Being a Staffordshire wedding photographer, I’ve been to a few weddings. In fact I’ve been to weddings all over the UK and even one abroad. I guess in a way I forget I actually have all this wedding knowledge. I’m so focused on doing my job of photographing the day.
A bride to be sent me this message last week “Hey lovely. Sorry it’s been a crazy week. Loved chatting with you and felt really comfortable. Thank you. Don’t laugh but I googled what you should ask your photographer so I have a few questions.”
Now there’s no such thing as a silly question, so I’m always happy to answer any questions you, or Google might have. But it got me thinking, maybe I should put a list together of some of the questions I’ve been asked before.
So here it is, your handy guide of what to ask your wedding photographer!
- How many photos will we get?
This is a tricky one to answer, but I’ll be as honest as I can be when trying to.
Every wedding is different, from one 10 hour wedding I might send the couple 800 images, from another wedding of the same length I might send a different couple 600 images.
For example: The first couple had 150 guests, I photographed both of them getting ready in the morning, they had activities during the drinks reception, singing waiters during the meal, 4 members of the wedding party did a speech and then the evening party was wild. The second couple had 50 guests, only one of them wanted a tiny bit of prep covering, the drinks reception was nice and chilled, only two people did a speech and because the couple were really self conscious, there was no first dance.
Both were great weddings and I worked in exactly the same way at both, there were just more photo opportunities at the first wedding than the second one. Can you see how it’s hard to give a number? What I can say is, if it’s a decent photo, you will get it in your gallery. They’re your wedding photos, I’m not going to limit the amount you can have or get you to choose. That’s not my kinda business model, I aim to be honest and real – just like my photos!
2. How many photos will you edit?
All of them! All of the photos across my website are edited. I tend to edit in a very natural way. I don’t use photoshop as I think I should be getting in right in camera. I also don’t apply any filters that in time will make your wedding photos look dated. (Remember when a pop of colour on black and white photos was a thing!?) You will get a mixture of colour and black and white images in your online gallery. Some photos really lend themselves to being black and white, so I’ll use my creative judgement to decide those. However, if there’s a black and white photo you wish was in colour…just let me know and I can change it.
3. How much deposit do you take?
A 30% deposit secures your date, the balance is then due on the 1st of the month before your wedding. You can of course pay it off earlier than that, but the month before ties in nicely with me getting in touch with you to arrange us having a final chat, to get a plan together for on the day.
4. When do we get our wedding photos?
I like to say give me six weeks to get your wedding photos done and in the online gallery. You will get a sneak peak of a few pictures on social media during this time, with one always posted the day after your wedding. (If you want that is!)
5. How far do you travel?
I was only asked this on Saturday! I will travel to wherever your wedding is. I’m very lucky getting to visit different wedding venues and means I get to be creative at every venue I visit. A lot of the time it’s my first time photographing there.
6. Is it you who actually photographs our day?
Absolutely! When you book a wedding photographer, half of what you’re booking is the person who holds the camera. This person is with you, your closest friends and family, on your wedding day. You’re going to want them to be an ok kinda person! A lot of my couples have booked me because of my personality, the fact that I take good wedding photos was a bonus! My couples have wanted someone who made them feel comfortable, put them at ease and understood what kind of couple they were. I can honestly say I’ve personally got on with 99.9% of the couples who have booked me. I think that being a good fit with your photographer is just as important as the photos they take.
7. Do you do engagement shoots?
I certainly do! If you’re feeling a bit nervous about being in front of the camera or just want some nice photos of the two of you, this is perfect. It also gives us chance to hang out, get to know each other better and have a natter and beverage. It takes a couple of hours and costs £150. Let me know if you’d like to arrange one.
8. Can we give you a list of group photos we’d like?
Providing the list isn’t as long as your arm, then yes you can! I understand how important these family group photos can be, so we can set aside a bit of time to make sure they get done. I’ll bring the list with me on your wedding day to make sure I get the right guests in the right photo, then once they’re done everyone can relax into enjoying your wedding and I can float around capturing the fun.
Real photography for real couples.