Recession Wedding Photography: 5 Tips

Nowadays every young couple seems to want to get married and recreate some of the fairytale celebrity weddings they see everywhere. But the cost of a wedding can frequently cause a lot of misery both before and after the big day. The average American wedding cost the couple an incredible $20,000, and in the UK the average figure was even higher at £20,000. I don’t have to tell you that’s an insane amount of money to spend on a single day. And with the credit crunch showing no signs of easing, prospective brides and grooms are actively looking for ways to cut costs without spoiling the magic of their special day. Couples are cutting down guest lists, asking for friends and family to help out instead of hiring caterers, DJs and videographers, and brides are increasingly considering pre-worn wedding dresses. Hiring a wedding photographer is one area where a lot of brides and grooms are not, however, willing to cut corners, and rightly so. Your wedding pictures are one of the few lasting memories you have from that all too fleeting day, and of course it’s something you’d want done perfectly and in style. Here are a few tips on how to stay within your budget for wedding photography without having to take a cut in quality.

1. Have faith in Google

The majority of modern wedding photographers have their own websites, and one of the most common ways of finding them is via search engines like Google. However since there are so many photographers jostling for space the problem is it can be easy to miss out on some great ones by not searching deeply enough. Don’t be content with just looking at Page 1 of the results or the first few sponsored listings. Make sure you spend time going deep into the search results and coming up with a shortlist of photographers in your budget so you can really compare a range of styles and options. Also don’t just go for the obvious search terms – make sure you vary your searches, and always include a few local areas and towns to find photographers who are slightly further afield but willing to travel. My wife and I live in Sussex, and when looking for our photographer we not only searched “Wedding Photographer Sussex” – we also looked at other surrounding areas such as Kent, Hampshire, London and Surrey.

2. Beware of Hidden Charges

In this day and age most photographers are using digital equipment rather than old school film cameras requiring darkroom processing. Which means that the wedding photographer prices have become a lot simpler. Yet many photographers are still working off the model of charging couples for each print they want after the wedding – that’s an additional cost on top of what you’ve already paid for their time! I would strongly suggest you forget about these guys and go for someone who will provide a hi-res CD of all the images from the day. Like this you can choose which prints you want to get done at leisure and get them printed for relatively low cost.

3. Make your Own Photo Books!

With digital photography the era of the traditional wedding photo album has passed. Today you have stylish wedding photo books are now the norm and extremely popular – but with a lot of wedding photographers adding these on to your package significantly increases the overall cost. But if you can be bothered and have a flair for creative design, you can now design photobooks yourself using specialist software downloaded from the net, and get them printed up at ludicrously cheap rates. The same goes for things like canvas prints and enlargements – all you really need are the original high res images!

4. Be Wary of Wedding Photography Scams

Everyon’e heard a story about a couple who got scammed by a so-called “photographer” who ran off with their money. These swindlers will poach couples with cheap prices and slick sales pitches, receive their deposits or even full booking payments and then never be heard from again. It breaks my heart to hear about this sort of thing. The thing is, if you’re vigilant they’re pretty easy to spot and avoid. Firstly, ensure that any payment of deposits or fees are done via bank transfer – its the most secure method of payment, and can be traced and reversed in the event of a problem. Also make sure you get a legally binding contract from the photographer which states clearly what you are getting for your money and will protect you. Finally, and probably most importantly, the phrase “constant vigilance” applies here – go and visit the photographer before money changes hands, make sure you see examples of their work and ask questions about how everything will work – a good photographer will put your fears to rest.

5. Don’t be Tempted to Cut Corners!

Now this one may sound counter-intuitive when it comes to ‘credit crunch weddings’ but I feel it’s an important one. Whilst trying to get the best possible deal and price beware of taking things too far! As I said above, the photos are probably the most important part of the wedding day when you look back at it in years to come. In this world of ubiquitous DSLR cameras, wannabe photographers with little experience are ten a penny. Judging from their prices alone you’d think you’ve struck gold. But often the real bargains are to be found by going up a level in pricing. Remember that if you don’t look at your photographer’s work and go “wow” what is the point in spending all that money on a professional?

Tagged as: advice, credit crunch, frugal, moneysaving, photography, tips, wedding photography, Weddings