It can sometimes be difficult to understand why two very similar photographers or videographers can be so drastically different in their pricing.  It can be very easy to be encouraged by a low starting point, so its important to talk to your wedding professionals so you have a clear picture of the total charges that you will incur before AND after the wedding.

This is a very personal topic for us because when we got married, we were very young and didn’t really pay a lot of attention to what we were paying for.  Our photographer was definitely on the affordable side of things, so we really didn’t worry!  After the wedding, we received our proofs and a price list… a very surprising price list.  Looking back now, perhaps the charges for prints weren’t that high, but at the time we were buying our first home, dealing with a new financial situation and all the other fun money matters that come with being newlyweds.  So, without going into too much detail, all we have are our proofs, and not much else…

When we established our pricing structure, we kept this experience in mind and made it a point to be all-inclusive and have our pricing be very “up-front.”  This is NOT to say that other photographers who prices their packages differently are doing anything wrong – quite the opposite, many photographers divide up their payments knowing that some couples would like to use money from their wedding gifts to pay for their photography after the wedding.  What is important is to have a clear understanding of what everything will cost, possible additional charges, and what time restrictions you have to select images, use credits, etc… And get all of these things in writing!

When photographers and videographers set time limits for selecting images or working on an album or DVD it isn’t because they want to be done with you!  The cost of products and services goes up every year, so they want you to make your selections in a timely fashion so they can produce your album or DVD without having to charge you any additional fees.

It is very easy to lose track of time after your wedding, so use the time before your wedding to have a candid discussion with your photograhers and videographers about a timeline and when all payments are due.  This can save you tons of time and money after the wedding – time you’d rather be spending with your new spouse!