5 Top Tips for Cheaper Wedding Photos

A wedding is a wonderful occasion, both for the happy couple, and their friends and family. When you look at the amount of expense that goes into that one day, however, you may think it causes more misery financially than it does happiness on the day itself. Last year, the average US couple spent $20k on their wedding, with the average in the UK being far higher at a whopping £20k, or $38k. 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. 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. I’ve put together my 5 top tips for how to find a fantastic wedding photographer without breaking the bank.

1. Making the best of 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 with competition being so fierce it’s not hard for prospective brides and grooms to miss out on some really special and talented photographers by not looking far enough when searching. Do not make the mistake of not going beyond the first page of results or the top few sponsored links in Google. 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” – we also looked at other surrounding areas such as Kent, Hampshire, London and Surrey.

2. Watch Out for Hidden Costs

Gone are the days when your wedding photographer had to develop their own prints in a darkroom – its all digital now. Which means that the wedding photographer prices are a lot more simple now too. So I’m amazed that so many photographers still charge their customers an extra fee for each print on top of the booking! Always look for photographers willing to give you all the images from the day on CD. That way you can get prints done at a fraction of the cost at your local photo printing lab.

3. Albums and Extras: Do It Yourself!

With digital photography the era of the traditional wedding photo album has passed. Today you have stylish wedding photography books are a big hit with most couples – but the problem is if you go through your photographer these will often cost you an arm and a leg. However if you can spare the time and energy, it’s possible to design and create very stylish photobooks yourself, and get them printed at a relatively tiny cost. 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

I have heard so many stories of unfortunate couples who have been taken in by unscrupulous con artists posing as wedding photographers. 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. 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. Dont be Overzealous in Your Moneysaving Crusade!

Now this one may sound counter-intuitive when it comes to ‘credit crunch weddings’ but I feel it’s an important one. In your quest to cut your wedding budget don’t go too far! It’s worth repeating that out of all the services you pay for on your wedding day, the photography is quite possibly the most important to get right. There are hundreds of amateur and inexperienced ‘photographers’ out there who are trying their luck as a side income. Judging from their prices alone you’d think you’ve struck gold. But sometimes the biggest bargains can be found by going up one price point. 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?