Planning a wedding is no small task. From color palettes to dinner menu options, there are many detailed decisions to be made. While some brides opt to hire a professional wedding planner, others tend to handle the preparation themselves, operating and organizing via to-do lists, calendars and spreadsheets. Whether you delegate the planning or not, the decision-making process remains the same. You have the final say on all wedding aspects. That includes choosing the right photographer.

A wedding photographer’s job is to capture every detail of your big day with little to no intrusion or stress. Because the photographer(s) will be spending a lot of time with you, documenting intimate and emotional moments, you’ll want to make sure you’re comfortable with them. Here are three key questions you should ask a wedding photographer before hiring them.

1. How do you feel about wedding guests taking photos during the ceremony and reception?

Because social media has become a popular aspect of the wedding culture, couples enjoy creating wedding hashtags for their guests. Wedding goers are able to take and post photos to social media sites like Instagram with clever hashtags incorporating last names, catchy love phrases or both. Once the festivities are over, the couple may search their hashtag and scroll through photos taken by family and friends. However, allowing this could ruin a great photo opportunity for your wedding photographer. For example, guests blocking views of the first kiss, first dance or caking cutting. Many professional wedding photographers prefer guests to refrain from personal photography, but ultimately, it’s up to the couple to decide what’s best for them. Be sure to find a photographer whose overall vision aligns with yours.

2. What do you wear to photograph a wedding?

Asking this particular question can help clue you in as to how experienced the wedding photographer is. While some photographers may ask about your dress code, most professionals will choose to wear darker colors like black or navy and comfortable shoes since they’ll be on their feet all day. Their outfit choice will also be suitable for the weather and environmental elements.

3. When you’re not photographing weddings, what do you like to shoot?

A lot of photographers transition into wedding photography to pay the bills. While they enjoy capturing special weddings moments, their first passion might fall into another photography genre. Inquiring what else a photographer likes to shoot will reveal a lot about their personality and photography style. If they prefer to photograph food, they’ll be great with capturing up-close details. If they enjoy shooting landscapes and travel, they’ll have a keen eye for post-ceremony shots of the couple and wedding party and venue. Though their photographs will exhibit their talent, you’ll also see and appreciate their passion and influences.