Hi. First time posting!

I'm a 'sometimes' Pro Photographer with 4 successful Weddings under my belt over the last 9 years and 1 as a second shooter. I have a 2:1 degree in Fine Art Photography too.

I say 'sometimes' as I've been a stay at home Mum for 4 years and haven't been taking on any Wedding work. I don't see how anyone does! I'm honestly baffled by the concept of (out of the house) working when you have a small child... if and when I get a moment's chance to string a thought together to do so, before being interrupted by my toddler!

Anyway this weekend my old college friend messaged me to invite me to her wedding and to ask if she could afford me to shoot it. She had a plan B of a hobbiest friend of her other half if not.
Do not compromise your price just because she is your friend. Maybe a 10% discount at best.
Had a friend who used to shoot weddings for free to get the experience. He was so busy and then he decided to charge a little to cover expenses and then no one wanted his services anymore.

It was strange to be back in the nerve-wracking position of revisiting my pricing 4 years on but I got back into it and am currently insured for public liability only, with my main Nikon D700 body broken since last August, which needs either a new mirror or shutter and I'm estimating if it can be fixed that I'll be looking at £500 for that. Otherwise I have my Nikon D300 and little Olympus XZ1 with off camera flash for candid shooting.

So the last wedding I did, I charged £800 for a digital on personalised USB stick package. And 4 years on I figured £900 was reasonable, considering I need to travel to another city and stay the night, plus fuel and a reckie trip before, hire of a couple of lenses, possibly a body too.

Anyway, I put the figure to my friend but she said she'd have to decline as the budget is too tight and she's prioritizing the clothes and a party feel plus a short honeymoon after. (She has two kids 8 and 1). She said she'll just get her hobbiest friend to try their best and if she just gets one great shot of the four of them she'll be happy. [Eyeroll]

On Facebook I've already seen she's ordered a fairly expensive dress from a lovely bridal shop.

I tried to advise her of the priority I felt photography should take in her budget and that I'd seen many mediocre albums of friends before.

I even suggested my favourite female photographer in my area, who shot a friend's Wedding but who is also 'in essence' my dream local competitor. (She's an active pro with a hundred Weddings under her belt, so out of my league professionally.) She charges £1100 for a digital package locally.

I let her know of the problems a November Wedding could encompass re: poor light and blurry indoor photos but none of this is swaying her.

I just feel awful because I feel it's a disaster waiting to happen and that shell regret it in future years and almost just want to do the gig to make sure she gets some great shots, even if just for a shorter time frame (main shots) but feel this is selling myself short, as I'll still put the same amount of stress and effort into it and get the insurance, plus hire lenses etc.

For another set of friends locally before my £800 gig, I charged £550 but I don't even think she'd pay that and I'd find it hard to make it worth my while at all with all my costs. I've no other Wedding booked till a possible friend's next December, so insurance alone every month will be £20 to maintain professional indemnity cover.

So, just looking for opinions.

In case it isn't obvious, should I just keep out of it now and stick with being a guest, or take it on for much less?

I am a bit pissed that the other vendors are getting paid but she's looking for the photography to be the bit that can be done on the cheap!

Enjoy the wedding. There an old saying "no good deed goes unpunished" which is what you are likely to encounter before, during and after the wedding, based on you description. You are better off letting her tell you she made a mistake, than you warning her - she doesn't want to hear it. But the worst part is she thinks so little of your work and values it so low, that she prioritizes it very low and is not willing to pay what it's worth. And you are already giving her an amazing deal. Typical weddings here cost a lot more than $1500 USD (£1100) unless you go the cheap route, in which case the photographer hands over 2000 pictures on a flash memory stick at the end of the night, which might cost $600.

Don't be pissed and enjoy the wedding. You have done your best. If they offer an open bar, take full advantage . . .

Hi. First time posting!

I'm a 'sometimes' Pro Photographer with 4 successful Weddings under my belt over the last 9 years and 1 as a second shooter. I have a 2:1 degree in Fine Art Photography too.

I say 'sometimes' as I've been a stay at home Mum for 4 years and haven't been taking on any Wedding work. I don't see how anyone does! I'm honestly baffled by the concept of (out of the house) working when you have a small child... if and when I get a moment's chance to string a thought together to do so, before being interrupted by my toddler!

