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Down payment for photographer--how much??

music11music11 member
Seventh Anniversary 500 Comments
in New Jersey
How much is usually asked for the downpayment for a photographer?  We met with someone who was asking for half up front--is this reasonable??
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Re: Down payment for photographer--how much??

  • akcrrrakcrrr
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Our payments were split into 3.
    1/3 deposit, 1/3 90 days before and 1/3 the day of. 

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  • DoubleASDoubleAS
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Ours was $1k down and the remainder after we receive our proofs.
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  • rlavachrlavach member
    1000 Comments Second Anniversary 5 Love Its
    edited December 2011
    They're all different, but ours asked for a 10% deposit & the rest paid the day of. Just make sure everything is spelled out in the contract, which I'm sure you did, & you're golden!

    EDIT: Typo! It was 20%

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  • bereasonable2bereasonable2 member
    Third Anniversary 100 Comments Name Dropper 5 Love Its
    edited December 2011
    50% seems to be the standard, but everyone is different.
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  • LissyM83LissyM83 member
    Fourth Anniversary 500 Comments Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    They're all different.

    Our is divided in quarters. 1/4 as deposit... 1/4 due 6 months before wedding... 1/4 due 1 month before wedding... the remainder due when we pick up our proofs after the wedding
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  • LADY324LADY324
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    edited December 2011
    Ours was 50% down then the remainder the day of the wedding.
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  • GiGiV2012GiGiV2012 member
    100 Comments First Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    Agreed. Mine was 50% down.
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  • altimat873altimat873 member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Ours was 1/3 deposit, 1/3 due 6 months before and 1/3 due upon books.
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  • diamondx423diamondx423
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Ours was 20% down then remainder is a week before the wedding.
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  • shoebieshoebie member
    Sixth Anniversary 1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Mine was $100 down  the other $1200 the day of
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  • PeteandJenPeteandJen
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Ours was 1/3 deposit, 1/3 a month out and the final 1/3 when we get our actual books and CD, our videographer was the same way.
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  • Pammie76Pammie76
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Ours was $400 down then monthly payments until our balance is paid off
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  • annandted86annandted86
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Our was $400 at the time of contract, the balance only for the photography services due just before the wedding, and we don't pay for albums, etc., until we actually order them after receiving our pics.

    I'd feel like 50% down is too big a risk, especially in this economy when you hear not only of photographers but all kinds of professionals going out of business.
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  • mrsR12mrsR12 member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    we put 50% deposit and the rest the day of the wedding
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  • k8888k8888
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Our photographer asked for 15% now and payments every few months until our wedding (July) and the remaining 10% once we got the proofs.  We felt this was really fair... I would not want to pay 50% up-front, but that's just me. 
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  • cindyn9178cindyn9178 member
    1000 Comments 5 Love Its
    edited December 2011
    Every photographer has a different policy, just like every other vendor/store/service in the world. The only thing I'd consider unreasonable, is if you were required to pay the balance in full when you book them.
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  • klustigklustig
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Ours is 50% upfront, 50% day-of.
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  • irishangel0413irishangel0413 member
    Seventh Anniversary 10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Ours was $1K to book, and the balance due 2 weeks before the wedding. Our package does not include albums/prints though - we are getting all the pictures on a CD and the video as a raw DVD.

     

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  • music11music11 member
    Seventh Anniversary 500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I'm glad to hear that other people have the same policy.  Thanks for the perspective! :)
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  • MCM1012MCM1012
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Mine was split into thirds as well. 1/3 when we booked, 1/3 a week before the wedding, and 1/3 when we picked up our proofs.
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