Recession Wedding Photography: 5 Tips
A wedding is a wonderful occasion, both for the happy couple, and their friends and family. As Hello magazine inspired weddings become more and more lavish, however, the costs of the typical wedding have also become exhorbitant. The average cost of a wedding in the US last year was ,000, and £20,000 in the UK. That’s crazy money when you consider it’s just one day. As the recession gets worse and job security declines, brides and grooms to be are become incresingly wary of such expensive weddings and are naturally looking for a cheaper way. Couples are cutting down guest lists, asking for friends and family to help out instead of hiring caterers, DJs and videographers, and brides are increasingly considering pre-worn wedding dresses. Yet the photography is one area few are prepared to compromise on, and with good reason. Your wedding pictures are one of the few lasting memories you have from that all too fleeting day, and of course it’s something you’d want done perfectly and in style. Here are a few tips on how to stay within your budget for wedding photography without having to take a cut in quality.
1. Have faith in Google
Any wedding photographer worth their salt will have a website displaying their work, and the best way to find them is, as always, by Googling. However since there are so many photographers jostling for space the problem is it can be easy to miss out on some great ones by not searching deeply enough. Spend some time trawling through the Google results beyond the first few pages. By ensuring you take your time on your search you can get the best possible short-list of potential wedding photographers to choose from. Additionally use specialist search terms like “black and white”, “reportage”, etc, as well as looking for wedding photographers from other towns within a couple of hundred miles from you, as most are happy to travel. When my partner and I were looking for wedding photographers we not only searched for things like “Wedding Photographer in Sussex“, we also made sure to look for photographers in London, Kent and Hampshire.
2. Watch Out for Hidden Costs
Nowadays the vast majority of photographers use digital cameras rather than older film cameras requiring development in a darkroom. All of which has meant that wedding photographer prices are now far less complex. Yet many photographers are still working off the model of charging couples for each print they want after the wedding – that’s an additional cost on top of what you’ve already paid for their time! I would strongly suggest you forget about these guys and go for someone who will provide a hi-res CD of all the images from the day. Armed with this CD you can then trot down to your high street photo printers and get the prints you want in the size you want at minimal cost.
3. Make your Own Photo Books!
You remember the old flowery, faded, peeling wedding albums your aunt insists on showing you every time you visit? Yeah, they’re dead now. These days contemporary photobooks are a big hit with most couples – but the problem is if you go through your photographer these will often cost you an arm and a leg. But if you can be bothered and have a flair for creative design, you can now design photobooks yourself using specialist software downloaded from the net, and get them printed up at ludicrously cheap rates. The same goes for things like canvas prints and enlargements – all you really need are the original high res images!
4. Be Wary of Wedding Photography Scams
I have heard so many stories of unfortunate couples who have been taken in by unscrupulous con artists posing as wedding photographers. Such criminals, who it must be said are few and far between, lure couples in with a too good to be true package, often stolen photos, and once they receive the deposit you never hear from them again. It breaks my heart to hear about this sort of thing. The thing is, if you’re vigilant they’re pretty easy to spot and avoid. Make sure you pay any deposits via secure bank transfer as this can be traced in the event of a problem, and that you receive an invoice and receipt for your payment. And be sure to get a proper contract from the photographer which makes clear what you are getting and what you are paying for – this provides protection to the couple. Finally, and probably most importantly, the phrase “constant vigilance” applies here – go and visit the photographer before money changes hands, make sure you see examples of their work and ask questions about how everything will work – a good photographer will put your fears to rest.
5. Dont be Overzealous in Your Moneysaving Crusade!
My last tip is perhaps the opposite of a moneysaving one, but just as important as the others. In your quest to cut your wedding budget don’t go too far! It’s worth repeating that out of all the services you pay for on your wedding day, the photography is quite possibly the most important to get right. In this world of ubiquitous DSLR cameras, wannabe photographers with little experience are ten a penny. If you look at their prices they seem like a bargain. But sometimes the biggest bargains can be found by going up one price point. The bottom line is this: if you look at your photographer’s previous work and it doesnt make you go “wow” then is it really worth paying for a professional?
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