Happy Monday Budget Brides! Yes, I am still in Cancun relaxing from all of the stress back in New York. I have asked Ashley of Bride on Budget to be a Guest Blogger on The BBH while I am on vacation. Enjoy & Thanks Ashley!
Budgets are the evil of weddings. The average wedding costs $20,000, but not all couples can afford that. My fiance and I are both full-time students and are paying for our entire wedding ourselves. Therefore, we have a very small budget of $5,000.
Photography is a very important element to me in our wedding because it will be the only thing we have to look back on after the day is over. We're going to spend all that money to get our family and friends together and I want it captured on film. I really wanted a photographer for an entire day, but that is really hard to find for under $1000.
I started looking at photographers in my town and they were all overly priced. The only thing you could get for under $1000 was a few hours of photography. I decided then it was time to look in neighboring cities (no more than 2 hours away) and see if there was a cheaper photographer in those areas. I found one photographer in Jacksonville, FL (2 hours away from my wedding) who shoots for an entire day for $1000 and does not charge travel fees anywhere in the Southeast. I was ecstatic. It gets even better though. My fiance is in the National Guard. Our photographer offers a 25% military discount! So, we're getting a full day of photography and nice album for only $750!
If photography is an important element to you, try some of these tips to help get one for cheaper:
1. Don't just stick to photographers in your town. A lot of photographers will travel and will charge no or very little fee to do so.
2. Ask about discounts. Businesses often offer discounts to military, students, AAA, elderly, etc. They are normally 5-10%, but sometimes they range as far up as 25%!
3. Determine how many hours you really need the photographer. Do you have to have pictures of the entire ceremony and reception? If not, only have your photographer shoot the important moments and rely on your friends to take the candid shots.
4. Don't give up! You will find someone who works for you.
I used these tips to find the perfect photographer for me and I can't wait to see the pictures she shoots on my wedding day. I was very lucky and you can be to.
- Ashley, Bride on Budget
