Wedding photographer under £500?

LookingForTheSun

Hi,
I'm having a small low scale wedding in Liverpool in August and am looking for a photographer. We've got a budget of £5000 for the whole wedding, I was hoping to get a photographer for a few hours on a Thursday afternoon/early evening, but most of the prices have been for £600+, Typically their portfolios are aimed at bigger weddings rather than our small scale wedding of 40 to 50 people.

I'd be interested to hear if there are photographers or alternatives within my price range - maybe I'm just being unrealistic.
Thanks

StokieBecks

Depends how important professional photos are to your day.

Some people on small budgets will be happy to let friends and family take informal photos of their day without needing any professional ones.

Or put an advert on Facebook or similar asking for students studying photography who may be willing to do a few hours to help build their own portfolio.

I have done a few for family friends for a fee (a few hundred). Did my dad's for free. Not a subject I enjoy photographing really and you aren't just paying for their time on the day, it is all the work afterwards to help you put together an album etc.

Do lots of research, speak to the photographer's you have found they may have packages suitable for a smaller wedding etc within your budget, have an idea of what you want and ask to see examples.

If it is a small wedding and you don't need professional looking photos to complete your day then think about having all your guests pool their photos of the day onto an online hosting site of some kind and then you can choose your favourites to print and make your own album

StokieBecks

Failing that typing cheap wedding photography in Liverpool into your search engine throws up options that have packages under your budget

Haylescom

I'm not in your area but our photographer is someone who works another job in media and photography as a sideline. We know her work is good but it does mean she's been a little cheaper (we're near London so still fairly pricey).

Are there any local colleges who maybe have students? Or apprentice photographers that will be cheaper? It's a toughy, we didn't want to scrimp too much on such an important part, but some of our quotes for a basic package and limited number of photos were over a grand!

comeandgo

I would advise to ask to view some previous work, a relative got a cheap, part time photographer, awful photos.

maisie_cat

The costs to the photographer are not much less for a smaller wedding, getting to and from the venue is the same, there is unlikely to be another option for the rest of the day and the only cost saving will be editing time if there are fewer images. You could go down the disposable cameras route and hope that there are enough reportage style shots to make and nice album, or rope in a relative with a decent camera before they get drunk!

marvin

I went the Student route got two one charged £100 the other did it for nothing preferring to get some experience (with the other more experienced Student and from me as a former pro sport photographer) the latter has turned into a really good wedding photographer no idea what happened to the other one.

Over 5 years ago now (still married) our wedding was simply to satisfy the home office really as neither really needed to be married to be committed to a relationship.

http://www.ourweddingphotoalbum.co.uk/

The free student

http://byrebeccaphotography.com/#home-4

Ask to see samples of their work talk to them meet them make sure they are confident enough.

PrettyKittyKat

You will be able to get a photographer for this cost, the reliability and quality of the work will need thorough checking before you book them. Some people may be starting out and need work for their portfolio, or be a student. It doesn't mean you can't get good quality at that price but you will likely need to search abit harder for it. Make sure you ask to see a full gallery of a wedding they have shot so you can see exactly what you will be getting. I am on wedding groups on facebook and there are lots of photographers advertising packages for around £500 or under so it can be done, maybe try joining them and asking.

Kirstie_tnl

i was researching on this for ours too, many photographers quotes are easily over a grand, crazy?! then i came through a service called Perfocal, wanting some feedback on them now... their gallery looks good and the price is almost too good, anyone can help pls?

Kirstie_tnl

oh btw, i'm afraid they only cover London now... not sure if they will do other cities, worth checking it out!!

Kirstie_tnl

haylescom wrote: »

but some of our quotes for a basic package and limited number of photos were over a grand!

exactly!!!!!