Photographer woes

[Treasure43]

So I''ve found a photographer that I love! She gives you the rights to all your pictures, a bridal and engagement session, and a guest book made with the pictures from the engagement/bridal sessions for $2400. However, FI feels that''s too much to spend on a wedding photographer. We met with another photographer tonight and her package was $1750 ( but had only 8 hours, the rights to the pictures, and a coffee table style album), which I would have been fine with but her pictures were just ok where as the other woman''s pictures blew me away and she had so many creative ideas.

FI''s mom has offered to try and get the photographer who did his sister''s wedding to do ours even though she''ll have moved out of town by then. She offered to pay for her hotel room and the photographer would probably get us a great deal. HOWEVER, I feel uncomfortable about it and this woman''s pictures weren''t as great as the photographer I love. I also feel like by using the same photographer AND DJ that his sister did....we''re somehow not doing this on our own. I don''t know. I just feel uncomfortable about it and I don''t know why.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I would say if the photographer is a real priority for you, then you should try to persuade your husband to fitting it into the budget, and cutting back in other places. In the big wedding-budget picture, an extra 700 can probably be saved from other areas in order for you to go with your dream photographer.

Also, it wouldn't hurt to ask if she could offer a discount/tweaks to the package. For example, ask what the price would be without the engagement session and guestbook? And maybe a cheaper photog for the engagement session and make your own book online. Most photogs are flexible with the pricing and packages. And I bet if you wrote her saying that you really love her style and would book her in a heartbeat, but the price is just slightly higher than you can afford, she might be willing to adjust some things for you.

 

[ilovesparkles]

Date: 9/3/2009 9:24:56 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade
Also, it wouldn''t hurt to ask if she could offer a discount/tweaks to the package. For example, ask what the price would be without the engagement session and guestbook? And maybe a cheaper photog for the engagement session and make your own book online. Most photogs are flexible with the pricing and packages. And I bet if you wrote her saying that you really love her style and would book her in a heartbeat, but the price is just slightly higher than you can afford, she might be willing to adjust some things for you.

Big time DITTO! This is what I did with my florist. I loved his personality and felt he was very creative and understood what I wanted. His quote was way to high, we chatted back and forth, and he made my dream come true $10 under budget! People want your business and are usually willing to work with you.

 

[MagsyMay]

Big ditto to the above. I think most photogs are flexible on what their "package" entails. Perhaps you could skip the engagement session (or do a limited quick shoot) or possibly cut down on the number of pages in your album, etc., to reduce the price a tad. Maybe meeting your FI halfway? My photographer was very willing to swap in/out things to come to a price we were comfortable with, whether that was cutting digital retouching work, cutting the hours of the photographer, or cutting/adding mini-albums for parents. If you just aren''t that impressed with the other photographer''s pictures, you''re going to be disappointed in the end and you deserve to LOVE your pics no matter what you''re paying!

 

[MMM]

i know everyone''s priorities are different but for our wedding the photographer was my absolute #1 most important thing. i definitely think you should see if there''s wiggle room in other areas. the pictures are the only tangible items you will have from your day that will by looked at for years to come once the day is gone.

also, when looking at wedding photos i absolutely think a great photographer will always make a so-so wedding (NOT THAT YOUR WEDDING WILL BE SO-SO

) look fabulous. and a so-so photographer will make an outstanding wedding look so-so!

and such a great suggestion above about asking about removing some of the extras to get the cost down of your preferred photographer. that is exactly what we did. i dont mind that i didnt have a bridal session, because we had a great photographer (agneslopez.com) who got enough beautiful portraits of us on the wedding day that i don''t feel i missed out one bit.

also, albums are a huge expense. maybe take that out of the package and have your album created later? maybe for your one year anniversary or something? that should bring your cost down a good amount.

 

[emeraldlover1]

I''m with MMM on this one. Other than our venue and food our photographer was our single biggest expense. Not to mention that what you are getting for that price is a ton! I would get some comparitive figures together for your finace so that you can show him that the price is actually a good one. You may have to cut out some things in other places to be able to do it but the photos are memories forever. I sacrificed these amazing chairs that I wanted to be able to afford our photographer but I really think that decision was so worth it. Have trust in your photographer is a huge thing!

MMM...you know I love Agnes.

