How to Save on Wedding Photography Without Sacrificing Quality

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17 October 2009

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The popularity of weddings seems to have increased in recent years, despite the decline in ‘traditional’ values. But the cost of a wedding can frequently cause a lot of misery both before and after the big day. Last year, the average US couple spent k on their wedding, with the average in the UK being far higher at a whopping £20k, or k. That’s probably the most expensive day you’ll ever have (unless you one day throw a winning lottery ticket in the wash). 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. Yet the photography is one area few are prepared to compromise on, and with good reason. Because your wedding photos are the one thing that linger after all the dust has settled and the money has been spent on the rest of the celebrations – so naturally you would want it the pictures to be perfect. Below are my top five tips on how to keep your wedding photography budget low, without compromising on quality.

1. Have faith in Google

There aren’t many photographers around today that don’t have a website, and one of the best ways of finding and comparing wedding photographers in your area and price range is through search engines like Google. Yet with the market being so saturated it’s easy for couples to miss out on some amazing photographers and great prices by not using the power of Google enough. Spend some time trawling through the Google results beyond the first few pages. 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. Additionally use specialist search terms like “black and white”, “reportage”, etc, as well as looking for wedding photographers from other towns within a couple of hundred miles from you, as most are happy to travel. For example for my wedding I not only searched for “Wedding Photographer in Brighton” but also surrounding areas such as London, Hampshire and Kent.

2. Be Wary of “Stealth Charges”

Nowadays the vast majority of photographers use digital cameras rather than older film cameras requiring development in a darkroom. That means the wedding photography pricing are now far less complex. However believe it or not a lot of wedding photographer still work on a pay-per-print model, where couples have to choose which pictures they want and pay extra for them! My money saving tip would be to stick to the photographer who will give you a CD with ALL the pictures in high resolution. 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!

Traditional wedding albums with flowery covers and peeling pages are becoming a relic of the past. These days contemporary 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. Ditto when it comes to canvas prints or blow up posters really – as long as you have high quality original image files from your photographer, you can pretty much do it all yourself!

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. Such criminals, who it must be said are few and far between, lure couples in with a too good to be true package, often stolen photos, and once they receive the deposit you never hear from them again. They are truly tragic and horrible stories. However the good news is that they’re easily avoided. Make sure you pay any deposits via secure bank transfer as this can be traced in the event of a problem, and that you receive an invoice and receipt for your payment. And be sure to get a proper contract from the photographer which makes clear what you are getting and what you are paying for – this provides protection to the couple. 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. I know you’re trying to save money but it it possible to take that overboard! Like I said, the photography is quite possibly THE most important part of your wedding, especially when you look back. In this world of ubiquitous DSLR cameras, wannabe photographers with little experience are ten a penny. By focusing purely on the price you could be misled into thinking these offer a great deal. But if you ignore the very cheapest prices that’s where you often find the best compromises between price and quality. Your photographer’s portfolio should always make you go “wow” – otherwise what’s the point of having a wedding photographer?