Budget Wedding Photography

In Florida.
In Orlando.

In Florida, you're probably looking at $2000 minimum for a good, high quality professional. A lot will depend on how long you'll want him/her, what other options (such as albums, additional prints, etc.) you'll want, and then the popularity and professionalism of the photographer.

Good luck!

2009-01-25 17:26:31 by V

Customized Wedding Ceremonies & Photography At Affordable Prices ezweddingsyourway.info Briana & Dexter were married on May 24, 2008 in ...

I know that where I live, all-day packages with bells and whistles are about $3000 + -- this is my entire wedding budget!! Would it be too rude and tacky of me to ask my sister in-law (who is a professional wedding photographer) to provide services (nothing too fancy; I want her to have fun too) at-cost in lieu of a wedding gift? I also want to encourage my guests to have fun with their digital cameras and send me their favourites...is this a bad idea? I know that photos are the only physical thing that remains of the day, so I want some quality shots.

What have you brides done, or are planning to do?

What worked/didn't work?

Thank you!
good points, fizzy stuff. I agree, now that I think about it.

I agree with calling around to get an hourly rate, I offer an hourly rate in addition to all of the wedding packages. I also agree with Fizzy - I've given my services as a gift before but I end up not stopping to have fun. It's all or nothing with a professional.

Another good alternative would to be to create a flyer and post it on a college campus, or talk to some photography instructors to see if they have any wonderful students they could refer you to. A few years ago I had an instructor that referred me to about 8 weddings because he knew that my passion was wedding photography and I'd do it for "cheap" since technically they were paying for a student photographer. At the time I had already begun my career and was in school so that I could provide my clients with some “proof” that I knew how to take a good photo and understood the theory of photography, outside of his referrals I was getting paid about $1000/wedding depending on what they wanted. You can also get a pair of students, or even three for the cost of one "professional" at their hourly rate. Students are also more likely to give you unrestricted reproduction rights for free, whereas a "pro" will charge upwards of $500 for the full resolution copies.

Make sure that you review their portfolio and shoot with them at least once before the wedding to make sure they are up to snuff – and DO NOT pay a student till the wedding is OVER. Pay them at the end of the night or mid-way through the reception – AFTER all the important events have been captured. Trust me on this one, I’ve seen a student take the money then never show, or take bad shots. If they are comfortable with it pay them ½ at the event and the remainder when you get your photos/disc/prints/etc. And remember to tip accordingly. I did a wedding for free once, but the couple after seeing the work sent me a $300 tip, and a few more referrals.

Another way to find a “new” photographer is to find a seasoned veteran and ask if they can refer you to their understudy. You will get a person that is serious about photography and has been studying under a “real pro” so your photos are going to be marginally better than a student.

I 100% believe that good photos are taken by talented people – it doesn’t matter what equipment they use or how much they cost – some people have the eye and some don’t.

You can also look on Craigslist, or advertise on Craisglist that you are looking for a photographer. You are willing to help them build their portfolio with engagement session, wedding and possibly a trash-the-dress. TTDs are very enticing to a fun photographer, and I’ll discount a wedding if I get to shoot a TTD!

If you lived near me I’d shoot your wedding for free – I love weddings! That’s my #1 pitfall as a professional, I’m always changing my rates to accommodate people who can’t fit a photographer into their budget, I think every bride deserves a great album full of memories to look back on in daily life and when she shows the kids, grandkids and hopefully the great-grandkids.

Good Luck!
& Congratulations!
-Elle

2009-02-17 23:51:14 by stackers

Price: $30.80 $29.90

2-section stand with a maximum extended height of 7.0 feet
Supports up to 5.5 pounds of lights with accessories

We're taking all of our photography before the ceremony, since the reception begins immediately following (evening ceremony so it'd be best to take all pictures earlier in the day).

I know I will fix a timeline more accurately with the photographer, but so I can approximate for my family's sake...I'd like to estimate when to start the photography.

We have brides' family, grooms' family, 5 bridesmaids, 5 groomsmen, private B&G photos, 2-3 locations all within 1/2 mile from each other.

Should I budget 30 mins for each group or more like 1 hour per group?