 

[Steel]

Date: 9/3/2009 9:04:32 PM
Author:Treasure43
So I've found a photographer that I love! She gives you the rights to all your pictures, a bridal and engagement session, and a guest book made with the pictures from the engagement/bridal sessions for $2400. However, FI feels that's too much to spend on a wedding photographer. We met with another photographer tonight and her package was $1750 ( but had only 8 hours, the rights to the pictures, and a coffee table style album), which I would have been fine with but her pictures were just ok where as the other woman's pictures blew me away and she had so many creative ideas.

FI's mom has offered to try and get the photographer who did his sister's wedding to do ours even though she'll have moved out of town by then. She offered to pay for her hotel room and the photographer would probably get us a great deal. HOWEVER, I feel uncomfortable about it and this woman's pictures weren't as great as the photographer I love. I also feel like by using the same photographer AND DJ that his sister did....we're somehow not doing this on our own. I don't know. I just feel uncomfortable about it and I don't know why.

2.4k is a huge chunk of change.

Considering you get the rights can't you knock off the guest book which you can make yourself and see how much that would take off the bill?

Also were the 1.75k photos really so bad? Perhaps the bride & goom asked for a particular style of photo which is different to your taste? Did you ask if that photographer can do different styles? Plus ask if they knock off the album how much the bill would reduce.

I do feel it is great that you are asking for the rights to your photos. Smart move.

ETA: Just read the other suggestions, sorry to duplicate.

 

[iheartscience]

I think that is a great price for a photographer, actually. My photographer was the second most expensive thing at my wedding (after the food) but he was totally worth it. He was very expensive but also did the engagement session for free, and it was relatively inexpensive to add a second photographer so we did that.

In order to bring the price down I skipped out on the album. I get the rights to the photos so I figured if I want an album I can do one myself eventually. Plus no photo album is worth $1k!

Honestly, $700 is nothing in the scheme of things. It''d be one thing if your photographer was $5k and his was $1750, but if the $2400 photographer is much better than the $1750 photographer it''s well worth it. Photos are all you''ll have to remember the day by. I really think they''re the most important part of a wedding! I love looking at my photos-the photographers caught all the things I didn''t get to see as the bride and I love that! It makes no sense to spend $1750 on a photographer whose photos you don''t love! That''s still a lot of money. This is definitely a case to spend a little more to get a lot better product.

 

[LilyKat]

I agree that if you''re going to pay $1750 for photos that you don''t love, you may as well spend a bit more and get what you really want.

I wouldn''t rule out using your sister-in-law''s photographer though, if you like her photos and she is significantly cheaper. It''s a vendor, and vendors are supposed to be used by multiple people - it doesn''t mean you aren''t doing it on your own.

 

[honey22]

Date: 9/3/2009 9:24:56 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade
I would say if the photographer is a real priority for you, then you should try to persuade your husband to fitting it into the budget, and cutting back in other places. In the big wedding-budget picture, an extra 700 can probably be saved from other areas in order for you to go with your dream photographer.


Also, it wouldn''t hurt to ask if she could offer a discount/tweaks to the package. For example, ask what the price would be without the engagement session and guestbook? And maybe a cheaper photog for the engagement session and make your own book online. Most photogs are flexible with the pricing and packages. And I bet if you wrote her saying that you really love her style and would book her in a heartbeat, but the price is just slightly higher than you can afford, she might be willing to adjust some things for you.

Ditto! The pictures are one of the few things you can take away from your wedding day. When you look back at them, are you going to be disappointed that you didn''t go with the photog you love?

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Just to give the flip side, I didn''t spend much money on the photographer since I prioritized the food/alcohol/DJ instead and had a 10k budget to begin with. So I only spent 800$ on two relatively new photographers who were starting out, they were there for 9 hours for the wedding day and I got all the edited photos on DVD.

The photos turned out ok (I posted them awhile back), there were some I loved, but most were mediocre. I had more than enough pretty photos to put together an album, so I''m a happy camper. I''m glad I went with them, I see a lot of albums that are a little too artistic and editorial, and I don''t feel they would fit me or my wedding well. So it worked out well for me, since I''m not a huge photo buff (I never like how I look in pictures and am horribly noncooperative, and no photographer could really change those things, lol).

You have to do what''s right for you though! Let us know how it works out!

 

[princessplease]

I would try and cut back in other areas. The photographer sounds very reasonable for all they include. Like others said, I would see if they can cut out the other sessions and the guest book. Photographs are one area not to skimp on, so see if you can find other areas where you can trim the budget.