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Wedding Photographer

Hi there,

I'm due to get married in 2016 in Tunbridge Wells and we are currently looking for a wedding photographer (only - no video).

I'm aware that they can be very expensive and had budgeted accordingly. We had not looked at many when we can across one at a recent wedding fare. He appealed from the minute we started speaking and we were very impressed by his casual (non-pushy) and knowledgeable approach.

As part of his offer we have a 'free' photo shoot this Sunday, for us to get use to each other and for us to see and appraise his work afterwards. After this we can walk away minus the £10 deposit (to cover his petrol) and go our separate ways, or we cab book him up.

I have checked out his reviews and they are very good (I guess people don't show the bad ones anyway).

My question is on the cost - £1,650. Now this did not seem (relatively) too bad to me from what I have heard and expected about wedding photographers, but since talking about it a few people seemed shocked at how much.

Now are we paying way over the odds here for something that we could get of the same quality elsewhere? Is there a big difference in quality between these providers? And IF anyone wants to divulge, how much did you pay for yours?

To me it seems a lot (obviously) but everything is when weddings are concerned and we can afford it, but I don't want to pay more than I need to if that makes sense. That said the photographs are a lasting memory of the day to keep forever and I'd rather 'over' spend on that than something like a cake etc that will be gone after.

For clarification are package includes:

* A complimentary fun and informal pre-wedding shoot (as mentioned above)
•Bridal preparation through to and including your first dance!
•80 photographs from your wedding selection included within your fabulous 14×10″ storybook wedding album.
•Your chosen album images will be provided on DVD or USB (both hi and lo-resolution) with the Photo Licence ensuring that you can reprint your images whenever you like.
•All photographs are professionally edited to ensure outstanding quality
* Wedding fare offer - free photoboard (an alternative to a guest book) that we were quite impressed with.

Storybook-Albums

•As many pre-wedding consultations as we need
•A private post wedding gallery of your photographs for you to share with friends and family (typically around 300-600 images)
•Use of my gift vouchers scheme allowing friends and family the option of contributing to your wedding photography. A personal and meaningful gift!
•My personal guarantee ensuring that your wedding photos will be available for viewing within 4 weeks of your wedding day

Any advice or thoughts appreciated.

Cheers.
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Comments

  • When are you getting married In 2016?

    Am also in the same boat as you and in my opinion the Photographer price is a joke, have been looking round at some Photographers in the Bexley area and they're charging under £1000 just dont offer the albums.

    Trouble is if you Google; Photo Books you can create your own for less than £100 with good quality products produced... Dont know if you wanna go budget or go all out though
  • In March (prays the fixture list is kind!!)

    Our guy did a good job of selling how important a good quality album is to be fair and I could see his point. Decisions decisions eh.
  • Got married last summer - quote sounds about right with what we paid including album etc. we got some quotes for over £2.5k which is even more insane that what we ended up paying!
  • I think when organising a wedding it's good to rank in order what is most important.

    Venue
    Photos
    Rings
    Flowers
    Cake
    Etc

    Personally for me I didn't give two hoots about the cake or flowers. Didn't even eat any cake on the day or after I don't think. Flowers my mum sorted as she likes that sort of thing.

    Photography for me was so important as its something to keep forever. (Like the rings!) We paid about 1400 for ours which included a pre shoot which were made into cards for the table with the link to where our pics would be once done, online gallery of over 200 images, massive coffee table sized album with hundreds of pics in some big some small but to capture the whole day and evening.

    it was a 2 person team which was important to me to get 2 angles of the ceremony of bits I wouldnt ever see myself. They divided up on the day and one did the getting ready pics and one did the arriving at the venue pics. Then they stayed until about the 4th dance I think.

    We did love our pics so much we paid an additional £500 after for the cd of all the images so friends and family could print. If yours is included then that's great.

    You could also commit to the photographer and have a follow up meeting to discuss album types after the wedding if not convinced before.

    Hope this is helpful.
  • Oh yeah. My wedding was 4 1/2 yrs ago.
  • Doesn't blackheath addick do weddings?
  • On a personal level if he'll knock £300 off and you dont get the album you can get a perfectly good album made yourself for about £150. Also make sure you are getting all of the hi-res images to print yourself for that price. Dont let him keep them to profit from you or family in future. Thats hi-res not the actual RAW files.
  • Im getting married in May and I'm paying £600 which includes

    -All day photographer from getting ready at home until the end of the night
    -Pre-wedding shoot with book/album
    -Selection of best photos in book/album and cd of all photos
    - Website logon for friends and family
    - Pre wedding consultations including tour of church ane venue

    We're also having a videographer for £880

    Of course being in Norfolk it's bound to be cheaper than London prices although we did get some quotes between 1k - 1.5k
  • Thanks for the replies thus far.

    Blackheath - great insight and greatly appreciated.
    Norfolk - that seems a very good/competitive price - he presumably has good reviews etc.? We're Kent (as opposed to London) so not sure the price would be much different to Norfolk.
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  • We booked ours about six months in advance with a small deposit and was having a pre wedding shoot two weeks before wedding. Was trying to contact him and getting no answers and found out he had died and no one knew password to his computer to find out what bookings he had.

    We were lucky other couples had their photos stored on the computer and had not received them. got a photo:video deal for about 1250 but maybe that was cheap as lady minute and they had no other booking.
  • Most photographers are similar, so the key thing is what you get for the price. The album can be put together cheaply, but our guy included a leather bound, professionally made wedding book, and a CD compilation with music which he put together, which made him worthwhile. I would definitely try to confirm the quality of the books being offered in advance, as they are your lasting memory (along with the digital versions you have).
  • If you haven't actually set on a photographer, I would definitely recommend TDH Media. My brother had them for his and the main photographer Terry is an absolute legend. He gets the best out of every one there and isn't afraid to tell people what to do, but without being pushy. He isn't the cheapest but his photos speak for themselves, and he really helped make the day even better.
  • Pedro45 said:

    Most photographers are similar, so the key thing is what you get for the price. The album can be put together cheaply, but our guy included a leather bound, professionally made wedding book, and a CD compilation with music which he put together, which made him worthwhile. I would definitely try to confirm the quality of the books being offered in advance, as they are your lasting memory (along with the digital versions you have).

    Most photographers are most certainly not similar Pedro.

    Do you want a reportage style versus classic wedding stuff or a bit of both? You'll get varying degrees of quality on either, with equally varying costs.

    Books are not as important as they once were.
  • We didn't bother with all the albums and stuff. you can do it yourself so cheaply on vistaprint or similar so I resented the idea of paying the guy £100s to do it for me. All I wanted was digital copies of all the pictures.


    I got a cheesy pre-shoot,
    all day photography, from bridal prep to first dance
    and literally hundreds of photos on a memory stick.

    Got some absolutely cracking photos, all really good quality and captured everything my missus asked him to get. Would definitely recommend.

    paid £500 quid

    http://www.nathanjmphotography.com/

  • Here's one of my oldest mates.
    Matt is top draw. Take a look
    http://www.mattjamesphotography.co.uk
  • It's not the photographer that's expensive, it's the divorce!
  • He'll be too shy to tout himself, but I've seen some of @blackheathaddick work, he is an excellent photographer, great, humble guy who is definitely worth having a chat with and checking out his portfolio to see if it's the fit you are looking for.
  • I'm getting married I'm April - everything seems to be a grand. Our photographer is £1300 and that includes an extra £250 to keep him there til 9pm for the first dance. It also includes a decent looking album. I've met the guy and his wife a few times and I'm happy with the price. Your price seems about right to me
  • Greenie said:

    Here's one of my oldest mates.
    Matt is top draw. Take a look
    http://www.mattjamesphotography.co.uk

    I second what Greenie says here. I have known Matt for 30 years or so and he is very good.
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  • Have a video! I know they are considered naff these days and very You've Been Framed but I cannot tell you the amount of pleasure we have got from ours when we have occasionally looked at it over the past 24 years. The friends and relatives that are no longer with us, the outfits and hair, the kids that now have kids of their own, the ex-partners of friends and family, and the funny little things that happen on such days.
  • I often watch our video on rewind so it has a happy ending as she disappears out of the venue.


    Only joking darling if you read this.
  • Do have video though. Picks up on lots of things you don't notice and good to have the speeches too.
  • And a toastmaster.

    Really helps getting everyone organised and in place.
  • He'll be too shy to tout himself, but I've seen some of @blackheathaddick work, he is an excellent photographer, great, humble guy who is definitely worth having a chat with and checking out his portfolio to see if it's the fit you are looking for.

    Thank you sir. In seriousness if you get good vibes from this guy and you are happy with his previous work then stick with him.

    Anyone else looking in future, well I've pretty much told you how much I cost further up the page although I'm sure I can do a charlton life discount. I'll also happily pick apart/ tell you what I like about any photographers you are potentially signing up with.

    Remember. The front page is meant to show their best work. If they have 5 photos on a loop and 2 of them are a bit naff then run for the hills. Especially if weddings is all they do. Also remember that a beautiful bride is a beautiful bride. Get a decent camera and anyone can make her look good. So be wary where the ladies on the front page are all beauties.

    Also someone mentioned videographer as well. If you do, MAKE SURE THEY ARE COORDINATED. Set your priority. Is it more important that the photographer has free reign of the venue or the videographer? Nothing worse than them both moving around the whole time, getting in each others way, and ruining each others shots. Decide who takes precedence and understand that if it's not the photographer then they may have a lot of shots where the videographer is in the way.
  • Im getting married in May and I'm paying £600 which includes

    -All day photographer from getting ready at home until the end of the night
    -Pre-wedding shoot with book/album
    -Selection of best photos in book/album and cd of all photos
    - Website logon for friends and family
    - Pre wedding consultations including tour of church ane venue

    We're also having a videographer for £880

    Of course being in Norfolk it's bound to be cheaper than London prices although we did get some quotes between 1k - 1.5k

    That sounds cheap - you know that polaroids fade in time don't you?
  • £600
    1 days work on day of wedding
    1 days work for pre-wedding shoot
    4 days work post processing above
    Time at pre wedding consultation at church and venue
    Cost of album
    Cost of petrol for several journeys.
    Not to mention wear and tear on equipment. All cameras have a shelf life.

    That's effectively a weeks work for £600. Dont forget the taxman will probably take £150 of that.

    No idea how a photographer that does the job full time can afford to offer that service. Maybe they don't have a mortgage. Maybe he doesnt have insurance, or pay tax.

    It's so easy to see a big number and think that photographers are expensive. But really when you break it down if you have a mortgage, bills, mouths to feed etc could you afford to take that home when you may not even have jobs for 1/3 of the year.
  • Just started to look into all this, I'm also getting married in Tumbridge next year.

    Everything connected with a wedding has a premium added. Not doubting the work involved and I do think photography is one of the things you need to get right.

    Gonna bookmark this page for future reference, I'm guessing people pay a deposit to a photographer and the rest closer to the date?
  • We used a guy called Rich Lehman, his site his here http://www.theotherday.co.uk/

    Really good, great photos from the day, and a nice bloke who fitted into the crowd at the wedding

    https://www.facebook.com/christine.zarb/media_set?set=a.10150930500670212.757266.593490211&type=3
  • I agree with Riv , get it videoed too , it's comedy gold in years to come ! Good luck mate
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