Anyway this weekend my old college friend messaged me to invite me to her wedding and to ask if she could afford me to shoot it. She had a plan B of a hobbiest friend of her other half if not.

It was strange to be back in the nerve-wracking position of revisiting my pricing 4 years on but I got back into it and am currently insured for public liability only, with my main Nikon D700 body broken since last August, which needs either a new mirror or shutter and I'm estimating if it can be fixed that I'll be looking at £500 for that. Otherwise I have my Nikon D300 and little Olympus XZ1 with off camera flash for candid shooting.

So the last wedding I did, I charged £800 for a digital on personalised USB stick package. And 4 years on I figured £900 was reasonable, considering I need to travel to another city and stay the night, plus fuel and a reckie trip before, hire of a couple of lenses, possibly a body too.

Anyway, I put the figure to my friend but she said she'd have to decline as the budget is too tight and she's prioritizing the clothes and a party feel plus a short honeymoon after. (She has two kids 8 and 1). She said she'll just get her hobbiest friend to try their best and if she just gets one great shot of the four of them she'll be happy. [Eyeroll]

On Facebook I've already seen she's ordered a fairly expensive dress from a lovely bridal shop.

I tried to advise her of the priority I felt photography should take in her budget and that I'd seen many mediocre albums of friends before.

I even suggested my favourite female photographer in my area, who shot a friend's Wedding but who is also 'in essence' my dream local competitor. (She's an active pro with a hundred Weddings under her belt, so out of my league professionally.) She charges £1100 for a digital package locally.

I let her know of the problems a November Wedding could encompass re: poor light and blurry indoor photos but none of this is swaying her.

I just feel awful because I feel it's a disaster waiting to happen and that shell regret it in future years and almost just want to do the gig to make sure she gets some great shots, even if just for a shorter time frame (main shots) but feel this is selling myself short, as I'll still put the same amount of stress and effort into it and get the insurance, plus hire lenses etc.

For another set of friends locally before my £800 gig, I charged £550 but I don't even think she'd pay that and I'd find it hard to make it worth my while at all with all my costs. I've no other Wedding booked till a possible friend's next December, so insurance alone every month will be £20 to maintain professional indemnity cover.

So, just looking for opinions.

In case it isn't obvious, should I just keep out of it now and stick with being a guest, or take it on for much less?

I am a bit pissed that the other vendors are getting paid but she's looking for the photography to be the bit that can be done on the cheap!

Hi. First time posting!

I'm a 'sometimes' Pro Photographer with 4 successful Weddings under my belt over the last 9 years and 1 as a second shooter. I have a 2:1 degree in Fine Art Photography too.

I say 'sometimes' as I've been a stay at home Mum for 4 years and haven't been taking on any Wedding work. I don't see how anyone does! I'm honestly baffled by the concept of (out of the house) working when you have a small child... if and when I get a moment's chance to string a thought together to do so, before being interrupted by my toddler!

Anyway this weekend my old college friend messaged me to invite me to her wedding and to ask if she could afford me to shoot it. She had a plan B of a hobbiest friend of her other half if not.

It was strange to be back in the nerve-wracking position of revisiting my pricing 4 years on but I got back into it and am currently insured for public liability only, with my main Nikon D700 body broken since last August, which needs either a new mirror or shutter and I'm estimating if it can be fixed that I'll be looking at £500 for that. Otherwise I have my Nikon D300 and little Olympus XZ1 with off camera flash for candid shooting.

So the last wedding I did, I charged £800 for a digital on personalised USB stick package. And 4 years on I figured £900 was reasonable, considering I need to travel to another city and stay the night, plus fuel and a reckie trip before, hire of a couple of lenses, possibly a body too.

Anyway, I put the figure to my friend but she said she'd have to decline as the budget is too tight and she's prioritizing the clothes and a party feel plus a short honeymoon after. (She has two kids 8 and 1). She said she'll just get her hobbiest friend to try their best and if she just gets one great shot of the four of them she'll be happy. [Eyeroll]

On Facebook I've already seen she's ordered a fairly expensive dress from a lovely bridal shop.

I tried to advise her of the priority I felt photography should take in her budget and that I'd seen many mediocre albums of friends before.

