Planning a wedding is a daunting job. This will most likely be the biggest and most expensive party a couple will ever plan. I get many inquiries from couples looking for a photographer and the first question is, “How much do you charge?” This is certainly a legitimate question; after all they have a budget. However, there is no way I can give them an accurate bid without knowing the details on what they want.
1. Time. The most expensive part of photography is the actual hours. Many couples think they need a professional photographer for the entire wedding including all of the reception. I have photographed hundreds of wedding. The most important photos, the ones couples want prints of or want to use in an album, are almost all taken in the first 3 – 4 hours. Reception photos become repetitive. Dancing photos are fun, but for hours? I feel that I am wasting their hard earned money by staying for the entire reception. And there are creative ways to get the photos of the bouquet and garter toss and other events without staying to the very end of the reception.
2. Prints. I take between 150 and 200 photos per hour, most of which are memorable. So for an average 4 hours wedding I will end up with about 550 -700 images. These are organized into categories: ceremony, couple, family, reception etc. The digital images are burn onto a proof CD so the couple has a complete record of their wedding. However, no one wants prints of every image. From the proof CD they will choose their favorites to make prints from or to create an album. I include prints with each package. The number of prints depends on how many total photos I have taken and the size of the print. A 5 x 7 is cheaper then an 8 x 10 or 11 x 14.
3. Digital images. Sometimes couples just want high-resolution images so they can print their own photos. They will still receive the proof CD. Once they have decided on the ones they want they send me those favorite images and I will send them the high-resolution files.
4. Albums. This is the most elegant way to have a keepsake of you wedding. I design lovely albums using the images the couple chooses. However, album costs can run from $250 to thousands. It all depends on the paper, cover, number of pages and other extras.
5. DVD. A more reasonable way to have a memento of the wedding is with a custom DVD. These are a less expensive alternative to a videographer or an album. What I like about DVD’s is that the couple can choose custom music like their favorite song or music played during the wedding. They can also have several copies made for parents. Plus a DVD takes no room to store and they can watch it on a TV with friends. Plus they only cost around $250.
6. Number of photographers. I almost always have a second photographer for the first one or two hours of the wedding. There is a lot happening before the wedding and during the ceremony. Having two photographers makes sure that I capture the most memorable images: those tender looks at the altar, the tears from a parent, I child resting on grandpa’s lap, those images that are spontaneous and will never be repeated. Once the reception starts, unless it is a very big wedding, I can handle the remainder of the photography. This saves the couple money once again.
SO you can see here a few of the variables involved in pricing wedding photography. I encourage couples to call me. Once I know what they are looking for and their budget I can make suggestions on how to get all the photographs they want and yet keep within their budget. Make the call to me or other photographers. You will learn more from a phone call then from a simple email. 512 447 2150
