Another Option

Hey! So we may have found a happy medium between price/experience!

This Photographer

Pretty good, right? And he's available on our date, and he won't break the bank! ($1395 for 8 hours. Super!)

Thoughts?

In Which My Mother Makes a Good Point:

(Ahem. So, I got the actual numbers from the good photographer today... It's actually $4000. Gack! Yes, that sound you hear is me choking on my own inhaled breath.)

This is the email my mother sent in regards to this issue. For once, she actually has a good point. (Shocking I know!)

Bonjour,

 

I could hear you on the phone yesterday and knew that the photos are very important to you.

I looked at both sites.  Yes, there is a difference in the style of photos...but could you possibly show her the style you like as input?  Is it really worth a $3000 diffrence???

 

Also, just an observation from one who has made many mistakes in my own marriage by doing what I wanted more than making a decision as a couple.

 

Obviously, since [Jedi] said that the could go with the lower cost one, the photos are not his utmost priority.  He will go along with you because he will do anything to please you and make you happy right now.  Believe me, people build unspoken resentment though and it comes out sideways years later.  (I still heard in recent years how my head flower piece was more expensive than his suit.....:(

 

Anyway, think about it this way, now that you will no longer be single, by a couple.  What would you think if [Jedi] spent $4000 of your common budget on something that was not THAT important to you (whether it is for the wedding or else). 

 

As my sister told me this week, ([She] wanted to rent a chalet in the mountains for all the [Family] this coming Christmas).  Quand on n'a pas de sous, il faut pas essayer de faire les riches...:)

 

Think long and hard before you commit.  Good luck with your decision.  

 

Is it bad that I still REALLY REALLY REALLY want the amazing photographer though? I mean, REALLY?

Budgets

Wedding Budget:

Me - $1000
Me extra - $350
Jedi - $1000
My Mom- $1000
My Dad - $3000
Jedi's Parents- $1500

= $7,850

Now, yes, my original budget was $5,000... Thank God my dad kicked in a bit more!

This seems like a crazy big budget until you start dividing it up...

But, in reference to the post below let me just say that we end up about $100 over budget if we go with the "good" photographer and about $800 over if we go with the really good photographer.

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.

Here is her website-- http://chocolatepipsphoto.zenfolio.com/

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.

Photographer

Yeah! We have a photographer! (I think! I think!).

(If Jedi's Cousin's Friend were to change her mind again and want to photograph the wedding we would use her too--- Which would be awesome!)

The photographer I found is new to the business.  I've tried for 20 minutes to upload some of her pictures and as you may be aware, photographers are notoriously protective of their pictures, and I can't! So, you'll just have to imagine them!  For the most part, her pictures are lovely. I would say that 3/4ths of the pictures I've seen are good... (Which is a better ratio than some of the other photographers I've seen that charge $2000 for 3 hours whose pictures looked like something my grandpa could take.)

It *is* a little nerve-wracking having her test out her skills on us-- this would be the first wedding she's done professionally-- for the most part she does kids and family portraits-- but the deal is so good I can' t pass it up.

$1000 for 10 hours + an engagement sitting session + all pictures in both B&W and Color in digital.

Not bad, huh? Ok, I'll admit, if you haven't been comparison shopping for wedding photographers lately that seems in-freaking-sane.  Believe me, I would have thought it was before I started hunting around.  My original photography budget was $200.

Bwahahaha! (Yes, I invite you to laugh at me as well.)

So, I invite you to take a look at some wedding photographer websites and take a look at the prices. Go on. I'll wait.

......

{whistle}

No, really, go on.

...........

{whistle}

.........

Have you keeled over from sticker shock yet?  Do you realize what a good deal I'm getting?  Not just the cost in general but TEN-FREAKIN-HOURS of coverage?

Keeping my fingers crossed that this one works out! I may still hire a student to complement the photographer (between the two I would think that I would get a good selection of images to use.)