But a $800.00 cake, a $1200.00 video that is unedited and $800.00 for a DJ that plays for 3 hrs is reasonable?

. . . I fully agree that those who get married for $50 are just as married as the $50,000+ ones and sometimes more happy and long lasting as well. . . . What I was wanting to address is the many people here possibly, who are expressing distaste for what they deemed an expensive photographer, yet may well have spent out loads of money for all the other things I listed, with absolutely no qualms or consideration to what they were paying for the other stuff. All they talk about is the cost of the photographer and how expensive they are. . . . I was talking about the weddings I have shot whereby they were doing their best to beat me down on price for every little thing, yet when I turned up to shoot it, I could see that no expense was spared or probably even given thought to, regarding the reception hall, the flowers all over the place at the church and reception, the dinner being offered to the guests with open bar, the dress and the ring I was shooting. Those are the people out there that I'm against, not those who have been cautious all the way round with their spending.

People either like my work and want me for my work and will come up with the payment, or they are shopping around for price and could really not give a darn about what you will be producing, just the final price. . . It is the spectacle, to show off to their friends and family... look what a big bash we are throwing, nahh, nahh, nahh! type mentality.

It seems to be all about the day and no thought to what is actually taking place here and what that means in the future, to the generations that will follow. That is where good photography will come into its own. It's for the future generations to be able to look back and see a beautiful capture of that day represented in a quality body of work, not 2,000 images burned on a DVD stuff in a draw somewhere.

I bet all of us ready would love to be able to see what our grand parents or great grand parents weddings were like, through the use of photography, and none of us would really care how big that ring was or how spectacular the dress was, or how many courses the dinner was, or how many flower arrangements were scattered about the huge fancy hall. What that tells you is that the photography is the one thing that should be given the most attention and consideration, and today it seems to be the last thing on the list.

I respect anyone who had a simple marriage, and usually they were wonderful fun and loving events, I've shot them too. Where the parents did actually do the catering for example and the venuse was a simple little building. I'm just trying to draw attention to all the times that people always blame the photographer for pushing up a cost of a wedding. The one who just happens to be the single person who invested more time in the entire affair than all the other parties put together.

How many of you have seen or heard a discussion somewhere, where people were complaining about the cost of the photographer, or suggesting ways to get cheaper photographic coverage? I'm sure many of you have, be honest but how many have every heard anyone discuss how to get cheaper food, flowers, dresses or rings to help save money on that wedding? Can I hear NONE or almost none, from you? Why is that I wonder, I'd like to know?

All those who have mentioned how you had a simple, low cost yet fun and happy wedding, fantastic, I applaude you, that is great in my books. But those who have complained about the photographer and never gave any thought to how much the rest of it all cost, those are the people who ought to be rethinking your priorities and giving credit to those parties where credit has been lacking, from you. That deserving party would be the photographer by the way.

Country's mama and anyone else like you...

Don't misunderstand me please, I fully agree that those who get married for $50 are just as married as the $50,000+ ones and sometimes more happy and long lasting as well. I would never put anyone down who is working with a tight budget who could not afford anything. Nor those simply not willing to pay out a ton of money on a full blown wedding. That's great and I respect that, whether it is budget constraint or common sense thing or both.

What I was wanting to address is the many people here possibly, who are expressing distaste for what they deem ed an expensive photographer, yet may well have spent out loads of money for all the other things I listed, with absolutley no qualms or consideration to what they were paying for the other stuff. All they talk about is the cost of the photographer and how expensive they are.

I was talking about the weddings I have shot whereby they were doing their best to beat me down on price for every little thing, yet when I turned up to shoot it, I could see that no expense was spared or probably even given thought to, regarding the reception hall, the flowers all over the place at the church and reception, the dinner being offered to the guests with open bar, the dress and the ring I was shooting. Those are the people out there that I'm against, not those who have been cautious all the way round with their spending.

People either like my work and want me for my work and will come up with the payment, or they are shopping around for price and could really not give a darn about what you will be producing, just the final price.

Of the rest on here who were complaining about what the photographer was charging for their family's wedding or that of a friend, have a think back on that wedding for a moment. What did it look like was spent on the flowers, venue/catering, dress and ring? More often than not, these are the areas where money seems to be no object and/or no one even gave any thought about it. Yet the photographer is where they want to save by using a school leaver trying to build a portfolio or gain experience and is willing to "Practice" on their weddings for a low price.

