Sunday, November 14, 2010

Photographer redux

Ok, I have a bit of a dilemma... I think I can kind of guess how some of you will come down on it (well, some of you  anyway... who will remind me what Suze Orman would say, but I don't want to listen to Suze right now!!!)

I have a photographer who is starting out (as previously mentioned)-- who has never done a wedding before-- who has offered to give me 10 hours of coverage plus all the digitals plus a free engagement sitting for $1100.  Yes, that seems like an insane amount of money... until you actually start pricing out wedding photography and then you realize it's the deal of the lifetime.


Frankly, they're nice... some are even very pretty... but they don't blow me away.

On the other hand we have a different photographer who is ---GULP-- Twice as much for half the time. (Can I afford twice as much? Um, well, if you mean, do I have the money in hand... um... well... let me get back to you on that.)

However, the pictures blow me away. http://garonephotography.blogspot.com/

(Also, an acquaintance  recently used them, and her pictures are STUNNING. I figure if they can make her look good, I"ll look FABULOUS! ;-)

I know, on the one hand... MONEY MONEY MONEY.... on the other hand all I'll really have left of the day (Other than Jedi, obviously!) is the pictures. 50 years from now will I be regretting that I went with a budget photographer... um... likely? Maybe?

I know Suze Orman would say that it's not worth clearing out my bank account for this (Or maybe she would? People first, remember!)... And it really would be coming out of my own budget since Jedi is really opposed to spending the extra money. I'm thinking I would pick up a holiday job/reunion job or something to help make up the difference.

What do y'all think? Am I being unreasonable in wanting the more expensive photographer? I feel like I'm heading into crazy bride territory...  I also feel really bad about this where the first photographer is concerned because I met her and she's a lovely woman and she does have a good eye... I can tell she'll be a great photographer someday... right now she's good, but not "magazine editorial" good the way the other photographer is.


3 comments:

Sassy Pants said...

I think you have to look at this from a different perspective and ask yourself what's more important to you: Spending time with Jedi now or forcing yourself to take a second job to pay for one day of your life? What do you really want? A great relationship with good pictures, or great pictures that make you neglect your relationship?

Anonymous said...

The good photographer is gooood. The okay photographer looks pretty good too, to be honest, but I didn't look at that much stuff.

Okay, you know I am all about the budget wedding, and not making a big to-do. But. I wish we had spent more money on the photographer. Our photos aren't bad, not by any means. But they (it was two guys) didn't capture everything, and some of the photos are just meh.

So. You are not crazy if you go for the more expensive package, because you really will spend time looking back at the photos.

StephanieC said...

Sassy- I don't think that's quite fair. As you know, Jedi is in school 3 nights a week anyway. Any job I get would not be an hourly gig down at CVS or something, I would just pick up babysitting hours when he's gone. I can also work the 2 reunion weekends and come away with $500-$800 there.

Perpetua- I know, right? Like, the first photographer seems perfectly good... until you compare the two side by side. Then it's like-- Oh, should I get the standard portrait photographer, or should I get the photographer that looks like she's shooting magazine editorials?

Out of all the comments I've heard people make about their weddings there are a few things that keep coming up:
1) Have lots of food
2) Get a DJ
3) Get a good photographer.

I just don't want to end up regretting it down the line, even though I know I can't really afford it...