Happy Fall!! I can’t believe it’s time for pumpkin spice and apple cobbler already, but here we are! With the seasons change, we are headed into cooler weather and wedding season!
In this series, we’ll be going over questions to ask your wedding professionals as you’re planning your wedding. One of those wedding professionals that is at every couples top of the list is a wedding photographer. These photos will last a lifetime, so it’s important to get to know your photographer and what they’re all about prior to hiring them for the big day, as you will be spending a lot of time with them on your wedding day!
First things first, as with any wedding professional, be sure to ensure they are available for your wedding date. This includes determining how many other weddings they could be photographing that weekend, and if they help with the process.
From there, you want to discuss what their photography style is and how it fits in with what you are looking for. Most wedding professionals will have packages they can offer, and your photography team can go over which options fit your needs the best. If you have a list of specific shots or specialized photos you’d like included, be sure to mention this during your consultation as well. It’s rare, but some professionals prefer to work independently without guidance from their clients.
Find out if their package includes a 2nd shooter (I highly recommend having two photographers on the wedding day) and even a third person who acts as their assistant on the wedding day. Ask how long after the wedding will it take to receive the images, and if they share raw footage and/or retouching. Another good thing to consider when it comes to your wedding photography is if any black-and-white photos are included in the editing process. While color photos are certainly beautiful, black and white can sometimes show the emotion of the day in much clearer form, so the option of having a few is a nice one!
Lastly, it’s important to know what you’ll be getting with your package. Some photographers charge a fee for taking the photos, and only release a certain amount of edited images, while others provide a full gallery of digital images for clients to print on their own. By determining what you’re looking for and what your wedding photographer can offer you, there will be no surprises or additional hidden costs when it comes time to print the images after the big day.
There is certainly a lot to consider when hiring a photographer, but hopefully by preparing yourself and your photography team with these 
questions and conversations prior to your wedding, you’ll be able to have beautiful photos to share with family and friends without the headache!
If you need recommendations for professional wedding photographers or simply want to discuss this in detail, I am here to help! I have a list of preferred wedding pros that meet my standards, are professional and fun. Let’s discuss your options! Call me today for your free consultation/brainstorming session!
Lexi
Photographers pictured: Eric Stocklin, Maggie Nolen, Kelly Loss
Photographer on cover image: Maggie Carmack
