Base Wedding Package

I need to outline a base wedding package and need help.

I have a studio owner as a partner, but I need to define my base package.

I was thinking about something along the lines of: Base price $1500.00 CA Bay Area.
Covering pre-wedding, wedding ceremony, formal shots, reception up to the first dance with a photo CD of 150 shots and 15 re-touched images.
I also want to add on some extras as an upgrade to the base package.

Complete wedding coverage for a full day and engagement coverage too.
Wedding album and prints.

Could anyone help me out line this type of package. I need to submit it ASAP.

Some other questions:
How many photos would be appropriate for a wedding album ?
How many re-touched photo's should be offered ?
Is 8 hours considered a full day with 6 being a base and 4 being half ?
Do you watermark your photos on the CD ?
Do you require all prints to be purchased though you ?
How do you stop them from printing off the supplied CD ?

Thanks in advance

I wouldn't piece meal the hours like that. Just say you'll be there for the entire day, typically 8-10 hours. Otherwise I think clients might get the feeling you are going to try to nickel and dime them, no?

Same thing with the CD. 150 images and 15 re-touched images?

I usually process all of my images regardless. Just price appropriately then present them the packages. This way it's nice and simple...

Just my opinion...

I used to offer unlimited time, but after my first 14 hour wedding I nixed that. I do 8 hour packages, additional time is charged for at >$100/hr. People will take advantage of you if you offer unlimited, especially at the low end of the market.

I wouldn't offer retouched images in the package. $1500 for coverage and a CD is already cheap, if you're any good. 150 shots is too low, give them all the images worth seeing, or don't give them any, IMHO. Giving them some is just a pita for everyone. Don't watermark high res images - put yourself in their shoes.

Albums vary between 30 and 100 images. Typically 2.5 images per page for me, with 20-50 pages normal, average around 30.

If you supply a CD they will print from it. That's the point. You can't get around it, don't even try.

I think you need to do more reading and research, most of your ideas seem pretty poor to me.

tim wrote in post #10538698
I used to offer unlimited time, but after my first 14 hour wedding I nixed that. I do 8 hour packages, additional time is charged for at >$100/hr. People will take advantage of you if you offer unlimited, especially at the low end of the market.

I wouldn't offer retouched images in the package. $1500 for coverage and a CD is already cheap, if you're any good. 150 shots is too low, give them all the images worth seeing, or don't give them any, IMHO. Giving them some is just a pita for everyone. Don't watermark high res images - put yourself in their shoes.

Albums vary between 30 and 100 images. Typically 2.5 images per page for me, with 20-50 pages normal, average around 30.

If you supply a CD they will print from it. That's the point. You can't get around it, don't even try.

I think you need to do more reading and research, most of your ideas seem pretty poor to me.

That was my concern. People tend to abuse good intentions and generosity
The studio has a base time of 6 hours, so I need to follow they're base time frame. Anything outside of the 6 hours needs to be an upgrade per the studio layout. He's handling everything except the photography and has me as a sub contractor.
I agree that my ideas are poor and that's why I'm asking for any help and input I can get.
Should I offer prints instead of a CD ? and what if they ask for a CD ?
The studio has a base package fee of 1500 with a percentage off the top between us. I also have complete access to the studio for anything else I need other than the wedding gigs. He wants a base package to offer each client with upgrades to be handled between the client and myself, if they're looking for more coverage or special images. I would also like to offer a package with an engagement session and extended coverage.
I guess I should offer an album, instead of a CD. Any other advise or links to information would be very helpful.
This is overwhelming without a guideline to follow. Thank you.

I don't have much wedding exp. Though I treat portraits like this...with packages they may purchase a high res CD for XXX $ extra on top.

it's easier to see than explain, so just check it out here;
http://www.karljohnsto​n.com/blog/services/po​rtrait/

Karl Johnston wrote in post #10539688
I don't have much wedding exp. Though I treat portraits like this...with packages they may purchase a high res CD for XXX $ extra on top.

it's easier to see than explain, so just check it out here;
http://www.karljohnsto​n.com/blog/services/po​rtrait/

Thanks for the link It really helps to see an outline.

