Album Price Increase after 6 Months?

LoveyGirl124

My wedding was back in July, and things have FINALLY started to calm back down.  In all the craziness after the wedding, picking photos for our album was always in the back of my head but not a priority.  Now my wedding photographer says that the company she uses increased pricing and I now have to pay her an additional $300 for the album originally included in our package!  Is this normal?  Her whole package for 6 hours, an engagement shoot and the album was $3400.  I feel like she's trying to take advantage of me.  Is there anything I can do?

fairy_diva

Read the very fine print on your contract.  But I would think she can't stick you with that increase, it should be your choice to have it or not, personally I would subtract the total for the whole album from the package and ask for a refund of that part. That's WAY too much for any album. Do a DYI album from Kodak or Shutterfly.

weddinggraphix

I would agree that you need to refer to your contract.  As an album designer, I have experienced printing companies increase their pricing.  When giving a package deal, I have seen contracts that provide for protection to the photographer, in the event that the photos are not picked by the couple in a speedy time frame.  It could be that the photographer is not trying to take advantage, but the pricing did, in fact, increase.  In any event, they should refund the album price out of the package if you so choose.

You then have the option of doing your own album at that point through shutterfly, or paying for another company to create your wedding album.  Shutterfly does give a pretty good product, but I doubt the quality would be as good as what your photographer showed you.  Just remember, you usually get what you pay for.

-Jimmy
www.weddinggraphix.com

ProPhotographer

I'm also on the other side of the table, so I am going to suggest you look at  it from the photographer's side. You booked her how many months before the wedding? So, she's been on the hook for price increases for how many months? Maybe over a year? Was there something in the contract that encouraged you to order earlier?  Did it say if you ordered within x number of months the price would be set?  Just look at it at least once from her side, if she promises to hold prices firm and couples drag their feet, it costs her money. Smart business people would give you a credit of a certain dollar amount and make it up to you t spend your $$ ASAP before the prices go up and up.