# Asked to shoot a small wedding... need pricing help.



## LittleMiss (Aug 18, 2011)

I received and email this afternoon from a potential client about her wedding. This will be my first cash paid wedding, if I am chosen, and yes - I have shot 2 previously and she has seen my work.

Her email stated she was looking for a photographer for her upcoming wedding in October at the Lake Placid Lodge in Upstate, NY. She was looking for a very simple package with one photographer for about 5 hours with digital copies only. She would like me there for the wedding at 5:30 and during the reception. There will be about 40 guests and a 2 person wedding party. 

So my question is, what do I charge? This is a very small wedding compared to the others.


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## bennielou (Aug 18, 2011)

There is no such thing as a small wedding.  They still want all the shots.  The price will depend on your competitors.


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## dnavarrojr (Aug 18, 2011)

I did a wedding video a couple weeks back that required me to be out all day (12 hours) over 120 miles from home.  Even though we only spent 7 hours shooting, I charged them for 12 hours (which covered my travel expenses so I was able to tell them "no travel charge" /wink).  If I'm shooting stuff in my hope city that's split shift, I only charge the client for the hours I am onsite.  But when I'm that far away from home, they get charged for all of my time.


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## LittleMiss (Aug 18, 2011)

bennielou said:


> There is no such thing as a small wedding. They still want all the shots. The price will depend on your competitors.



I said small in regards to to previous experiences I've had with a few hundred people. This one will be up to 44 people. Not to mention I probably won't be taking 1500 shots. My local competitors have packages on their sites for $800-$1500 and Lake Placid area is anywhere from $1500-$3500 and nothing less. Calling them, they want appointments to meet in person to work on a price.


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## LittleMiss (Aug 18, 2011)

dnavarrojr said:


> I did a wedding video a couple weeks back that required me to be out all day (12 hours) over 120 miles from home.  Even though we only spent 7 hours shooting, I charged them for 12 hours (which covered my travel expenses so I was able to tell them "no travel charge" /wink).  If I'm shooting stuff in my hope city that's split shift, I only charge the client for the hours I am onsite.  But when I'm that far away from home, they get charged for all of my time.



I would be travelling about 55 miles away from home, so I should add another 2 hours to that for back and forth. Not to mention editing time, I should probably charge her for 10 hours. I was thinking about $500 or so would be a good cost. It will take up about $60 in gas to get there and the rest is just my time.


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## Tee (Aug 18, 2011)

Let me ask you this:  what do you think you're worth?


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## Robin Usagani (Aug 18, 2011)

$2000.

I am bitterjeweller's sub for the day.


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## LittleMiss (Aug 18, 2011)

Tee said:


> Let me ask you this:  what do you think you're worth?



If I knew this, I wouldn't be here now would I  I sent her an email and will be meeting with her this weekend to discuss. It gives me enough time to research and get opinions from friends as to what they paid for their photographers. Thanks for the help, guys!


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## el_shorty (Aug 18, 2011)

Schwettylens said:
			
		

> $2000.


That ^^^^^



			
				bennielou said:
			
		

> There is no such thing as a small wedding.  They still want all the shots.


And that ^^^^^^


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## LarissaPhotography (Aug 19, 2011)

We started shooting at $500 and that's after 2nd shooting a lot of weddings.  Completely up to you, but keep in mind, what you charge will indicate the level of service that the client will expect from you.


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## IgsEMT (Aug 19, 2011)

Let's brake this down a bit...
If you were to shoot for another studio you'd get paid (charge) anywhere b/n 75-100/hr. Then hand the card to the studio and never see the work so you'd make anywhere from $375-500/5hr depending on your level of experience. But thats wholesale/professional courtesy price.
NOW, you have to edit the job and on average per every hour of shooting = 2 hrs of editing (especially if you're going hard core  ) SOU, instead of 75/hr (as a newcomer) the price goes up to 100/hr. (you'll be making about $33/hr)
If you have to travel to the job, add another $100/30 miles (your time, tolls, gas). 
By delivering images on a disk, you are allowing your work of art to be printed at chepo-crappy-pharmacy/lab where Steve Wonder would have hard attack from the print quality - AGAIN add another $500 of allowing license to print to that
$500 (at least for shoot) + $500 licensing = $1000 *NOT ADD *traveling (if there's any)?
Assistant - walking Uhaul, is pretty useless other then dragging gear from point A to point B and thats about $10/hr *cash*. Since I don't know anything about you professionally other then this would be your 3rd wedding, I'd recommend an experience assistant, one who'd always back you up shooting (if needs be or even mentally) - and thats about $20-25hr.
So far on a 5hr job you're totaling our to about $1200. 
I don't know how much gear you have or don't have, but *if* you don't have back up gear *you need to rent it*, Murphy's Law... renting a body, lens, flash, additional strobe(s) - could easily come to about $500 if not more.
So far you're at about $1700.

