Wedding 101: Hiring a photographer

Even though the holidays were threatening to take over our lives for a little while, we knew that the next big thing on our Wedding To-Do List was to find a photographer. We'd secured a date and a venue, found officiants, and I'd even bought a dress - but with the wedding a less than a year away, it was time to start talking about any vendors that the hotel wasn't directly supplying (i.e., everyone but the caterer and baker).

So, first things first - budget. Here's what I'm quickly learning - you can get anything for any price, it just matters what you're willing to pay. And here's what I mean by that seemingly obvious statement: in this day and age, nearly every single item and service that you can think of can be made available to you in a variety of prices that range from what you consider "cheap", to "affordable," and to what you consider "overpriced." There is no right or wrong answer to the price you set for something, it just depends on your needs, wallet, and desire. I've spoken to brides who paid thousands for their dress and shoes and then had a friend press play on a laptop playlist during the reception, and then I've seen brides walk down the aisle of a free public park while wearing a handmaid dress but then pay thousands for their reception music and lighting services. None of those brides were wrong - it was simply a matter of what was important to them.

That being said, hiring a professional photographer was important to us. We were prepared to devote a significant portion of our budget to this service, and as a result, needed to know we were hiring the right person. But doing a blanket search quickly turned daunting and overwhelming (google "wedding photographer chicago" and see what happens) - so I turned to the next best thing, Facebook. A quick query to all my friends in Chicago ("hey Chicago peeps - did you love your wedding photographer? If so, I'd appreciate any recommendations!") yielded eight solid suggestions, with one guy getting a nod from two different friends. I immediately contacted five of those eight and asked about their availability and pricing options for 2016. After a little back and forth (two were unavailable, one was just a bit too expensive, one seemed oddly unenthusiastic in her emails), we scheduled a call with one of the suggested photographers. I knew that this would be both our chance to get to know him and his chance to get to know us, so I made sure to be prepared with all the necessary questions.

This was the list we used in interviewing our wedding photographer - download a printable version here or scroll down to see the full list - it helped us stay on task during the conversation and get to know who we were speaking to. Feel free to use this list any time you are looking to hire a photographer (because professional photographers aren't just for weddings!), and I hope it helps in your planning. Incidentally, we loved the guy we spoke to and hired him on the spot. Now I just need to tear myself away from the evil Pinterest and it's "cute bridesmaids photos" ugly stepsister and get back to my real job. Happy wedding planning!

QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN INTERVIEWING A 

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER 

THE BASICS

·      What is your preferred style of photography?

·      Is wedding photography your main business?

·      Have you ever shot at my venue?

·      Do you bring in your own lighting?

·      Will you work from a shot list/can I request certain images?

·      Will you use my images in any advertising?

·      Will you request the photography guidelines from the venue?

·      Will you provide a standard contract?

·      What is your plan if there is an emergency and you are not available?

·      What is your cancellation policy?

                                          

THE SCHEDULE

·      How many weddings will you shoot on the day?

·      What kind of timeline do you suggest for the day? How long will you need for “getting ready” pictures, first-look, group shots, etc.?

·      How much of the reception will you cover?

·      What breaks will you need during the day?

                                                      

THE PRICES

·      How many hours are included in your package?

·      How much are additional hours?

·      Do you include a second shooter? If not, is one available as an upgrade?

·      What else is included in this price – engagement photos, wedding album, etc.?

·      How much are individual prints?

·      How much is the deposit? What is your preferred method of payment?

·      When is the balance due?

                                              

THE PHOTOS

·      How many images can I expect to see from my wedding?

·      Do you have a limit to the amount of images you will edit?

·      How long does it take to see the proofs from the wedding?

·      Do I receive a disk/jump drive of the images, or do I have to purchase them all through you?

·     Who retains the rights to the photos? In what capacity am I able to use the photos?

Wedding 101: Questions to ask during your venue search

A few weeks ago I mentioned that we finally picked a venue for our wedding next year. It's such a huge relief to have such a big piece of the puzzle all figured out! The search to get to said venue, however, was a bit on the lengthy side. We ended up viewing twelve venues in two different cities over the course of the summer, and wading through the sheer amount of options was one of our biggest challenges. One of the best ways to do this and keep track of the pros and cons offered by each of the locations, however, was to ask the same set of questions at each place. Even though nearly all the venues provided us with an information packet detailing the specifics of their wedding packages, I found that creating my own list ahead of time allowed us to stay on task during each site visit, easily compare and contrast all of the options, and temper the analysis paralysis that was threatening to take over my brain.

The internet is teaming with lists of questions to ask your wedding venue, but below are the questions that helped me in my venue search. I organized them in what seemed to me to be the most natural progression of information, and not to toot my own horn, but it is an incredibly comprehensive list. It's also long - three pages and nearly 100 questions - but my philosophy is that preparedness is next to godliness (or something like that). Download the PDF here to print it out as is, or view it below to use it as a basis for your own list of questions - and good luck in your venue search!

 * Questions to ask when looking for a Wedding Venue *

Venue:

·       What dates are available during the month(s) I’m interested in?

·       How many weddings will be booked that day?

