I'm going to be tied up tomorrow (Monday) so I thought I'd write in my blog today instead.
After reading about a couple of the destination weddings that I will be doing this year in Tennessee and in North Carolina, I was asked recently if it was expensive for someone out of state to hire me for their wedding compared to someone who lived in the Chicago area. After a little thought on the subject, I'd have to say it's a lot less expensive than you might think. Here's what it might cost extra:
First, there's the cost of round-trip air transportation from Chicago O'Hare airport to the final destination. That can vary, but I do not require anything but a non-stop flight with standard coach seating unless it's a flight over 5 hours in length in which case business class seating is required.
Second, there's the cost of a hotel room for two nights (typically Friday night and Saturday night if it's a Saturday wedding.) I require something decent but not extravagant.
Third, there's the cost of a rental car and gas money from Friday to Sunday.
And finally, there's the cost of meals and any incidentals required (such as cab fees from my home to the airport and then from the airport back to my home.)
How much does that add up to? Not as much as you might think. I'd estimate anywhere from $700 to $1000 on average and most of that is probably the cost of the airfare.
I do not request extra fees for coming in early on Friday or leaving on Sunday. Some photographers require this time to be paid as well as their photography fees because traveling ties them up for the entire weekend. I don't really mind and I do not charge extra for this.
I do however, require that my normal wedding photography fees be paid as with any other wedding and I do require an album to be part of the final package. Afterall, if you are going to book me for your wedding and pay extra for the travel expenses, I just can't see ordering a photography package without a nice album to showcase your wedding in anything except a custom wedding album!
So really, if you consider that for just the fees described above plus my normal photography fees, you can book me to photograph your wedding virtually anywhere in the world! But as for my actual photography fees, I don't charge any more than I would charge someone who lived in the Chicago area.
I look forward to destination weddings! It's an adventure for me and for the client as well. :)
After reading about a couple of the destination weddings that I will be doing this year in Tennessee and in North Carolina, I was asked recently if it was expensive for someone out of state to hire me for their wedding compared to someone who lived in the Chicago area. After a little thought on the subject, I'd have to say it's a lot less expensive than you might think. Here's what it might cost extra:
First, there's the cost of round-trip air transportation from Chicago O'Hare airport to the final destination. That can vary, but I do not require anything but a non-stop flight with standard coach seating unless it's a flight over 5 hours in length in which case business class seating is required.
Second, there's the cost of a hotel room for two nights (typically Friday night and Saturday night if it's a Saturday wedding.) I require something decent but not extravagant.
Third, there's the cost of a rental car and gas money from Friday to Sunday.
And finally, there's the cost of meals and any incidentals required (such as cab fees from my home to the airport and then from the airport back to my home.)
How much does that add up to? Not as much as you might think. I'd estimate anywhere from $700 to $1000 on average and most of that is probably the cost of the airfare.
I do not request extra fees for coming in early on Friday or leaving on Sunday. Some photographers require this time to be paid as well as their photography fees because traveling ties them up for the entire weekend. I don't really mind and I do not charge extra for this.
I do however, require that my normal wedding photography fees be paid as with any other wedding and I do require an album to be part of the final package. Afterall, if you are going to book me for your wedding and pay extra for the travel expenses, I just can't see ordering a photography package without a nice album to showcase your wedding in anything except a custom wedding album!
So really, if you consider that for just the fees described above plus my normal photography fees, you can book me to photograph your wedding virtually anywhere in the world! But as for my actual photography fees, I don't charge any more than I would charge someone who lived in the Chicago area.
I look forward to destination weddings! It's an adventure for me and for the client as well. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment