Weddings are, quite frankly, a racket. EVERYTHING costs more than normal when it's for a wedding. I think we need to start forcing a change here. Let this be part of the revolution. No more price gouging for what should be a happy, spiritual, day celebrating love and commitment with family and friends. If brides stopped paying through the nose for things, maybe they'd stop ratcheting up the prices so high? Let's all stop buying into the hype!
My reply to this comment. At first I wanted to deny this comment being published, particularly when I saw that is was a blatant advert for a web site advertising services to couples planning to get married, particularly their Maid of Honor.
On reflection my thoughts about the cost of weddings are; This is the most important day in the couples lives, and these day's they choose to celebrate their marriage in a manor befitting the importance of the occasion. They choose the venue for the wedding and/or their reception Many couples choose to have their reception in a grand setting and to invite their friends and family to the celebration of their marriage. Ultimately their wedding is their affair. Many of the services employed have undergone special training to professionally carry out their task. Speaking as a photographer; I have undergone training so that regardless of weather or other conditions I'm able to capture the couples special day to the highest standards – in the video on my BLOG are some group pictures taken indoors because the weather was appalling outside! What amateur would be prepared with a set of studio lights for just such an occurrence!! As a member of a professional organisation (British Institute of Professional Photography) I am required to have Public Liability and Professional Indemnity insurance. Something that the amateurs wont bother having. Finally long after the day is over it will be their pictures that will bring back happy memories of that wonderful day.
So my view is that at first sight many of the services that support a wedding can appear to be expensive. BUT for a smooth running of such an important day it is advisable to employ the best you can afford.
As a professional photographer I would put as much effort into producing a fantastic set of pictures for my client if their reception was in the Basford Miners Welfare or Belvoir Castle. I don't see many week-end shooters being able to be so creative.
In the end if you want a great day you need to plan for it. Consider the cost of organising a business conference for 100 delegates and you'll soon find out how much it costs to employ professional services.
"In a free Market economy supply and demand largely dictates Market price. So as long as there's the demand the goods will be supplied at the price the Market will sustain. The moment costs become higher than income the industry experts will give up and do something else leaving the Market to utilise 'cowboys' and amateurs and industry newcomers as these are the only people who will be able to sustain a business model where quality is secondary to price.
Compare it to coffee - I could make a coffee in my kitchen for pennies but I still choose to go out for a Starbucks and pay their higher price. I enjoy the experience and therefore 'demand' the 'supply' of expensive coffee and I'm prepared to pay Market price. When I and many other people decide to no longer do that then demand will eventually drop resulting in a subsequent drop in price, special offers being made and changes to what is supplied.
First of all I would like to say what an excellent presentation of photos that was! I enjoyed watching that and I think you have picked some good music to go with it!
My thoughts on wedding photography are that you get what you pay for. If you want to pay someone £100 to take your wedding photos dont complain when they are not as good as your friend who has paid there photographer £1500 and got stunning results. Good wedding photographers undertake lots of training and practice to become good, as has been said they are ready and capable to deliver great photos whatever the weather/lighting conditions and it costs money for training and kit! I think some people need to get real when they are talking about wedding photography being a racket!
Weddings are, quite frankly, a racket. EVERYTHING costs more than normal when it's for a wedding. I think we need to start forcing a change here. Let this be part of the revolution. No more price gouging for what should be a happy, spiritual, day celebrating love and commitment with family and friends. If brides stopped paying through the nose for things, maybe they'd stop ratcheting up the prices so high? Let's all stop buying into the hype!
ReplyDeleteMy reply to this comment.
ReplyDeleteAt first I wanted to deny this comment being published, particularly when I saw that is was a blatant advert for a web site advertising services to couples planning to get married, particularly their Maid of Honor.
On reflection my thoughts about the cost of weddings are;
This is the most important day in the couples lives, and these day's they choose to celebrate their marriage in a manor befitting the importance of the occasion.
They choose the venue for the wedding and/or their reception
Many couples choose to have their reception in a grand setting and to invite their friends and family to the celebration of their marriage.
Ultimately their wedding is their affair. Many of the services employed have undergone special training to professionally carry out their task.
Speaking as a photographer; I have undergone training so that regardless of weather or other conditions I'm able to capture the couples special day to the highest standards – in the video on my BLOG are some group pictures taken indoors because the weather was appalling outside! What amateur would be prepared with a set of studio lights for just such an occurrence!!
As a member of a professional organisation (British Institute of Professional Photography) I am required to have Public Liability and Professional Indemnity insurance. Something that the amateurs wont bother having.
Finally long after the day is over it will be their pictures that will bring back happy memories of that wonderful day.
So my view is that at first sight many of the services that support a wedding can appear to be expensive. BUT for a smooth running of such an important day it is advisable to employ the best you can afford.
As a professional photographer I would put as much effort into producing a fantastic set of pictures for my client if their reception was in the Basford Miners Welfare or Belvoir Castle. I don't see many week-end shooters being able to be so creative.
In the end if you want a great day you need to plan for it. Consider the cost of organising a business conference for 100 delegates and you'll soon find out how much it costs to employ professional services.
Zoe Richards wrote
ReplyDelete"In a free Market economy supply and demand largely dictates Market price. So as long as there's the demand the goods will be supplied at the price the Market will sustain. The moment costs become higher than income the industry experts will give up and do something else leaving the Market to utilise 'cowboys' and amateurs and industry newcomers as these are the only people who will be able to sustain a business model where quality is secondary to price.
Compare it to coffee - I could make a coffee in my kitchen for pennies but I still choose to go out for a Starbucks and pay their higher price. I enjoy the experience and therefore 'demand' the 'supply' of expensive coffee and I'm prepared to pay Market price. When I and many other people decide to no longer do that then demand will eventually drop resulting in a subsequent drop in price, special offers being made and changes to what is supplied.
It's basic economics.
Zoe"
First of all I would like to say what an excellent presentation of photos that was! I enjoyed watching that and I think you have picked some good music to go with it!
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts on wedding photography are that you get what you pay for. If you want to pay someone £100 to take your wedding photos dont complain when they are not as good as your friend who has paid there photographer £1500 and got stunning results. Good wedding photographers undertake lots of training and practice to become good, as has been said they are ready and capable to deliver great photos whatever the weather/lighting conditions and it costs money for training and kit! I think some people need to get real when they are talking about wedding photography being a racket!