How much did you or are you spending for on your wedding photographer or engagement photograper? And how much are prints going to cost you? Please don't feel like you have to disclose your wedding budget, but I'd love some ballpark numbers! I have no idea what's reasonable vs. what's extravagant.
We are also interested in having someone take a little bit of video footage, but my FH thinks the offers we've gotten are just over the top. Our wedding is going to be overseas (in India) and we're planning to work with a photographer based out of Delhi or Calcutta, so we won't have to pay a destination photographer's prices from the U.S. Still, because of our remote location, we are taking a hit having to fly them from the big city to a small airport near the Himalayas, but I don't think it's outrageous.
We really need to know what other couples are spending, and I think when he sees how pricey it is even in the States for a non-destination wedding, he'll realize I've found a fairly good deal!
If I don't get help from the hive, I think we're going to end up with a cheap, crummy photographer, and wedding pictures are REALLY important to me, so please let me know how much your photographer and prints are costing!
Photographer costs are so incredibly dependent upon where you are getting married. On the Gulf Coast of Florida I had a very hard time finding the quality I wanted for less than $3,000 - and that was for only four hours of shooting! I kept digging and found a phenomenal photographer -- young and new-ish but with a dozen weddings under her belt already -- for half the price with a very similar style. Plus, she is shooting for eight hours and throwing in a $200 print credit and a CD of all images, which most photogs don't give you for less than several hundred dollars. I totally lucked out, but I realize that most people won't get as lucky as I did. Even with this bargain price, photography is easily the most expensive thing at our small, intimate wedding, and it was something I was prepared to splurge on.
I am planning a vow renewal in the same city that CarolineG is getting married in, but I've picked to have it at a local resort that has a special meaning to us, but also comes with a list of people you have to use...so we're paying a LOT for a photographer. Probably around $4k, but I'm ok with it. It's two photographers for 8 hours and I love their work.
Caroline, I totally know what you mean. Our wedding is going to be very private and romantic, but no matter how few people we have, the photography is going to cost more than any other single expense for the big day! I'm not sure exactly how I feel about that, but in a way I guess our pictures are going to be my gift to myself, all our friends who can't make the wedding, and one day our children and grandchildren. There's nothing quite like seeing the intimate moments a good photographer can catch during people's weddings, but the pricetag is more than a little scary!
It includes 6 hours of photography - 2 photographers. Although they said they will come earlier and stay later (and I believe it for many reasons). It includes around 600 proofs. It also includes a high resolution CD/DVD with negatives and the rights to use them.
They take a few thousand photos at the wedding and then pick the best.
$2900 for 2 photographers, high-res images on CD after the wedding, unlimited hours of coverage. Travel was included and there was no tax (yay Delaware).
$1345 (he has since raised his price to $1590 for the same package) for unlimited time on the day of the wedding, DVD with full rights to the edited/final images, and he does a slideshow during the reception with a sampling of quickly edited photos from the ceremony. We didn't want hard copy prints or albums at this point, but we can always upgrade if we want to later.
There are photographers that are MUCH more, of course, but we just couldn't afford it. This guy has great photos for a price we could swing, keeping in mind that photography was important for us. We looked at some inexpensive/inexperienced photographers, but none of them made me feel confident about their work.
Nejireta, your photos are going to be AMAZING. I cannot help but envy you completley! That is STELLAR work! I hope I can see some of them...
And thanks everyone for sharing! It really is a big help to hear what you're getting included in your package. Should I ask my prospective photographer how many pictures he thinks he'll take throughout the day?
Our photographer is costing $4,000 for our destination wedding in Mexico, this includes:
-2 hour engagement session before our wedding day -unlimited coverage on our wedding day with an assistant -all photos on a cd and website -airfare/lodging for 3 nights for photographer only -$2,000 wedding credit towards professional photo album
Agree with the others that so much depends on where you are getting married/hiring your photographer. We lucked out and are getting a fabulous deal from a talented local. We'll end up paying just over $3K for 8 hours of coverage with two shooters, unlimited digital capture, all our images on CD, fully designed wedding album and online access to pictures/prints. This is pretty snazzy for an experienced photographer in the Bay Area. :)
I paid $2700 for: - unlimited day of coverage - 2 photographers (which became 3 when the photobooth attendant tagged along for the entire day) - engagement photos - bridal photos - all images edited on DVD with reporduction rights - photo booth at reception
Her work is beautiful - I can't wait to get my pro pics back!
