Planning a wedding in Colorado’s breathtaking landscapes requires finding the perfect photographer to capture both the breathtaking mountain backdrops and intimate moments. Knowing the right questions to ask your Colorado wedding photographer before booking is crucial to ensure they’re the perfect match for your special day.
As a Colorado wedding photographer myself, I believe in complete transparency with my couples! That’s why I’ve compiled these 11 essential questions to help you make an informed decision when choosing the photographer who will preserve your memories for generations to come (and spend your entire wedding day with you).
1. What is Your Photography Style and Can I See Full Wedding Galleries?
Every photographer has a unique approach and artistic vision. Some specialize in documentary-style photography, primarily capturing candid moments as they unfold naturally, rather than providing any direction. Others excel at traditional portraiture with classic poses, while some blend multiple styles.
Understanding a photographer’s style helps ensure their vision aligns with yours. This is crucial because what you see is what you get—their editing style, composition preferences, and overall aesthetic will be what you can expect to see in your final gallery!
Always ask to see complete wedding galleries, not just portfolio highlights. Review multiple full galleries to ensure consistency across different lighting conditions, venues, and seasons. Pay attention to how they capture emotional moments, whether their images feel authentic to you, and if their style resonates with how you want to remember your Colorado wedding day.
In my approach, I focus on creating authentic, joyful images that truly reflect who you are as a couple. I blend documentary storytelling with artistic portraits that showcase Colorado’s dramatic landscapes and your real emotions, ensuring your photos feel genuine and timeless. My editing style emphasizes natural colors and authentic moments—I want your images to bring you right back to how your day actually looked and felt.
2. What’s Included in Your Colorado Wedding Photography Packages?
Wedding photography packages vary significantly between photographers. Some offer basic coverage with digital images, while others include engagement sessions, albums, prints, 35mm film photography or second photographers.
Ask for a detailed breakdown of what’s included and any additional costs you might incur. This transparency helps avoid surprises later and ensures you’re comparing similar offerings when evaluating different photographers.
My signature collections are designed to provide everything you need for a joyful experience. Each collection includes full-day coverage (8-12 hours), two professional photographers, and your choice of an engagement session or rehearsal dinner coverage. I believe in being fully present for your entire celebration, from getting ready moments to late-night dance floors, so you never have to worry about watching the clock on your wedding day.
3. Do You Include a Second Photographer for Mountain Weddings?
Colorado weddings often involve stunning venues with multiple locations and perspectives worth capturing simultaneously. A second photographer can document different angles during your first look and ceremony, capture guest reactions while the primary photographer focuses on you, and ensure comprehensive coverage throughout the day. Plus, a second photographer can help organize your loved ones for family photos to make the process as easy as possible!
For larger weddings or venues with multiple locations, a second photographer provides invaluable additional coverage that one person simply cannot achieve alone.
I believe in providing complete coverage of your day, which is why my signature collections all include a professional second photographer to ensure we capture every special moment from multiple perspectives.
4. How Do You Create and Manage Wedding Day Photography Timelines?
An experienced Colorado wedding photographer should help create a photography timeline that allows for stunning portraits while ensuring you still enjoy your celebration with guests. This question reveals not just their planning process but how they prioritize your experience.
Ask specific questions about timing: How long do they typically need for family portraits, couple’s portraits, and detail shots? Does their timeline approach allow you to spend your day the way you envision? How do they adapt to and honor your desires? Some photographers might need an hour for family photos while others can accomplish it in 20 minutes—these differences significantly impact how you’ll spend your wedding day.
The best photographers will not only consider factors specific to Colorado weddings—like afternoon thunderstorms in summer months and early sunset times in mountain venues—but will first and foremost prioritize what matters most to you, whether that’s an elaborate portrait session or maximizing time with your guests.
I believe your wedding day should be spent focusing on what matters most to you. My timeline planning process starts with understanding your priorities and what you value most. I then create a customized timeline that protects your time for meaningful moments while building in flexibility for Colorado’s unpredictable mountain weather. My goal is efficiency without rushing—ensuring we capture beautiful images while you fully experience every moment of your celebration.
5. How Do You Handle Colorado Mountain Weather on Wedding Days?
Colorado’s weather is famously unpredictable, especially in the mountains. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer, while snow can appear even in May or September at higher elevations.
Ask your photographer about their experience shooting in various weather conditions and their backup plans. Their answer will reveal their preparedness and adaptability—essential qualities for mountain wedding photography. Plus, their attitude and flexibility will greatly impact how you feel about any weather changes on your day. You want to find someone who can go with the flow and make the very best of it!
Having photographed weddings across Colorado in all seasons, I’m prepared for everything from summer thunderstorms to winter snowfalls. I always bring weather-appropriate gear and scout indoor alternatives for portraits if needed, ensuring beautiful images regardless of what Mother Nature delivers.
6. What Is Your Approach to Your Colorado Engagement Sessions?
Engagement sessions provide an opportunity to work with your photographer before the wedding day, but the approach varies dramatically between photographers. This question reveals much about their overall philosophy and how they’ll interact with you during your session.
