Post # 1
Member
132 posts
Blushing bee
I’m not regretting our photographer per say…I’m regretting the money we are spending on her. We were so limited in our choices and photography was the most important thing to my fiance (FI? Is that how it’s abbreviated?) so it’s the biggest splurge.
We are spending…wait for it: $4800 on photos. Holy crap. That’s almost half our budget right there! And it’s kind of created this growing monster inside me that keeps saying things like ‘You’re spending $4800 on photos. You can’t have her photograph ugly chairs!’ -or- ‘You’re spending $4800 on photos. Your hair had better be PERFECT!’
🙁 Our photographer is the best. She really is. Personable. Professional. I know she’ll do a stand up job.
But sheesh, I’m having to cut so many other things just to afford her and I’m having tinges of regret about the whole thing.
And as a bench mark, our budget is $10k for 85 people while feeding everyone dinner and brunch the next day. Oh my. What have I gotten myself into?!
PS: We’ve run the numbers and we are under budget as of now even with catering, dress, venue, photography, rentals, and hotel taken care of. So really, flowers and decoration are the only big things left (I think).
Foof!
Post # 3
Member
226 posts
Helper bee
Wow, that seems like alot to spend on photography! But at least you’ll have amazing pics to remember your big day by. Well done on being under budget! 🙂
Post # 4
Member
5398 posts
Bee Keeper
Like you, we spent a lot on a photographer. i’m glad your photographer is fantastic because for what we paid, we weren’t entirely happy with ours. :/ So, even if it’s costing you quite a bit, the awesome photos you’ll have for years to come will be well worth it! 🙂
Post # 5
Member
464 posts
Helper bee
- Wedding: April 2011 - Sweet ceremony by the sea and sunset celebration on the North Shore of Hawaii
you’re not alone on this one, and you’ll be so happy a few years from now when you look at these photos 🙂 we also made photography our #2 investment and are working closely with our photog, giving him a list and examples of specific types of moments/angles/moods we are expecting for our wedding – this will help us ensure we get the photos we want and be happy in the end 🙂 looking forward to seeing yours!
Post # 6
Member
132 posts
Blushing bee
@ostrich:Thank you for the pep talk. 🙂 I just have to resign myself that our photography will be more than our food (both dinner and brunch!), dessert, booze, dress, and venue fee combined!!
🙁
Post # 7
Member
7298 posts
Busy Beekeeper
@MissCanyon: Wow! I couldn’t do it. We are keeping our wedding and budget small. $10k is our total budget. Sounds like you are having issues on price and if you are having issues now, you will probably have issues later. Do the 5-5-5 system.
How will you feel about spending $4800 on photos in 5 minutes/5 months/5 years.
If you can see yourself kicking yourself in 5 years for spending $4800 on photos, then step back and look for a solution. I think I have seen hundreds of portfolios and sent 200 emails to photographers around this area and have met some really nice people. There ARE photographers out there who can give you the same quality as the person who is charging $4800. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Good luck!
Post # 8
Member
441 posts
Helper bee
Our biggest wedding expense was our photographer. She wasn’t quite as much as yours, but close. Throughout our entire engagement, my husband grumbled about the price we were paying for “just pictures,” but then when we got our teasers back he said, “Wow, I’m amazed.” Now I hear him telling everybody about our awesome photographer and how “she was worth every penny!” So, my suggestion to you is, think about what that $4800 includes. Do you get an engagement session or bridal session? How many hours of coverage? Will there be editing? Do you get full rights to the photos? Is there an album? You could be getting a lot for your money. However, you could also see if there are things included that you don’t want and ask your photog if she’d be willing to cut the price for you if you got rid of those options. For example, we could’ve had our photographer make an album for us, but that would’ve cost another $500-$1000. No thanks!
Post # 9
Member
186 posts
Blushing bee
I’m having the opposite problem! We booked our photographer first – more than a year out before the wedding for a “reasonable” price. After receiving our engagment photos, I realized that he’s more traditional than artsy which was not what I wanted. I’m planning on spoon feeding him exactly what I want but UGH.
Post # 10
Member
132 posts
Blushing bee
@twofortheshow: The photographs were really important to my Fiance and it was the first vendor we booked before we actually knew what other things would cost. Lesson learned! 🙂
Our package includes 10 hours of coverage with 2 photographers, two albums, editting, all digital negatives, online photo viewing, and $500 in print credit. I think we got a good deal when you consider all that but I’m just so frugal (read: cheap) that the price is still haunting me. The albums are for our parents and seeing as they are helping us with the wedding, we thought it was the right thing to do.
Gah!
We’ve already signed the contract so if we backed out now, we’d lose a lot of money so we’re just sticking with it and keeping all other costs low. 🙂
Post # 11
Member
441 posts
Helper bee
@MissCanyon: Wow, I think that’s a great deal if photography is so important to you. You’re getting two photogs for 10 hours, so that’s a lot of memories to remember your day by! Plus, you get two albums and $500 in print credits, which are probably worth around $1500 total. I think in the end you’ll feel like your photography expenses were worth it 🙂
ETA: *especially* since your wedding will be at the Grand Canyon! Holy crap, I’d pay $4800 to have a professional photographer take pictures at such a gorgeous place!!
Post # 12
Member
2392 posts
Buzzing bee
I think for what you’re getting and the quality of photos, what you are paying is a splurge but not outlandish. As mmbar, mentioned, you’ll be in a pretty fantastic setting, so I’m sure the chairs, etc will pale in sigificance. You’re spending that much on a phtographer who can probably make metal folding chairs look pretty good.
Also, not sure if this makes you feel better, but we’re paying more than that for our photographer and we’re not even decorating. We’re a little strange, though… 😛
Post # 13
Member
4136 posts
Honey bee
yes, you spent a lot, but if you’re underbudget what’s the problem? photos are so important – i can totally understand why you spent half your budget there. if you have to, get fewer flowers, but i don’t think you’ll ever regret spending that amount on the photographer for your wedding day 🙂
Post # 14
Member
348 posts
Helper bee
I would look at it differently: “We’re spending $4800 on photography, so the decor will look fabulous in photos even if we spend no money on it!” And I really think that’s true. I’m kind of amazed at how nice our centerpieces look in our photos, because on the day I thought they were a disaster.
Post # 15
Member
49 posts
Newbee
A little math equation for you:
Initial Photography Investment = $4800 divided by an esitimated 20 or more years of being married = $ 240 or less investment per year in your wedding memories.
If there is no other photographer you can imagine photographing your wedding then what you have spent on her is priceless. Just relax, know you are going to be taken care of, be glad that you are underbudget, and use that money to pamper yourself!!!
Post # 16
Member
2373 posts
Buzzing bee
I’m all for great photography, but half your budget? I don’t know. I’d be afraid the wedding would suffer as a whole. Pictures are important, but so are memories and the memories your wedding creates for your guests.
Someone said she’ll be able to take beautiful photos of your decor even it’s less. Yes, she’ll be able to take beautiful photos- but she can’t make something look like more than what it is