i. PORTFOLIO
a. get them to show you TWO full wedding album (not just the highlights);
It's easy to get 3-4 great shots on an actual wedding day. However, you are not booking a wedding photographer just for those 3-4 great shots. You need an entire set of wedding images.
Try not to make a decision based solely on the highlights of a wedding photographer and videographer, but rather at the entirety of his portfolio.
b. check how familiar they are with wedding customaries;
We all only get married once, and most of us have no clue as to what goes where and why. With any luck, your wedding photographer and videographer might know the customs pretty well.
E.g., During the tea ceremony, who sits on the left and on the right? What items does a bride need on hand before leaving her home? Things to note during the veiling of the bride and hair combing ritual? What is the tradition of lighting the phoenix candle?
c. ask how much Photoshop do they apply to their images;
There is no lack of horrid wedding images where the wedding photographer applies excessive photoshop to a sky so purple the shot was probably taken on Mars, and grass so green it's probably only found in the amazon jungle. Yes, we exaggerate but you get the drift.
d. are you comfortable with their shooting style and post processing techniques.
Shooting styles can range from photojournalistic wedding coverage to the 'posey' / directed shots. Which shooting style do you prefer: candids or formals?
Post processing techniques refers to the colour treatment, exposure, and contrast. All the things done in Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom to bring an image to life.