Your wedding day will be up there with one of the most memorable days of your entire life. With so many treasured moments to be captured, a wedding photographer is essential.
However, the cost of a wedding continues to sky-rocket year on year, so you may be looking at ways of how you can save money on aspects of your special day.
We have put together a quick guide to help you minimise the cash you’ll need to part with to hire a wedding photographer.
1) Book As Early As Possible
It is advisable to start enquiring with wedding photographers as soon as your date is set.
The most desired photographers in your area will book up fast, so it is best to pop an enquiry in their inbox as soon as you have confirmed your special day.
You may also be lucky enough to secure their most affordable rate if you are booking well in advance. Leaving a booking until the last minute could result in you incurring an additional charge, as wedding photographers may charge a premium for a late booking.
It will also take the pressure off your list of things to do if you get the big tasks, such as the photographer, sorted early, leaving you with more time to get excited about your big day!
2) Consider When You Get Married
Are you getting married in peak wedding season? This is something that may cost you when looking to book a wedding photographer, as many photographers increase their prices in peak season due to the demand being so high for their service.
The ‘off-season’ for weddings tends to be from November through to February, so if you don’t mind a winter wedding, you may be able to save some cash on your nuptials!
Also consider the fact that there may be a surcharge for weekend weddings, where the need for wedding photographers is higher, so if a mid-week wedding sounds good to you, this may also be another way to make capturing your big day more budget friendly.
3) Go for a Digital Package
Do you really need mountains of physical albums of your wedding day? Back before the world went tech – printed photographs were the only way to look back on your special day.
Nowadays there is a great selection of digital packages offered by photographers, making it much more affordable to hire someone to take snapshots of your wedding day.
You will still be able to pour over an album of special photographs, just this time they’re on your laptop screen! It is also a brilliant way to be able to share your day with friends and family who aren’t able to attend, as they don’t need to pop round to see images from the day, which is ideal for your relations who may live overseas.
Opting for a digital package doesn’t mean you can’t have the physical thing, you can always choose to print your photo’s at a later date, and sometimes at a lower price point than what your photographer can offer, if you shop around.
4) Limit the Number of Hours
A lot of a photographers time is wasted by waiting round to capture the moments of you and your guests, if the day is not planned appropriately for the photographer.
A great way to save on the cost of your snapshots is to create a plan for your shutterbug, so that the pictures can be taken in quick succession, therefore reducing the amount of time you have to hire them for.
Your photographer may be able to provide a guide that helps you decide the images you really want to capture, or many ideas can be found online!
Another tip is to nominate a member of the bridal party, usually someone who knows the largest amount of the guests, to be your ‘shepherd’ for the photos! This person can really help cut down on time if they are able to rally the troops and get everyone where they’re meant to be during the photoshoot.
5) Shop Around
Depending on how particular you are about the style of your wedding photographer can be the difference between paying a high price tag, and something a little more affordable.
If you are more flexible on who you are happy with taking your photos, you may be able to save some money in this area. Its important to shop around and see what is out there, and see what you can get for your money.
Student photographers are always looking to add to their portfolio, and are usually keen for these opportunities! Another tip would be that if you are also interested in a videographer to capture your day, try and find a photography company that offers both, as you will usually receive a discount for booking both for the same event. This can be a great way to maximise your budget, whilst also getting what you want.
6) Ask the Venue or Wedding Planner for Recommendations
Don’t forget your wedding venue, (or if you have opted to have one), your wedding planner, for recommendations.
Vendors in the same industry will more often than not offer discounts to their fellow wedding-workers, and you may be able to bag a discount this way.
Not only is it a great way to receive some money off, but having someone who has already photographed in the venue your nuptials are at, means that they will probably know the best spots to get the most beautiful photos of your special day.
