Wedding Pricing?

[stathunter]

Hello Gang!
I am a newbie on this board. I have done a few weddings and the demand is now pretty high for my services. I do not do this full time but more for the enjoyment of photography and I believe I am good at it.
My question is I want to offer standard pricing. I am in Michigan and actually located about an hour North of Metro Detroit. I have been asking for $1270 for a wedding and offering a $200 print credit with that. Can everyone give give me an idea of going rates?
Thanks!

[Big Mike]

Rates will vary from place to place and from one photographer to another. It should help to check out what other W.P.s in your area are charging. Also, you should have an idea of what market segment you want to target and price accordingly.

[sblais]

How much do you think your work is worth? Charge that price ;)

[*Mike*]

Sent a PM.

[stathunter]

Thanks Mike for the pm.

I have actually been thinking about charging what I think I am worth to see if I could get any takers. I believe alot of it is sales and marketing -- which happens to be my real strength. So heck I might see if I can get a few takers at big bucks. I know I am worth it............darling (said in a soficticated....cartoon tone)

[karensimmons]

What do you need to make to cover your costs? And I'm not talking about just prints.

What's your COGS (prints, albums, boxes, shipping, etc)
What's your overhead (advertising, equipment maintenance, utilities, insurance, business licenses, etc.)
What do you need to earn personally to make a living?
What do you pay in taxes?

Once you know those figures, THEN and only then can you set prices that will allow you to pay the bills. Anything else is just guesswork.

karen

[s8langwo]

On the west side of the state, your prices sound pretty reasonable. In Kalamazoo, I've heard of much higher rates.

I am a hobbyist and my photography is recreational. While money is nice. I don't intend on shooting to earn a living so I price my work to cover the cost of new equipment. If I decide to start as a business, my prices would increase by the cost associated with doing business.

If you can find customers who are willing to pay your price and your price is sufficient to motivate you to photograph, then you'll do fine. I don't try to align my pricing with other photographers because I don't have to.

Have fun.
Kevin

[cdifoto]

I don't try to align my pricing with other photographers because I don't have to.

This is really bad form. Undercutting "because you can" is just not a good thing. If you're no good, charge low because of that. If you're awesome, don't undercut "just because."

There are people that do it for a living and you're killing that.

[daclozer]

In most areas there are more weddings than photogs in the peak seasons. I would charge at least what others in the area are charging and more if you are better than your competition. We have a protrait studio in our area that charges as much 5 grand for a protrait session and the elite of the area flock to her and don't blink and eye to pay it. I would try to steer away from undercutting other studios, but I wouldn't lose a shoot over a small amount if you you are open for that day. It is a competitive world out there.

[newgenphoto]

I'm at around 50 bucks a wedding now and that includes a 15x15 digital art album with unlimited hours..... I am way to sassy tongight...sorry!

[cdifoto]

I'm at around 50 bucks a wedding now and that includes a 15x15 digital art album with unlimited hours..... I am way to sassy tongight...sorry!

I don't have a girlfriend, let alone a fiancée, but I want to lock you in at that rate for whenever/ifever the time comes. :) :lol:

[Joe Cyr]

This is really bad form. Undercutting "because you can" is just not a good thing. If you're no good, charge low because of that. If you're awesome, don't undercut "just because."

There are people that do it for a living and you're killing that.

And what of the couples who in no way can afford to pay the pro rates? They still want to have good pictures. If someone wants to shoot weddings on the side from their regular job as an extra source of income, they should be able to do that. It's not killing the "pros" unless you are marketing yourself as a pro.

[donlavange]

I'm at around 50 bucks a wedding now and that includes a 15x15 digital art album with unlimited hours..... I am way to sassy tongight...sorry!

I'll give you $2500 for all your equipment. That covers your gross dollars for a year and you can just sit back and relax! LOL

[shawn.taylor]

When does a rate become a "pro rate?", who defines, ... what defines a "pro rate?"

If you have Photographer X shooting 30 weddings a year at $1500 and Photographer Y shooting 10 weddings a year at $5000, is one more pro than the other?

