How to choose a wedding photographer in Sweden
Updated 26 October 2026 · Written by Lysela
Choose a wedding photographer by looking at full galleries from real weddings, not the portfolio highlights, and book once your date and venue are settled. Popular photographers can be taken for the season long in advance. Ask how many hours are included, when you get the pictures and what you may do with them, and put the answers in a contract. Here is what to look at, the questions to ask, what the contract should cover and a shot list to hand over.
Try it yourself, no accountHow do you choose a wedding photographer?
Look at whole weddings
Ask to see a full wedding, not only the best pictures. You will see how the photographer copes with poor light, the mingling and the evening.
Find the style you mean
Light and airy, documentary or posed. Show a few pictures you like and you will see whether you and the photographer mean the same thing.
Talk first
The photographer is close to you for a whole day. Have a call or a meeting before you decide, and notice how it feels to be around them.
Book early
Book once the date and venue are settled. Do not wait until everything else is done, because a photographer may already have your weekend.
How many hours of photography do you need, and what affects the price?
Start with your timeline: what do you want pictures of, and when does it happen? Count the hours from there.
What the price depends on
The number of hours, how many pictures are delivered and how much they are edited, the day you marry, travel and an overnight stay if the venue is far away, and whether a second photographer or an album is included.
Ask for a quote you can compare
Have each photographer write down what is included, so you compare like with like. Put the amount in your wedding budget.
| Coverage | What you get | Suits couples who |
|---|---|---|
| Ceremony only | The photographer attends the ceremony and a short while after, with pictures of you, the guests and the rings. | Have a small ceremony, or a party without a big programme. |
| Ceremony and portraits | The ceremony and a separate stretch for portraits of the two of you and your closest people, often somewhere you have chosen. | Want unhurried pictures of themselves, but not the whole evening. |
| The whole day | From the preparations to dinner, the speeches and the first dance, sometimes longer. | Want to remember the whole day, with guests and atmosphere. |
Questions to ask a wedding photographer
Hours and extras
How many hours are included, and what does an extra hour cost if the party runs late?
Delivery
How many pictures do we get, when, and in what format?
If you fall ill
Is there a replacement, and how quickly can they step in?
The evening and the light
How do you work when it is dark, and how have you handled a venue like ours?
Hello [photographer's name], We are getting married on [date] at [venue, place] and are looking for a photographer. We like a [documentary, light or posed] style, and your pictures from [wedding or place] stayed with us. Are you available that day? We would also like to know: 1. which packages you offer and what they cost 2. how many hours are included and what an extra hour costs 3. when we get the pictures and how many 4. what happens if you cannot come We would also like to see a full wedding of yours. Kind regards [name] and [name]
What should the wedding photographer contract cover?
If the photographer does not use a contract, write the agreement in an email that you both reply yes to.
Day, times and place
The date, start time, end time and where the photographer will be.
Price and payment
The total price, what is included, when it is paid and whether part of it is paid in advance.
Delivery
The number of pictures, the format, the delivery date and how long the photographer keeps the files.
Rights
What you may do with the pictures: print, share, put them on your wedding website. Ask also whether the photographer may use them in their own marketing.
Changes, cancellation and illness
What applies if you change the date, if either of you cancels or if the photographer cannot come.
Shot list and portrait photography at your wedding
The photographer knows what usually works. A short list tells them what you in particular do not want to miss. Family photos take longer than people expect, so write down the groups you want, with names. Read also about the bridal party if they are to be in the pictures.
Take the portraits early
Plan them between the ceremony and dinner, or before the ceremony if you want to see each other first. Then you get through them without missing the mingling.
Name someone who knows the family
Ask a cousin or friend to help the photographer find the right people for each group.
Before - Each of us getting ready - The rings, the bouquet and the outfits Ceremony - When we see each other - The ring exchange and the kiss - The guests as we walk out Portraits - The two of us, close up and from a distance - Us with [parents, siblings, grandparents], one group at a time - The bridal party together The party - The tables before the guests arrive - The speeches, and the people listening - The first dance - [Any person or place that matters especially]
Your guests' own photos as a complement
The photographer sees the day from one angle. Your guests see it from the tables, the dance floor and the bar, and take pictures the photographer does not have time for. Here is how to collect them in one place: sharing photos from your wedding. Ask the photographer whether their pictures may go in the same place, and when you get them.
On the example pages you can see what a wedding website with guest photos looks like.
The photographer has their part of the day. You have the rest. Scan the code and share your photos with us.
Guest photos on your wedding website
With Lysela, from Plus, guests upload their photos through a QR code, with no app and no account. Uploads open on the wedding day. New photos appear only once you have approved them, you can hide any you like, and you download them all at once as a zip file. Your photographer's pictures come to you from the photographer, as usual.
You pay once, SEK 795, SEK 1,795 or SEK 4,900 including VAT, and the site stays up for 12 months.
What usually goes on a wedding website, and what one costs, is in the checklist.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours of wedding photography do you need?
It depends on what you want pictures of. Use your timeline to see when those moments happen. The ceremony alone takes little time, the whole day from the preparations to the first dance takes many more.
When should you book a wedding photographer?
Once your date and venue are settled. Popular photographers can be booked for the season long in advance.
What does a wedding photographer cost in Sweden?
The price depends on the hours, the number of edited pictures, the day, travel and whether a second photographer or an album is included. Ask for a quote where everything is specified.
Do you need a contract with the photographer?
A written contract is the safest. It should cover the date and times, price, delivery, rights, and what applies on changes, cancellation and illness.
Read also
- What should a wedding website include? Checklist, timeline and cost
- Wedding videographer in Sweden: choosing a film and who films it
- Sharing wedding photos: how to collect your guests' pictures
- Wedding day timeline: a schedule to start from
- Wedding budget: what a wedding costs and how to make a budget that holds