With unemployment higher than ever and weddings becoming more extravagant with every celebrity under the sun looking to show off for the paparazzi, planning a wedding has become a dream many couples simply cannot afford. Fresh out of college and struggling just to feed themselves on minimum wage, often a bride and groom can no longer fall back on parents either. Wedding loans and DIY can go a long way in stretching a budget, but not everyone can handle the idea of an intimate gathering or elopement.
I decided recently that I am uncomfortable with how so many photographers turn down elopements or low budget events and flat ignore or insult the needs of a couple strapped for cash. It is true that albums are expensive to order and my time is indeed valuable. But weddings are often the one time where getting to be photographed is not faced with dread. There is so much value already placed on the bride being beautiful, and this means those photos framed and displayed for guests will mean so much more to the couple.
Being on a budget does not mean a couple expects lower quality images. The comments about "getting what you pay for" with photographers should not have to mean blurry or poorly white-balanced snapshots from a camera phone or point-and-shoot pocket camera. Rather, a groom should look just as dapper in $600 photography as they would at $6000; and digital copy should be the norm, not the exception.
To fix the problem of prices, I have made a new rule for my business plan. I will never quote any couple a package price exceeding $2000. I begin all wedding packages at $500, hourly shooting at $75, and boudoir or engagement sessions at $125. Digital copy is included with every booking and extra copies of CDs are $5 per copy.
As always, interested couples should contact me with their needs and I will work with them to see what best suits their budget.
Being on a budget does not mean a couple expects lower quality images. The comments about "getting what you pay for" with photographers should not have to mean blurry or poorly white-balanced snapshots from a camera phone or point-and-shoot pocket camera. Rather, a groom should look just as dapper in $600 photography as they would at $6000; and digital copy should be the norm, not the exception.
As always, interested couples should contact me with their needs and I will work with them to see what best suits their budget.
