Prepaying wedding photographer?

[bumbershoot]

Since no one she knows has used the photog, make sure she joins TheKnot and WeddingChannel...perhaps even the wedding forums of ConstantChatter, and ask the people in her area if they've used the photog.

We paid a deposit of somewhere between 2 and 500, and then paid the rest 2 weeks before, and were totally comfortable doing it.

And trust me, ANY vendor can go bankrupt...during the 2 years we were engaged, I read stories of wedding and reception sites closing their doors repeatedly. It can happen to any of them...

Anyway, the only people that we owed money to on our wedding day was the Irish music band and a bit more to our wedding/reception site. Everyone else was paid in full 2 weeks before.

 

[RachaelA]

On a related note, you pay for your DJ, limo, hall, caterer, etc. all upfront before the service is provided why would a photographer be any different?

 

[PinkRhombus]

$8000 for the photography only!!?!?!?!??!?! Wow.

We paid $400 before the wedding for 4 hours of them at the church/event 10 years ago. That included their fee and a certain amount of pictures.

 

[MoonFaerie]

I'm a photographer in NC. I take a 25% deposit to secure the date and I require the balance to be paid in full 2 weeks prior to the wedding. I find pre-payment to be the norm. Obviously different photographers can have very different policies.

He should have shown you a LARGE sample of his work and don't be afraid to ask for references. If you're concerned at all that the photographer may not be able to deliver the service on the wedding day then you really need to do some more work before you put down a deposit in any amount.

That. Except I'm in TN. Pre-payment is pretty standard now.

Also re: price. Don't forget it's more than just showing up for 6-12 hours. By the time you factor in pre-wedding meetings with the couple (on average, I have 2-3), editing after the wedding, uploading galleries, etc, I put in a good 50 or so hours per wedding. Then there's the expense - multiples camera, lenses, and flashes (because a good photographer will not only have good equipment, but also back ups in case something malfunctions in the middle of the wedding). Plus computes, photoshop, websites, studio costs, insurance, etc.

 

[HM]

Wow, I'm glad I was married 20 years ago. Your photographer is costing more than my entire wedding ($5000).

 

[2binak]

On a related note, you pay for your DJ, limo, hall, caterer, etc. all upfront before the service is provided why would a photographer be any different?

All of our vendors all received deposits and the venue was paid a 2nd payment 2 wks before the wedding, but the final balances were all paid at the end of the reception.

 

[CoP Luv]

We paid half when we booked and the remaining balance the day of the wedding. We got married last July and LOVED our pics (Some in my siggy link).

 

[Belle & Ariel]

Thank you all for your responses. She is our firstborn and this is way different from 25 years ago when we got married LOL!
Some of these contracts are just nuts--one wants full payment within 30 days of booking, $500 to change date, no refund for any reason, and stipulates that any disputes must be settled by the Better Business Bureau only.
Sometimes it's real tempting to offer a cruise anywhere and they can elope!!!

 

[mouselovr]

I used to do wedding photography and I always required the full amount before the date. Most do. Before I required the complete amount prior to the evvent there were times that the couple would get the proofs and decide that they couldn't make a choice so they would just keep them and never order any prints or the album and so they would not feel like they needed to pay the remainder of the balance. I see it from both sides. But just make sure you have a contract it is worth more on your end than on thiers. And check references if you don't know anyone who has used thier services.

 

[RachaelA]

All of our vendors all received deposits and the venue was paid a 2nd payment 2 wks before the wedding, but the final balances were all paid at the end of the reception.

We paid everything before. We owed the DJ, limo, photographer, and hall the final balance 2 weeks before.

I guess it varies, but its not unheard of to owe the balance before the wedding.

 

[pixie921]

All of our vendors all received deposits and the venue was paid a 2nd payment 2 wks before the wedding, but the final balances were all paid at the end of the reception.

That's exactly the way my husband charges for his professional wedding photography, and has for over a decade.

 

[denisegold]

my husband is a wedding videographer, use to be 1/3 down, 1/3 a week prior to the wedding and 1/3 at DVD pick up. but too many times, the DVD pick up was running into 6 months or a year later (we still have one wedding which is over 2 years later!) because they "ran out of money" (probably spending on every other vendor who required payment in full! LOL!) So now it's 1/3 down, and final payment one week prior to the weddind. He does photography as well, same policy applies. Like others said- you pay the dj, hall, caterer, etc in full, so why not the photographer? ($8000 sounds like an awful lot!! esp if she doesn't know anyone who has used them).

 

[WillCAD]

My best friend is a wedding photographer; he requires a deposit within two weeks (I think) of booking to hold the date (I forget whether he requires 25% or 33% deposit), and balance due on the wedding day. If you book less than 60 days before your wedding, he adds a short-notice surcharge.

He's had clients who failed to send the deposit (and lost the date because someone else DID send the deposit), and he's had clients send the full package amount instead of just the deposit, and he once had a client send him a check without ever communicating with him by phone, email, or in person - and the check had no letter with it explaining what it was for! Fortunately, the check had the client's phone number on it, so he called them and got the wedding date and set up a meeting, etc.

Wedding photography can be fun. It can also be hell on Earth.

 

[Buckeye Princess]

We had a similar payment and schedule to the OP. Our photographer was a top photographer in the Cleveland area and also traveled to do events. We felt comfortable that they would be in business and understood that since they book a year or more in advance that they would expect a strong guarantee. If we canceled even 6 months in advance they may lose out on a higher paying opportunity than a wedding such as a commercial shoot. etc.

 

[tinkarooni]

Just an FYI about the contract.. if your DD wants this particular photographer make sure that their name is in the contract. My friend contracted with Jane Doe photographer from "Weddings R'Us" (fictional names to protect the innocent ) and the contract only said Wedding's R'Us. On the day of the event they sent Joe Sloppyman instead. My friend had only seen Jane's work not Joe's and spent the whole day worried about what her photos would look like, with good reason, in the end they weren't great. So if your DD wants a certain photographer and is hiring a Company, make sure the individuals name is in the contract.

Happy wedding planning.

 

[princessmorgan]

Just be careful. My friend got married a month ago and had to prepay. She has not heard since from her photographer! She has been trying to track him down and he will not return any of her phone calls. She has not even seen any proofs.

 

[Stitch And Friends]

I got married 3 years ago and our photographer got the final balance after we had viewed the pictures. The hall had to be paid prior to the reception (I believe 2 weeks before when we finalized headcount, understandable due to cost of buying food), but the church, organ player for the ceremony, band and limo received final payment at the end of the night.

 

[horseshowmom]

Just be careful. My friend got married a month ago and had to prepay. She has not heard since from her photographer! She has been trying to track him down and he will not return any of her phone calls. She has not even seen any proofs.

It's always a good idea to use a credit card to pay for things of this nature. Then you have recourse if you should need it. As far as the proofs go, it took more than a month for us to see DD's proofs. I don't know what the norm is, but DD's probably took about 6-8 weeks (they were definitely worth waiting for though ).