destination weddings-what's the fee

[PixelChick78]

Do you charge the couple for your flight/hotel expenses and the photography package?

I am still very new at this but thinking I might offer a few 'free'wedding packages for destination brides when they pay for my flight/hotel. Would be a good way to score a vacation or two...am I crazy?

What do the pro's do?

[picturecrazy]

Shoot for your fee.. always... PLUS all expenses.

You don't want to be known as 'the girl who'll shoot for free if you buy her a plane ticket'.

[jbstudios]

sounds very tempting to me. one day shoot plus get to go on a destination and bring my family. win win

jb

[Scott_Quier]

I think Lloyd has the right idea. If the B&G have the $$ for a destination wedding and they want you to shoot it, in addition to your shooting fee, they can pony up the bucks for your expenses.

The idea of it being a working vacation - that's an oxymoron if I ever heard one. You are there to work. Do the job and get out of there. At least get out of sight of the B&G and the guests.

Keep it professional. In the short-term it might hurt a little, but I believe that, in the long-term, you will reap huge rewards.

[Mike Fulton]

We do weddings all over the U.S. and many outside the U.S.

It is standard for the client to purchase our package then all travel fees for both members of TriCoast. This includes but not limited too: airfare, hotel fees, rental car, daily food allowance, etc.

The advantage the client gets is TIME, which is hand down the most valuable aspect of your job and talent. There are no time limits for your shooting for the most part when on a destination wedding. Instead of getting a 2 hour engagement session here or a 3 hour bridal session there, the client gets days of engagement sessions and days of bridal sessions and of course complete wedding day coverage. You are there for them and only them, you shoot for them and cover more things with them. When you ad up the time you spent on a destination wedding couple they will hands down come out ahead on time and the quality of photographs you captured in the process.

This year we have already been to Miami and going to Seattle, San Fran, London, Kenya, and some places in Mexico. All of these weddings were built on this structure.

[kampphoto]

Originally Posted by Mike Fulton

This year we have already been to Miami and going to Seattle, San Fran, London, Kenya, and some places in Mexico. All of these weddings were built on this structure.

I hate you

[mackb]

I hate him too...........lol........nice work!...first time I've been to tricoastphoto!...NICE!....add that to my favorites

[CyberPet]

I am not a destination oriented person, but the wedding I've done and the weddings I'll do involves getting paid for plane tickets for me and my husband (assistant/second) and hotelroom, beside the regular shooting fee.

[Mike Fulton]

Im feeling the love, feeling the love indeed

Don't hate, join!

Anything I have done or doing you can also, I am nothing special just another man with a camera and my work can be done in their own style by anyone!

But thank you for the nice words!

[Annabel Doskey]

Mike, I like your photography and all, but just how many long distance destination jobs do you get every year?

And where do you advertise in order to work such faraway places?

[xandria]

Originally Posted by Mike Fulton

We do weddings all over the U.S. and many outside the U.S.

This year we have already been to Miami and going to Seattle, San Fran, London, Kenya, and some places in Mexico. All of these weddings were built on this structure.

Take me with you!

[xandria]

Originally Posted by PixelChick78

Do you charge the couple for your flight/hotel expenses and the photography package?

They pay travel expenses (hotel, airfare, car, etc.) in addition to my fee.

[Mike Fulton]

Originally Posted by Annabel Doskey

Mike, I like your photography and all, but just how many long distance destination jobs do you get every year?

And where do you advertise in order to work such faraway places?

We really do not advertise anywhere to be honest, its all taking care of your clients and word of mouth, both good and the bad.

We do one bridal show in Houston in Jan each year, with about 5000 to 7000 brides then minor online areas, besides that we really do not advertise anywhere.

Our products are used by Miller's Lab and Collages.net in their National Wide ads in many magazines so I guess thats a form of advertising but we as a company do not pay for that.

Once we did a few weddings the word just got out and now between that and our national speaking as well as our website the clients just find us.

We do around 50% of our weddings outside the Houston Texas area per year normally.