I'm writing this blog from a secret nuclear bunker in an unknown location, not far from the Angel & Harp pub in Great Dunmow as I have a feeling I'm about to p**s off a lot of wedding photographers and wedding videographers in Essex.
Look, wedding photography seems expensive. I get it. Just over three years ago I got married myself and being a wedding photographer I didn't want to scrimp and get a photographer who wasn't as good as me and I knew things were going to get pricey.
Using these tricks I'm about to tell you below, I managed to get a photographer down from £3,000 to £800. Not only that, they were happy to do it and I got the exact same service if I had paid the full amount.
As a little disclaimer, these tricks won't work on us as we're in high demand and don't need to lower our price.
Sell your wedding to your photographer
As wedding photographers, it's extremely important for us to have an exciting, dynamic portfolio that separates us from our competition (there's hundreds of wedding photographers in Essex alone!) so tell us what's different about your wedding and why we won't want to miss out.
Selling points would be: location, entertainment, celebrity guests, wedding style etc.
Wedding Venue/Location
If you're getting married at an incredible location or venue, flaunt it. If the photographer hasn't worked there before, chances are that they'll want to add that to their portfolio.
Unusual Entertainment
You might be having something really "out-there" in terms of entertainment. Big bands, fire breathers, a circus, funfair, double decker buses, super cars... the list goes on. Think of all the incredible photo opportunities there'll be!
Celebrity Guests
Speaking truthfully, this is a difficult one if you are friends with celebrities. I personally wouldn't want to be a paparazzi and wouldn't feel comfortable doing it as they're normal people but I know that some photographers would jump at the chance to get a great shot of "so and so from the telly".
Also check with your friend first before you whore them out.
Wedding Style/Theme
Themed weddings stand out and can make incredible photos. It doesn't have to be a Game of Thrones Themed or Star Wars wedding; it can something like a boho wedding with a tipi by a lake etc.
Again this won't work if the photographer you want has done your particular wedding theme/style before.
Fatten up your wedding photographer
Now this might just be me but I love great food. If I know I'm going to a wedding and there's going to be a great spread, we're going to be best friends for life and I'll be excited to be there.
This doesn't mean fancy expensive food. At my wedding, we went to the local fish & chip shop and ordered about a 120 portions of fish & chips and battered sausage & chips and ate them out of the paper with a wooden forks you get. This isn't something you get everyday and it is safe to say that our photographer was smitten.
Have a number in mind and stick to it
After selling my wedding to them and promised them they'd leave with a food baby and incredible, unique images, I told them how much I wanted to pay.
This required some negotiation and patience as there was about three offers before agreeing on the price I said I could originally afford. The first offer they made was £1,400 which is already a saving of over 50% so these tricks DO work.
Flatter you photographer
This probably should have been the top one, but tell them how much you love their work. Speaking from a personal point of view, I'd much rather give a discount to a really lovely person than someone who demands me to be cheaper and is a bit of an arse.
As that famous philosopher once said "don't be a douche".
Challenge us
As I said right at the beginning, we don't need to lower our prices but it doesn't mean you can't try. Check our availability and see if you can make us budge.