Is photographer X "undercutting" photographer Y?
Or are they both pros making a living?

Does a specific business model make a pro a pro?
Does marketing make a pro a pro?
Does personality make a pro a pro?
Does the finished product make a pro a pro?

It's like cars, there are buyers for all makes and models, there are cars that will do, cars that cost more and look better, and over the top really really expensive cars that are sold more on brandname / marketing than anything else.

At the end of the day they are all cars.

[Lorem]

Hello Gang!
I am a newbie on this board. I have done a few weddings and the demand is now pretty high for my services. I do not do this full time but more for the enjoyment of photography and I believe I am good at it.
My question is I want to offer standard pricing. I am in Michigan and actually located about an hour North of Metro Detroit. I have been asking for $1270 for a wedding and offering a $200 print credit with that. Can everyone give give me an idea of going rates?
Thanks!

wack em as much as your quality of work can back it up :)

[Nyobie]

Wow, there are a lot of excellent comments in this thread. I'm finding that I'm running into the same dilemma as the thread originator stathunter. I've had a family approach me for their wedding this fall. They don't have a lot of money and they have seen my serious hobby work as I did a family photo shoot with them back in January. We haven't talked about money yet but need to very soon so I was scouting for advice and came across this thread.

What I was thinking is that if the person asked to do a b&g's wedding is asked because of the b&g's financial situation, it's understandable that the b&g want pro quality but not at pro prices. But hey, there are always 'wants' in the world that aren't realistic in some ways.

I think pricing somewhat depends also upon whether or not you have any sort of friendship or relationship (family wise) with the b&g as well. In my case, they're related thru my brother-in-law. So, pro quality, family prices is really what they're seeking.

Stathunter - I think you're on the right track and doing quite well at that. We live in a society that allows freedoms and flexibilities that aren't found necessarily around the world. Given that you may be competing against a lot of very pricey pro photographers who do this for a living, my thoughts on that particular topic is that there is still a supply and demand economy out there. I feel for the wedding photographers who charge 2 or 3 times what you charge, but I also think that there is such a huge supply out there, that your lower cost isn't going to cause the pro photographer who does this for a living, to sit at home on a Saturday in June wondering where he went wrong or feeling miffed about being outpriced by folks like you and me. If it ever came to that, then a person should ask himself whether or not the pro photographer isn't charging too much for his services.

There will always be people out there with deep pockets and less regard for how much they're paying than others whose pockets aren't so deep. As long as that's true, there's a market for all of us.

Cheers to the privileges and freedom we have in the US!

[karensimmons]

When does a rate become a "pro rate?", who defines, ... what defines a "pro rate?"
A pro rate is one that has been carefully calculated to cover ALL costs (direct and overhead) and provide a profit for the shooter. Anything else is just someone fooling around for "fun money".

And what of the couples who in no way can afford to pay the pro rates? They still want to have good pictures
I want a diamond necklace, too, but I can in no way afford to pay for one. Should I try to find someone to sell me one at a loss? How about a Volvo convertible? I *really* want one of those. Think I can walk into the Volvo dealer and tell him that I can't afford to pay for a Volvo, but please give me one for cheap 'cause I really want it?

karen

[donlavange]

There are valid arguments on both sides of this issue.

If new, even part time photographers, want to "get into" the business and do it by undercutting, by a high amount, the existing price structures, they are shooting themselves in the foot. They are decreasing the amount of profit they can acheive as they progress and their busness grows. In any sector, service or manufacturing, it is rare to introduce low prices to "get started" and then get price increases to "stick" at a later time.

On the other side, a Pro price does not guarantee a profit that stays stable. Short of a licensed system or guild that keeps competition out, this problem will continue. Look what Wal-Mart has done to many manufacturers! They want to supply the company that is the largest retailer in the World. They have to figure a way to give them the product at the prices that they will pay (or even dictate). Many succumb and close the plant. Some find other ways of competing like outsourcing to China, or India (in the case of services) etc.

This problem is going to continue because of the widespread existence of digital equipment that automates the process and allows for many hundreds of exposues at low cost. It will take creativity on the part of the older line Pro to overcome the challenge.