"Hi ___________,
I just wanted to check in and talk to you about pricing. We hadn't really discussed it and I'm a progressing kind of person, so I'm modifying my wedding package. Last year was my first year and I was able to find things that worked and didn't work, this year I'm trying to work out that kinks. I'm a really easy going person and will work with any bride to make her photos the best that I can. I am also flexible on making the price fair and right for both of us. This will be the first year that I am doing prints not a disc (hopefully) I'm going to be testing out print companies and such. I eventually want my own printer and set up, but they are 5000 + the paper 200 a roll + ink (12 colors) 120ea so it's like a 10g start out investment so it won't be happening anytime soon. That's why I am looking into print companies. I am also looking into wedding books that I would be willing to include and put together if you would like one. We'll go through this together or you can let me do my thing for a certain price and leave me to it, I just like to let the bride know that I am behind her 100%, but if she rather not worry about it I can handle it alone. So I'm giving you the info on your options.
What I planned for this year for the basic wedding price was 800.00 this includes my services the whole wedding day - I am yours from whenever your start getting ready, to the vows, to the after photos, to the first dance and til the end of the reception - it also includes 150 4x6 prints, 10 8x10 prints, and 1 10x15 print, and the possibility of a wedding book. (I can also do up your thank you cards if you would like me to handle those as well, but those prints won't be included in the wedding price) This 800 digit may seem a bit big, or maybe it doesn't, small towns usually find it a pricy, but the work and hours I put into editing the photos is something that you wouldn't believe. Some people say "OH that wedding day must be so stressful! with all that pressure of holding the entire day in the palm of your hands, everyone counting on your photos to be just AMAZING" which it is a HUGE pressure, but I find the wedding day a completely amazing rush, being included in a couple big day makes me feel so special! The wedding day is the fun part! It's the next week of slaving over a desk infront of a computer screen for hours upon hours doing monotonous clicking and pasting and altering and blah blah blah, that is the rough part of it all. That is the hard work. It's also the work that no one sees and doesn't realize it's happening. I know that's the biggest chunk of money. And each wedding is different, so photos take longer to edit and some photos are faster, so some weddings it seems like I'm making easy money and others I feel I should have charged a million dollars.
I really hope that we can get together and figure out exactly what you are looking for for your big day.
What I planned for this year for the basic wedding price was 800.00 this includes my services the whole wedding day - I am yours from whenever your start getting ready, to the vows, to the after photos, to the first dance and til the end of the reception - it also includes 150 4x6 prints, 10 8x10 prints, and 1 10x15 print, and the possibility of a wedding book. (I can also do up your thank you cards if you would like me to handle those as well, but those prints won't be included in the wedding price) This 800 digit may seem a bit big, or maybe it doesn't, small towns usually find it a pricy, but the work and hours I put into editing the photos is something that you wouldn't believe. Some people say "OH that wedding day must be so stressful! with all that pressure of holding the entire day in the palm of your hands, everyone counting on your photos to be just AMAZING" which it is a HUGE pressure, but I find the wedding day a completely amazing rush, being included in a couple big day makes me feel so special! The wedding day is the fun part! It's the next week of slaving over a desk infront of a computer screen for hours upon hours doing monotonous clicking and pasting and altering and blah blah blah, that is the rough part of it all. That is the hard work. It's also the work that no one sees and doesn't realize it's happening. I know that's the biggest chunk of money. And each wedding is different, so photos take longer to edit and some photos are faster, so some weddings it seems like I'm making easy money and others I feel I should have charged a million dollars.
I really hope that we can get together and figure out exactly what you are looking for for your big day.
I'm really excited about it even though it's months away, I bit you're even more excited. Let me know what you think!
But that's the business haha."
I LOVE working with the bride, and the groom if he is into it. So are some aren't. And when people make comments about pricing and how "steep" in may be. They have to realize that my price is only a fraction of what wedding photographers charge away. But I chose to live in a small town and I choose to make my prices fit where I live, or else I wouldn't have any clients haha. But comments can hurt sometimes, because I put all my energy into a wedding, and it's past the wedding day too, it's a wedding week or more for me. But that is my business, I have equipment that I haven't used loans to by and so that money goes towards paying that off in a sense. I love what I do and so I've done everything I can to further myself in my field, even if that means spending my savings on lighting equipment rather than buying new clothes or you know just saving it like a smart person. I take the risk on investing in myself because I believe in myself.
Even though I had lost my way for awhile, if I look back I was still doing everything for the same reason. I bought my house, so I could have a space to build my studio, I took up my fulltime job to make money to pay for said house and save money for my dream. Has it got me far these past 6 months? No, I'm broke and trying to keep my head above water, but my faith in myself and passion for what I love has come back to me, so I'm fighting and staying ahead.
Back to weddings, I take time to meet with the bride, talk to the bride and make it all about the special couple. I want to give them what they want. Some photographers say, "this is my style, this is what you pay for, this is what you get" but I don't like to do that. Yes I have a style, but I'm an openminded, flexible person and that shows in my photography. I'm okay with change or something different so I make sure that I give the bride the closest to her perfect. That is included in that chunk of money. I may seem alittle spacey sometimes, but I've got a big heart and a big passion for pleasing my clients.
If you're planning your big day and your in my area, even if you aren't on the island, I will travel away for weddings! I hope that you atleast consider me! I hope that this post was informative about my process of a wedding.
-Robyn :)
