Did you know that the rule of thumb is for between 12 to 18 percent of your overall wedding budget to be spent on your wedding photography? Keeping in mind that as in most cases in life you tend to get what you pay for, the importance you place on your photography should be reflected in how much you are prepared to spend.

The cost of your photography will of course vary according to where you live, and more importantly on the quality, skill and experience of your photographer. This does not mean that a less expensive photographer is necessarily always rubbish – photographers have to start somewhere, and there is a lot of great talent out there, so if you look hard you just might get lucky. However, experience is hugely important, and there are risks associated with taking in a talented photographer who has limited experience and has only covered a couple of weddings.

Regardless of how much you eventually decide to spend – whether that be more than you expected, just to get the photographer of your dreams, or if you stick to your limited budget – it’s important to remember that you are not just purchasing your wedding pictures, but also the person taking them. Take your time in your choosing, and you can ensure your photographic experience is great before, during and after your wedding day.

I realise that I am potentially biased, but the photography is one of the few places you literally INVEST your money. This isn’t something that you are purchasing for the day – you are investing in a whole lifetime of memories. It’s a cliche, but only so because it’s true: after the flowers are dead and the food is gone and your dress ends up in a box in the loft, all you have left are the images your photographer shot. As those images (and you) grow older, they become increasingly valuable.

And there’s no way back to do them again with the wisdom of hindsight.

So photography is an investment, not an expense. Why would you have a friend or relative photograph your wedding? Because it\’s cheaper, of course. Please – consider what you are doing. You are putting the least amount of money on recording the most important day of your life, AND you are placing a terrible burden and responsibility on an amateur. What are you going to do if they mess it up on the big day? Ruin a friendship? Disinherit a relative?

Invite friends and relatives just to enjoy your day, but don\’t make them cover it.

Perhaps you might consider purchasing the basic wedding photography package from a talented wedding photographer, rather than a more elaborate package from a less skilled one. By paying for the photographer\’s expertise only via the cheapest package, you can be sure you’ll get the fabulous photos of your wedding, and you can take the time to save up for the album and prints after the wedding day.

Author Bio: Courtenay Hitchcock is one of the most sought after Dorset Wedding Photographers with a contemporary, natural and unobtrusive photography style. Contact Courtenay Hitchcock for beautiful Wedding Photography in Dorset, Hampshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.

Category: Marriage
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