You’ve made the first step and contacted a few wedding or civil union photographers you like. After narrowing down that list, it’s time to check their referrals. But what do you ask? Sure, it can be uncomfortable contacting someone you’ve never met and asking them somewhat direct questions about their experience, but it does need to be done.
Overall, how was the experience of working with your photographer?
Get a read right from the bat. Later questions might open up more information, but first just ask them for their impression and what first comes to mind about the experience. They may have things to say that were particularly important to them, and they’ll want to share. Letting them talk first will allow you to tailor the rest of your questions. Also, ask about what their style was, and try to get a sense of what kind of wedding they had. It’s helpful if theirs closely matches your style, size, etc.
I have a few technical questions…
- How quickly did your photographer get your photos back to you?
- How many times did you meet with your photographer before the wedding?
- How helpful was your photographer with planning and answering your questions?
- Did you have an engagement or other portrait session with the photographer before the wedding?
- Did you photographer stick to the contract? Any problems with deliverables, or timeliness?
So, about the wedding itself…
Aside from everything surrounding the wedding, you’ll want to know what The Day’s experience was like.
- Was the photographer in the way of guests, or barely noticed?
- Did your photographer get along well with the other vendors?
- Did any of your guests comment on the photographer after the wedding? What did they say?
- How comfortable did you feel being around your photographer on your wedding day?
- How was the photographer’s attitude on the day? Stressed, fast, slow, mellow, demanding?
Let me know if this is too personal…
Feel your way through these questions. These are good things to know, but the situation is not always right to ask.
- Did you have any problems on your wedding day (outside of photo issues)? If so, how did the photographer handle them?
- Overall, do you feel like you got what you were expecting from your photographer?
- How much retouching did the photographer do? Were you happy with the result?
My two cents
Chances are, every photographer will refer someone who had a great experience with them. So many questions (”Did you feel comfortable with him/her?”) will be answered positively. That’s why it’s important to ask what the guests thought and what other vendors thought. I’ve seen it recommended that you ask to see wedding photographer’s thank-you notes (I should really hold on to them), and that’s a good suggestion, if your wedding photographer has them. It’s all about getting a good impression of the wedding photographer’s work and attitude and seeing if it meshes well with yours!
by Lara
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