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Having a 15 min ceremony with only the fiancé and I

kareichekareiche member
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edited November 2015 in Wedding Photography and Videography Forum
We are doing a very informal wedding ceremony. We are doing it in a state park only us present. We only want a a couple of pics of us exchanging vows and then we just want an hour of portraits to send to family and do an announcement. Every photographer I talk to wants to charge me for a wedding. It's outdoors in December so we won't be spending more than 1 hour from beginning Of the Vows to the end of the shoot.

I don't want pictures of our rings or getting ready. We are t having any reception... Am I out of line to just want to pay $400 for one hour photos? I respect photographers but I don't want to lie to them and say I just want a portrait session and completely omit we will be in wedding dress and suit.... But I'm not paying 1700 for an hour of walking around some woods for announcement/ family gifts.

It's like you say wedding and they up the price 500%.
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Re: Having a 15 min ceremony with only the fiancé and I

  • justsiejustsie member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    kareiche said:
    We are doing a very informal wedding ceremony. We are doing it in a state park only us present. We only want a a couple of pics of us exchanging vows and then we just want an hour of portraits to send to family and do an announcement. Every photographer I talk to wants to charge me for a wedding. It's outdoors in December so we won't be spending more than 1 hour from beginning Of the Vows to the end of the shoot. I don't want pictures of our rings or getting ready. We are t having any reception... Am I out of line to just want to pay $400 for one hour photos? I respect photographers but I don't want to lie to them and say I just want a portrait session and completely omit we will be in wedding dress and suit.... But I'm not paying 1700 for an hour of walking around some woods for announcement/ family gifts. It's like you say wedding and they up the price 500%.
    Where are you living that an hour costs 1700? What does that cost include? I'd post in your local discussion page to see if other brides have photographer recomendations more in your price range. 
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  • photokittyphotokitty mod
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    You get what you pay for. A wedding is not a simple photo shoot. You are paying for talent, expertise, post production, editing, etc. You are paying for someone who knows who to shoot a wedding, not a simple portrait session.

    Imo, yes, you're out of line to expect that level of discount. Anyone who would shoot a wedding, even what you are suggesting, is probably untrained and inexperienced. Equipment, insurance, knowledge and work done after the wedding are worth money.
    :kiss: ~xoxo~ :kiss:

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  • wink0erinwink0erin member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited November 2015
    Seek out photographers and explain that it is a short ceremony with only you and FI, followed by a portrait session, not a full wedding with guests/reception/family. If they won't be flexible, find another photographer that fits your needs. There is no reason anyone should charge you $1,700 for what you have described here.

    Try local boards or seeking out photographers from friends/family locally. A professional I know has shot very small ceremonies and portraits without charging her regular fee, but she is likely not in your area.

    Edit: You may have better luck depending on what day of the week you are doing this.
    ******************************************************

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  • julieanne912julieanne912 member
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    You might consider looking at photographers who do family portraits and stuff like that... not your typical "wedding" photographers. They're probably willing to do a lower price, especially if they're looking to get into wedding photography.

    IMO, the main reason good wedding photographers are pricier, is because they are better at capturing the candid stuff, which you don't need as much of. If someone is good at posing people, like most family photographers are, then they'll do a good job for you.

    Side note, the reason most typical wedding photographers still want to charge a lot, because basically if they book you, they are then extremely limited on what other events they can do that day, especially if you're looking at doing it in the afternoon. If you're doing the morning there might be a bit more flexibility, but still not as much. I know one of the photographers I wanted already had a wedding booked in the morning, and I didn't book her for my afternoon/evening wedding because of that, even though she said she could do it... what if there were delays, or traffic, or something else that prevented her from getting to my wedding on time?
    Married 9.12.15
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  • Knottie1432705850Knottie1432705850 member
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    justsie said:
    Where are you living that an hour costs 1700? What does that cost include? 
    Those are good questions.

    The photographer will want to know what you expect for his/her time. Do you want digital files? Prints? A book?

    Some photographers will have an a la carte hourly rate and then offer products (digital files, prints, books, etc.) on top of that. Wedding photography packages often include several of those products and time at the venues at a discounted rate compared to the a la carte rate.

    If you're interested only in digital files, expect to pay a higher hourly rate (since it will include the files). If, though, you'll be buying prints or a book, you may find a lower hourly rate since the photographer will make some of his/her profit on the products sales after the wedding.
    Michael Gowin
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  • justsiejustsie member
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    Knottie1432705850 said:
    justsie said:
    Where are you living that an hour costs 1700? What does that cost include? 
    Those are good questions.

    The photographer will want to know what you expect for his/her time. Do you want digital files? Prints? A book?

    Some photographers will have an a la carte hourly rate and then offer products (digital files, prints, books, etc.) on top of that. Wedding photography packages often include several of those products and time at the venues at a discounted rate compared to the a la carte rate.

    If you're interested only in digital files, expect to pay a higher hourly rate (since it will include the files). If, though, you'll be buying prints or a book, you may find a lower hourly rate since the photographer will make some of his/her profit on the products sales after the wedding.
    I think you misunderstood my question, it was for OP in her situation specifically, I do not have questions about photography in general. That is why I quoted the OP, your comment has told me nothing I don't already know from other helpful ladies on this board. 
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  • Knottie1432705850Knottie1432705850 member
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    justsie said:
    I think you misunderstood my question, it was for OP in her situation specifically, I do not have questions about photography in general. That is why I quoted the OP, your comment has told me nothing I don't already know from other helpful ladies on this board. 
    Right--I understood that your questions were directed to the OP. I was using them to provide context for my reply to the OP (not as a response to you).

    My apologies for the confusion.
    Michael Gowin
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