Yeah, see, FH has been cringing about spending around $1000. We're on a very young-couple budget, but I just don't think we can get anything-especially on location-for less than that! Should I just tell him to suck it up? I think the end result is going to pay off completely, and that photos really are going to prove to be very important to us.
Yeah, see, FH has been cringing about spending around $1000. We're on a very young-couple budget, but I just don't think we can get anything-especially on location-for less than that! Should I just tell him to suck it up? I think the end result is going to pay off completely, and that photos really are going to prove to be very important to us.
I'm paying $3000 for unlimited coverage with two photographers, about 800 images, on a high res-DVD with copyright release. It also includes a 10-pg small book, online ordering with image book, and a $300 certificate toward purchasing other images.
This is in western/upstate NY. Most photographers here seem to be about $2500 and up, although many are between $1500 and $2500, and a few are significantly above $3000. In short, it depends. The most expensive package I saw in my area was for $11,000.
Wow! That is INSANE! We could never afford $11,000 worth of photography, though I'm sure it would be fabulous! Ahhh, to be young, crazy in love AND wealthy...oh well, I guess two out of three ain't bad.
Anyways, one photographer who is considering working for us would photograph a casual shoot the afternoon before the wedding, the ENTIRE day of the wedding essentially from wake-up-and-get-ready-time until we leave our reception venue that night, take some video footage, bring an assistant along to help AND allow us rights to all the photos in their digital formats for around $1000.
Now granted, this is in India, where $1000 is A LOT of money, but still, my FH is balking at that price range. I think its a joke to expect anything at all for less than that.
Any suggestions for getting him to realize that we'll be glad we spent some (if not a lot) of our small budget on this in the end? I really believe the pictures are worth it, but all he's seeing is the ratio of that in comparison to how much we've managed to save on everything else. I'm not sure what to do, and I don't want him to be upset about an element of our wedding that's supposed to be so nice.
Oh, and just so everyone knows, I do read every post, so you're input won't get overlooked!
Photography was only a medium priority for me. While it's the only thing you really get to keep (other than a dress in a box in storage), out of the hundreds of shots taken only 20-30 need to be steller (or so my fiance says...)
So our photography package is $1550 plus $50 for travel and includes:
all day coverage -- getting ready 'till party's over, a high res. CD of all wedding images with reproductive rights (I'm all for those), digital images online for ordering, and contact sheets and negatives for all non-digital images.
Now while photography was not a big priority for me, I had to fight like a bitch in heat to get my fiance to agree that this was a necessary expenditure (I believe his response to photography prices was "How Much?! Forget it, we don't need pictures!"). I had to remind him that the only thing we get to keep is the memories -- and nothing works quite like a photograph to conjure some pretty ones.
So, no matter how much a grand is in India, a grand for photography with all printing rights is a steal, and will be totally worth it. And with the falling value of the American dollar, it's practically free.
How much did you or are you spending for on your wedding photographer or engagement photograper? And how much are prints going to cost you? Please don't feel like you have to disclose your wedding budget, but I'd love some ballpark numbers! I have no idea what's reasonable vs. what's extravagant.
We are also interested in having someone take a little bit of video footage, but my FH thinks the offers we've gotten are just over the top. Our wedding is going to be overseas (in India) and we're planning to work with a photographer based out of Delhi or Calcutta, so we won't have to pay a destination photographer's prices from the U.S. Still, because of our remote location, we are taking a hit having to fly them from the big city to a small airport near the Himalayas, but I don't think it's outrageous.
We really need to know what other couples are spending, and I think when he sees how pricey it is even in the States for a non-destination wedding, he'll realize I've found a fairly good deal!
