Photographer Dilemma...

PoliceWife104

Hey ladies!  So we already have our photographer booked for our September wedding.  She did our e-pics, last October, which we love.  At that time, she said she was behind on editing, so it would take 8 weeks to get the pictures back to us.  Eight weeks came & went, & we still didn't have any pictures.  It took her 3 months to get us our edited pictures back to us.  And she gave me a TON of excuses as to why it was taking so long.  She has her own business, but also works for a bigger photography company & I feel like she's stretching herself to thin.  Ever since that experience, I'm having second thoughts about her.  

I'm worried about how long it's going to take her to get us our wedding pictures.  I'm somewhat worried about the quality, in looking at her past work again.  I'm pretty much just freaking out right now!

What brought this all on, is that last night I was working on our must take pics, for our planning bio.  There's a girl I went to school with, that does AMAZING work, but she was a bit out of our price range.  I was getting inspiration pics from her, & while doing so, I realized even more, how much I LOVE her work. 

I'm just wondering if we should take the hit & switch photogs, to get the one that I really love.  Or feel like we're settling with the one we're already booked with.  I haven't even brought this up to FI yet, as I was in bed before he got home from work last night.  I just wanted some opinions from you ladies. 

Anyone else have this dilemma?  What did you do?

TIA ladies!!  = ) 

tegdirb2001

Is there any type of cancel fee or something of this sort with your current photographer?  Would you have to pay for the engagment session that was already done or was that @ seperate pricing already?  That is a hard decision to make.  I would def talk with FI about this to see what he thinks.  Sorry I can't be of more help.

FutureMrsSheeler

I would talk with your photographer. Tell her your worries, and ask about how long it takes her to get pictures back to clients..

MilitaryBride2Be

I would first raise your concerns to your FI and see what he says. Then I would talk to your current photographer and see what she says, I hate it when people make excuses so I understand your frustration. If she makes more excuses I would look at another photographer. How much out of your budget is she? I splurged on 2 things, photography (waaaay out of my budget) and the venue, which was only slightly higher. Photographer was really important to me.

PoliceWife104

Thanks ladies.

Bridget - I'm not sure about a cancellation policy.  I plan on looking at our contract, when I get home tonight.

MB - I'd say she's about double our budget.  But, I feel like we're cutting back so much in other places, that it would all even out.  I really want amazing pictures to look at for the rest of our lives.  Like you, this & the reception venue, are the 2 things I'm very concerned about.  I got the venue of my dreams, now I want the photographer!  = )

I have since talked to FI, & he was a little taken aback.  He didn't realize I was having second thoughts at all.  He wants to look at our current photographer & the one I love tonight, to compare everything & figure it all out.  As I said above, I've got to look at our contract & see what the cancellation terms are.  We've already paid her a $200 deposit, which I think would cover our e-pics but I'm not sure. 

I also sent a note to the photographer I went to school with, to get her advice.  She's awesome & gave me advice coming from a brides prospective, not a photographer.  She just got married herself a few years ago, before she started her business.  I also asked if she was still available on our date & she is. 

Wow... we've got a lot of thinking & deciding to do!  = /

andielizabeth

I'm sorry you have to go through this. Photography is a big thing for me too & having a hard time finding someone I love in our price range but so glad you posted this as I was in contact with your photographer and now may have to re-think that.

SuperRNluvsChef

Andi--sent you a PM!

aabrahams7

UGGGGHHHH....I know exactly how you feel... we booked our photog for our Sept wedding and I am too, having doubts. Her picture quality isn't the greatest and I just really wish we would have figured out a budget a bit different and allowed a bigger budget for pics. Maybe I just need to suck it up and quit looking at other photogs and I would be ok...I don't know...

FutureMrsS13

personally, i hate having the unknown feeling . It feels horrible.. and i say if your unsure about ur photographer end it now.. or u could have worse problems later possibly  if it was just epics took that long i cant imagine for wedding pics.... Personally id say go with ur gut.

 You know what they say.. you get what you pay for

 

genevieve27

As a professional wedding photographer I have to say 8 weeks is ridiculous for engagement photos but many photographers would make you wait at least that long for the actual wedding photos. (not me of course:) To be honest, discussing your fears with her probably won't do much if you think she already is prone to making excuses. Of course she will tell you that you will get your pics on time. She's not going to want to lose out on you as a client. Now with that being said you can maybe speak with her about modifying your contract due to her time issues with your last session, something like putting in a specific date that pics will be finished and delivered and if not money will be credited back. Something like that...I put that in my contracts as an assurance for my brides and also as an organized way for me to set my editing priorities and so I don't book too much around times when I have a lot of editing to get done.

shan87

Coming from a bride that broke up with her orig. photog. I would look into your contract. I booked our first photog over a year out and without knowing our final budget. Their contract was easy to get out of because I only had to give 190 days notice and it was like 10 months. haha... I think based on your post, I don't think you are going to be happy staying with the original photog. :-/