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Question: “What did you charge for your first wedding and what was included in the package?”
Christina: first wedding i ever shot i did for free i was scared to death something was gonna go wrong. Lol
Tara: i 2nd shot first with other photographers and first wedding i shot i did an engagement session with it and they paid me $1500 cash
Jenna: I did my first wedding for free for a friend. The second wedding – for $300 and it included a disc of all the images, about 800 of them. And I had no contract. #BadIdea
Michele: My first wedding I did for free because it was for a really good friend and they couldn’t afford much.
Megan: I did my first for free but she have me $600 dollars and tried to tip me lol
A Vineyard Image: my very first wedding I booked was for $350 as a second shooter, hasn’t happened yet which will be for the whole day, about 2-10, cd of all usable images. They are getting married in November, but the first wedding I DID was for $350. Which was in the city, about 2 hrs round trip, needed to pay bridge toll, and parking, and was for about 2 hours, ceremony and formals and I charged $350. They also got a cd of all the edited images.
Corbi: I havent done a wedding yet, IM so terrified
Kelsey: First one was $350 included disc of images and a few prints.
Kayleigh: $450 with a disc of 150 edited photos and 50 proofs of my favorites 🙂
Jenn: first one I booked (was my first booking but ended up not being my first wedding due to the date it hit) – was $1,000. I split it with my second shooter since he got me it. Included about 850 images, high res on cd, second shooter, engagement session. That client today is a really good client and friend.
Laura: First 3 was free 4th was $500 with disc with all edited images and now I’m charging appropriately seeing I’m confident enough I’ve had “enough” experience to charge and know how much work and time actually goes into it all 🙂
Amanda: My first wedding was $500 for 9 hours and disc of images (around 500).
Kit Meyers Photography: first one i ever did was £150, 8 hours and all images on a disc with an engagement shoot included. I had to travel 150 miles to it aswell! all experience!!
Heather: did a friends little sisters wedding for free. She wasn’t going to have a photographer and I was in my first year of the photography program. Hadn’t even picked up a dslr before I started the program and I was scared to death that I was going to screw it up. It turned out great. I still use some of the pictures from that wedding in my portfolio.
Amber: My first was for my sisters new sister in law. I charged $150 for 5 hours of coverage and a cd of about 600 images
Angie: $800 split evenly with a second shooter, 12 hour day, all images on disc
Heather: My first wedding was free. 2nd was free but as a second shooter. Third was a gift to my friends for their wedding. And the 4th and 5th I charged $75/hour (one for 6 hours and one for 9) that comes with a CD and prints at cost since they are friends. I’m in the process now of building packages.
Diana: I have photographed a few weddings. They have all been for free because the weddings are for friends and family. How do I go about asking for payment? They are family and friends and never offer to pay, or they are broke. I never bring up payment. They know I’m saving them a ton of money, and they are grateful. I pretty much give them the photos as their wedding gift. I love taking the photos and being a part of the special day, so I think that’s why I have been doing it free of charge.
Vasthy: my first wedding i charged $300 for 6 hours and almost 300 photos fully edited in a CD plus a video slideshow and i gave them 3 extra Cd’s for family, i would’ve got more photos but it started raining 🙁
Felicity: First wedding booking: quoted 250 and 20 images on disc as she asked me how much would you charge per hour (not saying wedding) and booked me for one hour – on the day i found out it was a wedding so only shot for about 10 minutes before ceremony, 30 min ceremony & about 20 mins photos afterwards – I ended up giving her about 60 shots I think. My first ACTUAL wedding booking was $1250 – after costing it out properly as i would have done portraits and being confident charging what I was worth.. It was 4 hours or so and edited images printed and on disc, with discounted album options
Ami: My first wedding was $800. I shot the full day, gave paper proofs and prints at cost because it was a friend.
Natalie: $500 and it was about 6 hours and probably 750 photos all on a thumb drive, with about 250 edited photos.
Mandy: 100 bucks with a point and shoot camera. I didn’t want to do it at all. I kept tellin them hire someone who knows what they are doing! But I started everything off. I owe that couple a lot for pushing me in a direction I was scared of!
Postfilm: I second shot for YEARS before going out on my own- I was way too scared otherwise. I worked with one main photographer and she taught me a lot. My first wedding I charged $2000 and included fully edited disc, engagement + “brag book” and lots and lots of consultations. From there I raised my prices!
Andrea: $650 all day wedding, about 10-11 hours
All images edited and retouched on 3 DVD’s, for the bride, the groom’s parents and bride’s parents
Angie: Free.. and that included helping her steam the dress, buying flowers & ribbon and making her bouquet, driving her to the location to meet the groom, and taking all pics including diving right in after her into the ocean when she did an impromptu trash the dress move following the ceremony! To be fair, my couple had no family or friends there, so I ended up filling those roles. Totally worth it.. still some of my favorite pics!
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