Things to Ask Your Wedding Photographer Before Booking

Trying to figure out who to trust with your memories—whether it’s your wedding, your growing family, or a milestone moment—is no small thing. I’ve been on both sides: a bride hiring a photographer and now, someone who documents these once-in-a-lifetime memories for others. So I wanted to share not just what I’ve learned as a professional, but also what I wish I had asked when I was in your position.

Here are the most important things to ask your photographer—along with honest answers from me, just in case you’re considering reaching out.

Finding the Right Photographer for Your Wedding

Your photographer will be with you during some of your most intimate, meaningful moments. Choosing someone you trust, someone whose work and energy resonate with you, is the first step in creating an experience that feels like you.

Questions to Ask Before You Book

1. What do you value about photography?

Photography gives me the space to be an artist. I’ve been drawing and painting since I was a kid, studied art in high school and college, and somehow got lucky enough to make creativity my career. Not to mention I am a third generation photographer by passion.

My grandpa & dad shared this passion. They literally had a dark room in their basement, which my dad transferred to my childhood. I can vividly remember learning Adobe Photoshop on my dad’s lap & not a single memory was left undocumented as a child. It’s an honor to carry my grandpa’s legacy across a third generation - I’ll thank him forever for this and cannot wait to see what he says when we reunite in the afterlife.

But more than that, I value how this job supports my mental health. The joy, vulnerability, and love that surrounds you on wedding days is something I do not take lightly. The planning can be chaotic & a whirlwind - but when it comes down to the day - it’s about the love most. It’s magical to see it come together, to meet family members supporting my couples marriages and next chapters, to be a witness to the emotions each human experiences across the day.

Every wedding teaches me something new about love and connection—and it fills me up in a way I can’t quite describe. It’s like Sunday morning breakfast with your favorite people: full, grounding, present.

2. What’s most important to you in the experience you deliver?

Trust.

Weddings aren’t performances—they're personal, sacred, fast-moving moments. You deserve vendors who center your marriage, not just your Pinterest board. My job is to be a calming, grounded, trustworthy presence. I advocate for you, make space for the moments that matter most, and do the little things—like helping Grandpa up the stairs or syncing with your sister’s pumping schedule—so your day flows naturally.

3. What’s your editing style?

I describe my editing style as documentary-led with warm, true-to-life tones. My approach is less about trendy filters and more about timeless, authentic color. I want your images to feel like you—true to the atmosphere of your day, not overly stylized or distant from reality. That way, when you look back years from now, the photos will still feel like home.

4. How do you approach posing or prompting?

My style is ever-evolving as I grow and experience new opportunities; however, I always gravitate to a posing style that’s hyper-focused on natural, raw, authentic interactions and movement in each love story. I love a good snuggly, candid vibe—the kind of moments where you forget I’m even there—but I also enjoy weaving in more experimental, editorial elements for depth and creativity.

I’ll guide you when needed, but I’m never about stiff poses or forced smiles. I want your photos to reflect you, not a checklist. Think: laid-back direction, space to be yourselves, and a calm presence that lets the magic unfold naturally.

5. How do you choose your second photographer?

Adding a second photographer can be a huge asset—especially when time is tight or when you want another perspective captured (like both of your faces during the first look).

My second photographers aren’t random hires. They’re people I’ve worked with personally, artists I trust, and often friends who run their own photography businesses. They share my values, my creative vision, and my belief that we’re not just vendors—we’re human beings showing up to serve people on a deeply personal day.

If I bring someone on your wedding day, it’s because I trust them like family.

6. What kind of insurance do you carry?

I carry full liability insurance and can provide a COI (Certificate of Insurance) if your venue or planner needs one.

But I also think of “insurance” as everything I do to protect your images. All your photos are shot on dual card slots across three cameras. Files are backed up on multiple external drives immediately after your wedding and then stored in a fireproof/waterproof safe.

Why? Because things happen—I've had clients lose photos in house fires. I don't purge galleries because those memories aren’t just yours... they’re mine too. I was there. I remember them. And I want you to always be able to return to them. Keeping them safe is a top priority for me. So doing everything I can to try my best to do so is what I’ll always do.

Keeping images for as long as I do is not an industry standard as a heads up. It also is not listed on my contract that I will keep them for as long as my fireproof/waterproof safe keeps them safe. I purely do this for the fact I am a planner. And as noted above - it’s been worth it when my couples have experience such great loss like a house fire.

7. Who builds the wedding timeline?

If you don’t have a planner, I’ve got you. As soon as you book, I send over a custom timeline template. It’s not rigid—it’s a flexible starting point. From there, we work together to build out a schedule that supports your priorities, fits your vendors, and leaves plenty of breathing room for real life.

I do a full timeline run-through about a month before the wedding, then a quick final check-in the week of. I coordinate directly with your other vendors to make sure we’re all aligned so you don’t have to.

8. What do you need from us to do your job well?

Just a few things:

• Trust, first and foremost.

• Your engagement session (included with all local wedding collections!) so we can get to know each other, see what makes you comfortable, and build confidence in front of the camera.

• At least one timeline call to walk through everything and make sure I have the full picture.

• Open communication—just a quick text or reply when I check in goes a long way.

9. What’s your favorite part of the wedding day?

Honestly, it changes every time. Some days, it’s the first look. Other times, it’s golden hour portraits or the walk down the aisle. But if I had to pick one—it’s open dance. The moment the formalities end and the joy explodes. It’s carefree, sweaty, loud, real. Everyone is just being. And that, to me, is what this whole thing is about.

Why Connection with Your Photographer Matters

If you’re here reading this, maybe you’re in the middle of planning and feeling the pressure. Just know: it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming with the right team supporting you. Ask the questions, trust your gut, and don’t settle for anything less than someone who sees your day—and your story—for the full, beautiful thing that it is. All of us are unique and your photographer should invest into each individual’s vision and truth on their day.

Building Trust and Telling Your Story

Finding the right fit takes time - send the novels, the questions, the excitement, book the phone call, the FaceTime/video chat, have a meeting in your PJs and get to know your vendors.

And if that someone might be me? My inbox is open.

Let’s chat. 🤍