Post # 1

Member
1124 posts
Bumble bee
Advice from bees needed! Back when we started planning our wedding, our friends who own a photography business (not wedding photography) told us, without us asking, they could do our photos if we wanted. We were super happy, and they did our engagement pictures..we like them A lot! Now the thing is, I asked her about the rate and she says he works on donation basis! I told her that gives me no info and she just said hes free and no payment is required. Obviously that’s super nice of them, we were planning on taking them out to dinner to thank them, and will do that no matter what, but I was wondering if we should still give them SOMETHING for their time. Albums/prints would cost the same for us as their regular clients. Do you think $300-400 is good enough to thank them, plus taking them out? Any advice would be great!
Post # 2

Member
2425 posts
Buzzing bee
I think treating them to a nice dinner and even $300 is a good amount to thank them. If they won’t accept your cash a nice gift card to their favorite store is great.
Post # 3

Member
8027 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
We paid our friend $400. He is a photographer- the AP and other reputable news sources regularly run his pictures- but he isn’t a wedding photographer. So he kind of did it as a favor to us, and to build his repetoire.
Post # 4

Member
221 posts
Helper bee
I like round numbers – $500. A great meal or a gift card to a nice restaurant plus $300/$400 would be great.
Post # 5

Member
1124 posts
Bumble bee
Bored6: eeniebeans: Sweetcece:
thanks for your replies- It’s good to hear that that would be a fair amount to give! I just didn’t want to insult them! I’m superrrr appreciative of what they’re doing for us.
Post # 6

Member
1023 posts
Bumble bee
I’d say $500 is good – It’s much less than you’d pay a photographer you’d hire for the big day but it’s substantial enough that they’d likely really appreciate it.
Post # 7

Member
153 posts
Blushing bee
I think $500 as well.. It is a generous thank you but still a bargain for you x