Wedding Packages

whatsatripod · March 14, 2010

What is a typical print package you would put together? Not talking about pricing just want to know what packages do you offer your brides. Rather new to the package idea and I want to make sure I am offering something on par with the next guy.

MelMcClain · March 14, 2010

We put together one standard print package for each of our packages that consist of 6-5x7, 4-8x10, and 1-11x14. We try not to include a lot of prints in the packages to get more print orders generated however if a client requests more prints we'll customize a package to fit their needs.

Kinkajou · March 16, 2010

This is what I've got for my packages (highest to lowest). I'm still in a toss-up about the actual prices and the "DVD of images for web use"... maybe I should just make it the hi-res images... Maybe the best thing to do would be to figure out how long it would take for me to resize the images and multiply it by my hourly rate and figure out whether it's worth it or not

Collection One
Up to 12 hours of coverage (preparation, ceremony, reception, portraits)
500-700 processed photographs
Private online gallery for two years
DVD of images for web use
$100 in print credits
Complementary 1 hour engagement session

Collection Two
6-8 hours of coverage (preparation, ceremony, reception, portraits)
400-600 processed photographs
Private online gallery for two years
DVD of images for web use
$100 in print credits

Collection Three
Up to 4 hours of coverage (ceremony, reception, portraits)
200-400 processed photographs
Private online gallery for two years
DVD of images for web use

All collections are customizable to suit your specific needs for wedding coverage. Please do not hesitate to inquire about any additions or substitutions you would like to incorporate.

Also, this might be useful:
http://virtualphotographystudio.com/photographyblog/2010/02/08/3-ways-to-price-and-package-your-wedding-photography-to-stay-in-business/

WillCAD · March 19, 2010

Glort, I get where you're coming from, man, but there is a reason why most photographers have pre-configured packages with so many of this and so many of that, etc - it's because that's what clients expect and want to see when comparison shopping. Clients use those pre-configured packages as a way of comparing one photog to another, to determine costs and establish relative value, so they can make a decision on which photog to choose.

It's also much easier for most clients to pick a pre-configured package, then customize slightly, than it is to create their package out of thin air. Most clients don't have a lot of experience at creating custom photo packages, and having pre-configured packages to choose from makes the process a lot easier.

I'm actually surprised that a pro photographer would have no pre-configured base packages. It's obviously working for you, but I would have thought that not having some sort of price list to use for comparisson purposes would turn clients off a photog and cost him business.

Snowgirl · March 20, 2010

I am using Glort's approach - a base price of $1000 and everything else is up for grabs.

I have people calling wanting to know what I can do for $500 (or even less if you can imagine??) and I just thank them for the inquiry and send them on their way.

As you all know much better than me, weddings are bloody hard work - not just the day of, but the post processing later. They can also be a lot of fun if you and the couple click.

Two years ago I did my first wedding - not by choice. The couple asked me to shoot their wedding and asked what packages I had. I told them I'd never done a wedding and wasn't comfortable doing my first one as the only shooter - because there are no "do overs" if anything goes wrong. Consequently, I had no pre-set packages even in mind, never mind on paper.

I recommended two other area photographers, both of whom do lovely work on weddings. One was already booked for that particular week-end and I don't know about the second.

Anyway, a couple of weeks later, the bride (a friend) came back to me and said she'd found another photographer (whew) BUT that they'd like me to come as the second shooter. I said Great - as long as the primary was ok with that.

Come wedding day, I show up. The bride had asked me to come early and do her prep. shots with her daughters because she was more comfortable with me. Fine. I do all that in the afternoon. It's to be an evening wedding in a hall that is a photographer's nightmare - low ceilings, paneled walls, dim, yellow light - need I say more?

No sign of the other 'tog.

So, bride asks me to go and get some shots of the groom and his son getting ready. OK - do that.

Now we're 30 min. out from the ceremony. Guests are arriving. No other 'tog. OK. Shoot guests arriving.

Shoot bride and daughters arriving at hall (in a golf cart! - good sense of humour). No other 'tog.

I'm doomed. In I go and do the ceremony in this dreadful lighting that I was NOT prepared for. Do my best. No other 'tog.

This was an evening wedding and the indoor lighting was dreadful so I convinced everyone to go outside by a pond for the portraits (thank god!). No other 'tog.

Then on to the reception. So much for being a guest and getting fed. Shoot the reception.

In all I spent close to 12 hours from start to finish. Luckily I had extra batteries and lots of memory cards - because I wasn't supposed to be "the photographer" - just a second and a guest at the wedding.

I spent HOURS editing the photos; did the on-line album. Because they travel a lot, gave them low-res, watermarked proofs on a DVD to take with them so they could choose prints.

They SAID they liked the shots.

Two years later, not ONE print sold. Lesson learned. Lots of lessons learned.

Market up front. Get huge deposit UP FRONT. Do NOT do anything on a handshake. Get a firm commitment backed up by dollars.

I still cringe every time I see this couple - but the cost of doing this was my personal education.

The bride kept asking for package pricing in the beginning. I said, depending on what she decided to order, I would create a "package" - i.e. a discount proportionate to the size of the order - for her which, at the time, she said she was ok with. C'est la vie.

Today? My mantra is "show me the money".

