AUTOGRAPHS

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. 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 $20,000, and in the UK the average figure was even higher at £20,000. That’s probably the most expensive day you’ll ever have (unless you one day throw a winning lottery ticket in the wash). But more and more couples are feeling the pinch of the recession now, and are looking for a way of getting married on a budget, without spoiling any of the magic of the occasion. 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. I’ve put together my 5 top tips for how to find a fantastic wedding photographer without breaking the bank.

1. Making the best of 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. Do not make the mistake of not going beyond the first page of results or the top few sponsored links in Google. After a thorough search you should have put together a good list of photographers that you can now start comparing on price and style. Another tip is dont just settle for the most obvious phrases when you’re searching – try a few different searches, being sure to look at surrounding towns and regions as many photographers are willing to travel to cover a wedding. For example for my wedding I not only searched for “Wedding Photographer in Brighton“, we also made sure to look for photographers in London, Kent and Hampshire.

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. Which means that the wedding photography prices are now far less complex. 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! Always look for photographers willing to give you all the images from the day on CD. That way you can get prints done at a fraction of the cost at your local photo printing lab.

3. Albums and Extras: Do It Yourself!

With digital photography the era of the traditional wedding photo album has passed. Today you have stylish wedding photo books are now the norm and extremely popular – but with a lot of wedding photographers adding these on to your package significantly increases the overall cost. However if you can spare the time and energy, it’s possible to design and create very stylish photobooks yourself, and get them printed at a relatively tiny cost. 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

I have heard so many stories of unfortunate couples who have been taken in by unscrupulous con artists posing as wedding photographers. These swindlers will poach couples with cheap prices and slick sales pitches, receive their deposits or even full booking payments and then never be heard from again. It breaks my heart to hear about this sort of thing. 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. And be sure to get a proper contract from the photographer which makes clear what you are getting and what you are paying for – this provides protection to the couple. 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. Dont be Overzealous in Your Moneysaving Crusade!

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! 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. The bottom line is this: if you look at your photographer’s previous work and it doesnt make you go “wow” then is it really worth paying for a professional?

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