Photgraphy prices in QCA?

nicholei

I was just wondering what the ball park average price for a wedding photographer is in the QCA.  I know that is a really open ended question, it all depends on what your package includes and all, but just a ball park.  I guess my real question is if 2300 is a lot for a photographer in the QCA? In my opinion the package includes a lot (rehearsal, all wedding day, engagement session and "trash the dress"), it includes rights and digital (edited) images.  I know its a lot of money, but it seems like I'd be getting a lot back.  Any thoughts?  Something I haven't considered?

nv2507

Funny you should post this. I was just getting on to see if anyone had good things to say about Creative Wedding Package. I'm planning a wedding in Dubuque but we live in Marion. Everyone I've talked to I've only found 2 people under $1000. And those guys only took pictures of the wedding for 6 hours. No more, no less. And there was only 1 photographer. Which if you are having a big wedding, may not work.

I'd make sure you were getting a copyright release to have the pictures printed where you like. Photographer's sheets are upwards of $20/sheet. If you own the copyright, you can print them at Target for $0.20/picture.

Can I ask who you are using?

hz80408

I'm using CWP (Todd, it's a husband and wife as the main photogs) and they're awesome!

Their most popular package is $3K and was out of my budget.

We meet with Todd and decided on the $2K package.  Even though it usually doesn't include it, Todd threw in a Chicago engagement pic session for free (since we live in Chi).

We did e-pics last fall with Robyn, a girl CWP contracts to do some Chicago stuff and to be honest, were disappointed.  I called Todd and told him and he offered to do another session for free and drove to Chicago himself.

So, for $2K we're getting:
-2 e-pic sessions in Chicago
-day long coverage (basically we tell him when to show up and he'll shoot until he has everything we request and shots he suggests)
-all rights to digital files

So we're not getting rehearsal or a TTD session, but we didn't want those.

I'd really recommend CWP!!!  He's great on responding to my emails and even emails me in advance of when he'll be out of town incase I should email him during that time.

Oh, I should add that the reason we choose CWP is that Jen, the wife, shot FSIL's wedding last summer.  Originally my photograph budget was only $1200, but after seeing CWP's work from FSIL's wedding...I knew I wanted to splurge and use them!

Jeannamae

I'm using two Rivers Photography, they are out of Moline, his all day package includes the rights, the engagement session and all day for the event, no limit to locations or time- it was $1150, I thought that was pretty good! Hope that helps! His name is Todd- I haven't met him yet ( just emails) but he did FH aunt's wedding and they loved their pictures- Our engagement shoot is at the end of the month!  

wranglersarah

I'm using Gary Walters out of Peoria.  He has AMAZING prices... we paid in full$900 up front  (it was $1200 if we paid in installments) and that includes engagement session, Wedding and reception - no time limit.  We get a book made of our top photos for both the engagement session and Wedding.  He give you the CD and all the rights to the pics to get them printed wherever you want.  We've done our engagement session and it was AWESOME!  Even tho he's located in Peoria, he drove to the QC for our engagement session or we could have gone there.  He said that travel money was not needed but if we wanted to throw in $50 tip for travel we could...up to us.  So far I've been really happy! 

ashleyduggleby

Hey... saw your message about Gary Walters, do you have his contact info or website or anything?? 

-Ashley

SoSaysTara

I did a lot of research before I booked:

	Wiz of Oz	Accent Photography - Comprensive	Brandenburg	Rick Jennisch Photography-Felicia and Kristi
Website	http://www.wizofozphotography.com/	http://www.accentphotographics.com/
Starting Price	$2000	$2800	$1795	$2299
Number of photographers	2	2	2	2
Length of wedding day coverage	8 hours	“All day”	8 hours	7.5 hours
Wedding photos	ALL 800+ on disk, 75+ (always more) retouched, on disk, with print release	Wedding disk of all		Wedding disk with album
Wedding album	$500 extra for 10 x 10 40 page album, or create yourself somewhere else	10 x 10, 20 page album	8x8 album, 24 pages. Also 2 8x10, 8 5x7, 8 wallets	8x8 album, 20 page OR 10x10 album, 16 page
Engagement Session Length	45 minutes	1.5 hours
Engagement Pictures	10+ images, on DVD with release	30+ images, on DVD with release Free Sign in Album if booked within 3 days of a consultation. 30 day online gallery		90 day online gallery
Photo Booth	$500 extra	Free, if booked within 3 days of a consultation	None – could maybe do ourselves?	None

We ended up booking with WizofOz and I am super excited.  Our e-pics get taken in a week and a half and I'm STOKED.  I will post them here when I get them back!