** Sara **

hey_its_jenn

Last week you mentioned about the prices going up for one of the photogs, did you ever try negotiating or are you off to find another one?

marburs

their prices went up almost one thousand dollars!  So... I just kinda gave up. And honestly it really put me in stuper about photogs, so I stopped looking altogether.  Thanks for reminding me- I need to get off my huffy bike (lol Dori) and start looking again.I'm a slacker and I need some serious wedding motivation

hey_its_jenn

We're here to help!  Do you know what kind of budget you're looking for as far as photographer?  I'm sure someone's got an excellent rec. for someone in your price range.

marburs

yeah, everytime theres a post about them I always write them down.  I guess my budget is around 1500 and up to 2000.  I'm just super super picky about pictures. I did photojournalism in college.  Thanks. I might ask around once I get some more motivation. p.s. you are one month and one week!  Squeeee!!!  How excited are you?!!?  Have everything all set>?

McBridetobe

Have you priced Tony Urban or Dino Bovo?My friend is using Red Lotus - I hadn't heard of her, but I liked her site a lot.  The link to her blog is on the bottom.[url]http://www.redlotusphotography.com[/url] 

marburs

I had Bovo written down. And I just added the other two to my list. Thank-you! Right now I have a list of 15 photographers. I think I'm going to make FI sit down with me and we'll eliminate some and set up meetings with others. Does that sound like a good way to go about it? I just never know what to ask vendors when I meet with them...

hey_its_jenn

Here are some of the questions I asked the photogs: How many weddings do you shoot a year?What do you love most about shooting weddings?How long have you been in the business?What inspired you to become a wedding photographer?Do you use a digital or film camera? Why?What is your backup plan in case of equipment failure? Illness?What are our options regarding packages?What’s the turnaround time for proofs and final albums?How much do albums typically cost and what are our options?What’s the process postwedding? (Do you provide online proofs or hard copies?)What sort of touch-ups do you do?What do you do with the high-resolution negatives?Do you offer online proofing albums, so that my guests can buy prints without going through me?What is the payment policy?What is the cancellation policy?

morganphd

Ask them if you can see an entire proof set of one whole wedding. Usually they only give you the best pictures to look at.

EmilyBerdell

***butting in*** I'm so impressed with that list of questions, Jenn! I never asked any of that with our photog. I was in a wedding they did and loved the photos...so we booked them. Sorry, marburs, no reccs from me. GL!

colleenmclaughlin1

Sara, if you don't have him written down, you might like my photographer.  He also shoots freelance for several papers, so he has that photojournalistic style you like.  His name is Scott McCurdy and here is the website: [url]http://timestandstillphoto.com/[/url]He was great to talk to, in your price range and will show you a full proof set, as well as a set of his images enlarged (so you can see the quality of your enlargements).  Of course my wedding isn't until next month, but I'm really pleased so far.good luck!