In this article, PlanEvents.ca worked with future bride, @packednreddy, to understand how she was able to get the most value from her photographers and videographers. Through some creative research and negotiation, she is looking at saving up to $1,000, while also getting more photos and hours from her photo and video vendor. Below are some tips on what to do, and what not to do, as you work on finding your photo and video vendors for your Indian wedding.
Do Book Early
Don’t Procrastinate
Book your photographer and videographer, as one of the earliest steps in the wedding planning process. Book videographers and photographer at least 10 months before the wedding.
Don’t procrastinate on photo and video vendor selection. Procrastinating on these vendors can get expensive as they tend to get booked fairly quickly.
Do be transparent
Don’t hide information
Be reasonably transparent around your interest in the vendor, if you’re seriously interested but not 100% sure. If they’re nice, they let you mull on it until someone else reaches out.
Withhold relevant information from potential photo and/or video vendor. This breaks trust, and may prevent you from having a flexible client-vendor relationship with them
Do try out your vendors early
Don’t wait until the last minute
For example, get an engagement photo shoot. By doing this, you can figure out early on, you can work with them to figure out posing and shots you’ll prefer on the big day.
Don’t wait until your wedding day to have your first photo or video shoot. You don’t want the first time to be working with your photographer on the wedding day. If you can’t mesh then you have time to figure out an alternative shoot early
Do manage the photo/video vendor’s time
Don’t have the vendor manage scheduling
Do manage the vendor’s time package efficiently to get the most footage. Start them at the time of the ceremony and cover your outfit change in between events for the “”getting ready shots””. Consider cutting their time off at the dancing during the reception start.
I saved 4-5 hours in photo and video shoot time by doing this.
As a follow up on the last tip, don’t have the vendors set their own scheduled time.
Since you will have a holistic picture of what your wedding events will look like, you or your coordinator will be the most effective in managing photo and video-shoot schedules.
Do use photo-printing services
Don’t upgrade your photo/video package to include an album
Do use photoprinting services like Shutterfly for your photo album. You can do it for a fraction of the price. If you don’t want to sift through thousands of photos, ask someone to do it for you as a holiday or wedding gifts.
Savings can be up to $500 to $1000.
Don’t get albums. The upcharges are ridiculous. Photographers charge for the album and some charge if you want them to choose photos.
Do broaden horizon, when choosing photo/video vendors
Don’t limit options to vendors who focus on Desi weddings
Consider photo and video vendors who don’t only focus on weddings and Indian events. Also, consider photographers/videographers with smaller portfolios. Their rates will be lower when they are at the beginning stages of developing their business.
Pro tip: Newer photographers will have more robust packages for cheaper and will likely throw in freebies to incentivise you take them on
Don’t limit your selection of photographers and video people, if they seek to only specialize in weddings, engagement, and South Asian weddings. If they’re catering to South Asian weddings then they’re probably super expensive.
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