That is because weddings today, and I see many of them all the way through each year, which most of you here, don't, all seem to be about the show and not about the religious experience of getting married. It is the spectacle, to show off to their friends and family... look what a big bash we are throwing, nahh, nahh, nahh! type mentality.

It seems to be all about the day and no thought to what is actually taking place here and what that means in the future, to the generations that will follow. That is where good photography will come into its own. It's for the future generations to be able to look back and see a beautiful capture of that day represented in a quality body of work, not 2,000 images burned on a DVD stuff in a draw somewhere.

I bet all of us ready would love to be able to see what our grand parents or great grand parents weddings were like, through the use of photography, and none of us would really care how big that ring was or how spectacular the dress was, or how many courses the dinner was, or how many flower arrangements were scattered about the huge fancy hall. What that tells you is that the photography is the one thing that should be given the most attention and consideration, and today it seems to be the last thing on the list.

I respect anyone who had a simple marriage, and usually they were wonderful fun and loving events, I've shot them too. Where the parents did actually do the catering for example and the venuse was a simple little building. I'm just trying to draw attention to all the times that people always blame the photographer for pushing up a cost of a wedding. The one who just happens to be the single person who invested more time in the entire affair than all the other parties put together.

How many of you have seen or heard a discussion somewhere, where people were complaining about the cost of the photographer, or suggesting ways to get cheaper photographic coverage? I'm sure many of you have, be honest but how many have every heard anyone discuss how to get cheaper food, flowers, dresses or rings to help save money on that wedding? Can I hear NONE or almost none, from you? Why is that I wonder, I'd like to know?

All those who have mentioned how you had a simple, low cost yet fun and happy wedding, fantastic, I applaude you, that is great in my books. But those who have complained about the photographer and never gave any thought to how much the rest of it all cost, those are the people who ought to be rethinking your priorities and giving credit to those parties where credit has been lacking, from you. That deserving party would be the photographer by the way.

country's mama,

Of course if the party don't have the budget, I would be the first to stand with them to say just get the best you can afford. There are plenty who charge a lot and are at best mediocre quality photographers, so high price alone does not make for good photography coverage. as with all thing consumer, you have to do your homework and sort the wheat out from the chaff.

As for wanting to see a photographer give an affordable option for couples who can't afford an expensive all inclusive package, we need to define expensive and affordable. What is affordable for one may be expensive for another, or visa versa.

With that said, what would you suggest that the photographer leave out to make it cheaper? All the retouching, colour correction and cropping maybe, because that alone is a lot of time spent on the project. Or maybe reduce the amount of hours of coverage, however there are some problems with this approach.

With food and flowers you can easily trim costs and with the venue, you can look for a less fancy place to hold it. But where would you suggest the photographer cut corners? People need to understand that you can not expect a photographer to reduce their prices by cutting back the hours of coverage for one person and possibly loose the booking of another that wants the full package on that day.

Saturdays are a premium day, just like flying in peak season. If you want that time period, you'll have to pay the going price. The way such budget constraint customers might be able to get a better deal is to choose a different day for their wedding. Asking for a Friday or Sunday wedding discount with less hour coverage is a very possible thing to achieve, even from the more expensive photographers, so do bear that in mind.

This way the photographer keeps the valueable Saturday date open for a client with a larger budget, yet is able to make additional income for themselves at the same time helping out a couple with a limited budget, so it is a win win situation for all parties.

I think this would be a very acceptable alternative to be considered by the couple with limits. The other thing would be to try for a very early or very late in the wedding season, the sort of dead period for wedding photographers. This is the best way to find a photographer to be willing to give an affordable option.

If Beef or Lamb is wedding video or still photography coverage, what would chicken equate to in the wedding? Someone making crayon sketches of the proceedings maybe?

If someone is coming in to buy beef from you and they have their heart set on beef (Beef being photography) but the going price of beef is too high for them, what is the alternative, their uncle Burt's dog maybe? (Uncle Burt being the family member with a camera here).

You see how there is no way you can make your beef a lower price unless you wish to loose money and that is the dilemma of a good pro wedding photographer today. People have beef tastes but they only have chicken budgets, because they spent too much on the plates, knife and fork, table cloth and the vegetables and potatoes.

They want the beef supplier part of the meal to be the ones to come down on their price, but they are not happy to accept that fatty cut of the animal. So as a beef supplier what would you be able to do, other than loose money to make them happy?