Questions to Ask a Wedding Photographer, From a Coordinator's View

Most lists of questions to ask a wedding photographer cover style, packages and price. Those matter. But the questions that protect your wedding day are about time, space and people, because the photographer is the one vendor whose work touches almost every part of your timeline. Here are the questions we would ask, written from the side of the people who have to make the schedule work.

Which questions to ask a wedding photographer come first?

Start with the ones that decide whether you have a photographer at all when the day arrives.

• Are you available on my date, and will you be photographing another wedding that same day?

• If you are sick or have an emergency, who covers for you, and is that written into the contract?

• Will a second photographer come along, and what will they cover?

• Have you photographed at my venue before, and do you know its lighting and its rules?

• Do you carry liability insurance, and can you send proof if my venue asks?

• What does the contract say about cancellation, overtime and how long you stay?

The insurance question is worth asking every vendor. Many Augusta area venues now ask wedding vendors for proof of both a business license and liability insurance, and a photographer who has the paperwork ready saves everyone an email chain.

What should you ask about the timeline?

These questions to ask a wedding photographer matter most to a coordinator, because this is where a photographer and a coordinator work most closely. Photos are one of the places a day can run late, so settle the numbers early.

• How long do you need for family formal photos, and how should we prepare the list?

• How long do you need for portraits of the two of us, and where do you like to take them?

• Do you recommend a first look, and how would it change the schedule?

• When is the light best on my date and at my ceremony time? (They will know when the sun sets, so ask them rather than guessing.)

• When do you need to arrive, and what do you photograph first?

• If the day runs 30 minutes behind, which photos do you protect first?

That last question tells you a lot. A good photographer has an answer ready, and it helps whoever is running the timeline decide where to trim.

What should you ask about the ceremony?

• Where will you stand during the processional, the vows and the exit, and have you spoken with the officiant?

• Are you comfortable with an unplugged ceremony, where guests put their phones away?

• Do you use flash, and does my officiant or ceremony site have any rules about it?

• If a videographer is working the ceremony too, how will you share the space?

• What is the plan if it rains and the ceremony moves?

Your officiant matters here. We run the rehearsal lineup and the ceremony cues, and a photographer who knows the order of events can be in the right spot at the right moment. Coordination can be combined with officiating through Augusta Officiant, so the person leading your ceremony and the people running your timeline work from the same plan.

What should you ask about the day itself?

• Who is your point of contact on the wedding day? (Ideally that is your coordinator, and not you or a parent.)

• Do you need a meal, and when should it happen?

• What do you need from us in writing before the wedding, such as the timeline, the vendor list and the family photo list?

• Do you need a place to leave your bags and equipment during the ceremony and reception?

That point of contact question is one we care about. On the wedding day we are the point of contact for your vendors, so your photographer asks us where the next location is instead of calling you in the middle of getting ready. Our work with you begins two to four weeks before the wedding, and sending your photographer the timeline in that window is part of it. For more on how a wedding day actually runs, see what a day of coordinator does, hour by hour.

What should you ask about delivery and files?

The last of the questions to ask a wedding photographer is about what happens after the wedding. Ask when you will see a first preview and when the full gallery arrives. Ask how many edited photos to expect, how long the online gallery stays up, whether you receive print rights, and how your files are backed up. Get the answers in the contract and not in a conversation you will have forgotten by next spring.

More questions about wedding photographers

How many hours of photography do we need?

Build the timeline first, then count. Decide what you want captured, from the first getting ready photos to the send off or last dance, and total the hours. Your photographer can tell you what is realistic for the way you want the day to flow.

Should the photographer and coordinator talk before the wedding?

Yes. We confirm and follow up with each of your vendors, and the photographer is one of the most important to have in the loop. We pass along the timeline, confirm the arrival time and check that they have your family photo list.

Do I need to feed my photographer?

Ask them. Many vendors work straight through dinner and need a break, so if a meal is expected, add the number to the headcount you give your caterer.

Bring your list to us

If you are building your own list of questions to ask a wedding photographer, bring the answers to us and we will turn them into a schedule everyone works from. Day of coordination starts at $800 and goes up from there depending on what your wedding needs and how many staff we bring. We are Nick and Jasmine, and our home base covers Augusta, Evans, Martinez and Hephzibah, with North Augusta and Aiken on the South Carolina side. Read about the day of coordination service, browse the photos in our gallery, or reach us on the contact page.