Photography prices

crazzyinlove

Hello girls, we're planning from GA and getting married on Lido beach resort and searching through photographers. Last week we were in Sarasota to meet with variety of vendors, and we met with 3 photographers. I'm not sure how much should i expect to pay in Florida for a wedding photographer, but prices were quiet different for all three. For 8 hour day with an album, 2 photographers and engagement session we've got quotes from $3,600 the cheapest and $5,985.00 the highest.

The 2 higher packages included wallet size prints or big wall framed print and parent album. I don't really need prints, and just DVD will work for us. Two photographers didn't really want to remove the "extras" from the package, so i don't know. What are you girls paying for 8 hours/DVD/2nd/and an album??

Thank you for any help, i need to get back to these guys and book one of them LOL.

mpgator

I am using Alicia from Pure Emotions Photography http://www.pureemotionsphotography.com/
My package is like $1000 less than your cheapest quote, but does not include the album. It includes two photogs for entire wedding day, dvd with minimum of 500 finished individually edited high res images with printing rights, engagment shoot, insurance, etc.

I think it is also important that you pick someone who you 'click' with too. You'll be spending a lot of time with your photographers on a very emotionally charged day.

Good luck!!

crazzyinlove

Thank you mpgator, i appreciate your reply. I would like to have an album, and the albums i saw were beautiful, and i know they are expensive. I actually liked all of the photographers, it's a tough choice, all three were professional and easy to talk to.

mbathey

My photographer on Anna Maria Island (slightly north of Sarasota) was cheaper....the 6 hour package I choose was $1605 but I am not doing add ons...I just want the rights to the pictures, touchups and the cd of all photos.  I plan on printing out hte pictures myself. 

Her name is Dara Caudill. 

babybchbum

Look into Jason Angelini, He does 10 hrs of photography for 1195. He doesn't include an album in his package but does offer them. Some of the albums he offers are as low as $700, which also gets you a  Cd of all images edited as well as printing rights.

Jason and his wife Lucia are awesome to work with and I highly recomend you contact them.


Jasonangelini.com

khornack

Ask your venue if they have recommendations, I have a 5 hour $1100 package that includes a large print and a cd with printing rights to all images, she offers albums from $500, and extra hours from $150. But Missy Duncan, my photographer, often works with my venue, so she offers her services at half price to brides who use her.

teachermegs

My photographer is for all day and is 800. I haven't decided what I am going to order, but I do get the dvd and all the rights.

bananafanafofashley

Ordering an album or prints from your photographer jacks up the price and it's way more expensive than taking them in to a photo lab to do. Printing albums only really cost a few hundred dollars, so paying $700 is a waste of money. The reason the price ranges are so different is because you really get what you pay for. The only person that i've seen who i believe is seriously underpriced is jessica leigh. My advice to you is, as long as cost isn't a factor go with the photographer who's photos you like to most. Yeah, you want to get along with them, but you also want to have wedding photos you will LOVE for the rest of your life. Without all of those frills I think you could bring down your cost at least a thousand dollars from the cheapest package you have. GL!

P.S. Are you coming back down specifically for the engagement shoot? That's quite the drive!

moonstone523

Who are the three photographers who you got quotes from?  That might better help us decided if you are getting overcharged.

Jason Angelini, Dawn Haas among other Tampa based photographers are significantly cheaper than the quotes you got.  Dawn doesn't necessarily include an album, but she can include it and have Kiss Albums design it.  They look great.  Jason can get albums as well.... all for a cheaper price. 

I was married in SRQ as well, at Selby Gardens.  Any other vendors you are looking at?  I LOVED Milan Catering. 

crazzyinlove

Wow, thank you all for replies. I'm not going to do engagement session, we might just do it at home with someone else. One of the photographers offered engagement session but i can take it off or put it towards something else, like a bigger album or prints, the other photographers were firm on their packages. We found them by recommendation of the venue and florist. 
I really need to book someone soon, i wont be coming back till probably late march, so it would be too late to meet with anyone else. Also i wanted to meet face to face and see albums.
The 3 we've met were Imely Photography, In True Colors Photography and Moments in Time.  I'm surprised to see that much variety in pricing, wow, but we do want someone who has experience, insurance and quality, price is secondary and we are allocating some money just for photography.
Anyway, thank you again for your insights, and your advise, I appreciate all of your replies. If anyone used any of the above, i would love to hear any feedback.

ceeceed80

Any decent photographer should be willing to create a custom package for you. We are using Kerri McConnell (kmcconnellphoto.com) and we created a 100% custom package for exactly what we needed. She worked within our budget and we got everything that we wanted and nothing we didn't. 

Good Luck.

Angie.Lapkov

I agree with ceeceed that photographer should let you make your own package. When i was looking i came across photographers who have been doing this for over 15 years, they are set with their packages and wont let you adjust anything, I'm sure that experience dicate their prices. Anyway, go with who you feel more comfortable and who's work you like the best, that is if price isn't really an issue.

JulezandNate

We just booked our photographer and pretty much received a dream package for about $3500.  Make sure you do your homework as we did.  We chose KMD Creations. 

wendy234

We are useing manyandmestudio.com and I believe they have options for what you want that are cheaper then what you listed above.  Goodluck!