From those of you who have already experienced, I've love to hear from you!

Thanks!

I know our photographer could not get enough photos of us... I would suggest to leave at least an hour per group + travelling times. You would do best talking to your photographer though - they will know better how long they take.

2008-04-05 11:44:43 by bubbadoy

Price: $34.99 $23.09

Two of my friends are getting married in a few weeks (03/14) and we all know times are tough. They can't afford a PRO, its all going to be low budget. They knew I liked photography and was the only person they knew with a DSLR and a desire to take pictures. I have explained to them that I am not a PRO, they responded we just want someone clicking a _____ camera.

I have a Canon EOS Rebet XT w/ Stock EFS 18-55mm AF w/ a UV Filter. I have a Dynex 3 stage tripod that has a quick-release plate. I also have a Digipower battery grip in addition to the stock battery for this camera. Memory is Sandisk 8GB Extreme III, will do 860 in RAW 597 RAW+L.

I was told by a friend to have back-up, which I had been look at getting for a little while now, this was just an excuse to splurge some.

My new primary camera will be the XSi kit w/ the stock EFS 18-55mm IS lens. I purchased a UV filter for this lens as well. I did purchase the a EFS 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens & a UV filter for it. In addition I purchased the Speedlite 580EXII. I also have an additional battery (was contemplating the BG-E5 grip). Memory is Sandisk 8GB SDHC Extreme III, will do 440 RAW, 330 RAW+L. (I'm thinking I might need 1-2 more SDHC's?)

I do have about $1.5k left in my splurge budget if needed, I am not trying to turn pro over night, but figured this was a chance for me to get experience and help some friends.

I'll be shooting some at the rehearsal dinner 6-7pm Friday night. The wedding will be taking place outdoors around 3-4pm I believe followed by the reception, etc., meeting w/ them tomorrow or monday to get the run down of events and locations so I can plan everything out.

I just need some advice to help make the best of this for them and me! I'm stressing out after reading reviews here and there, looking at this and that website and with a full time day job it makes it hard to call someone in the biz during normal hours, figured this is the best place to get the most feedback.

Just a note so anyone doesn't mention I should have just bought them a photographer in stead of equipment. They aren't family and they are just some regular friends that I see a few times a year. Most PRO's in our area charge $2500 and way way up. Simply out of budget for everyone. I got the equipment so I can get more hands on experience since I have a desire to get more into the field later.

Lastly thanks in advice for any feedback.
This is my first wedding, although I did take pictures at another friends wedding.. I just wasn't the "main" person was just for fun.
Response to E-ma to clarify my question.

Should I get the grip for the XSi (Y/N).

Should I get any other lens(es) (Y/N), if Yes which lenses (keep in mind I would love to have the 5D and one of each "L" and about a dozen other accessories I've already researched, but $1500 is whats available)

Are there any other suggested accessories/misc. item(s) that I might have overlooked?

It's good that you have a sizable budget for this, but also consider renting gear where you need to. For example, a second 580EX might be better rented as opposed to making a big dent in your budget.

Having a couple of memory cards is good. Switch them even before you fill them. It is just one more way to protect against the unthinkable - that for the first time in your life a card goes bad.

The Canon 24-70mm F2.8 L lens is something of a standard with weddings. Has excellent optics.

The Canon 70-200mm F2.8 is another great lens used in wedding photography. This one is used more at the ceremony, where often times you cannot use a flash and you are in a low light situation (you should call the church in advance to understand what their shooting restrictions are - where you can stand, can you use flash, etc. Even consider attending a ceremony at that location in advance to see what the photographer does. After the ceremony try taking some pics to see what readings you get with your gear).

Those two lenses together exceed your budget, so renting might be a good option. With a flash you can get by with the kits lens. The 18-200 is a nice lens but not indoors without a flash.

2009-02-22 00:35:09 by Justin P

Quality, within your budget. Remember, these pictures are going to last you the rest of your life. They are going to be how you remember the wedding once your memories start to fade. *This* is what you will cherish - not how big your bouquet was, not how many candles you had in your centerpiece, not what color your chair covers were.

2006-06-27 17:35:56 by j f