If I don't get help from the hive, I think we're going to end up with a cheap, crummy photographer, and wedding pictures are REALLY important to me, so please let me know how much your photographer and prints are costing!
posted by ustwiggie 117 posts 4 months ago$1200 includes:
www.theweddingphotographer.com
Most other brides I've talked to are spending over $3000 -- but that inlcudes albums and prints, which I didn't want.
posted by caliocteach 720 posts 4 months agoPhotographer costs are so incredibly dependent upon where you are getting married. On the Gulf Coast of Florida I had a very hard time finding the quality I wanted for less than $3,000 - and that was for only four hours of shooting! I kept digging and found a phenomenal photographer -- young and new-ish but with a dozen weddings under her belt already -- for half the price with a very similar style. Plus, she is shooting for eight hours and throwing in a $200 print credit and a CD of all images, which most photogs don't give you for less than several hundred dollars. I totally lucked out, but I realize that most people won't get as lucky as I did. Even with this bargain price, photography is easily the most expensive thing at our small, intimate wedding, and it was something I was prepared to splurge on.
posted by CarolineG 284 posts 4 months agoWe spent $4700 for a destination wedding package that included...
*an engagement session in the city we lived in
*travel and hotel expenses to the city we were married in
*all day wedding day coverage with two assistant photographers
*photos from both sessions (100+ photos from the engagement, 650+ photos from the wedding) on CDs
*$1300 product credit
posted by NiftyBa 95 posts 4 months agoI am planning a vow renewal in the same city that CarolineG is getting married in, but I've picked to have it at a local resort that has a special meaning to us, but also comes with a list of people you have to use...so we're paying a LOT for a photographer. Probably around $4k, but I'm ok with it. It's two photographers for 8 hours and I love their work.
posted by KateMW 483 posts 4 months agoCaroline, I totally know what you mean. Our wedding is going to be very private and romantic, but no matter how few people we have, the photography is going to cost more than any other single expense for the big day! I'm not sure exactly how I feel about that, but in a way I guess our pictures are going to be my gift to myself, all our friends who can't make the wedding, and one day our children and grandchildren. There's nothing quite like seeing the intimate moments a good photographer can catch during people's weddings, but the pricetag is more than a little scary!
posted by ustwiggie 117 posts 4 months ago3000 + tax.
It includes 6 hours of photography - 2 photographers. Although they said they will come earlier and stay later (and I believe it for many reasons). It includes around 600 proofs. It also includes a high resolution CD/DVD with negatives and the rights to use them.
They take a few thousand photos at the wedding and then pick the best.
posted by gatornicole 7 posts 4 months ago$2900 for 2 photographers, high-res images on CD after the wedding, unlimited hours of coverage. Travel was included and there was no tax (yay Delaware).
posted by rebecca 989 posts 4 months agoholy crap ....i should've gotten married in delaware.
our cost is #3750 for 9 hours (1 photographer)
we paid $275 to own the digital rights to our photos
includes engagement session (lasted an hour)
includes a bonsai photo album (it looks like a mini-album)
includes a $300 wedding album/print credit
includes photos uploaded to a online gallery for friends/family
posted by emmkae 46 posts 4 months agoPhotography was #1 on my list of priorities (besides marrying my beau
). I am paying $2000 plus tax for:
It was $500 more than what I wanted to spend, but he is sooo going to be worth it! http://frankamodo.com/site/index.php
posted by nejireta 88 posts 4 months agoLouisville, KY
$1345 (he has since raised his price to $1590 for the same package) for unlimited time on the day of the wedding, DVD with full rights to the edited/final images, and he does a slideshow during the reception with a sampling of quickly edited photos from the ceremony. We didn't want hard copy prints or albums at this point, but we can always upgrade if we want to later.
There are photographers that are MUCH more, of course, but we just couldn't afford it. This guy has great photos for a price we could swing, keeping in mind that photography was important for us. We looked at some inexpensive/inexperienced photographers, but none of them made me feel confident about their work.
posted by hwong14 87 posts 4 months agoNejireta, your photos are going to be AMAZING. I cannot help but envy you completley! That is STELLAR work! I hope I can see some of them...
