You are preparing for your big day, and you want to have everything under control. So, while you are overseeing and organizing the preparations, you should also remember to go over some details with your wedding photographer. This is supposed to be the happiest day of your life, and you should make sure everything goes as you imagined. Here are 10 questions you need to ask your wedding photographer, in order to tweak out the details of your arrangement.
Will you be taking breaks, and if yes for how long?
It would be good that your photographer is aware when the crucial moments of the celebration are going to occur. You would not want a bunch of shots taken while everyone is at the table eating – you want to have shots of people having fun and celebrating, so synch those schedules.
How many hours of active work does your package include?
Your celebration can last very long, and you need to know whether your photographer is going to stick around all the way, or if he or she is going to simply leave at some point.
Is it possible to take some separate shots before the ceremony?
This is a big event and there are many things going on before the wedding ceremony, since bride and groom are separated. See if the photographer will be visiting these separate locations to take photos.
Are you going to take shots at all of the wedding related events, or just ceremony and reception?
A wedding is so much more than the ceremony and reception. Usually photographers are there for the celebration as well, but in some instances you need to point out that you want pictures taken during the celebration as well. If the price is lower than you expect, you should go over these types of specifics.
Do you bring your own food, or should we provide that for you?
This is rarely an issue, but if you need to order a specific number of food portions for the guests you need to know whether you’ll be including your photographer or not. It can create an awkward situation in the event of a misunderstanding.
Do you need access to electrical outlets?
This is necessary for space organization. If your photographer needs access to an electrical outlet, bring him or her over to see what would be an ideal solution. This can impact the quality of the pictures, or it can simply bother some guest if their table is right next to the equipment, because of the electrical sockets.
Do you require any additional equipment?
Photographers might need ladders, or steps, or stools etc. This allows them to take photos from different angles and can result in some pretty great shots, but if you are not on the same page on who is to supply this additional equipment, you can miss out on some great photos.
Who owns the photos once they are finished?
Here is another important question. You need to know exactly what you are paying for, you need to know how many duplicates of the photos you are going to get, and whether you need to pay for the development of the images, or if guests need to purchase their photos individually etc.
What will be the format of the images?
See if you are going to get you images on disk, USB drive, or proof sheet etc. See if the images are going to be edited in order to improve their quality and aesthetics, or do you need to get that service separately.
Is a formal album ordered separately or is it included?
Lastly, you need to ask about the formal album, since this is something you would most definitely want to have after your wedding, and it is something you will go through numerous times. Ask if it is included in the service or if you need to pay for it to be made.
These are the most important questions you need to ask, so make an effort to remember them. If you got them all covered, then no unpleasant surprises will occur, at least as far as photography is concerned.
