Employing A Low-Priced Wedding Photographer Nearby San Francisco
Those who live in San Francisco know how expensive things in the city can be, and wedding preparations, including a DJ and San Francisco wedding photographer, are no exception. In a city brimming with creative talent, most brides can expect to pay anywhere from $3000 to $7000 to have their wedding day photographed.
If you want to find a quality San Francisco photographer for your wedding day but are on a budget, keep reading for three great tips that will save you money without sacrificing the photo memories of your big day.
Play the Price-Match Game
If you’re investigating multiple photographers, you can often ask them to match a competitor’s price, but only if the two photographers are offering similar packages. For example, if one photographer is providing an additional photo album, extra hours and photo retouching, you can’t expect them to match the price of a competitor who only provides digital proofs.
When asking for a price match, simply reply to a photographer’s quote by referencing other quotes from local competitors that were cheaper and better suited to your budget. Most photographers will reduce their quote in the interest of bagging a contract.
Book Last Minute
Yes, booking your wedding photographer last minute means you might not get your first choice, but in a city bursting with creative talent, there are lots of options. You’ll find that as your wedding day approaches, prices will drop dramatically, especially during the non-peak season.
Booking last minute also gives you room to wiggle and negotiating power. A San Francisco wedding photographer is more likely to drop their price by a few hundred dollars than spend a valuable Saturday bring in no income.
Go Out of Town
You may have to pay for travel time or gas expenses, but you can often still save money by booking a photographer outside the San Francisco Bay Area. Check rates of photographers in Concord or San Jose and you’ll see discounts as steep as 50%, meaning that extra $100 to $200 for travel is worth the added savings.
Hit the Wedding Shows
A wedding show or bridal expo lets you meet multiple photographers all in one location and on the same day. So, instead of spending weeks browsing websites and interviewing prospects, you can get your photographer shopping in a day. Most photographers also offer special deals and promotions as a way of attracting brides to their exhibits.
Try the San Francisco Bridal Show or the Bay Area Bridal Expo, both of which are big wedding shows with numerous vendors. Take the opportunity to meet and greet photographers, interview them and get a feel for their personality and style.
You can find an affordable San Francisco wedding photographer, but you just have to be willing to negotiate, take the risk of last minute booking or invest the time into hitting the pavement at a bridal show.
Sunday, August 31st, 2008