Help Needed! Photographer/Alterations/Invitations

Re: Help Needed! Photographer/Alterations/Invitations

• peachykeen26 member

  

  February 2012 edited February 2012

  Unfortunately, you aren't gonna find a good photographer for $500.
  Stephanie Barnes Photography is the best I have come by- there a quite a number of other brides that booked with her on here too! If you tell her I sent you, that will help out. Just give her my username, peachykeen
  www.stephaniebarnesphotography.com
  
  

  Cheryl Designs- alterations. VERY affordable and VERY good! I am having her do my dress. She is in or close to Zanesville.
  740-674-5129

  I browsed designs for months and found one I loved. I made one as similar as possible on mixbook.com. It took about an hour to get the invitation EXACTLY how I wanted- but it costed under $100 for everything! A lot of other brides buy the DIY packs from Michael's, Hobby Lobby, etc. and DIY them. All you need is a printer and a computer for those.

  HTH! PM me if you need anything else.

  
  First Look
  
  

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• osuchica85 member

  

  February 2012

  I know one of the guys I went to high school with married a photographer. She has pretty reasonable pricing and I think her stuff looks pretty good. I just went to her site and her packages start at 600. The name is Melissa Pauquette.....here is the link to her blog....http://melissapauquettephotography.com/blog/
  
  her portfolio....http://melissapauquettephotography.com/columbus_weddings/wedding_photographer_portfolio.php
  
  I've never met her so I can't say what she is like in person but I know the bride in one of the featured weddings and she looks great.

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• irshdancr5500

  

  February 2012

  I also want to highly recommend my photographer, Mandy McDonough, she's done an awesome job on our engagement photos and I can't wait to have her take our wedding photos too! Her packages start at $625, but include 2 photographers, so I think it's still a bargain! Here's her website, http://www.mandymcdphotos.com, check her out! Oh, and she's based out of Cinci, but is available for Columbus weddings too. And I'm getting married at the Athenaeum too!

  Sept 2012 Siggy: Bridesmaid Dresses!
  But instead of yellow, mine will be peridot!
  
  

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• peachykeen26 member

  

  February 2012 edited February 2012

  With photographers, you get what you pay for.

  
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• Belle0000

  

  February 2012

  Your probably not going to find anything for $500, but check out www.joysongphoto.com ....$900 for the basic wedding package.  I know one of the couples currently featured on the website and their pics turned out really well. 
  
  I'm using Groupons + free postcard offers on Vistaprint for my invites and the inserts. 

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• saacjw member

  

  February 2012

  In terms of photographers, I think you're going to have a problem finding something for around $500 that's good. You might be able to find someone willing to do just portraits, no other documentation through out the day for that price, it might be worth checking out. One of my top choices for photographers (haven't chosen one yet) is Ron Walker in Delaware, his basic package starts a bit less than $900. Here's his blog http://www.ronwalkerphoto.com/blog/category/weddings

  I also know people who have used Harrington Photography. Their packages are more than you want to spend, but they also do portraits and are really nice people, so they might be worth calling up. I think it just depends on what you want to be documented.  As to what peachykeen said, you do get what you pay for with photographers, but I've been finding that ones who do less editing and create less stylized photos are cheaper and still do good work. It depends on aesthetic (I personally don't like the overly stylized thing, and so the photographers I'm drawn too happen to be cheaper than my budget...)

  
  

  In terms of invitations, it probably is cheapest to do them yourself. I did a price comparision trying to figure that out a few weeks ago and have an estimate of just around $40 for about 120 invites printing from Catprint. Depending on how formal you want them to be, you can do different numbers of enclosures, I plan on formal ones with gate or pocket enclosures, which range from $50-90ish (different styles) on Cards and Pockets. Those things are completely optional too, I've had several invites without them. Envelopes are cheap- I have them at less than $15. Also via Catprint- RSVP cards at $24, envelopes for them at $13. Catprint is more expensive than Vistaprint as well. Vistaprint has more options if you don't want to design your own too (I'm doing mine in Illustrator). Comprable invites that are in styles that I like run around $100-200 (huge gap in styles) for invites and envelopes and less for RSVPs and envelopes. There are definately cheaper than this too, I'm just throwing out numbers for things I liked, so look around. 

  
  

  My final advice for saving money on invites- don't use square ones. This is from the nice woman at the post office selling my mom stamps. 

  
  

  Holy Crap that's a lot of stuff. I hope it's at least kinda helpful 

  

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• tiffanydaniels

  

  February 2012

  Photographer: Picture perfect potraits, shannon is amazing and they bring 2 photographers and they are there all day and you get rights to the photos, so you can buy the pictures later for whatever price! 

  
  

  I would not got cheap on pictures they are forever! But You could always look into students and I would look at previous posts as well, that is what I did for most my vendors, look at reviews and you could find a treasure! 

  
  

  Invites: I refused to spend a lot on invites so we went to michaels and I bought some on celerance so 120 invites for 45 dollars. Can't beat that and they are super cute, (i would wait until they are full price and take the 40-50% off coupons, you can only use one at a time but that would definitely save you money!)

  
  

  Alterations: I am in the same boat, I have no idea what to do! 

  ****Planning Bio: Updated 10/17/11****

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• kleem15

  

  February 2012

  ditto to saajcw!!! I am going with Ron Walker! I think we are paying around $900 with e-pics and all of the photo rights for 8 hours.  PLUS we get a second photographer included!

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• JENNIFERANDMATT2012

  

  February 2012

  Have you tried Party City? We found a set of do it yourself invites there. The set was 25 of the following:invites, RSVP card, direction card, envelops for RSVP, envelops for invites, stickers, and decorative tie. It also came with a lot of test paper. We got lucky with ours because they were on clearance for $15 a box and there was three left. We signed up on there site and got a $10 off coupon when spending $50 or more. We ended up buying the invites that matched our wedding colors and matching address labels for like $43 after tax. Try looking there and use the site to find coupon.

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