There's a sentence I've heard too many times in consultations: "I wish I'd known to ask that before I signed."

It's usually about the same things. The second-shooter clause. The turnaround time that was never in the contract. The licensing line that meant the photographer could use the photos but the couple couldn't print them without paying extra. By the time someone tells me this, they've already lived through the wedding — there's nothing to fix. There's just a regret they carry forward.

So a few weeks ago, I sat down and wrote out the questions. Seven of them. The ones I tell every couple to ask — of me, and of everyone else they're considering. I shaped them into a free PDF you can download here:

→ Download "7 Questions to Ask Before Booking Your Wedding Photographer"

It's eight pages, designed to be read in under ten minutes, and it costs nothing. There's also a bonus page at the end on the most common wedding-day timeline mistakes I see.

Why I'm giving this away

This is the obvious question. The honest answer: because most of what I'd say to a couple in a consultation isn't proprietary. It's just experience. And experience is more valuable to me when it's shared than when it's hoarded.

A couple who walks into our consultation already knowing what to ask is a better consultation. They're not nervous about whether they're being taken advantage of. They've done the framework work — now we can talk about their wedding, their venue, the actual photos they want to look at in fifty years. That's where the good work lives.

A couple who reads the guide and decides to hire someone else? That's fine too. The guide makes everyone in the Lincoln wedding photography market a little more honest. That's good for everyone, including me.

Two questions worth previewing

The full guide has all seven. Here are two I think most couples get wrong.

"Are you actually shooting my wedding, or sending a second-shooter?"

A surprising number of studios — especially larger ones — book your wedding under the lead photographer's name, then send an associate or second-shooter the day of. The portfolio you fell in love with is the lead's. The work you receive may not be.

Ask the question directly. Get the answer in writing inside your contract. If the studio uses associates, ask to see that specific shooter's portfolio. A good studio will offer that without hesitation. A sketchy one will deflect.

For what it's worth: with me, you book me. I don't bring a second-shooter by default — most weddings don't need one, and a single confident shooter keeps the day quieter and more intimate. If your wedding genuinely calls for one (300+ guests, multiple locations, etc.) we'll discuss it upfront and you'll see their portfolio before they're booked. The only other person you may see on-site is a trusted lighting assistant when the venue calls for it. Never anyone you didn't approve.

"How many edited photos will I actually receive?"

This is the single biggest source of price-comparison confusion couples run into. Studio A charges $2,000 for "6 hours of coverage." Studio B charges $1,800 for the same. Looks like A is more expensive — until you read the fine print: A delivers 800 edited photos. B delivers 200.

Always compare by total deliverable, not headline price. A reasonable rate is around 50 to 70 edited frames per hour of wedding coverage. If a quote falls way below that, ask why. If it's way above, ask if every photo is actually being culled and edited — or if you're getting near-duplicates padded into a higher count to make the package sound more impressive.

For reference: NVAR delivers 400+ edited photos for 6 hours of wedding coverage. Real edits, no duplicates. Wedding base is currently $1,800 for 2026 dates — moving to $2,000 for 2027 bookings. If you're planning a 2026 or early-2027 wedding, locking your date at this year's rate is the cleanest play.

The other five

I won't spoil the rest here. The full guide covers:

How to vet the contract's editing turnaround in writing
What every photographer should be able to tell you about their backup gear, backup files, and backup-shooter plan
The licensing language that decides whether you or the photographer owns the photos of your wedding
Why venue experience makes a measurable difference in your gallery
How to read a full wedding gallery (not just the highlights) — the one test that separates a real one from a good Instagram grid

Plus the bonus page: five wedding-day timeline mistakes I see almost every couple make, including the ten-minute window after the ceremony that's responsible for more "wish I'd done this" comments than any other single decision on a wedding day.