Portraits tend to be low upfront fee and very expensive later, hoping you make a big sale. Weddings tend to be a significant payment up front, and smaller payments later. That way you make a reasonable profit, and may make more later. You can also go for a reasonable up front fee and have everything else a la carte.

tim wrote in post #10540107
Portraits tend to be low upfront fee and very expensive later, hoping you make a big sale. Weddings tend to be a significant payment up front, and smaller payments later. That way you make a reasonable profit, and may make more later. You can also go for a reasonable up front fee and have everything else a la carte.

This is the plan. A base fee with all the extras "a la carte"

Ok, maybe the best way for me to explain what I do is to list out one of my packages. My smallest package is 7 hours, online gallery for ordering and viewing, digital retouching on images, an engagement session (+ disc of images), a high resolution disc of edited images, and a proof magazine. I charge $2,050 for this package.

When coming up with my prices, I listed everything I wanted to offer (albums, discs of images, canvases, wedding-related sessions, etc.) I came up with a price per item. So for example, my time is $200/hour. Then I put together my "a la carte" items into packages. My largest package is 10 hours of photography and this is a LONG day. Eight hours is a good number of hours to get everything from getting ready shots thru the important portions of the reception (and a lot of times 8 hours is enough for the entire event). I definitely would have a time limit on your packages (i.e., do not say "unlimited" time).

Please DO NOT be one of those photographers who only offers their clients X number of edited images! No client wants that and most after they find out that's what you do will (a) not book you or (b) if they have already booked you, they will be pissed when they find out (this happened to a friend of mine). Granted I don't edit EVERY SINGLE photo I take. I may take anywhere between 1000-2000 photos at a wedding. In the end, the client gets every single one that I edit - which usually comes out to be 400-600 images (or approximately 40-60 images per hour that I work). The client then gets all of those edited images on their high resolution disc. And there is not a watermark on the images on the disc. My clients receive a "license to print" the images on the disc. This means they can print the photos out for their personal use. If you are offering a disc of images, the clients will want to print those photos. If you are looking for print sales after the wedding, then don't offer the disc. If someone creates a custom package through me, then to add a disc of images it costs $500. It's a lot of money, but I know that once they have the disc then I will not receive print sales. So I price accordingly. I do offer prints for sale (only through my professional printing company, which is also where I host the client's online gallery), but I bank most of my money up front on my packages and not necessarily on print sales after the fact.

Let's see, what else did you ask...... Oh albums. I generally offer 30 page albums, with approximately 60 images. I do a lot of one photo pages, and then some pages that may have 4 images. So it all evens out. But as a general rule, I double the number of pages the album is to get the number of images that will be in it.

So let's use you as an example:

Your studio's base time is 6 hours. So the base package could be:

6 hours wedding coverage
Online gallery of images (or how are you planning on sharing the images with the clients and their family/friends?)
Digital retouching on images
High resolution disc of images

That package could be $1500. Then anything over that is a la carte.

Some people feel differently, but I think you should include a disc of images in your packages. Every bride wants a disc of images and every one will ask you for one. If it's already included, they will appreciate that.

You said the studio's base package is $1500..... but it sounds like there really isn't a base package set yet?? How did the studio determine $1500 is the base price without have figured out what's in that package? I know in my area $1500 would be too much to charge for only 6 hours of time, online gallery, and digital retouching. But in your area (San Fran area?) then that may be appropriate. If so, then don't offer the disc of images in the base price and clients can always add it to the package if they want it. But remember, once people have the disc they most likely won't buy prints. So price the disc at a decent price (you'll make a lot of profit!).

I guess that's all. If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me!

