You’re engaged! Congratulations! Now comes the fun part; planning your big day! You may have a lot of questions to ask your wedding photographer or other vendors when making decisions on who to hire, and I am here to help.

I’ve created a list of 10 questions to ask your wedding photographer in order to get to know them, their style, and their overall wedding process. Fun fact: out of all the people in attendance on your wedding day, you will spend the most time with your photographer! Crazy right?!

This is why it’s so important to vibe with your photographer. I consider my couples more as friends than clients. And that’s a great thing for me and them! By the time their wedding day comes around, we feel like we’ve known each other for years.

After a few years of being a wedding photographer in Charleston, SC, I know exactly what questions you should be asking!

So here they are:

1. Do you prefer candid or styled images?
   Every photographer has different posing approaches. My approach to posing might be different than another photographer you are looking at! For example, I consider my posing style more natural. I will guide my couples through their portraits as bride and groom and through other moments in the day like family portraits and the bride putting on her dress, but when it comes to exchanging gifts, dancing, and more intimate moments, I capture more candid and natural “posing”. I want your day to be yours, not filled with tons of posing and interruptions!
   

   Questions to ask your photographer | Charleston wedding photographer

2. Will you be the one photographing my wedding?
   This is very important! There are some photographers who have associate photographers, which are basically their replacements for the day of the wedding. I do not have associate photographers, so I will most definitely be the one showing up to capture your big day!
3. Can we see the full gallery of a recent wedding?
   I really encourage you to ask this question! This way you can see all of their work and not just the stuff on social media. I would even ask for a few galleries to see how they handle different lighting scenarios, weather conditions, and other surprises throughout the day!

   I love showing my couples recent Charleston & destination weddings that I captured.

   

   Questions to ask your wedding photographer

4. What is the general turnaround time for our images?
   Again, this varies for every photographer. My clients will receive their full wedding gallery at the latest 6 weeks from their wedding date. Typically I deliver their gallery faster than that, but that’s the latest possible date.
5. How many images will I receive from our wedding day?
   Every photographer is different, but you should know what to expect from their for your wedding day. On average, I deliver anywhere from 80-90 images per hour on your wedding day.
6. Will you be the only photographer or will there be a second?
   In my wedding packages majority offer a second photographer. This means that you will have two photographers capturing your big day! Why is this important? Well, having two photographers means that more ground can be covered and more moments captured!

   Charleston, South Carolina is has so many beautiful venues with amazing bridal suites, but a lot of times my couples choose to get ready in two different locations!

   Since Charleston has so many venues and amazing hotels, a lot of times my girls will get ready at the venue and the guys will get ready at a hotel or airbnb. This is why I always love having a second photographer in Charleston. So I can stay with the girls while my second photographer takes photos of the guys!

7. Will the images have watermarks on them?
   This is necessary to ask as some photographers will only deliver their images with the watermark on it. I deliver my photos without watermarks because I want my couples to enjoy their photos without my name on it! This way they can look back on their day and remember how they felt.
   

   Charleston beach wedding ceremony

8. Will there be any additional payments?
   For example, some photographers have you pay for the images after the wedding and the price you pay in advance is just for the service. It is so important to know what exactly you are receiving with your wedding package!

And that’s it! The answers and questions from a wedding photographer in Charleston.

If you like this blog, check out a few of my other favorites:

A Summer Wedding in Charleston

Charleston Wedding Venue: Lowndes Grove

Classic Seabrook Island Wedding

Are you a bride-to-be looking for more advice for your wedding day?

Check out my YouTube channel launching on March 22 for lots of helpful tips and tricks!