The Ultimate Wedding Photography FAQ: Answering Your Most Important Questions
Planning a wedding is an exciting (and often slightly overwhelming) experience. Among the many decisions to make, choosing a wedding photographer is usually one of the most important. After all, once the cake is eaten and the confetti has settled, your wedding photos are what will keep the memories alive! But how do you know what to look for? What should you ask? And are you expected to feed your photographer? Let’s have a look at our wedding photography FAQ below for some of the most common questions or concerns couples have at their first consultations, and what you should be on the lookout for:
1. Is Every Photographer’s ‘Full Day Package’ the Same?
Not at all! Some wedding photographers ‘full day’ starts just before the ceremony and ends shortly after the first dance. Others (like me!) start at a time to suit you in the morning (usually around the time your hair and make-up artists arrive) and stay late into the night to capture the dance floor antics. Always check clearly what’s included before booking to avoid missing out on important memories!
2. Do We Own Our Wedding Photos?
In short—no, but don’t worry, you’ll still be able to use them however you like. Copyright of the images remains with the photographer who took them, unless otherwise stated in a contract. However, photographers typically grant you a licence to reproduce your images, meaning you can share them online, print them at home, and create albums. The only restriction? You can’t sell them on or use them for commercial purposes.

3. Do We Need to Feed Our Wedding Photographer?
If you’ve booked a full-day package, then yes, it’s a very good idea to provide a meal for your photographer. Weddings are long days, and trust me, a well-fed photographer is a happy, focused one. It definitely doesn’t have to be the full wedding breakfast, just something substantial to keep the energy levels up. Most venues or caterers will already have ‘supplier meals’ as an option to add on for anyone who requires them. Plus, if we’re taking a break while you eat, it gives us chance to get straight to work on your sneak peaks. Often I’m able to use that time to select, edit and publish a series of incredible previews by the time your evening guests arrive.
4. What Should We Ask Before Booking?
The best way to know if a photographer is right for you is to look beyond the show-stopping hero images on their website. Here are some additional things to consider:
- Ask to see full wedding albums, not just a handful of stunning shots. This ensures they can capture the whole day consistently. We utilise different skills to photograph during daylight than those we use to the nighttime dance floor, and you want to make sure all parts of your day can be handled competently.
- See weddings they’ve shot at your venue (if applicable). If you’re getting married at a beautiful venue in North Yorkshire, its helpful to see how they’ve worked in the space before and it might also give you inspiration for your day.
- Read reviews and testimonials from previous couples. It’s one thing to trust the photographer that you are speaking to, but the reviews from previous couples are invaluable in checking that their experience matches up to the promises that you’re made. You can read our google reviews here.
- Go with your instincts. For us, this is one of the most important considerations. Your wedding photographer is one of the few suppliers who is actually with you and your guests throughout the day itself. Think about whether they make you feel comfortable and relaxed (especially if you’re looking for a candid, documentary style approach). Are they personable and friendly, and would they get along comfortably with your guests? Will they be dressed to match the tone of your wedding or stick out and affect the aesthetic you’ve worked hard to create?

5. What Are Some Red Flags to Watch Out For?
Unfortunately, not every photographer operates to the same professional standard. Here are a few warning signs:
- Refusal to show full albums – If they only display a few standout shots, they may not be able to deliver a full wedding gallery to a high standard.
- No insurance – A professional wedding photographer should have public liability and professional indemnity insurance. This is often required by the beautiful wedding venues across North Yorkshire (and the rest of the UK) who might not let your wedding photographer on-site without providing proof they have it.
- Lack of backup equipment – Weddings are once-in-a-lifetime events and (however rarely) cameras do fail! Make sure your photographer has professional camera bodies with multiple memory card spaces and backup cameras. Just in case.
- No contract – A contract protects both you and the photographer. If they don’t offer one, walk away.
6. What Happens If Our Photographer Is Ill on the Day?
A professional photographer should always have a backup plan (or three!). Ask whether they have a network of trusted photographers they can call on in an emergency. As mentioned above, you should also have a comprehensive contract detailing what your wedding photographer is responsible for and how as the customer, you are protected.
7. What If It Rains On Our Wedding Day?
British weather can be unpredictable, especially in North Yorkshire! But don’t panic. Your bride squad might be encouraging you to ‘bury a sausage in the grounds’ the night before (yes, seriously it’s a thing!) but there are plenty of practical steps you can take to minimise the impact rain makes on your day.
Firstly, when we go through your itinerary we’ll make sure to include a plan for wet weather as well as one for the sunshine. That way you know that no matter what, we’ve got plans to capture your day perfectly.
Secondly, we always carry photogenic umbrellas in our kit. This allows us to brave the weather in short bursts and get some creative and unique shots. We’re prepared to embrace the rain, if you’re up for the challenge!
My own wedding day featured a pretty biblical rainstorm. While it moved the dance floor indoors, that was about the extent of the issue. The incredible atmosphere of the rain on the Church roof during our ceremony and the hilarious dashes from the cars to the venue are the memories which dominate our mind, not any negative impact on our wedding day.
Lastly, rain is actually considered good luck for weddings. Getting married symbolises your new beginning as a family and rain brings new life. In Hindu tradition it’s said that rain makes the union stronger and long lasting as “a knot tied under water is impossible to undo”.

