FI and I met with a potential photographer last night, he was recommended by a girl I went to HS with. I was excited because I was under the impression that he would be less expensive than other photographers. As we meet with him he says that he is an affordable mid range photographer and he's not one to charge 20K for an event, but since he needs to make a living he won't charge 3K, either. This got me thinking, so what the hell DOES he charge, because 3K is pricey in my opinion! Well, he charges $6,000, but he would charge us $5,000 since he was recommended. That's even more expensive than the venue recommended photographer!! And I thought the venue recommended photographer was pricey enough as it is!
He also made some comments that I did not like. For example, he made a comment about how weddings are so expensive, especially if "You're not rich, and mommy and daddy are not paying for it all." That comment just struck me as odd and unnecessary, because we did not tell him who was paying for the wedding, when he said that. Well, what if our parents WERE paying for it, does that automatically make us spoiled brats? Because that is the context in which he made the comment. I think it's awesome if parents are in a financial situation in which they can comfortably host their kids wedding. At one point we mentioned that we were paying for it ourselves and he said something like "Hopefully you guys will at least break even with your gifts." Fiance responded "Well, we're not looking at it that way. We just want to be able to have our families with us when we get married, and that's what's really important to us. It would be nice to receive gifts, but we're not expecting much at all, that's not what it's about." I though that was SO awesome of Fiance to say!
The kicker, though. So, I went to the ladies room, and when I got back the photographer went to the mens room ( he came to meet us at a restaurant/bar near our place). Fiance asked me "Do we have to get married before the wedding?" I was like "What are you talking about?" He said that the photographer asked him if we were married already, and were having our wedding next year (that is exactly how FI says he asked). He then told FI that we have to get married at City Hall first, and then have the "real wedding." Oh, FFS! I told FI that I don't know the exact requirements in our state, but No, that is not what happens. If we get married at City Hall, we go there with our witnesses, get married, and that's our wedding, that's our marriage date. And that what we have to do in our situation is go to City Hall for the license, which we sign the day of our wedding. So essentially this photographer was advising FI on having a PPD.
There were some other things FI told me later he did not like. He felt like he was just saying certain things to get our business, and overall he was just way too expensive for what he offered. Which was not much. So, the great photographer hunt continues!
ETA: I should add, if any NYC area brides have recommendations, I sure can use them!