Ask about session length, location customization, how they help you feel comfortable in front of the camera, and what makes their approach unique for every couple. For Colorado-based couples, engagement sessions offer an opportunity to incorporate seasonal landscapes that might differ from your wedding date. If you’re having a summer wedding at Camp Hale, maybe you do a winter engagement session at Dream Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park!
Pay special attention to whether they treat engagement sessions as quick, standardized photoshoots or meaningful experiences designed to capture your authentic connection.
I believe engagement sessions should be genuine experiences, not rushed photoshoots. That’s why my sessions last 2-4 hours—giving us time to explore beautiful Colorado locations while getting to know each other on a more personal level. I design each session around your personality and relationship, creating activities and moments that bring out your natural joy together. These sessions are crucial because you’ll spend more time with your photographer on your wedding day than almost anyone else—even your new spouse! This extended time together ensures you feel completely comfortable with me by your wedding day, resulting in more authentic, emotional wedding images.
7. When Will We Receive Our Wedding Photos After the Big Day?
Understanding the delivery timeline and process is crucial. Ask about the expected turnaround time, how many images you’ll receive, and in what format they’ll be delivered.
Most professional photographers provide edited digital images through an online gallery, but the specifics and timeline vary significantly between photographers.
I know how exciting it is to get your photos back and that’s why I deliver a preview gallery within 24 hours of your session and wedding day! Your full gallery will be delivered within 4 weeks of your session and 8 weeks of your wedding day via an online, downloadable gallery. The gallery allows for easy downloading, sharing, and ordering prints directly from my preferred professional print lab.
8. What Backup Systems Do You Have for Wedding Photos?
Image security should be a priority for professional photographers. Ask about their backup systems during shooting (multiple camera bodies, extra memory cards) and afterward (storage redundancy).
Professional photographers should have a robust system to protect your images from camera to delivery.
I protect your memories through multiple layers of redundancy: shooting on dual-card cameras, backing up files immediately after your wedding to multiple devices, and storing your images on both physical drives and secure cloud platforms until delivery.
9. What is Your Contract and Booking Process for Weddings?
Understanding the booking process helps set clear expectations about payments, contracts, and what happens next. Ask about retainer amounts, payment schedules, and what’s required to secure your date officially.
To officially book your wedding date, I require a signed contract and a $1,000 non-refundable retainer. The remaining balance is divided into three payments, with the final payment due 1 week before your wedding date. My contract clearly outlines deliverables, inclusions, and policies to ensure we’re both protected.
10. Do You Have Wedding Photography Liability Insurance?
Professional wedding photographers should carry liability insurance that covers potential accidents or damage while shooting your wedding. Many venues now require vendors to provide proof of insurance, so this question can save headaches later in your planning process.
Yes, I maintain comprehensive business liability insurance that meets or exceeds the requirements of all Colorado venues. I’m happy to provide certificates of insurance to your venue upon request.
11. Do You Charge Travel Fees for Colorado Mountain Weddings?
Colorado offers endless wedding locations—from downtown Denver to mountain towns like Aspen and Telluride, or remote locations in Rocky Mountain National Park. Understanding a photographer’s travel policy is essential, especially for destination weddings within Colorado.
Ask about any additional travel fees, accommodation requirements for distant locations, and if they have a radius within which travel is included in their standard packages. This question helps avoid surprise expenses and ensures your photographer is willing and able to travel to your specific venue.
I include travel to wedding venues within a 90 minute drive of Loveland in all my packages. For Colorado mountain weddings and other destinations beyond this range, I offer transparent travel rates with no hidden fees. Having photographed weddings across our beautiful state, I’m well-versed in the logistics of reaching even the most remote mountain venues (and planning for Denver traffic)!
How to Choose the Best Colorado Wedding Photographer for Your Style
These 11 questions to ask your Colorado wedding photographer provide a foundation for meaningful conversations with potential photographers, but the most important factor is often how you connect personally. Your wedding photographer will be by your side throughout one of life’s most meaningful days—you’ll see your photographer as often as you do your new spouse!
The wedding photographer you choose will witness intimate moments, interact with your closest family and friends, and help shape the emotional flow of your day. Their energy, personality, and approach can significantly impact your overall wedding experience. This is why personal connection matters just as much as their portfolio or pricing.
Meet Your Colorado Wedding Photographer
Hi, I’m Logan! A Colorado and destination wedding photographer who believes this connection is so essential that I offer a complimentary consultation call with every couple who inquires. During this no-pressure conversation, we’ll discuss your vision, answer any questions you have about my approach, and determine if we’re the right fit for each other.
My philosophy centers on creating an authentic, joyful experience that allows you to be fully present on your wedding day. I believe your wedding photos should reflect who you truly are as a couple, capturing genuine emotion and connection rather than forced poses or trendy phases.
Colorado wedding days are filled with unpredictable moments—from changing mountain weather to emotional family interactions—and having a photographer you genuinely like and trust allows you to remain present and joyful throughout the experience.
If you’re interested in working together, you can read more about my Colorado and destination wedding photography packages here, then officially inquire to get started! I’ll be in touch within 24 hours to let you know if I’m available for your date and share all the details. I can’t wait to hear from you!
