Even the most extravagant weddings usually have a budget. Someone draws the line somewhere, which means you take the costs of the venue, the caterer, the dress, the photographer, and more into consideration when you’re planning this special event.
However, the cost of something is not the most important consideration, no matter the budget you’ve set for your wedding.
So what is?
Value.
A $50 wedding cake made from a Betty Crocker box and a jar of frosting isn’t a good value. It’s a waste of money. However, a $50 cake made from hand-ground almond flour and frosted by leprechauns and topped with edible gold is an incredible deal. Get that one.
Same amount of money. Gross difference in value.
When it comes to photographs, the value is clear.
These photos stay with you for life. They hang on your walls, they grace your albums, they’re given as gifts, and they’re passed down through generations. A single photo can connect you with descendants you may never meet and give those great-great-grandchildren a sense of their personal history.
And look at it this way: say that a stunning piece of framed wall art featuring your favorite wedding photo costs $1,000. You take it home and hang it in your family room, where it stays for the next 30 years (or more!). Every day, you look at that photo and smile. Your friends and visiting family members comment on the beautiful bride and the handsome groom. They say, “That was such a great day!” and “Remember when…?” As you get older, you think fondly of the people you were then, and on how much has changed since the day you said, “I Do.” You feel grateful for having had such a magnificent start as a couple, and for how life has gotten better and better together.
Over 30 years, all that joy, love, and reminiscing will cost you about nine cents a day. Then the photo is passed to your children, and they enjoy it for another 30 years. And on it goes.
There’s little else in life that offers that kind of value. What else can you buy today for $1,000 that will last the rest of your life and beyond? People always make the five-dollar latte comparison when talking about spending money, but heck, you can barely make coffee at home for nine cents a day. (Although, yes, you probably do enjoy that coffee as much as that photo. Coffee and wall art are both solid investments.)
It’s about value.
It’s important to consider costs in regard to your budget, but beyond that, look carefully at the value you’re getting for each item and each service. In some cases, it might make sense to spend a little less on something you care less about or that offers less value, anyway, so you can spend a little more on the photographs. One less dessert choice isn’t going to impact the experience for your guests in any measurable way, but one less piece of wall art could be something you notice for years.
Is it true that a lot of different photographers could create great photos at your wedding? Sure. The key is in finding someone whose work you like and whom you enjoy spending time with–because you’ll be spending quite a bit of time together from the consultation to the engagement photos to the wedding day and even beyond. That level of comfort leads to a more relaxed experience, which results in better photos every single time.
If you have any questions about wedding photography, give me a call. I’m happy to answer your questions so you can see if you’d like to work with me to capture your wedding in photographs.