help you know when to schedule portraits, what time you do the first look, how long the family photos will typically take, and the best time the golden hour portraits will happen. 

Good photographers know the lengths of ceremonies, cultural rituals, changes of outfit, and the transitions of receptions, and by utilizing their knowledge, they will help guide you through getting a timeline for your wedding day that will keep you stress-free.

6. What Is Your Delivery Time for Photos and Videos?

Not every photographer produces images at the same pace. While some offer quicker response times, others could take months. It’s essential to find out how long it will take to complete your gallery, whether you’ll get sneak previews, and how long it takes to edit movies. Since couples shouldn’t have to wait months to remember their magical day, I personally offer fully edited galleries in a single week. The post-wedding experience is much more delightful when there are clear expectations.

7. What Is Required to Book?

It is important that you completely understand the booking process before you sign anything. Check to see what the retainer payment is going to be, the terms of the contract, your payment plan, and any cancellation or rescheduling process involved with the booking. Knowing all this upfront, with clear communication, will build your trust in the photographer and give you confidence in proceeding with them. A photographer who is a professional will explain everything to you in the easiest, most transparent manner possible.

When selecting your wedding photographer, it’s not just about the photographs; it’s about establishing trust, a sense of comfort, establishing connections, and experience. Asking the right questions ensures that your selected photographer understands your vision, considers your emotions, and will capture your wedding as a reflection of your love story.