Start by asking to see a complete wedding gallery, not a highlights reel. Anyone can curate thirty great frames from a year of work. The full gallery of a single wedding shows you what your own set will actually look like — the family groups, the dim reception hall, the unglamorous but precious moments.
Ask who will actually photograph your wedding. Some studios book the wedding under a famous name and send associates. There is nothing wrong with associate shooters — but you should know whose eye you are buying.
Ask about ritual literacy. A photographer who knows when the sindoor moment comes stands in the right place before it happens. One who doesn't, misses it while repositioning.
Finally, trust the conversation. You will spend more time with your photographer than with your spouse on the wedding day. If the pre-booking call feels transactional, the photographs usually will too.