I even suggested my favourite female photographer in my area, who shot a friend's Wedding but who is also 'in essence' my dream local competitor. (She's an active pro with a hundred Weddings under her belt, so out of my league professionally.) She charges £1100 for a digital package locally.

I let her know of the problems a November Wedding could encompass re: poor light and blurry indoor photos but none of this is swaying her.

I just feel awful because I feel it's a disaster waiting to happen and that shell regret it in future years and almost just want to do the gig to make sure she gets some great shots, even if just for a shorter time frame (main shots) but feel this is selling myself short, as I'll still put the same amount of stress and effort into it and get the insurance, plus hire lenses etc.

For another set of friends locally before my £800 gig, I charged £550 but I don't even think she'd pay that and I'd find it hard to make it worth my while at all with all my costs. I've no other Wedding booked till a possible friend's next December, so insurance alone every month will be £20 to maintain professional indemnity cover.

So, just looking for opinions.

In case it isn't obvious, should I just keep out of it now and stick with being a guest, or take it on for much less?

I am a bit pissed that the other vendors are getting paid but she's looking for the photography to be the bit that can be done on the cheap!

Hi. First time posting!

I'm a 'sometimes' Pro Photographer with 4 successful Weddings under my belt over the last 9 years and 1 as a second shooter. I have a 2:1 degree in Fine Art Photography too.

I say 'sometimes' as I've been a stay at home Mum for 4 years and haven't been taking on any Wedding work. I don't see how anyone does! I'm honestly baffled by the concept of (out of the house) working when you have a small child... if and when I get a moment's chance to string a thought together to do so, before being interrupted by my toddler!

Anyway this weekend my old college friend messaged me to invite me to her wedding and to ask if she could afford me to shoot it. She had a plan B of a hobbiest friend of her other half if not.

It was strange to be back in the nerve-wracking position of revisiting my pricing 4 years on but I got back into it and am currently insured for public liability only, with my main Nikon D700 body broken since last August, which needs either a new mirror or shutter and I'm estimating if it can be fixed that I'll be looking at £500 for that. Otherwise I have my Nikon D300 and little Olympus XZ1 with off camera flash for candid shooting.

Remember; If you feel inadequate due to your circumstances, it might be much wiser to say NO and explain WHY, than to take on the heavy responsibility and possibly lose a FRIEND in the End, just FOOD for THOUGHT.

So the last wedding I did, I charged £800 for a digital on personalised USB stick package. And 4 years on I figured £900 was reasonable, considering I need to travel to another city and stay the night, plus fuel and a reckie trip before, hire of a couple of lenses, possibly a body too.

Anyway, I put the figure to my friend but she said she'd have to decline as the budget is too tight and she's prioritizing the clothes and a party feel plus a short honeymoon after. (She has two kids 8 and 1). She said she'll just get her hobbiest friend to try their best and if she just gets one great shot of the four of them she'll be happy. [Eyeroll]

On Facebook I've already seen she's ordered a fairly expensive dress from a lovely bridal shop.

I tried to advise her of the priority I felt photography should take in her budget and that I'd seen many mediocre albums of friends before.

I even suggested my favourite female photographer in my area, who shot a friend's Wedding but who is also 'in essence' my dream local competitor. (She's an active pro with a hundred Weddings under her belt, so out of my league professionally.) She charges £1100 for a digital package locally.

I let her know of the problems a November Wedding could encompass re: poor light and blurry indoor photos but none of this is swaying her.

I just feel awful because I feel it's a disaster waiting to happen and that shell regret it in future years and almost just want to do the gig to make sure she gets some great shots, even if just for a shorter time frame (main shots) but feel this is selling myself short, as I'll still put the same amount of stress and effort into it and get the insurance, plus hire lenses etc.

For another set of friends locally before my £800 gig, I charged £550 but I don't even think she'd pay that and I'd find it hard to make it worth my while at all with all my costs. I've no other Wedding booked till a possible friend's next December, so insurance alone every month will be £20 to maintain professional indemnity cover.

So, just looking for opinions.

In case it isn't obvious, should I just keep out of it now and stick with being a guest, or take it on for much less?

I am a bit pissed that the other vendors are getting paid but she's looking for the photography to be the bit that can be done on the cheap!