Swartzy · March 20, 2010

As many of these discussions have taken place in other threads (now don't go asking me to find the links...

) I did want to add one thing:

I just don't quite get the concept of photographers limiting size and resolution for the couple's DVD. I never have and never will. When it was film, yea, sure....money was to make on additional printing...so of course they didn't get the negatives. That was old school. In today's market much has changed. From the shoot and burners to full out packages, my philosophy is it is "their" wedding. They pay me for my time and services (processing, selection, etc.). Once all that is done, I am more than happy to give them full res images....they paid for them. I still retain the RAW files and copyright.

The thing I do place in the contract is they cannot put them up for "sale". If they want to go to fallmart and print a bunch of 5x7's for Christmas gifts..that's their choice. Making them come to me for 8 5x7's (or ordering online at how much markup) is difficult to wrap my mind around. I do have the private gallery for them that family may purchase off the site...any crop they desire..but for the B&G, it's a given in my mind, they will have the full res images once given the DVD.

WillCAD · March 20, 2010

Swartzy wrote:

As many of these discussions have taken place in other threads (now don't go asking me to find the links...) I did want to add one thing:

I just don't quite get the concept of photographers limiting size and resolution for the couple's DVD. I never have and never will. When it was film, yea, sure....money was to make on additional printing...so of course they didn't get the negatives. That was old school. In today's market much has changed. From the shoot and burners to full out packages, my philosophy is it is "their" wedding. They pay me for my time and services (processing, selection, etc.). Once all that is done, I am more than happy to give them full res images....they paid for them. I still retain the RAW files and copyright.

The thing I do place in the contract is they cannot put them up for "sale". If they want to go to fallmart and print a bunch of 5x7's for Christmas gifts..that's their choice. Making them come to me for 8 5x7's (or ordering online at how much markup) is difficult to wrap my mind around. I do have the private gallery for them that family may purchase off the site...any crop they desire..but for the B&G, it's a given in my mind, they will have the full res images once given the DVD.

I've read a couple of reasons for the low-res, non-printable files on the DVD or CD:

1) To prevent uncompensated printing which would rob a photographer od business. Though pro images are copyrighted, anyone with a PC or Mac can easily print JPGs at any size up to 8x10 without going to a lab, so the copyright is meaningless.

2) To prevent low-quality printing of high-quality pro images. Even if you give the client full-res files and permission to print the pics, very few clients will go to a pro lab for printing; they will either print the pics themselves, or take the disk to a local place like WalMart, Target, Walgreens, Costco, etc. Those local places don't do any color correction, and the quality of the prints is often quite low, compared to a pro lab. And although you and I know that the quality of the prints is something completely out of the photographer's control, when the average client sees a pic that's too dark, or blown out, they're going to assume that it's the photographer's fault, not the printer's fault. That reflects badly on a photographer's professional reputation, despite it being something they have nothing to do with and no control over.

These are the same reasons why few photographers ever turned over negatives in the film days; no pro wanted photos they took printed at the local Photomat by some minimum-wage high school kids. Pressure seems to be higher today for a photographer to turn over the full-res files, and for the same reasons - the average client doesn't understand the quality difference between expensive lab printing and inexpensive home or department store printing, and they want to save money by printing their proofs or prints at a cheaper place.

jeffreaux2 · March 22, 2010

I have no problem issuing a "personal use" release and including full res. edited photos on disk, but it isn't a giveaway. For day to day portrait shoots that disk is $300. For weddings, it starts at $1000...and goes up depending on whether or not things like engagement or bridal shots are included on disk(s).

I also don't do packages, but rather tailor a price based on the event...though I do have a minimum.

I typically insist that I shoot an e-session and bridals as well as full day coverage on the day of. In my opinion it's a story and doing anything less won't tell it. I include a press printed book with copies for parents...and thats basically it. Anything beyond the shooting or books is an add-on.

I don't rely on print sales to make shooting a wedding worth my time, I get paid for my time up front. Beyond that I simply ask the question...."What would you want me to place in your hands when we are done here?"

zoomer · March 22, 2010

Ok Glort,
You have me half convinced, I am going to try the no packages approach.
We are plenty busy but having a hard time getting people to bite on the highest $ package.
I have a suspicion that, as you said happens, people are disqualifying themselves from calling us based on the price alone.

So we are going to go with a base price just to discourage the tire kickers, the base price would be for only the disc with printing rights.
Then from there my partner who kicks @$$ at selling is going to do her thing and see if she can start upselling people into what was the highest package.

This should be interesting...

marikris · March 22, 2010

zoomer wrote:

Ok Glort,
You have me half convinced, I am going to try the no packages approach.
We are plenty busy but having a hard time getting people to bite on the highest $ package.
I have a suspicion that, as you said happens, people are disqualifying themselves from calling us based on the price alone.

So we are going to go with a base price just to discourage the tire kickers, the base price would be for only the disc with printing rights.
Then from there my partner who kicks @$$ at selling is going to do her thing and see if she can start upselling people into what was the highest package.

This should be interesting...

Definitely am interested to see how this turns out.

zoomer · March 22, 2010

Yeah me to....easy for me cause I don't need the money I get from photography....it it doesn't work for me no big deal I will just switch it back in a few months.

Wedding Packages

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