Finding photographers if your a bride on a budget

When you’re a bride on a budget you know how difficult it can be to plan a wedding. You don’t want to completely empty out the bank so you know you have to look for all the deals and savings you can find. When it comes to your dress you can simply purchase a sample gown or even a pre-owned dress. With invitations there are plenty of websites that offer huge savings and deals on custom designed cards or you can even make your own from kits at craft stores like Michaels. Your wedding day will be one of the biggest days of your life and having high quality photographic memories is a must. But when you’re working with a tight budget what do you do?  You could just have a friend take them but that is pretty risky and they will probably not turn out as you had hoped. When you’re a bride on a budget finding a photographer whose prices are reasonable can be difficult to do. So today we will help you find cheap ways to capture the best day of your life.  The day will go by quickly and the photos will be the memories you keep for a lifetime.

Choose an off-peak day if your a bride on a budget!

When you book a wedding venue you will save more money by having your wedding on any day but Saturday or during the off-season. The same goes for photographers and videographers. If you book your wedding during the week and not summer time the cost is much cheaper. Photographers are in high demand on Saturdays especially during the summertime which allows them to charge more for their services during these times. Not only that, the bride on a budget will have a better selection of photographers to choose from if she decides to have her wedding during the off-season time.  One of the best ways to find a photographer is to go to a bridal show in your area.  There are always tons of photographers at bridal shows and you will have the opportunity to meet them and see their work first hand.  You need to make sure you like the person that is going to be following you around all day!

If you don’t want to pay your photographer an arm and a leg, limit the time he or she will work during the wedding. Generally, photographers and videographers charge by the hour.  A full 10 hour day can cost from $4,000-$10,000! So, all you have to do is simply limit the amount of hours you want them to work. You can hire them just for the ceremony and half the reception, or just the ceremony and supplement these photos with other photos guests have taken. Another great idea is to hire a student photographer who will charge a lot less but still have the experience of a professional.  A great place to look for students is on Craigslist.  But keep in mind, you still won’t be dealing with a professional so make sure you trust the person. This way, the bride on a budget can have the professional photographer take pictures during the wedding ceremony and only an hour of the reception and use the student photographer for the rest of the reception.

Lastly, make sure you have a list of what all is included in the cost so there are no surprises.  How many hours of service and will there be an assistant.  How many edited images does it include and do you get these on a CD, etc.  They should give you a breakdown of everything you get for the price including and images or prints that are included.  You may also want to find out how much it is for extra digital images or prints so you don’t get in a position where you have to pay just as much to get your pictures as you did to have them taken.  And most importantly…………….NEGOTIATE!  Everything is negotiable from your venue to your photographer.  So, if you have a budget, tell them what you can pay and see what they can do for you.  You never know unless you ask.  It’s important to document your wedding on your big day and the bride on a budget can do so by using these tips. Good luck!