8. How Long Will It Take to Receive Our Photos?
Editing takes time, and every photographer has a different workflow. We guarantee in your contract a deadline of 28 days (and usually it’s less than this!) however, the industry standard turnaround is actually around 6-10 weeks. This can also rise for some photographers during their busier months so as always, ask about it and check your contract for the specifics.
Be wary of anyone promising a full gallery within a few days as quality editing takes time. Similar to instagram ‘filters’ there are ‘presets’ that some photographers use to batch edit all images in one go. While this takes just a few seconds to apply, it often can take away a lot of the individuality of your day, in order to produce images that all have a consistent look and feel. Irrespective of whether your day was bright blue skies or thunderstorms, colourful or pastel themes etc, they’re all shoehorned into the same aesthetic. All of our images are edited individually to ensure you get the best possible crop of photos to remind you of your special day.
9. Is It Better To Have Two Photographers?
The old adage says that two heads are better than one. Well, sometimes, but not always. Think about this. While some photography companies have teams, or perhaps are husband/wife partnerships, the vast majority of wedding photographers work alone. So when they’re asked to provide a second photographer, this person comes from outside their business. What this means is that everything we’ve considered previously concerning picking the right photographer, go right out of the window. They externally contract someone you haven’t met, haven’t seen a body of work for and don’t have a lot of say about. Their style might differ from the photographer you booked, which results in a clunky, disjointed album of images. It’s also a direct cost to your photographer and this may have an impact on the person that they choose to work as their second shooter.
So, how do you manage to capture both the bride and groom preparations, without a second photographer? Well, in most cases the answer is actually, fairly easily!
Firstly, the main component is the planning. We will be walking through your itinerary well in advance of the day and discussing all the important images you want to come away with. Most couples get ready fairly close together (if not at the same venue in a different location). If you both get ready at your venue, perfect! I can easily slip between each party and photograph all the parts of the morning as they unfold. If you’re a bit further apart, I’ll make sure I arrive in enough time to start with (for instance) the bridal party, then move over to the groomsmen, and return to the bride for their finishing touches before we all depart for the ceremony.
In the rare circumstance that logistically it is too difficult, then we simply arrange for the groomsmen to finish getting ready at the venue. We ensure there’s enough time to photograph the bridal party then we join the groomsmen as the suits are buttoned and ties straightened. This often means you get a nicer backdrop for those images too. In almost 14 years and hundreds of weddings, I have always delivered both bride and groom prep photos whenever it was desired. Oftentimes guests comment on how it felt like I was in 3 places at once!

10. How Can We Make Sure We Get the Best Photos?
Great wedding photos come from great collaboration. Here are a few tips:
- Make use of your engagement/pre-wedding photoshoot! All our wedding bookings include one as standard for every couple. We feel it helps break the ice and get to know each other and it gives you valuable experience in front of the camera before your day. If they’re not included, you may have to book this additionally.
- Trust your photographer! My job is to guide you to the best light and give gentle direction to create beautiful images.
- Plan your timeline with photography in mind. Golden hour (just before sunset) is perfect for dreamy portraits. We always sit down with our couples around a month before your wedding to talk through your itinerary and the specifics of how your photography can fit into those plans.
11. Do You Pay Per Image, Or Is There A Set Number Of Images We’ll Receive?
All photographers price their packages and services slightly differently, but most will follow a fairly similar format. They’ll take all the photographs on your wedding day they think are appropriate, in post-production cull out any images that have things like eyes-closed or out of focus, then deliver all the final images they edit. This means it’s less common for photographers to put a specific number on the amount of images you will receive. You’ll likely see either a minimum amount such as “500+…” or just the commitment to deliver every image they’re happy with. We will of course, have a rough idea in mind of how many this is likely to be, based on similar previous weddings. This is another good reason to ask to see a full album of images as you will be able to get a feel for the quantity yourself.
For my couples, I typically deliver around 650-850 images. If there are more then you’ll get more!

Anything we’ve missed?
Let us know in the comments or drop us a message if there’s something else you’d love to know. We’ll make sure to reply to you and update this ultimate wedding photography FAQ so everyone knows!
Ready to Book Your North Yorkshire Wedding Photographer?
If you’re looking for a relaxed, documentary approach to your wedding photography, I’d love to chat! Get in touch here to check availability and let’s capture your big day in an authentic way.

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