You have heard us talk about teamwork over and over. I like to spend ALOT of time getting to know my vendor friends, it builds strong relationships that in turn create a smooth and seamless day for our couples. It also helps us to pair out couples with vendors who are a perfect fit for their style, personalities, and financial comfort zones.
I’ve really been enjoying interviewing our trusted vendor friends about what you should and shouldn’t ask in your initial inquiry call. Here’s what a few of them had to say.
Don’t Ask: Have you shot at my wedding before?
Instead Ask: What do you love about my venue or if you haven’t been there yet are you up for doing a walkthrough of the space prior to our wedding day?
“You don’t need to hire a photographer that’s shot at your venue several times. While it may be a plus for some couples, for a creative such as a photographer, we find our best inspiration in places we haven’t been often, or at all. It’s easy to fall into a routine for some creatives if they’ve been to a place several times. But when you really allow a photographer to run a bit wild with their creativity, that’s when the magic happens”.
“Doing a walkthrough of a venue that is new to me allows me to plan out logistics; how long it’ll take to walk from one spot to another so I can ensure I allot enough time in between family formals, portraits, etc. This allows for me to make room for my creativity to run wild on the day of and customize my thought plan for the couple I’m serving.”
-Kim Trang of Kim Trang Photography
Dont ask What is your photographic style
Ask: Can I browse through some full galleries to get a feel for how you photograph a wedding from start to finish
Don’t ask Why are your prices so high?
Ask: What makes your work more valuable than other photographers we are talking with?
-Michelle Lange of Michelle Lange Photography
Don’t ask: Do you use a shot list?
Ask: What are your favorite moments of the day to capture?
“I get a VIP list from them and there is, of course, a list of monumental moments and details that need to be captured, but writing all of it down only makes capturing it more difficult. I learned that the hard way. The photographer needs to stay focused on the environment, not a shot list on a piece of paper”
Don’t Ask: What are your hours of coverage or do you have a second shooter?
Instead Ask: I’ve reviewed your packages and see you include a second shooter. How do you choose or select the second shooter for my wedding day?
-Matt Ramos of Matt Ramos Photography
HOW TO ASK QUESTIONS-
Here are a few questions they would LOVE it if you asked in the initial sales call. I do not recommend asking all of the questions. Select the ones that are most important to you. You don’t want to freak them out or think you will be micromanaging them.
When asking questions, work them into the conversation rather than presenting them to the vendor as a barrage of questions. They want to feel valued and trusted but if they aren’t giving you the information you need, absolutely ask for it!
Q: Have you worked with the other vendors that we’ve already booked before?
Q: Do you have set office hours for email communications, meetings, etc.?
Q: What format will they receive the photos in?
Q: Why are you a wedding photographer?
Q: Do you have backup equipment?
Q: Can you shoot in any lighting situation?
Q: Why should I print my images?
Q: Do you help pose couples?
Q: What is your favorite part of the wedding day?
As planners, we are here for you through the whole journey, including helping you with interviewing your vendors so you feel supported through the entire process. If the idea of interviewing your photographers alone feels daunting take a peek at our services page and learn more about how we help our couples navigate the process of hiring their vendors
