Weddings are, usually, beautiful occasions for the couple getting married as well as their guests. When you look at the amount of expense that goes into that one day, however, you may think it causes more misery financially than it does happiness on the day itself. The average American wedding cost the couple an incredible ,000, and in the UK the average figure was even higher at £20,000. I don’t have to tell you that’s an insane amount of money to spend on a single 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. 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. Below are my top five tips on how to keep your wedding photography budget low, without compromising on quality.
1. Have faith in Google
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. 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. For example for my wedding I not only searched for “Wedding Photographer in Brighton” but also surrounding areas such as London, Hampshire and Kent.
2. Be Wary of “Stealth Charges”
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 a lot more simple now too. 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. That way you can get prints done at a fraction of the cost at your local photo printing lab.
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. Today you have stylish wedding photo books 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. Ditto when it comes to canvas prints or blow up posters really – as long as you have high quality original image files from your photographer, you can pretty much do it all yourself!
4. Yes, There are a Few Swindlers Out There, But You Can Easily Avoid Them
Everyon’e heard a story about a couple who got scammed by a so-called “photographer” who ran off with their money. 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. But it can be easily avoided with vigilance. 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. And lastly, just make sure you have your radar up – try and visit the photographer, see lots of examples of his work and ask lots of questions.
5. Don’t Forget To Insist on Quality!
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! As I said above, the photos are probably the most important part of the wedding day when you look back at it in years to come. 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. Your photographer’s portfolio should always make you go “wow” – otherwise what’s the point of having a wedding photographer?