Before the wedding
When to book a photographer, and what to ask on the first call
4 min read
When
Most couples book a photographer 8–14 months ahead, right after the venue. Thursdays and Fridays in summer and around the holidays go first. Less than three months left? Still ask — we run several crews, and a date that looks taken often isn't.
What to ask
- Who exactly will photograph us? A person, not "the studio". Ask to see one complete wedding they shot, not a highlights reel.
- How many photographers on the day? One person can't be in both getting-ready rooms at once.
- Stills and video from the same team? One team means nobody fights over the same frame at the chuppah.
- How long until the photos? And what arrives: how many, how edited, how delivered.
- What happens if it rains? A good answer starts with "depends where", not "it'll be fine".
- What counts as overtime, and what if the ceremony runs an hour late. It does, at every other wedding.
- What does the planning meeting look like? Who builds the photo timeline, and when.
What the answers tell you
A photographer who talks about light and timing before gear understands your day. One who suggests leaving for the location an hour before sunset — not "when we get to it" — knows how to plan. And if the call felt easy, that matters more than it seems: this person will stand next to you for twelve hours.