And thanks everyone for sharing! It really is a big help to hear what you're getting included in your package. Should I ask my prospective photographer how many pictures he thinks he'll take throughout the day?
posted by ustwiggie 117 posts 4 months agoOur photographer is costing $4,000 for our destination wedding in Mexico, this includes:
-2 hour engagement session before our wedding day
posted by Jen4637 117 posts 4 months ago-unlimited coverage on our wedding day with an assistant
-all photos on a cd and website
-airfare/lodging for 3 nights for photographer only
-$2,000 wedding credit towards professional photo album
Agree with the others that so much depends on where you are getting married/hiring your photographer. We lucked out and are getting a fabulous deal from a talented local. We'll end up paying just over $3K for 8 hours of coverage with two shooters, unlimited digital capture, all our images on CD, fully designed wedding album and online access to pictures/prints. This is pretty snazzy for an experienced photographer in the Bay Area. :)
posted by missm 485 posts 4 months agoDallas, TX
I paid $2700 for:
- unlimited day of coverage
- 2 photographers (which became 3 when the photobooth attendant tagged along for the entire day)
- engagement photos
- bridal photos
- all images edited on DVD with reporduction rights
- photo booth at reception
Her work is beautiful - I can't wait to get my pro pics back!
posted by laurag 14 posts 4 months agoYeah, see, FH has been cringing about spending around $1000. We're on a very young-couple budget, but I just don't think we can get anything-especially on location-for less than that! Should I just tell him to suck it up? I think the end result is going to pay off completely, and that photos really are going to prove to be very important to us.
What should I do/tell him?
posted by ustwiggie 117 posts 4 months agoYeah, see, FH has been cringing about spending around $1000. We're on a very young-couple budget, but I just don't think we can get anything-especially on location-for less than that! Should I just tell him to suck it up? I think the end result is going to pay off completely, and that photos really are going to prove to be very important to us.
What should I do/tell him?
posted by ustwiggie 117 posts 4 months agoI'm paying $3000 for unlimited coverage with two photographers, about 800 images, on a high res-DVD with copyright release. It also includes a 10-pg small book, online ordering with image book, and a $300 certificate toward purchasing other images.
This is in western/upstate NY. Most photographers here seem to be about $2500 and up, although many are between $1500 and $2500, and a few are significantly above $3000. In short, it depends. The most expensive package I saw in my area was for $11,000.
posted by catcat 6 posts 4 months agoWow! That is INSANE! We could never afford $11,000 worth of photography, though I'm sure it would be fabulous! Ahhh, to be young, crazy in love AND wealthy...oh well, I guess two out of three ain't bad.
Anyways, one photographer who is considering working for us would photograph a casual shoot the afternoon before the wedding, the ENTIRE day of the wedding essentially from wake-up-and-get-ready-time until we leave our reception venue that night, take some video footage, bring an assistant along to help AND allow us rights to all the photos in their digital formats for around $1000.
Now granted, this is in India, where $1000 is A LOT of money, but still, my FH is balking at that price range. I think its a joke to expect anything at all for less than that.
Any suggestions for getting him to realize that we'll be glad we spent some (if not a lot) of our small budget on this in the end? I really believe the pictures are worth it, but all he's seeing is the ratio of that in comparison to how much we've managed to save on everything else. I'm not sure what to do, and I don't want him to be upset about an element of our wedding that's supposed to be so nice.
Oh, and just so everyone knows, I do read every post, so you're input won't get overlooked!
posted by ustwiggie 117 posts 4 months agoPhotography was only a medium priority for me. While it's the only thing you really get to keep (other than a dress in a box in storage), out of the hundreds of shots taken only 20-30 need to be steller (or so my fiance says...)
So our photography package is $1550 plus $50 for travel and includes:
all day coverage -- getting ready 'till party's over, a high res. CD of all wedding images with reproductive rights (I'm all for those
), digital images online for ordering, and contact sheets and negatives for all non-digital images.
Now while photography was not a big priority for me, I had to fight like a bitch in heat to get my fiance to agree that this was a necessary expenditure (I believe his response to photography prices was "How Much?! Forget it, we don't need pictures!"). I had to remind him that the only thing we get to keep is the memories -- and nothing works quite like a photograph to conjure some pretty ones.
So, no matter how much a grand is in India, a grand for photography with all printing rights is a steal, and will be totally worth it. And with the falling value of the American dollar, it's practically free.
posted by bluegreenjean 118 posts 4 months ago