Hiring guide
30 Questions to Ask a Wedding Photographer in Nepal Before You Pay an Advance
The 30 questions to ask a wedding photographer in Nepal before paying an advance: team, rituals, galleries, backup, deliverables, delivery, contract and travel.
Most wedding photography disappointments in Nepal are not about talent. They come from things nobody asked: who would actually turn up, whether the team knew the order of the rituals, what happened when the ceremony ran three hours late, and when the album would arrive.
These are the 30 questions we would ask if we were the couple, grouped by topic, each with a note on why it matters. We are a wedding studio, so at the end we answer them for our own packages.
Availability and team (questions 1 to 5)
1. Are you free on our date and at our sait times, for every day of the wedding? Weddings bunch onto the same saits, so ask about the times, not only the date.
2. Who exactly will photograph our wedding? Studios often send associates. You are hiring the person whose work you saw, so ask for their name.
3. How many photographers and cinematographers will come, and who covers the bride’s and the groom’s side at the same time? One person cannot be at both homes on the morning of a Nepali wedding.
4. Will the same team cover every day? Continuity is what makes the album read as one story.
5. What happens if the lead photographer falls ill? The answer should name a replacement of similar experience, not promise that it will not happen.
Experience with your rituals (questions 6 to 9)
6. Have you photographed a wedding like ours, and can we see the complete gallery? Hindu, Newar, Maithili, Kirati, Tharu, Buddhist, Christian, Muslim and inter-community weddings each have their own order and their own moments.
7. Which of our rituals happen only once, and quickly? Sindoor, kanyadaan and the garland exchange cannot be repeated. A good photographer knows where to stand before they start.
8. How do you work around the priest and the elders? Ask how the team moves in a crowded mandap without blocking the family’s view.
9. Have you worked at our venue, or in light like it? Night rituals, small courtyards and halls with coloured stage lights are the hardest conditions in Nepali weddings.
Style and galleries (questions 10 to 13)
10. Can we see two or three complete galleries? A full gallery shows whether faces stay sharp and well exposed from the morning to the reception.
11. How much of the day is posed, and how much is candid? Most couples want both: formal family groups and unposed moments between rituals.
12. How do you edit skin tones and the reds and golds of Nepali wedding clothes? Over-edited reds and orange skin are the most common complaint.
13. How do you light night rituals and the reception? Ask to see photographs taken after dark.
Coverage and the schedule (questions 14 to 17)
14. How many hours are included, and when does the clock start? Starting at the bride’s make-up and ending at the bidaai can be ten hours or more.
15. What happens if the ceremony runs late, and what does extra time cost? Saits and speeches overrun; agree the rate before the day.
16. Do you need meals, rest breaks or a room between events? It is a long day for the team too, and it is better settled in advance.
17. Who makes the family group list, and who gathers the groups on the day? A relative who knows everyone saves an hour of calling names.
Equipment and backup (questions 18 to 20)
18. Do your cameras record to two memory cards at once? It is the simplest protection against a failed card.
19. What backup cameras, lenses, flashes and batteries do you bring? A wedding day runs longer than one battery.
20. How are files backed up after the wedding, and how long do you keep them? Ask where copies are kept and for how long, so a lost drive is not the end of your photographs.
Deliverables (questions 21 to 24)
21. How many edited photographs will we receive, and who chooses them? The number follows the hours and the team; ask for it in writing.
22. What is in the film? A highlight film of a few minutes and a full-length film are different products; ask for the length of each.
23. Which album, how many pages, which cover, and how many rounds of changes to the design? Ask whether parent albums are included or extra.
24. Do we get high-resolution files we can print and share, and can you use our photographs in your own portfolio? Agree usage both ways.
Delivery and files (questions 25 and 26)
25. When will we receive the preview, the full gallery, the album and the film? Ask for each date in the agreement, and ask what happens in peak season.
26. How are files delivered, and how long does the online gallery stay online? Download everything when it arrives and keep two copies.
Money and the agreement (questions 27 to 29)
27. What is the total, what does it include, and what costs extra? Travel, stays, drone coverage, extra albums and overtime are the usual additions.
28. How much is the advance, when are the other payments due, and what happens if the date moves or the wedding is cancelled? Get the terms before paying anything.
29. Will we sign an agreement that names the team, hours, deliverables and delivery dates? If it is not written down, it was not agreed.
