$2500 for a wedding photograhper, plus more for the actual photos?

[Loose_Canon]

Originally Posted by jprime84

I guess in my mind it makes sense to have just 1 price that includes the pictures and the service.

on a side note, the photographer aggrevated the heck out of me. She was terrible at directing us. "Why dont you just... stand like.. no.. uh.. maybe a little.... YES! do that..."

Even if the price is fair for an average wedding, all this woman did was come out for the wedding and reception (maybe 3 hours, MAYBE) with 1 camera. It just seemed like they were paying for much more then that.

I always tell friends who are getting married (I don't shoot weddings anymore) to shop around, look at the photographer's finished wedding albums (not just a few good shots) and actually talk to recent wedding clients. Decide if this person is the one you want to spend your special day with documenting every activity. If not keep looking.

Here again, I'd say read the contract. The "deal" is covered there.

[valleygirl]

Yikes! That sounds pretty steep.

Guess I need to consider wedding photography. Yowza!

I paid $200 for my wedding pics. That was photographer and proof book. Prints were extra. But that WAS 18 years ago! LOL!

[Loose_Canon]

Originally Posted by laurenfitz

I paid $200 for my wedding pics. That was photographer and proof book. Prints were extra. But that WAS 18 years ago! LOL!

Here in Dallas, TX, $1500 is about the average lowest, but some newbies are cheaper - $500 - buyer beware! $2500 is fairly common for good coverage albums albums, etc. Higher than that usually involved two shooters, 1000 or more pix, online proofs & ordering, and more stuff delivered. It pays to shop around...

[Amira]

I don't think $2500 is outrageous, especially if it is custom photography and he/she is doing a lot of prep or editing, etc. I have lots of photographer friends who do weddings and that sounds not too out of the ordinary for something custom, but it could also depend on the area you are in. Out here in Utah that price would be a little steep, but only because there are a million wedding photographers in the area (we are the wedding capital of the US, afterall! lol!).

[RexK_Cozumel]

$2500 seems about right if not on the cheap side for a good wedding photog. However from what you have said in your posts it does not sound like this person is very professional. Still it is too late to really do anything now. Have a read over the contract and see if there is anything you can do. Normally the $2500 would cover at least some prints and processing of photos.

[southernbelle]

Originally Posted by laurenfitz

Yikes! That sounds pretty steep.

Guess I need to consider wedding photography. Yowza!

I paid $200 for my wedding pics. That was photographer and proof book. Prints were extra. But that WAS 18 years ago! LOL!

When I read this, I was like $200????...Then I read about when you got married

I live in Louisiana and our wedding photogs charge between $1,500- $10,000. a few are higher and very few are lower than that.

[Mummy2Princesses]

My sister in law got married last year and the photographer charged her $1500 that was only for 1 photographer just for the ceremony and the pics afterwards. No reception nothing. When she went to get them they found out that the pics are extra too. I know that she was charged $15 each for the 4x6 which I think is disgusting! and poor sonia hates the photos I know I am only new to this but to be honest I could have done better! Sonia got us a photo frame made for us for christmas of our 3 kids and just for the 3 photos done on to a montage no frame nothing cost her $200 There are so many rip offs out there I was lucky with my wedding mine was $1000 2 photographers before and after ceremony as well as 2 locations 100 4x6 prints 50 5x7 a huge 20x20 and 4 discs with all the photos on it

My heart goes out to your parents hun its sad that they take advantage of people just because its is a special day

[imagesbyjk]

This is not unusual at all. Typically you will get something like a proof book for this amount. But have you ever sat down and figured out how much time is involved for a photographer to prepare for, shoot, edit and do artwork, and present the images for a wedding? Not to mention the investment in equipment, advertising, and other overhead. You can always find someone who will do it cheaper but those folks soon figure out its just not worth it and either raise their prices or get out of weddings (I did both in that order).

[xxpinballxx]

my little brother is getting married in two weeks, his photographer is charging 3000k but that is with a CD of all shots for them to do what they want with them and a selection of printed images. Not sure how many but for 2500 i would ask for the CD.....let him retain some shots for portfolio or whatnot but you still should have your shots that you paid for at your disposal.....

[SJH Foto]

I hesitate to even get involved here, but here goes:

Yes, even here in Lancaster County there are $2500 wedding photographers. But that's high-end. Usually, they are about $1500.

I personally don't do many weddings-in fact, I should raise my prices a bit. But, I do have in my contract a price to be there, and then more for prints, and about $100 for pics on CD (this is honestly VERY cheap, especially since most people who get a CD will go to Wal-Mart for their prints and not come back). I also offer a DVD for $50. That is a movie slideshow of the images set to music-it is actually converted into a movie file, so you can't make prints from them.

Since I'm not well known in the photo circles, I can't justify to myself charging big bucks. Most of my weddings have been between $750-$1500. And my $1500 includes two all-day photographers, the engagement picture, the rehearsal pictures, up to 5 copies of the CD-Roms, a DVD slideshow, all the proofs and several 5x7s, 8x10s and a 13x19.

Actually, I've got a couple weddings coming up, which already makes one more non-Witness wedding during a summer than ever. So maybe this will get my foot in the door.

I just wished I was closer to you, and could have gotten to your parents first. As it is, by the time, you pay my flight ticket, and book me in a hotel, you'll pay the same thing.

That reminds me, I shot a wedding for some Canadian friends once, just across the border in New York State. Let me stress this, don't shoot in another country-while not expensive the red tape of filing those taxes is murder!