NASHVILLE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
Hey gorgeous Babes, hope you are having an amazing day!
There is so much information out there telling you what to ask your wedding photographer, some are necessary, but some are just not. As a Wedding and couple’s Photographer in the Nashville TN area and beyond, I have interviewed many couples and have compiled a list of Top 10 questions to ask from a Photographers’s point of view.
1- Does your Wedding Photographer have past Client reviews?
Are they strong reviews? How did real clients rate their experience?
Wedding Wire is a great place to look up reviews on any potential photographer. If they only have 1 or 2 reviews that may be a hint that they are newer and may be inexperienced. The industry standard for reviews to consider authoritative is around 20. Here is a link to my reviews on Wedding wire – click here
2- Are they experts in the area of Wedding Photography? How many weddings have they photographed?
Here is a simple guideline that I use when interviewing for second photographers to work with me.
1-5 Weddings- Inexperienced
6-10 Weddings – Amateur (would qualify for an assistant photographer)
10-20 Weddings – Knowledgeable
20-40 Weddings – Experienced (would qualify as a second photographer)
40+ Weddings – Professional (would qualify as an associate photographer)
Asking how many weddings is better than asking how many years. Some photographers may say they have been shooting weddings for 5 years, but how many actual weddings do they shoot? Are weddings their main business?
Most seasoned Wedding Photographers like myself, average around 20 weddings per year for a full-time business.
3- How many Wedding’s do they accept per year?
This is especially important, if you absolutely love the photographer and they only accept 20 weddings per year, you should retain them asap. Professionals set a limit to how many they accept due to providing exceptional service before your wedding, during your wedding, and after. This process would be next to impossible if they are juggling 40+ weddings a year.
4- Do they provide you a customized timeline for your Stress-Free BIG DAY???
A seasoned professional knows the ins and outs of a wedding day, not only do they want to be included in this, but many will guide you through the process, taking the stress off your shoulders.
5- How many images do they provide in the final wedding delivery?
The industry average is 700-800 images delivered, and that is what I do as well, of course, this will vary if a second photographer is added.
6- Is your Wedding Photographer and their Business Insured?
Carrying liability and business insurance is the industry standard, it also ensures that your photographer can shoot at any given venue.
7- Will they be the only Photographer photographing your wedding?
Hiring an additional photographer can vary by company, but I always offer a second photographer as an additional option to all my brides who want an extra photographer to capture every angle of their day.
8- Has the Wedding Photographer worked in Venues similar to yours?
A good Wedding Photographer can photograph any venue of your choice and will offer many options fir portraits at the venue. I always arrive to venue ahead of time and scout out beautiful places for portraits.
9- Do they provide a healthy contract?
Be cautious if a photographer tells you that they do not require a contract. All professional, experienced photographers will have a contract to sign, this is for your benefit as well as theirs if anything arises.
10- Does Booking your Wedding date require a retainer?
Most Professional Wedding Photographers require 50% retainers which is an Industry Standard. Generally, the rest 50% balance is due 30 days prior to your wedding day. I always get to know my brides and customize the remainder of 50% to help all my brides. Please feel free to reach out to me so we can discuss over a short video call 🙂
Thanks for reading this brief article! I would love to answer any questions that you have and help you through this process. Feel free to contact me and Ill get back to you asap!
