Why this matters
Your photographer is the one vendor whose work you'll look at for the rest of your life, and South Asian weddings have specific demands — multiple events, big families, fast-changing light and long days. The right questions up front save you from the wrong booking.
The 12 questions
1) Have you shot my type of ceremony before (nikkah, mehndi, walima, Hindu, Sikh)? 2) How many hours of coverage are included? 3) Is a second shooter included for large guest lists? 4) How many edited images do we receive, and when? 5) Do you offer video, or work with a videographer you trust? 6) How do you handle low light at evening receptions? 7) Can we see a full wedding gallery, not just highlights? 8) What's your backup plan for equipment or illness? 9) Do you cover multi-day events as a package? 10) What's the deposit and cancellation policy? 11) Do you travel, and are costs included? 12) Who actually owns and can share the images?
Red and green flags
Green: full galleries, clear contracts, experience with your specific ceremonies. Red: only highlight reels, vague on deliverables, no backup plan. Shortlist three, send the same brief to all, and compare.