It is time to talk about interviewing your wedding vendors! No doubt that you have been planning your wedding day for quite some time… You may have dreamt of it for a very long time or you may be planning your wedding with a shorter timeline. And you may have a wedding planner, a day-of coordinator or top-notch mom, sister or BFF who is helping you conquer #allthethings on your quest to plan your wedding day.

$70 Billion Strong Industry

But did you know that the wedding industry is $70 Billion strong? And that there are over 300,000 vendors representing the wedding industry? So, it can be overwhelming for you (and your partner) to navigate all the options while preparing for interviewing your wedding vendors. I am writing this blog post to help you have some questions outlined ahead of time.  When you interview your planner, florist, band or photographer, you will have a little checklist of questions to guide you through the process. I’ll also include some specific wedding photography questions at the end of this post as well.

Feeling Overwhelmed?

Engaged couples can feel overwhelmed by all the choices so let’s start with some basic questions for interviewing your wedding vendors and then dive into photography-specific questions.

Top Tips!

• Where can I see the majority of your reviews? If you are using The Knot or Wedding Wire to find vendors, it is pretty easy to see that someone has a long list of verified reviews. But if that is not the case, you should be able to see reviews on one’s website. Reviews should be specific and informative to the way the person works and their experience with their couples.  An experienced vendor will have many reviews to speak for their work. *I was voted Best Of Weddings on The Knot for 2 years in a row, a distinction that a very small minority of vendors receive. Further, I was also voted the Couple’s Choice Award on Wedding Wire. Couples can find reviews on my IG-highlights, on google, and on my website. Finally, I am happy to provide a bridal reference.

• Are you working Full-Time in the industry with Weddings in particular? Working with event catering can look very different when doing corporate events versus doing weddings. When you can, I would say that finding a vendor who does WEDDINGS full-time is ideal. Full-time work in the field will bring experience and value to you as the couple. * While I started out working in weddings in 2017, and offered a variety of sessions, now the majority of my work is specific to weddings.

• How many weddings have you done in the past year? Past 2-3 years? With some industries, the barrier to entry is rather low and so what can separate a new vendor from an experienced vendor is consistency in work and generous experience. Marketing is so powerful these days, but what kind of experience backs up one’s marketing? * So far, I have shot over 50 weddings in 6 states since 2017. In the busiest seasons, I shot as many 25 weddings in a single year.

• Do you have the appropriate certifications, affiliations, and insurance to operate your business? Some venues require proof of insurance and if you hire a vendor who does not have the appropriate documentation, it could become an issue. So it’s prudent to ask about this in the interview phase. *Currently, I am affiliated with PPA- Professional Photographers of America. My General Liability Insurance plan covers $1 million per occurrence with a $2 million limit. While certification is not required in my field, I have been mentored by some of the very best in the industry via online course format (Katelyn James, Amy & Jordan). And I have a personal mentor Monsoleil Weddings/Marissa Morrison whose wedding packages are ~$20,000+).

• What is included in your package? Some vendors describe their packages online and others prefer to create custom collections based on what their clients need. *Although I work with a general starting point, I customize each collection for my clients. Each collection includes 8 hours of coverage, an engagement session, shooting assistant, digital gallery (~750 images edited) and full print rights. Being military-connected – I offer an active duty military and 100%, disabled veterans discount along with discounts for referral clients.

Photography-specific Questions

For Interviewing your wedding vendors- Photography Specific Vendors, you may want to also ask the following questions, outside of availability type questions.

1. Do you have several full galleries to share with me?  You may want to ask about a full gallery of a recent wedding similar to your wedding. This will help you see their work all the way through the reception for a venue like yours. And it is also important because using flash or off-camera flash is a skill in itself and a photographer should also be proud of their work in artificial lighting situations. I often send my clients links to several gallery highlights. And I am happy to send a full gallery that matches the style of the venue of my clients.

2. How would you describe your style? If you are looking at someone’s website you should be able to get a feel for the photographer’s style and consistency. When you get to ask this question over the phone or in person, you will also tell if the person is truly passionate about their work. *I love working with couples who trust me with the creative process and are flexible in approach. My style is timeless, classic, romantic, and dreamy. My aim is to find the perfect lighting to fit the mood of the image and wrap the moment in warmth, love, and light.

3. How long have you been working with your assistant or do you use a variety of assistants? And do you have an emergency plan in place? Staffing can impact the consistency of images and the client experience. *I only use assistants whom I have personally trained through my apprentice program or occasionally I will use an assistant who is from the same mentorship/training track that I am a part of. As a result, this ensures consistency of composition and approach to serving clients on the wedding day. My emergency plan is that the shooting assistant would become the lead. And I would recruit a second person to become the assistant to the lead.

4. Are the images on your website and social media from actual weddings or styled shoots or from second-shooting? Many couples do not know that “styled wedding shoots” are very popular in this field or that images featured may not be from weddings the photographer shot from their own clients’ weddings. *I love styled shoots and they are amazing and also very demanding to execute! But they are NOT the same as working on a wedding day with a timeline that may not be ideal and with circumstances that are less than ideal. Second-shooting is a fantastic way to gain experience, but when looking through sample galleries, you want to see a full gallery from a wedding that the photographer shot as the lead. Certainly, I am grateful for my experience with styled shoots and second shooting.  But my portfolio is balanced with the majority of my work at actual weddings that I have shot as the LEAD photographer. Consequently, this means I have shot weddings in the rain, in the snow, in sub-freezing temps, in sweltering-make-you-pass-out-heat, in the mud after torrential rainy seasons. And the clients I serve love their images. **  In styled shoots, a photographer has maximum control over the elements in an “ideal” shooting location, with models or actors. Typically, they are not working with their own real wedding client-couples. (These images are often the ones showcased on social media and websites.) Likewise, second shooters get to piggy-back on the creative vision of the lead photographer. Ultimately, the end product may not represent what a lesser experienced photographer can do in a less than ideal situation or when under pressure when #allthethings are happening on an actual wedding day.

5. Do you have a specialty in wedding photography? You might be surprised to find out that wedding photographers do specialize in specific markets. Usually, when a photographer says they specialize, it is because they have found through their abundance of experience where they are most passionate. Consequently, some photographers may work on “country-style barn” weddings, or adventure elopements, or whatever the case may be. As one specializes, they gain valuable experience in their field which they offer their clients. So, I have exciting news! I am specializing in Green Weddings! Currently, I am pursuing a Green Wedding Certification, have shot a vegan/eco-friendly/green styled wedding.  And soon I will be launching a contest to win a “Vegan” wedding photography giveaway! Stay Tuned!!! I cannot wait to feature more “green” weddings on my website and social media!

Final Thoughts

With all the options for vendors and in particular – photographers on your wedding day, it can be a lot to sort through. From my perspective, I would want to know that my vendor is a good match for me. This means- I like their work, I trust their reviews and their experience. And it means that the price works well for my budget and includes my must-haves.  And even more- that they have the specialty that I am looking for. Barriers to entry may be low and pricing can be tricky at best, so knowing there is solid work experience and reviews that speak for the vendor is gold! I hope that you have found these tips helpful for interviewing your wedding vendors!

 

To learn more about my green wedding focus, you will want to check out this blog post!

If I can help you plan your wedding day, please do reach out! I customize each collection and can’t wait to speak with you!