Just had a discussion with HS friend who I haven't seen in 9yrs. He asked me why photographer's charge so much money. Answer is simple, If I was working EVERYDAY 8-12 hrs a day, I'd have no problem charging $20-30/hr. Times that by 40 hrs and 4 weeks, I'd be making b/n 3200-4800. Subtract 60% of business expenses + personal expenses (rent/mortgage, car payments, etc) you're left b/n 1000-1500/month - out of which there are other expenses such as food, kids and maybe you can put away something towards savings. HOWEVER, since photography isn't like that, there are good months and there are bad months, this is why we charge 100/hr. This month you have 8 weddings, next you have 3 portrait shoots and one after that quiet like at a cemetery. This actually happened to me few month ago, where I had nothing in one month, sure my studio electricity bill was the lowest possible but studio rent, home, food, clothes for kids, etc etc Alllll HAD to be payed. I'm still trying to recover from that month. And this is why photographer's charge what we do. 

Good Luck

P.S.

As *bennielou *mentioned, there's no such thing as a small wedding, You still have to show a wedding from A-Z everyone still will want to be in FRONT of you to take a pic of B&G w/ their cell phones and you still have to work your ass off to get what you need for 'complete' coverage. 

Just remembered, I had a client few years back, she called me up started saying that she has a small wedding of only 48 people. Though she was very reluctant, but was convinces by her friend who uses me before, to book w/ me. She didn't like the price, it was to high for her and she didn't feel that 48 people wedding should cost as much as 500 people wedding. Well, on the day of the wedding, after our 6hr set that we agreed on came to an end. She told me I can pack up and go, as I started packing, groom comes up to me and says they want more pictures, no problem - OT is always good. for the next 2 hrs *NON STOP *the wedding hall turned into a portrait studio as every one of the 48guests (more then half of whom were couples) individually taking pictures in various combinations w/ B&G. so "small" is a number that is significant to caterers b/c of the amount of food they have to prepare, to florist based on number of centerpieces and tables/chairs they have to decorate; to photogs, video band/dj it isn't about number of people its about hours that you have to put into the job while there, time getting to the job and then home (again traveling is YOUR TIME!) and then editing.


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## manaheim (Aug 20, 2011)

$100 an hour.  Damn yer cheap. 

I was guessing in around $2000 for the day, myself... interesting that Schhhhhhhhhhhhhwetty thought likewise.


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## IgsEMT (Aug 20, 2011)

manaheim said:
			
		

> $100 an hour.  Damn yer cheap.
> 
> I was guessing in around $2000 for the day, myself... interesting that Schhhhhhhhhhhhhwetty thought likewise.



Well experience does play a role. I didn't say I charge 100/hr when booking my job but I also have overheads that need to consider when going on assignments.


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## tovicand (Aug 20, 2011)

I'd say if the competition is charging $1500, charge $1400. It might be a 5 hr wedding, but add 2 hrs fir drive time plus at least 5-7hrs of photo editing, that comes to up to 14hrs of work. 

$500 is TOO LOW!!


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## LittleMiss (Sep 6, 2011)

Well thanks, guys. I've booked at a good price and think this will be a great wedding!


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## orljustin (Sep 6, 2011)

LittleMiss said:


> Well thanks, guys. I've booked at a good price and think this will be a great wedding!



So, $300, plus gas?


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## AJRacca (Sep 8, 2011)

LittleMiss said:


> Well thanks, guys. I've booked at a good price and think this will be a great wedding!



So how much did you end up charging if you dont mind me asking?


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## DiskoJoe (Sep 13, 2011)

AJRacca said:


> LittleMiss said:
> 
> 
> > Well thanks, guys. I've booked at a good price and think this will be a great wedding!
> ...



yeah, inquiring minds want to know. Seriously I do. i find myself in a similar situation currently.


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## LiquidGrace (Sep 14, 2011)

bennielou said:


> There is no such thing as a small wedding.


Couldn't agree more. 

I'm interested to know the price as well. Since this will be your first stand alone wedding is this why your price is so low? 

The question you should always ask yourself is "What is my time/talents and photos worth." You have to be brutally honest with yourself. Sometimes a low price = you get what you pay for. But then again perhaps your payoff won't be in terms of financial gain, rather experience and getting your first wedding under your belt (well first wedding not being a SS that is).


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## bennielou (Sep 15, 2011)

One of my highest paying clients ever was a wedding with 16 guests.  It wasn't about how many people.  They paid for the hours they needed, bought books, engagement and bridal sessions, canvas prints and all the rest.

The deal is, they will still expect the full deal.  16 guests or 600.  (I've done both).


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## seandenniel (Sep 19, 2011)

Your bid is too low.You won't earn for that..Bid atleast $1500 and tell them all your package..1500 is okay even if you have a competitors,they will choose you again...That's all my suggestion maybe it can help.


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