·       Is the venue available for exclusive use? If so, is there a minimum amount of guests that have to book accommodation for exclusivity?

·       Are there different rates for different days, times, or months? (peak vs. off-peak)

·       How flexible are your packages?

·       Are there any changes planned to the building before the wedding (renovations, painting, etc.)?

·       Is there an outdoor space where my guests can smoke or mingle? Is this space heated/covered if necessary?

·       Is there a coat check area?

·       How many toilets are there?

·       Is there somewhere secure to store wedding gifts?

·       Does the venue have public liability insurance?

·       What security services do you offer? Do I need to hire my own security guards, or does the site hire them or have them on staff?

·       Do you have a recycling policy?

Staff:

·       Who will be our point person before the event?

·       Who will be our point person on the day?

·       Can we meet that person now?

·       Is that person the facility director? If not, who is this person?

·       Does the venue provide assistance getting gifts/décor back to a designated car/room/etc. after the event has concluded?

Payment:

·       Is there a payment schedule?

·       What kind of deposits are required?

·       Are there hidden costs – service charges, gratuity, cleaning fees, overtime charges?

·       What’s the cancellation policy?

·       What costs are incurred if the numbers on the day differ to the final numbers?

·       What’s the last possible date that we can make changes?

Guests

·       What time will my guests have to leave the venue?

·       Will a shuttle to/from the ceremony and reception be provided?

·       Transportation to/from the airport?

·       Is the bridal suite included in the price? Are rooms provided for the parents?

·       What accommodation does the venue offer, and is there a discounted rate for guests at the wedding?

·       Are these rates dependent on a certain number of guests booking accommodation?

·       Can the bridal party get ready at the venue?

·       Is the venue child friendly? What facilities are available for entertaining children? Is there an age cutoff?

Ceremony:

·       Which rooms are licensed for ceremonies?

·       Is the ceremony to take place in the same room as the reception?

·       What is the changeover plan for converting to reception?

·       How much time is allocated for the rehearsal?

·       What is the sound system for the ceremony site?

Food and Drink

·       Is there an in-house caterer?

·       Do we have to use that caterer? If not, is there a limitation on which outside caterers we can use?

·       If I hire my own caterer, are kitchen facilities available for them? If so, is there an extra charge?

·       Can I brink in a cake from an outside cake maker or must I use a cake maker on the premises?

·       Is there a cake-cutting fee? If I use a cake made on site is the fee waived? Do you provide special cake-cutting utensils?

·       Do you have a liquor license?

·       What is your pricing for alcohol? Is it a hosted bar, cash bar, or combo of the two?

·       Is there a bar minimum?

·       What is the average bar tab for the number of people attending my event?

·       Are there any consequences for not fulfilling the food and beverage minimum?

·       What time does the bar close? Is there a charge for a bar extension?

·       How much wine is included per person?

·       What are the wine choices and upgrade costs?

·       Is there a complimentary champagne toast?

·       Will you allow us to bring our own liquor?

·       If so, is there a corkage fee?

·       Is there a service charge on top of the bill? If so, how much? What about additional charges for bar/wait staff?

·       What time is the meal?

·       Do you cater for special dietary requirements?

·       Is a complimentary menu and wine tasting included? How many people can attend?

The Reception – Décor & Styling

·       Must I use vendors of your choosing?

·       When can my vendors arrive for setup?

·       Who is responsible for setting up and tearing down the décor, and when will it be completed?

·       Are there any decoration limitations? Can we use candles?

·       What crockery/linen/cutlery is provided as part of the package?

·       What types of tables do you have? Are there options?

·       Is any décor/stationary provided (menus, centerpieces, flowers, cake stand, etc.)? Are there alternatives available?

·       Can I move things around and decorate to suit my purposes or do I have to leave everything as is?

The Reception – Logistics

·       Does the venue own sound equipment and speakers, or will that equipment need to be rented?

·       Do you have microphones in the venue for the speeches?

·       Can I hook an iPod/laptop up to your sound system?

·       Where does the DJ/band set up?

·       Where are the room’s outlets in relation to the tables/windows/layout of the room?

·       Where is the dance floor/how big is it/does anything have to be moved to make the dance floor?

·       Will the band be able to set up beforehand or does it have to be during changeover?

·       Will the band have to go through the reception to set up or is there a separate entrance?

·       Are there restrictions for the photographer in terms of flash usage?

Caterer/Food Specifics

             ·      What services are included? Table-side water service, wine pouring, coffee service, etc.?

             ·      What services are NOT included?

             ·      Where do you source your ingredients?

             ·      What is the server-to-guest ratio?

·                    Have you ever catered an event at my venue?

·       How will the food be prepped – cooked at your kitchen and warmed at the venue, or prepped at your kitchen and cooked on-site just before serving?

·       Who is handling rentals? Tables, chairs, linens, tableware, barware, heaters, etc.?

·       How many weddings have you catered before?

·       How many events will you cater on my wedding day?

·       Re: menu – what are you making that you are excited about? What do you suggest?

·       Re: tasting – is this what the portion size will be? Is this what the dish will look like? Will you be preparing this dish any differently on the day of my wedding? Are you open to changing X,Y.Z?