AD Photography wrote in post #10639218
Ok, maybe the best way for me to explain what I do is to list out one of my packages. My smallest package is 7 hours, online gallery for ordering and viewing, digital retouching on images, an engagement session (+ disc of images), a high resolution disc of edited images, and a proof magazine. I charge $2,050 for this package.

When coming up with my prices, I listed everything I wanted to offer (albums, discs of images, canvases, wedding-related sessions, etc.) I came up with a price per item. So for example, my time is $200/hour. Then I put together my "a la carte" items into packages. My largest package is 10 hours of photography and this is a LONG day. Eight hours is a good number of hours to get everything from getting ready shots thru the important portions of the reception (and a lot of times 8 hours is enough for the entire event). I definitely would have a time limit on your packages (i.e., do not say "unlimited" time).

Please DO NOT be one of those photographers who only offers their clients X number of edited images! No client wants that and most after they find out that's what you do will (a) not book you or (b) if they have already booked you, they will be pissed when they find out (this happened to a friend of mine). Granted I don't edit EVERY SINGLE photo I take. I may take anywhere between 1000-2000 photos at a wedding. In the end, the client gets every single one that I edit - which usually comes out to be 400-600 images (or approximately 40-60 images per hour that I work). The client then gets all of those edited images on their high resolution disc. And there is not a watermark on the images on the disc. My clients receive a "license to print" the images on the disc. This means they can print the photos out for their personal use. If you are offering a disc of images, the clients will want to print those photos. If you are looking for print sales after the wedding, then don't offer the disc. If someone creates a custom package through me, then to add a disc of images it costs $500. It's a lot of money, but I know that once they have the disc then I will not receive print sales. So I price accordingly. I do offer prints for sale (only through my professional printing company, which is also where I host the client's online gallery), but I bank most of my money up front on my packages and not necessarily on print sales after the fact.

Let's see, what else did you ask...... Oh albums. I generally offer 30 page albums, with approximately 60 images. I do a lot of one photo pages, and then some pages that may have 4 images. So it all evens out. But as a general rule, I double the number of pages the album is to get the number of images that will be in it.

So let's use you as an example:

Your studio's base time is 6 hours. So the base package could be:

6 hours wedding coverage
Online gallery of images (or how are you planning on sharing the images with the clients and their family/friends?)
Digital retouching on images
High resolution disc of images

That package could be $1500. Then anything over that is a la carte.

Some people feel differently, but I think you should include a disc of images in your packages. Every bride wants a disc of images and every one will ask you for one. If it's already included, they will appreciate that.

You said the studio's base package is $1500..... but it sounds like there really isn't a base package set yet?? How did the studio determine $1500 is the base price without have figured out what's in that package? I know in my area $1500 would be too much to charge for only 6 hours of time, online gallery, and digital retouching. But in your area (San Fran area?) then that may be appropriate. If so, then don't offer the disc of images in the base price and clients can always add it to the package if they want it. But remember, once people have the disc they most likely won't buy prints. So price the disc at a decent price (you'll make a lot of profit!).

I guess that's all. If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me!

Thanks for taking the time to reply in such detail.
It really helps and I appreciate your input. Thanks for the offer to PM
I may take you up on that one

Good stuff, Ashley. Made me think about what i am offering. May have to rethink a little. I like your extra high price for cd.

drdiesel1 wrote in post #10542086
This is the plan. A base fee with all the extras "a la carte"

I got tired of negotiations with packages, and decided to go with a base price and everything else a la carte. It works a lot better for me i've found.

PMCphotography wrote in post #10640448
I got tired of negotiations with packages, and decided to go with a base price and everything else a la carte. It works a lot better for me i've found.

Care to share some information with us ? Thanks

drdiesel1 wrote in post #10640454
Care to share some information with us ? Thanks

Sure, what exactly would you like to know?

PMCphotography wrote in post #10640556
Sure, what exactly would you like to know?

Actually, I looked over your website and it answered my questions. Thanks