Gray Studios vs. Franklin Sq Photog???
OK my head is spinning and I've only met with 2 photogs...Gray and FS. I love them both. I feel their work is very similar. Their videos both are amazing - I'd be happy with either but FS is $500 more on video for the edited length I would want.
The thing about Gray that I'm not thrilled with is how basic their standard album is. Their package prices are for the slip in page album which FS doesn't even make that kind of album - he laughed when I mentioned the other place I met with still used that kind of album. So Gray charges extra - starting at $495 extra for flush page and more than that for the fancier bordered page. FS seems to have no added fees like Gray does - the only way to spend more at FS is to go up in the amt of pics you want in your album. They just seemed a little more with the times than Gray but I know I love Gray's work. I met with Michael b/c he did both of my sister's weddings and many of their friends. Not one of them had any complaints - they sing his and Gray's praises. But b/c my sisters loved them so much all their friends just booked them - none of them really shopped around. So now that I have seen FS I'm sort of questioning all of Gray's extra charges. I feel like a lot of it should be included. Even little things like Gray only gives you 75 free thank yous...I will need around 150. They are all included with FS. Gray said they will charge extra for the video guy to come to my house before the ceremony - FS does not charge extra for that and you have them for as many hours as you want them - they don't leave until the reception is over - there is no overtime with them. I think I recall Michael definitely leaving both of my sisters weddings a little bit before the end....not long before but def. before the last song played - I def. want that on film!
Also Gray told me they shoot around 500 pictures. This may sound crazy but I am a picture person and I myself take 500+ pictures at people's weddings who I am very close to. It's easy to shoot that many with a digital these days. So I guess I was surprised and sort of feel my photog should be taking more pics than I would take at a wedding. FS said they shoot 700+ photos. Also I like the photo journalism as well as the usual posed shots. Michael at Gray said he does a little of that where FS's 2nd photographer does all photo journalism (but as my sister said...a pic of the buttons on the back of my dress may look very cool but will I really choose it for my album...probably not). Oh I should mention I met Greg and Dawn at FS...both seemed great.
I'm just really torn and definitely will go with one of these - just having such a hard time deciding who. I feel like FS is def. more $$ but with all the add ons I will want that Gray will charge me extra for - it will equal out with what FS would cost. And I sort of feel like Michael knows my family since he did my sister's weddings which is a plus. But I don't know - I guess I wish they would throw in all thank yous included or have the video guy come to my house first and not charge me...something....it's annoying to me they won't budge on anything. I am sort of leaning towards FS but of course my sisters are freaking out and want me to go with Gray. My FH is letting me decide - he loved Michael at Gray and couldn't make the appt at FS.
Sorry for the long post - just need some advice here from anyone who has used both. I did a search on both and seems everyone loves FS and I saw very mixed reviews on Gray and not many recent ones...the ones I found were from 2002...so that makes me a little nervous.
Thanks in advance for any help!!!
The thing about Gray that I'm not thrilled with is how basic their standard album is. Their package prices are for the slip in page album which FS doesn't even make that kind of album - he laughed when I mentioned the other place I met with still used that kind of album. So Gray charges extra - starting at $495 extra for flush page and more than that for the fancier bordered page. FS seems to have no added fees like Gray does - the only way to spend more at FS is to go up in the amt of pics you want in your album. They just seemed a little more with the times than Gray but I know I love Gray's work. I met with Michael b/c he did both of my sister's weddings and many of their friends. Not one of them had any complaints - they sing his and Gray's praises. But b/c my sisters loved them so much all their friends just booked them - none of them really shopped around. So now that I have seen FS I'm sort of questioning all of Gray's extra charges. I feel like a lot of it should be included. Even little things like Gray only gives you 75 free thank yous...I will need around 150. They are all included with FS. Gray said they will charge extra for the video guy to come to my house before the ceremony - FS does not charge extra for that and you have them for as many hours as you want them - they don't leave until the reception is over - there is no overtime with them. I think I recall Michael definitely leaving both of my sisters weddings a little bit before the end....not long before but def. before the last song played - I def. want that on film!
Also Gray told me they shoot around 500 pictures. This may sound crazy but I am a picture person and I myself take 500+ pictures at people's weddings who I am very close to. It's easy to shoot that many with a digital these days. So I guess I was surprised and sort of feel my photog should be taking more pics than I would take at a wedding. FS said they shoot 700+ photos. Also I like the photo journalism as well as the usual posed shots. Michael at Gray said he does a little of that where FS's 2nd photographer does all photo journalism (but as my sister said...a pic of the buttons on the back of my dress may look very cool but will I really choose it for my album...probably not). Oh I should mention I met Greg and Dawn at FS...both seemed great.
I'm just really torn and definitely will go with one of these - just having such a hard time deciding who. I feel like FS is def. more $$ but with all the add ons I will want that Gray will charge me extra for - it will equal out with what FS would cost. And I sort of feel like Michael knows my family since he did my sister's weddings which is a plus. But I don't know - I guess I wish they would throw in all thank yous included or have the video guy come to my house first and not charge me...something....it's annoying to me they won't budge on anything. I am sort of leaning towards FS but of course my sisters are freaking out and want me to go with Gray. My FH is letting me decide - he loved Michael at Gray and couldn't make the appt at FS.
Sorry for the long post - just need some advice here from anyone who has used both. I did a search on both and seems everyone loves FS and I saw very mixed reviews on Gray and not many recent ones...the ones I found were from 2002...so that makes me a little nervous.
Thanks in advance for any help!!!
