inexpensive wedding photographers

Elaina1012

hello ladies..i know im new to this like we are all..but are we really finding wedding photorgraphers to be $500 or more? I was just thinking I could get the pics on a CD and print them out my self? Just wondering what others are finding out..

lenergyrlah

In my area most of the wedding photographers start at $3000 or $4000.  Some of them include a CD in the package, but others require you to order the prints directly from them, which is a lot more expensive.  Also a lot of them offer 6 or 8-hour packages, which I don't think is necessary.  I'm planning to do the first dance and cake cutting at the beginning of the reception and then sending the photographer home so I don't have to pay him to watch us eat.  Our friends will take plenty of pics of everyone dancing anyway!

If you don't want to spend the "going rate," I would recommend looking on craigslist, asking photography students from a nearby college (some of them have done weddings before), or asking recently-married friends.  Today I asked a coworker who I don't even know, and her photographer was only $800.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he works out for us!

minionlover

Photographers can be very expensive.  I just booked mine and it was close to $2000.  There were ones that were less, but I really liked the guy that I ended up going with.  You have to think about how important pictures are to you. 

I have heard of people getting good photogs from craigslist or from local colleges with photography programs.

rmo57536

These girls offered great ideas, to get a deal you'll probably have to find someone just starting out. In my area most of the photography packages start around $2000. We lucked out and I was able to find a girl through referral from my local board that will only be $1100 or $1300, depending on how long how long we have her. That includes an e-session and edited images on CD. 

udream05

I know one girl on my local board found her photographer through craiglist for only $250 and some other people have found great deals for photographers.  We have one photographer that everyone raves about on the board that's only $695 I think for 6 hrs, and includes the CD of images and some prints which is a great deal. So it is possible to find one.  Ours I'm calling our "splurge" because I fell in love with her.  She's $1600 for 6 hrs and includes the CD of images, but if we want them to print any it's really expensive, but they come out a bit nicer since they touch them up even more. 

aimee58

I agree with PP. We got ours from craigslist. She's 500 for the whole day and I print the pics on my own from a CD she gives us.

Just make sure to ask for recommendations!

pengy16

I am in an area where everything is super expensive. I am trying to plan a super budget wedding, but nobody wants to work with that it seems...
craigslist is a good start, the next place I checked was facebook. For those that were too expensive might have a cheaper photographer listed on their facebook friends/likes who you could check their pricing. Thats how I found a couple of leads for photographers. same thing goes with cake places, their are photographers who did the events for their cakes, check them out too.
if you really are not having any luck, post to craigslist that you are looking for a photographer for your price point, and you might get a couple of hits. Also try wedding.com, its a site where vendors will find you. If you give your budget for that vendor you will get quotes in your price range, or vendors who will be willing to work in your budget or will be pretty close to it.

Stacie77

Try local high schools in your area who have good art/photo departments...sometimes the students will do it for free for the opportunity to get pictures in their portfolios