Travel and references (question 30)
30. For a wedding away from your base, how are travel and stays handled, and can we speak to a recent couple you photographed? A recent client will tell you more about punctuality, conduct during the rituals and delivery than any portfolio.
How we answer these
We publish our answers to the questions that have fixed answers. Bronze (NPR 75,000): 6 hours, 1 professional photographer, 200+ edited photos, basic photo album, 20 pages. Silver (NPR 110,000): 8 hours, 2 professional photographers, 400+ edited photos, premium photo album, 30 pages. Gold (NPR 160,000): 10 hours, 2 photographers and 1 cinematographer, 600+ edited photos, premium leather album, 40 pages. Platinum (NPR 300,000): full 2-day coverage, 3 photographers and 2 cinematographers, 1000+ edited photos, luxury premium album, 50 pages. There is no travel charge in Butwal, Tilottama, Bhairahawa or the Kathmandu Valley; travel and any stay anywhere else are quoted as their own line before you book. Ask us for the team, the hours and the deliverables in writing, and for complete galleries from weddings like yours, before you pay anything.
Answers that reassure, and answers that should worry you
How the answer is given tells you as much as what it says.
| Topic | Reassuring answer | Worrying answer |
|---|---|---|
| Who comes | Names the lead photographer and the team, in writing | “One of our photographers will come” |
| Rituals | Walks you through your ceremony in order and says where the team will stand | “We cover everything” |
| Galleries | Sends complete galleries from weddings like yours | Only shows a highlight reel or social media posts |
| Backup | Two memory cards per camera, spare bodies, files copied the same night | “Nothing has ever gone wrong” |
| Delivery | Gives dates for the gallery, album and film in the agreement | “As soon as possible” |
| Money | A written total with every extra listed, and clear refund and date-change terms | A verbal price and a request for the advance first |
Before you pay an advance
- Know the name of the lead photographer and the size of the team.
- See two or three complete galleries from weddings like yours.
- Walk the photographer through your rituals and sait times.
- Confirm dual-card recording, spare equipment and how files are backed up.
- Get the number of edited photos, the film lengths and the album details in writing.
- Get the delivery dates for the gallery, album and film in writing.
- Read the advance, payment, date-change and cancellation terms.
- Speak to a recent couple the photographer has worked with.
Ask us the 30 questions
Send us your date and your questions. We will answer each one in writing and send complete galleries from weddings like yours.
30 Questions to Ask a Wedding Photographer in Nepal Before You Pay an Advance: questions answered
What should I ask a wedding photographer before booking?+
Ask who will be there in person, whether they have photographed your kind of ceremony, to see complete galleries, how many hours and photos are included, how files are backed up, when each deliverable arrives, and what the advance and cancellation terms are.
How many photographers do we need for a Nepali wedding?+
At least two for most weddings: one stays with the rituals while the other follows the families, and on the morning both homes need someone. Add a cinematographer if you want a film.
Should we meet the photographer before booking?+
Yes, in person or on a video call. You will spend the whole day with them, often in small rooms with your family, so how they communicate matters as much as their photographs.
What should a wedding photography contract in Nepal include?+
The studio and the lead photographer, the dates, hours and venues, the team, the number of edited photos, the film and album details, the delivery dates, the total price and what is extra, the payment schedule, date-change and cancellation terms, and how images may be used.
How much advance do wedding photographers in Nepal take?+
It varies by studio. Whatever the amount, pay it only against a written agreement that states what happens to the advance if the date changes or the wedding is cancelled.
Why ask for a complete gallery instead of a portfolio?+
A portfolio shows the best twenty frames of many weddings. A complete gallery shows one wedding from start to finish, including dark halls and crowded rituals, which is what you will actually receive.
What is a red flag when hiring a wedding photographer?+
Refusing to name who will come, showing only highlight reels, having no written agreement, vague delivery dates, and asking for the advance before answering questions.
Should the photographer know our rituals?+
Yes. Moments such as sindoor and kanyadaan happen once and fast. A photographer who knows the order is in position before they begin; one who does not is always a moment behind.
Can we ask for the raw photographs?+
You can ask. Many studios deliver only edited photographs, because raw files are unfinished. With us, all raw photos and videos are an add-on at NPR 25,000. What matters is agreeing, in writing, how many edited photographs you will receive.