Congratulations! You just got engaged, told everyone all about it, posted that fab picture of your ring all over social media and have spent days basking in the glow of happiness. Now it is time to start planning – a daunting task, isn’t it?

Planning a wedding can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be as difficult as you think. Surrounding yourself with great vendors who know a thing or two about weddings and asking the right questions can be a huge help. As a wedding photographer I have seen a lot of couples choose their photographer on price and packages alone. Even though that is very important there are so many more questions that you should ask your photographer to ensure a great fit and the best possible experience on your wedding day. Here are 5 important questions to ask before hiring your wedding photographer:

1. Can I see examples of a full wedding?

You have likely been drawn in by the beautiful images on your photographer’s website. Often these have a lot of editing done to them. Asking to see more examples of their work or a complete wedding will help you to see if their typical images are exposed correctly, color is balanced and if they pay attention to the details and have nice composition throughout their entire work.

2.What is your primary style?

You may not yet know what your specific style is, but you know a good image when you see it. It is important to make sure your vision is aligned with your photographer’s style when you are entrusting them with something as important as your wedding day. Here are a few of the most common styles:

Photojournalism – If you like candid shots, little or no posing and documentary style – this is the photography style for you. Your photographer will likely hang back capturing the day like a fly on the wall.

Considerations: There is very little emphasis put on portraits or posed images. If you are looking for arranged details, creative elements, or guidance to help you look your best in photos, this may not be the best fit for you.

Fine Art/Modern – These are best described as images that create a truly unique wedding photography experience – allowing the photographer to add their creative vision to your story.

Considerations: the photographer may shoot for a more artistic look choosing abstract images or creative compositions which may or may not be your style.

Traditional/Classic – The focus is usually on the details of your wedding day adding in guidance for location choice and posing direction and adjustments to help you look your best. The photographer is often shooting with the intent to create an album highlighting all of the best parts of your wedding day.

Considerations: photos are generally very consistent, modern and timeless which means they may not be as creative or epic as other styles.

3.Can I check your references?

Photographers (or any wedding professional for that matter) should absolutely be willing to share references so you can contact past couples to ask how their experience was overall.

4.What is your post-production process?

All images that are taken by a professional photographer should be edited to include only the best photos from the day, color-corrected so the skin tones are correct and to balance any lighting issues and finally edited in the photographer’s particular style (their “special sauce”). This is the finished product – the art of imagery and what makes their photos different from anyone else’s.

5. How would you describe your working style?

A great question to find out if your photographer is detail-oriented and organized to keep the flow of your wedding day moving or if they are more spontaneous and go-with-the-flow type. You can also get a good feel for if they follow the crowd and take pictures from afar or if they are more hands-on preferring to give direction and guidance with posing and locations.

**Bonus Question:

Finally, before making your final decision, be sure to ask yourself -Am I comfortable with the photographer’s work and their communication style – will our personalities be a good fit?

Remember, this day is about you and your groom! Find a photographer who is not only an amazing artist, but will also work well with you to help create a picture perfect wedding day!