You’re planning your wedding - congratulations! Wedding planning is equal parts exciting and daunting and it comes with an outrageous to-do list. One of the things towards the top (for most people) is choosing a wedding photographer.

But how do you do that, when there are a million of us to choose from?

You need questions! Here are some I recommend. See them as a starting point for a conversation to explore whether a photographer is going be a good fit. Hopefully, these will get you thinking and then you can add your own.

1. What’s your approach?

Descriptions of photography styles can vary wildly; Find out what the words actually mean to the photographer and what it looks like in practice. Ask to see a full gallery (if they’re confident in their work they’ll be happy to do this). Find someone who most closely aligns with your hopes for your wedding photos.

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Me: My approach is what I call ‘creative documentary’: It’s a combination of fly-on-the-wall storytelling -creatively framing the moments of human connection and the in-between stories that arise throughout the day - along with great portraits and a sense of place.

2. How many weddings do you do a year?

If someone shoots 2 or 3 weddings a week, they’re unlikely to have capacity to provide you with a particularly bespoke service. How much does that matter to you?

There have been incidents of photographers over-booking themselves, getting burnt out and going awol, letting down their clients. If you do choose a ‘high volume’ photographer make sure they have a backup plan.

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Me: I shoot a maximum of 20 weddings a year - this allows me to give every couple the personalised service I want to provide.

3. How do you work with couples who feel awkward or self-conscious in front of the camera?

If this is you, it can be reassuring to know that the photographer is confident they can get good results and have done it before.

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Me: Most people are not actually super-confident in front of the camera as we’re socialised to pose/smile/perform for the camera and it can feel really awkward. Helping people to relax and not perform is key to getting natural results and a big part of my job.

4. Do you do group portraits/details shots/etc?

Make sure your photographer covers the things that are important to you!

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Me: I think the group and family portraits are an important part of your day and those photos often end up being the most cherished, even by couples who originally wanted to skip them. Think: how often do you get all these people together?

I also aim to get photos of all the details that you’ve put thought and creativity into as it’s all part of the story of your day. That said, I prefer to capture them in use as still lives/flat lays are not my area of expertise. Shoes on feet rather than artfully arranged… People are much more my thing!

5.When will we get our photos?

Turnarounds can range from 2-12 weeks (or more). A quick delivery keeps the momentum of the wedding going. On the other hand, it can be wonderful to relive all the excitement and emotion after life’s settled back into normal routines.

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Me: My stated turnaround is 6-8 weeks to be safe, but is often quicker than that.

6. How do you ensure our photos stay safe?

Your photographer should have a back up system that ensures your images are protected in case of fire, theft, corrupted disks etc.

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Me: I back up your photos to a disk immediately, the evening of your wedding, and they back up to the cloud overnight, so I always have three copies, including one off-site.

7. What’s your emergency plan?

For your own peace of mind, find out what their back up plan would be if unforeseen circumstances meant they couldn’t make it to your wedding.

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Me: This has never happened to me, and I hope it never does! but I’m in several networks full of very experienced photographers, and we have each others’ backs.

I’m also in the process of setting up a system where a colleague would be able to access my calendar and arrange cover in the event I was unable to log into my system myself.

8. What do you love most about your job?

Does their answer resonate with you? Does it make you feel excited about working with them?

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Me: For me, on a creative level, wedding photography is such a rewarding challenge. I have to think on my feet, problem-solve and stay focussed in all kinds of conditions and situations (within one wedding day!) and I thrive on this. It’s so varied. My couples tend to have creative and un-traditional weddings. Every one is a different kind of adventure.

I also love having such a joyful job. Such a privilege to get to share in people’s happiness and get paid for it! I had lots of jobs before this one - trust me, I never take it for granted.

Hearing that my photos have moved someone to tears also never gets old.

9. What do you find most challenging about shooting a wedding?

How will they tackle challenges at your wedding? Do you feel confident leaving them to it?

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Me: Most challenges can be pre-empted with careful planning, and that’s why I work closely with my couples when they’re finalising their wedding day timeline. This helps ensure I’m in the right place whenever something important is happening. Other things just need an adaptable approach, such as contingency plans for wet weather.

Adaptability is one of my key strengths and I can usually adjust my expectations and go with the flow. That said, one of the biggest challenges is trying to get beautiful portraits when things are running late and one partner (or both) is feeling stressed about time, and it’s showing in their face and/or body language.

In that situation, I depend on my ability to work speedily while remaining calm and reassuring. It’s a delicate balance of working as fast as I can, without sacrificing the quality of the photos I can create. And I’ll usually suggest another quick portrait session later in the day when they’re feeling less pressurised.

The best advice for couples if you want to feeling like this on the day, is surrender to the fact that timings might go awry and trust that someone else will be managing it. And I know this mindset can be easier said than done!

10. What are your values as a business?

Ask this if you want to work with people who share your values. Their answers will also give you a sense of whether you’ll click more generally.

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Me: Here are the values that guide how I operate a business:

Excellence & creativity: I strive to deliver the highest possible standard of work; I’m constantly learning, experimenting and exploring, so that I stay fresh and inspired.

Collaboration & support: I want my clients to feel like equal partners throughout the process, supported and guided but never ‘done to’.

Feminism & inclusivity: So that everyone feels welcome and safe around me, regardless of background, culture, identity, body type, age or ability. I support diverse-owned businesses. I aim to make photographs that celebrate who you are as humans… your true beauty, not your conformity to the patriarchy’s impossible standards.

Sustainability & human rights: I use UK-based album suppliers and who have aligned eco-policies and also limit my business’ carbon footprint and waste output. I try to avoid using companies that benefit from rights abuses & genocide (check out the BDS movement advice on boycott targets).

Connection over perfection: Enjoying the moment, trusting the process, embracing imperfection, seeing and being seen.

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Phew you’ve read all the way to here, WELL DONE! Why not take a peek at my portfolio? If you like what you see, let’s book an e-cuppa - I’d love to hear about your wedding plans and answer all these questions (and more).

Get in touch