Help...Do we need a Photographer???

I'm not married yet, but thought I'd reply anyway!

You don't have to spend £1000 - there are cheaper photographers out there. We're having someone come just for five hours and we're having all the prints on cd rather than an album. This brings the cost down to about £600.

I was a bit unsure whether I wanted a photographer, but you only do it once, and I think it's worth it.

Hope that helps a little!

Ali x

There are many different attitudes to wedding photography and not everyone thinks that they are important. Some people think that they are one of the most importnt things to invest in on the day because all of the money spent on the dress, the food and the venue goes away and only the photorgaphs are left. If you are interested Pixcellence provide a standard package for 2 hours which cover the main ceremony together with some groups shots and portraits for under £500. Take a look at the website.

Clwyd - Wedding Photographer for Pixcellence. http://www.pixcellence.co.uk

I only paid the petrol money for my photographer as he wanted to build up his portfolio and he was great. I have looked at my photo's many times since the wedding and others have looked at them too.

We had some blown up for our living room and i wouldn't have done that if they were rubbish.

My sister says her biggest regret of her wedding 4 1/2 years ago was not having a professional photographer. She thought they would get good enough pictures from all the guests. There are cheaper options around my area so maybe there are where you live.

I'd say you should have a photographer....nowadays you don't have to have them in an album and never look at them, you can get some blown up and framed. And it doesn't have to be over £1000, I'm paying nowhere near that for mine.

Try www.rswphotography.co.uk - All packages are under £1000

x

Well, i'd say i'm biased as i'm a wedding phtogorapher too! But this also means I have met MANY people along the way and had lots of conversations with couples about their friends and families wedding photographs and how they wanted theirs to be different etc. Grouped in with these conversations are actual instances of people who have been INCREDIBLY disappointed with their photos because they didn't choose wisely and also many times i've heard of people who didn't have a wedding photographer and really wish they had. I know everyone says that after your big day (the most important one of your life to date, probably) the only actual things left are your dress (put away or sold), a collections of favours and invitations you may have saved and your photos and maybe video. ALL my clients are so pleased witht he memories I have given them - after a while they tend to relive their wedding day's happy memories by looking through the photos - think about how you recall a fab holiday? It's usually aided by photos.

I can't stress enough that if you are discussing a budget of £1000 then this is a very healthy budget and the figure must be a possibility for you (or you wouldn't have even thought about such a figure!). This money will NOT be a waste of money, £1000 spent on expensive cars, expensive cakes, i'm sorry if I offend anybody, IS a waste of money, this is ALL gone after the day, cheaper cars and cheaper cakes look fabulous and still provide you with a 'fine' look, cheaper photos or no photos will genrally NOT look fabulous.

To some people this just isn't important, they say 'how often will I look at them anyway?'. If this sounds familiar then bear this in mind - one of my couples from August Emily & Jonathon, not very well off, paid £1500 for their wedding photos, Emily was just recovering from Cancer and wore a blonde wig on her wedding day. They pushed the boat out with regards photo budget as it was so important to them to have a record of their special day. They ADORED their photos, they are now all over facebook,

and a HUGE arty print is in their living room. They look at their photos EVERY day and i've booked another 4 weddings through them. Emily doesn't have her wig now and she still loves to look at her photos - even with her hated wig on them! When you think about your photos try not to think inside the box, yes you will have some fairly trad images that may go in your parents frames but you could have an artistic image like the one above - you'll look like models!!!

You'll find many many great photographers well within your budget of £1000 and some around the £500-£750 mark too, do lots of research, ask brides WHO HAVE ALREADY MARRIED who they recommend? Go and see loads of them, you're right it IS a huge amount of money to spend and rightly so does deserve to be spent wisely.

I'm sorry I don't want to offend anyone whose budget will not stretch to even £500, but you have already precluded yourself from this bracket as you are 'discussing' a more healthy budget. If you HAVE the £1000, I cannot think of a better way to spend it.

Good luck!

Nicola

I know plenty of people who have regretted not having a photographer but none that have regretted having one (although I also know a few you have regretted choosing a photographer purely on the price!). To me, my photo's and my DVD were more important than anything else (bar the venue), including the dress as they are the only things you will have to look back on after the day has passed. We spent and awful lot on our photographer (2.5K) but I don't regret a penny of it. Obviously that price is to the extreme and you can get good photographers for a lot lot less, but even if you don't look at them that often (which you will, trust me, lol), at least you have them!

In answer to your post question, Yes I do think you need a photographer I have seen many posts on here of regretful brides who hoped that their friends photography skills were far better than they let on only to be disappointed when actually looking at the pics.

You can however get a photographer to do it for much less than £1k, probably even as little as £300 (just make sure you see their portfolio...and them - the actual photographer needs to appeal to you.

I remember seeing one that had a great website, but when they turned up for our meeting they stank of fags and looked like they'd worn the suit of a dead uncle and was probably named 'Ray' ?

Personally I think it is nice to have some decent pictures from the wedding and it doesn't have to cost a fortune as there are so many different packages available now. Could a compromise be getting the pictures edited and put on a disk - wouldn't cost as much. Thats what we are doing. I agree that over time the album won't probably be viewed that much but you may want to put some pictures up in your house. You may get some okay shots from your guests but maybe point out to OH that you can't rely on it.

Good luck.

I would agree with this wholeheartedly.........then I would, wouldn't I.....?

The images gather in value over the years as loved ones and friends pass away. Your wedding photography is a "snapshot in time" of your wedding and those involved in it.

Peter

I got married in July and up until a couple of months before we were planning on just having a friend doing the photos.

We were on a tight budget: dress from Debenham's sale, BM dresses from Coast sale, home made invitations, table plan, favours etc.

In the end we met a guy at a wedding fair (we weren't even looking for togs) who totally won us over with his albums. He wasn't cheap but we saved a bit by getting the pics on DVD so we are printing a few every month as we can afford it! Our pics are fab, and there are so many shots we just wouldn't have if friends had been taking them.

I honestly can say it was the best decision we made. We spent nearly all our budget on the venue, food and tog. I wouldn't have changed it for anything.

If you want a peek at ours, you can see the difference between the professional ones (listed under dafyddandruthanna) and our friends ones (under the other names):

http://dafyddandruthanna.weddingpath.co.uk/334783&PS=TRUE&SELUSR=8757&SELPGE=4

This is so true Peter, I did a wedding in July where there was a wonderful old Grandma, she was a lovely lady and we got on very well during the day, I took loads of photos of her. A couple of months later when the couple returned their album choices I was very sad to learn she'd passed away shortly after the wedding. They choose every one of my photos of her to go in their album and were so pleased i'd taken so many of her as none of their family had bothered at all. I bet you have a few similar stories too, Peter? Another benefit of having a pro who recognises the importance and emotional value of certain shots.

Nicola

It is recognising key moments before they happen and being in the right place to get those shots....

SO true Peter - words of wisdom indeed!