What to ask your wedding photographer

Knowing what questions to ask a wedding photographer is the difference between booking with confidence and hoping for the best. Most couples spend more time researching a new sofa than they do vetting the person who'll document one of the most significant days of their lives. This page is here to change that. Below are the eight questions that matter most — and exactly how I answer them.

Choosing a wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions you'll make when planning your day. The photos are what you'll have long after the cake is eaten and the flowers have wilted. So it's worth knowing the right questions to ask — and what good answers actually look like.

Here are eight questions I'd encourage every couple to ask, along with honest answers about how I work.

1. What's your photography style?

This is the big one. Make sure you genuinely connect with a photographer's work before anything else.

My approach is candid and documentary — rooted in street photography. I'm there to observe, not to orchestrate. I want your wedding to be documented as it actually happened: real moments, real emotions, real people. When you look back at the images in ten years' time, I want them to take you straight back to how the day felt — not a polished version of it.

That said, I'm not invisible. I'll get families together for group shots and make sure the key moments are covered. But the bulk of what I shoot happens without any direction from me.

2. Can we see full wedding galleries?

Yes — and you should always ask for this, not just highlights.

Instagram and social media only ever show the best bits. A full gallery shows you everything: the in-between moments, the décor, the food, the candid expressions across a whole day. Crucially, it shows you how a photographer handles difficult conditions — poor light, indoor ceremonies, overcast skies — and whether their editing is consistent from image to image.

Full galleries are always available on request. Take a look, and use them for inspiration too.

3. How many images will we receive, and when?

For a full day, you can expect over 1,000 delivered images. For a half day, around 500. The bigger the wedding, the more images you'll typically receive.

Turnaround: a selection of highlights lands in your inbox within 24–48 hours. Your full online gallery follows within 3–5 weeks. Every image is individually edited — that's what takes the time, and it's also what ensures consistency across the whole set.

4. What if you can't make it on the day?

It hasn't happened yet — but that's exactly why you plan for it.

I'm part of a network of professional photographers who cover for each other when the unexpected strikes. If I were ever unable to shoot your wedding, a trusted colleague from that group would step in on the day, and I would personally edit all the final images. The result would still be delivered to you, on time, to my standard.

No couple should ever be left without a photographer.

5. Are you insured?

Yes — public liability, professional indemnity, and equipment insurance. This is a non-negotiable baseline for any professional photographer, and many venues won't allow suppliers on site without it. If a photographer can't confirm their insurance, that's a serious red flag.

6. Will you definitely be there on the day?

Always. When you book Tim Wood Photo, you get me, on the day, all day.

If your wedding has a large guest list (120+), I'd recommend adding a second photographer to make sure we capture everything across different parts of the day simultaneously. I can arrange that. But the lead photographer is always me.

7. How do we get our photos, and can we print them?

All images are delivered via a beautiful, secure online gallery. You can share it with friends and family, download directly from it, and order prints through an integrated UK print lab — the quality is genuinely excellent.

You receive full printing rights. Print as many as you like, wherever you like, as many times as you like. No restrictions, no extra fees.

8. What if you haven't shot at our venue before?

Not a problem. Every venue looks different depending on the time of year, the weather, and the light — even a photographer who's shot there a dozen times has to adapt on the day.

What matters is how quickly a photographer can read a space and get the best from it. I arrive early, research venues thoroughly beforehand (on site and online), and know where the light will be at different points in the day. I've covered a lot of Norfolk and Suffolk venues over the years, so there's a good chance I already know yours — but if not, I'll know it well before your wedding morning.

Have a question that isn't covered here? Get in touch — I'm always happy to chat.