10 questions to ask a wedding photographer : boulder colorado wedding photographer

This is a list of questions I address in my consultations, it's concise and full of valuable
information for my couples. If you're meeting with a wedding photographer, I encourage
you to bring this list or a similar one with you to your consultation. I love it when couples
come up with their own lists full of questions, ideas and inspiration shots.
Without further ado, let's get started.

10 questions to ask a wedding photographer:

1.     How many years have you been photographing weddings?

This is a great question to ask your wedding photographer. There are so many options when it 

comes to hiring one and a variety of skill levels available.

I’ve been photographing weddings for 5 years including a variety of wedding styles, traditions 

and destinations. I started photographing weddings after having a beyond amazing experience with 

my own wedding photographer, Mike Larson. He did an amazing job photographing our wedding 

and took excellent care of us before and after our wedding date had passed. This is the kind of care 

I put into my clients’ weddings.

2.     Can you describe your style for us?

When looking for a photographer it is important to consider their style. Are they solely 

photo-journalistic, will they take traditional family photos, are they super artsy and cutting edge? 

You should look for someone whose work you’re drawn to and make sure it jives with your own style.

I describe my work as classic and whimsical. I like my photographs to look like what you see. I 

don’t over-edit them and I don’t do vintage or trendy edits. I want my photographs to stand the test 

of time in quality and style.

3.     How many events do you photograph in one weekend?

Large photography studios often have multiple photographers and events in one weekend. This 

is something important to consider, especially if your photographer is photographing two weddings 

in one day. I know many photographers that are great at doing this.

I run a boutique wedding photography studio, so I give my clients personal attention and only 

shoot one wedding per weekend. I take a limited number of weddings per year so I can maintain 

the quality of service and care that I would want for my own wedding.

4.     What equipment do you work with and do you have back-ups?

If you’re hiring a professional photographer most likely they will work with professional cameras 

and have back-ups, but it is still an important question to ask.

I photograph weddings with Nikon digital cameras. My primary camera is a Nikon D700 and my 

back-up is a D300. If you want to be fancy and ask me about my lenses: 24-70mm 2.8, 70-200mm 

2.8, 50mm 1.4 and 85mm 1.8. I shoot with Nikon speed lights/flashes too.

5.     What happens if you’re ill or cannot make it to the wedding due to an emergency?

In the extremely rare case that something happens to prevent your wedding photographer 

from photographing your wedding, it is important to know what their plan is.

If an “act of god” (illness, injury, fire, flood…etc.) prevented me from being at your wedding. I 

would make every effort to find a replacement similar in style to my own. I would notify you as soon 

as I knew there was a problem and move swiftly to rectify it. Your wedding is a very important day 

and cannot be recreated, and I care for you and your day with extreme importance. 

6.     Will there be a contract and will I get a copy?

Contracts are very crucial to any business transaction. Make sure you receive a copy of your 

contract for your records so you clearly understand what to expect and when.

I always have contracts for my weddings. When it comes to right-brain part of my business I like the details 

to be black and white. I’ll give you a copy of your contract and detail the time and day of 

your wedding, dates in which to expect your photos and any other important information. My 

contract also outlines important information about my business.

7.     Have you been to my venue, if not will you have time to go before the wedding day?

Understanding a venue and how wedding days flow through it’s location is always a plus 

when documenting your special day. If you photographer hasn’t been to your venue before, 

no worries, they can always plan to go to a walk-through with you or the coordinator.

If I haven’t been to a venue before, I will make every effort to go before your wedding date. Often I 

go with couples during one of their final walk-throughs or make arrangements to do one with 

their wedding coordinator. On very rare occasions I cannot go to the venue before the wedding date, 

so I will arrive an hour before my scheduled time to scout the location on the day of the wedding. 

This sometimes happens if I am photographing a destination wedding. Typically for 

destination weddings, I arrive at the location the day before and watch the wedding rehearsal and 

plan my photo locations as well. It’s important to me to get to know you and your fiancé as well as 

your wedding venue.

8.      Can we give you a shot list?

Some wedding photographers work from a “shot list” and often wedding planners and 

magazines have example ones for you to share with your photographer.

I am always open to discussing a “shot list” with my couples. I think it’s very helpful in 

establishing your expectations and any unique requests you may have. I don’t typically work 

from a couple’s “shot-list” the day of a wedding, as it tends to slow me down and pull me away 

from the emotions of the day. I have my own list that I go through on a wedding; the details, 

getting ready, arriving at the church and so on. My couples hire me because they trust me. They 

know how I document weddings and understand my style.

That said, if you had specific family photos you wanted, I will work from your family photo 
list and ask that you have a family representative from the bride and grooms families so I know 
who is who. When making a family photo list please make sure not to leave anyone out
who would like to be in these photos. It's always a nice idea to ask them mothers of each
family who they would like in these photos as well. 

9.     What happens if our wedding goes over our planned time?

This one is crucial if your photographer is hired based on time. What happens if you haven’t 

gotten to the cake yet or first dance? Will your photographer stay or pack up because their time is up?

I know and understand that weddings don’t always run on time, in fact not many do unless you have 

a rockin’ coordinator. My weddings are based on time. Not all couples need me for the whole day, so 

I created my wedding collections with that in mind. If your wedding goes over I will stay until 

I’ve photographed the important traditions and rituals. I always give my couples 30 minutes over 

if needed free of charge. If you need me to stay an hour beyond that, I will charge you my hourly 

rate. This rarely happens, I have super organized couples and I always review the wedding 

schedule before hand to offer ideas and tips to help us stay on time and get the best photos of your day.

10.  When can we expect our photos?

Make sure your photographer has a specific schedule for your photos so you know what to 

expect and when.

One week after the wedding I post a preview image online. Four weeks after the wedding your 

online proof gallery is available and ready for print orders. Six weeks after your wedding, your 

album will arrive as long as the design was approved on time. If for any reason the album 

schedule changes your will be informed immediately. I take great care with each photograph 

I take and customize every album I design, so this timeline reflects my attention to detail and 

hand crafted workmanship.

I hope these questions help you find your perfect wedding photographer. My best advice is to

trust your instincts and talk to a few photographers. Be picky, ask questions and hire someone

you would invite to a dinner party... they are after all coming to the most important dinner party

you'll ever throw.

If you have any further questions for me or would like additional tips or guidance, 

I welcome and encourage you to email me at 

hello@heathergrayphotography.com.