Five Tips for Choosing a Photographer for your Budget Wedding
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 probably the most expensive day you’ll ever have (unless you one day throw a winning lottery ticket in the wash). 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. Hiring a wedding photographer is one area where a lot of brides and grooms are not, however, willing to cut corners, and rightly so. Of all the possible expenses you could lay out for your wedding day, its the photography that will stay with you and your family long after the others are just a hole in your bank account. I’ve put together my 5 top tips for how to find a fantastic wedding photographer without breaking the bank.
1. Google is your friend
There aren’t many photographers around today that don’t have a website, and one of the best ways of finding and comparing wedding photographers in your area and price range is through search engines like Google. Yet with the market being so saturated it’s easy for couples to miss out on some amazing photographers and great prices by not using the power of Google enough. Don’t be content with just looking at Page 1 of the results or the first few sponsored listings. After a thorough search you should have put together a good list of photographers that you can now start comparing on price and style. Also don’t just go for the obvious search terms – make sure you vary your searches, and always include a few local areas and towns to find photographers who are slightly further afield but willing 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 looked at other surrounding areas such as Kent, Hampshire, London and Surrey.
2. Be Wary of “Stealth Charges”
Gone are the days when your wedding photographer had to develop their own prints in a darkroom – its all digital now. That means the wedding photography pricing are now far less complex. So I’m amazed that so many photographers still charge their customers an extra fee for each print on top of the booking! 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. That way you can get prints done at a fraction of the cost at your local photo printing lab.
3. Optional Extras and Photo Books – DIY!
With digital photography the era of the traditional wedding photo album has passed. Today you have stylish wedding photography books have become hugely popular, and many photographers charge significant premiums to include these with your package. 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. Yes, There are a Few Swindlers Out There, But You Can Easily Avoid Them
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 is a heartbreaking and cruel practice. 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. Also make sure you get a legally binding contract from the photographer which states clearly what you are getting for your money and will protect you. 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. Don’t Forget To Insist on Quality!
Now this one may sound counter-intuitive when it comes to ‘credit crunch weddings’ but I feel it’s an important one. In your quest to cut your wedding budget don’t go too far! Like I said, the photography is quite possibly THE most important part of your wedding, especially when you look back. There are a lot of amateurs out there with little experience, talent and lacking in the proper equipment. If you look at their prices they seem like a bargain. But if you ignore the very cheapest prices that’s where you often find the best compromises between price and quality. Remember that if you don’t look at your photographer’s work and go “wow” what is the point in spending all that money on a professional?
Tags: advice, credit crunch, frugal, moneysaving, photography, tips, wedding photography, weddings