Ok, I am at thebeginning of my planning, and I wanted to know how much I should expect to spend on certain items. My parents have VERY GENEROUSLY picked up the tab for the reception, but we are responsible for everything else. My question starts with how much I should expect to pay for invitations. I have a friend who is a graphic artist and offered to do them as our wedding present, but I wanted to know an average cost. If it's not over the top I would pay for them elsewhere. My next question is this, how much for a photographer? We don't want a video, so I think we can squak out a little more for this. Thanks for your help!!!
Julybaby
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Re: money issues.....
I haven't puchased my invitations yet, but I have a Now-and-forever catalog and most of the invitations were between $85 - 110 for 100 of them. It depends how many invitations and responses cards you need, whether you will have an address printed on the envelopes, and whether you need reception cards. I got a great photographer who is about $2700 for 8 hours of work, an album with 60 pictures, several pictures of various sizes, and between 450-600 proofs. You will find a photographer in all price ranges, but I think the average is between $2500 - $5000. It depends what you want. I know several months ago people listed how much their photographers cost, so a search may help. Good luck!
SeptemberBride03
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Re: money issues.....
I would suggest making a list of what you need and prioritize it. Spend more on whats important to you and less on things that you don't care as much about. I put hall (food, location. . .) photograper, food, and band at the top of mine. With good food and great music and the photos to capture it all - you're set! Lower on my list was flowers, invites, limos, favors, videographer. . . I spent approx. $4500 for photographer - JoVon and they are amazing - 1,000 proofs, 2 albums with 80 pics, engagement shoot and 50 proofs - photographer and asst and photo journalist from 9am -6pm. On invitations I spent approx $650 for 200 cutsom designed invites, reception cards, response cards, envelopes addressed, and Postage (don't forget to figure that in).
prncssrachel
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Re: money issues.....
Thanks so much! I am lucky because my parents have picked up the cost of the reception, but that helps me get an idea for what I will need to put away. It's very over-whelming to think about!
WithThisRing
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Re: money issues.....
its very overwhelming at times, but i learned to pace yourself, shop around, talk to vendores, price compare and negotiate.
FI and I went to one photographer who gave us a price list and what they were offering and then went to another photographer who was a little bit moer expensive but FI talked to him and said ok well this other place is offering us XYZ items, can you match it. and they did and went above and beyond. We wound up booking with them. We went a little over the budget on that, but it was ok because we realize we're going save with flowers because we're not going terribly crazy with flowers especially with centerpieces and pew bows. FI's mom is making the pew bows for us, and we are doing floating candles as centerpieces and there is a HUGE candle outlet in PA near his mom's home.
My suggestion, make out a budget of how much you anticipate to spend on items, and see where you can go a little less on something and where you can go high on some items. For example you said you were not going to have a videographer and with the money you would have used for video you can go a little extra with flowers, etc...
Photo and video were very important to me so we splurged on that and then we are just sticking to our budget. if we come under on something that extra money we budgeted will be applied to something else.
dont worry, you'll be fine.
Sonicstef
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Re: money issues.....
There is such a range when it comes to invitations and photos. IMO, you get what you pay for so its all about priorities. If your invitations are not that important to you, you can get away with very basic invites for less than $200 - but some invitations can run you well over $1000.
Photographer is another area where there is a huge range AND the price will depend on what you need in the prepaid price. Some people hire a very well known photographer and pay for his time and the film because they dont care about albums or enlargements...others know they want albums/enlargements/etc.. and hire a photographer that has the capabability to do all that. In general, the price of the photographer depends on style (photojournalism and artistic photographer are more expensive than traditional), skill, reputation, film used (B&W costs more than color), # of photographers, # of photos, hours of work. Ive seen some photographer charge as little as $1500 for a basic pacakge, some charge as much $10K just for a few hours and film.
NovemberSue
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Re: money issues.....
Invitations will probably run between $200 and up. Photographers are probably around $2,000. We paid almost $3000.00 Are you sure you don't want a video? It captures everything and its really a beautiful memory of the wedding day.
prncssrachel
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Re: money issues.....
The main reason we do not want a video is because we have not seen ANY that we like. FH is a film maker and he is having a hard time dealing with the unskilled videographers we've seen. He has another film maker he knows recording the ceremony, free of charge, and that is all we really wanted anyway. My mother suggested cutting the guest list yesterday by 25 people, and so after we did that, it ended up giving us a little bank of $4,000 to use for photography! I always wanted a big wedding, but honestly, we much rather have a wedding of 125 people and not skimp on the price of pictures. I am also lucky because I am a musician, and friends have offered to do the music for our ceremony. It's just hard to plan because FH decided to go back to school to get his masters in teaching (film making isn't so lucrative these days!), and we are trying to save on my income only. I think I am just panicking a little. Whew....sorry, that was all a mouth full.
Rob-luvs-me
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Re: money issues.....
Who did you check out for video? Did you look at wild rose?
prncssrachel
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Re: money issues.....
We looked at T&T Video Productions, A.D.A. Sudios(for video and pictures), and then we took a look at another at the recommendation of FH's cousin who just got married, but I don't remember who. I will check out Wild Rose though. I am not opposed to having a videographer as long as we find someone who will work with what we want, which no montage type things at the beginning, no cheesey interviews, and what not. Every wedding I've been to, the videographer has been so intrusive, but I have an open mind.
Rob-luvs-me
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prncssrachel - You have FM
littlecat
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Re: money issues.....
I didn't think we would be able to afford a video until I found my photograper. I am going to Duet Wedding Studio in Huntington Station. Their website is www.duetwedding.com. You can get 2 photographers and a amazing videographer not to mention all proofs, parent albums, thank you cards, etc for under $3,000. And there albums are quality, not the slip-ins. I told one person from this website to go there and she booked them on the spot. The videographer used to be a commercial TV director in Korea - his video will knock your socks off. Not to mention the photographs are amazing. I am getting the package one level higher for about $3500 but that includes a casual day of shooting at any location we want with two photographers and a videographer. Definately check them out before you book with anyone. Let me know if you want to know anything else about them.
Good luck!
avesur
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Re: money issues.....
If you want good pictures, go for truly proffesional people, that you like. The costs is about $2500 to $5000 depending on what you want, how many pictures, albumes etc. I am not having video either, so it was very important to me to have a good photographer.
Lisa Rose
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Re: money issues.....
take it from me....dont skimp on your photographer!! Its very important. If you dont have the money for a video, thats not a big deal but definatly spend the $$ on a photographer!!
