We’ve said so many times that wedding photos are extremely important and that you shouldn’t cut your expenses on wedding photography. But what if you simply can’t afford a pro wedding photographer? In this case, a good way out is to use some tricks that will help you save some money. If you can afford to have a full package, good for you! If not, here are a couple of tips on what you can do to still get some professional wedding photos.
Tip #1
Cut the hours
Usually, a wedding photographer works a wedding for about 6-10 hours. This amount of time allows the artist to capture all of the significant moments of the day. But if you’re having a budget wedding and a full package is too expensive for your couple, you can cut the hours to, say, 4. Yes, a lot of details of your wedding day will be lost, but at least you’ll have professional wedding photos of your couple together, snaps from the wedding ceremony, and, for example, some good family photos. It’s much better than not having any pro wedding pictures at all.
If you can afford a normal 8-hour work of a pro wedding photographer, don’t use this advice. It’s more of a last-chance option for those whose wedding budget is tight.
Tip #2
Hire only 1 wedding photographer
It’s typical to hire 2 shooters to work a wedding. They can capture more important moments and, if something happens to the photo equipment, there always is a second photographer with his camera. Two shooters can ensure you’ll have your wedding pics no matter what. But those couples whose wedding budget is small can hire only one photographer. Again, some of the significant moments of your wedding will probably be lost, because one person can’t be everywhere, but the photos you’ll get will be professional and of high quality, instead of amateur snaps made by your friends and family.
If you decide to use this tip, make sure to talk the situation through with the wedding photographer you’re about to hire. Ask if he or she is willing to work on your conditions. Because this will be hard for them – more work, more responsibility, etc.
Tip #3
Hire a photography student
This is a rather popular way of saving money on a wedding photographer. But you have to understand that a student is not yet a pro, so manage your expectations a bit. And don’t go for a too young person – he or she needs to have some skill, experience, and – ideally – talent to work a wedding. This is not just a regular photo shoot but a serious event. Another piece of advice for you is to look through all of the available works of this particular student to see if this person is at least somewhat skilled and in your style. Students are a lot more affordable but you can’t ask of them as much as of a pro who works weddings every week.
Tip #4
Look for discounts and coupons
Many wedding photography companies and private wedding photographers offer discounts and coupons from time to time. You just have to find such an offer in time. Also, you can ask for a discount yourself. Tell a vendor your situation with a tight wedding budget and ask if they can offer you something on your terms. Maybe they have a budget package you can afford or have a fresh wedding photographer they want to test before involving him/her full time. There are different situations and it never hurts to ask. In the worst case, they just say no.
Tip #5
Use your guests
Yes, these are not professional photos exactly, but the more wedding pictures you have, the more good shots can be found among them. So, if you can’t afford a pro wedding photographer, you can ask your guests to make shots and selfies with their phones or cameras. You can also put a disposable camera at each table for the wedding reception and encourage people to use them whenever they like. It can be a fun experience for your wedding guests and a useful trick on how to get free wedding photos. Although, of course, such pictures won’t be as high-quality as professional ones.
A nice idea is to set up a little competition between the guests – who makes the best wedding photo or the most romantic snap or something like that. This will encourage those people who like to take photos and make their time at your wedding a bit more competitive and interesting. Offer a nice prize (a bottle of some beverage, a gift card, a DIY something you can make, etc), and people will be happy to participate.
