Retainer?

I only ask for $150 down, doesnt matter what package

I'm doing $200 retainer, 75% of balance on wedding day and the rest on the delivery of proofs and albums.

50% to secure date and the balance due 4 weeks before the wedding.

jcpoulin wrote in post #4104870
This is interesting, I find it odd that people will pay for services completely before any work is done.

This is pretty industry standard. You gotta pay catering, florist, dj, venue all before they even do their job.

industry standard for building contractors in my area is to get NO money till work is done.

Just follow the industry standard for your area.

You kind of have to go with what others are doing in your area. In Utah its usually a $200 retainer and the remainder due 2 weeks before the wedding.

mmahoney wrote in post #4104761
25% retainer, 75% four weeks prior to the wedding date.
Mike

same here.

picturecrazy wrote in post #4105515
This is pretty industry standard. You gotta pay catering, florist, dj, venue all before they even do their job.

industry standard for building contractors in my area is to get NO money till work is done.

Just follow the industry standard for your area.

I totally agree it is standard. The only difference is the above peoples " job" is done immediately following the event, the photog's is not. Contractors......never pay them fully until job COMPLETELY done....never to be seen again after last check!!!

ok, then consider the full payment as your "just to show up" fee...

25-30% retainer, balance on the day of...

- $250 retainer
- balance due 2 weeks prior to their wedding date...

30% retainer (non-refundable)
70% two weeks before wedding

30% for retainer with two additional payments due prior to the wedding.

As far as whether it's appropriate to collect 100% prior to performing the service, I'd say absolutely. The problem isn't so much that the photographer will run off with the money, but the client never getting around to picking up their images.

Once the wedding is done, the client has no money. They can easily figure that, "well, the photographer has the images so when we feel like getting around to paying him, we'll just take care of it then." In the meantime, the photographer is out the cash. Better to collect up front.

John

Wow...thanks for all of the repsonses. I appreciate all of your time!

Rob

$400 retainer
$1000 - $1500 depending upon the total of the package
$500 - $750 upon delivery of the proofs ($750 for a package over $3500)
50% of the balance upon the album order
remainder of the balance upon album completion

Little different than most, but it keeps cash flowing during the production.

If they don't place the album order within 30 days of receiving the proofs, then 1 1/2% per month of the entire contract is applied.

If they don't place the order, I'm not out of expenses towards the albums, nor do I owe them any money back if they don't order the albums.
They also can't come back to me in years to come and say that they are paid in full.

I've been doing it like this for many years and it works fine for me.

50% at booking, 50% due day of event