7 Things to Look for When Choosing Your Wedding Photography Package in Melbourne
So you have already met with your potential wedding photographer couple times. He/she looks like a nice person and his work looks superb, should you go ahead and book the photographer straightaway?
Hold on a second. How much do you know about your wedding photography package? Is there any nasty hidden cost involved? Do not sign the contract until you ask these 7 things about your wedding photography package.
1. Number of photography sessions offered
Whether you are discussing a customized wedding photography package or a standard one with the photographer, the number of photography sessions is a good question to start with. In fact, as engagement photography session has really become a thing for Melbourne couples, It is a good idea to discuss with your wedding photographer to see if he/she offers a engagement session in the wedding photography package.
For couples who holds traditional cultural background, like the Cambodians, they will hold a traditional ceremony in their place few days prior to their wedding. So an extra session before their wedding is also quite essential when deciding their wedding photography package.
2. The coverage length of your wedding photographer
This is frankly, the most important factor to look out in the wedding photography package. How long your wedding photographer is staying on the day directly affects how many wedding photos you will be getting. Make sure you get the number right on the contract. Avoid letting the wedding photographer uses vague terms such as half-day or full-day coverage, where he/she will leave unexpectedly after your wedding ceremony. And if you opt for a second shooter on the day, make sure you figure out his/her coverage time as well. You don’t want the second shooter sneak away in the middle of the day while you paid him the money to stay till the end.
3. Number of wedding photographers attending.
Okay, so now you have already got a better idea on your wedding photography package. The next question to ask is how many wedding photographers will be there on your wedding day. This is especially important when you are planning a grand wedding with lots of traditional rituals are involved. Tell the wedding photographer how many you will need and let him put down the number in the contract. It is also important to ask the wedding photographer whether the extra guy is defined as an assistant or wedding photographer. If you are paying for a professional, you would definitely want someone who is more professional to stay behind the camera.
4. Number and quality of the soft copies you are receiving
How many photos am I getting? Do they have your watermark on them? Do you charge me extra to receive high-res versions? This is where things got nastier. Some wedding photographers put up a wedding photography package with an unavoidable cheap price, but after your wedding, they will make you to pay extra dollars to get what you should have for free.
From car dealerships to supermarkets, the so-called hidden cost exists everywhere. So there is possibility a wedding photographer is ready to rip you off right after you sign that contract. Instead of crossing your fingers, ask those questions about your digital copies of wedding photos. And let me emphasize again, you shouldn’t be paying any extra for no matter photos your wedding photographer shot on the day, and they should be high-resolution with no watermark on them.
5. Number of prints and enlargement
Most of the wedding photographers in Melbourne will offer their couples some enlargement prints as part of their wedding photography packages. At Tree Studio, we offer enlargement sized from 14*11 inch to 36*24 inch depending on different wedding photography packages.
It is a good idea to ask the number as well as the size of the prints you will be receiving. And if you are uncomfortable with the options, you can ask the wedding photographer to customize it to fit you better.
6. Custom album: is it included?
Although it is the era where we store all our data on the cloud or in the iPhones, for you beautiful wedding photos, it’s worth to make them into a nice looking album so you can share with your closed ones. You should ask if a wedding album is included in the wedding photography package as there are some wedding photographers only offer wedding albums as an extra option.
7. Travelling and accommodation cost
Last but not least, ask your wedding photographer is there any travelling or accommodation cost involved within the wedding photography package. This is quite often to be found if you are planning wedding in a place further than the photographer expects. Normally, wedding photographers in Melbourne would charge from $1.2 – $2 per kilometre if the wedding location is more than 25 kilometres away from the CBD. And if you are planning a countryside wedding that involves more than 5 hours driving, you might need to cover the accommodation for the wedding photographer. So it is important to ask this cost with your wedding photographer, and figure out a amount that both of you are happy to put into the contract.
In conclusion, whether you have fallen with your wedding photographer, ask about the wedding photography packages he/she offers. Most wedding photographers are nice persons but look, better safe than sorry right?
If you are happy to know more about wedding photography packages, you can check out Tree’s Studio’s page here.
