Why is Wedding Photography So Expensive?!

A question many people ask (or at least think!) is: "Why is wedding photography so expensive?!" And I get it, really! Before I was a photographer, I wondered the same thing! I understand that most brides are on a tight budget, as I was, and they're looking to cut costs wherever they can. So this blog is my attempt to try and explain why wedding photography tends to be expensive and why I think it's SO worth the expense!

1. There are Many Expenses Involved in Running a Business
Before owning my own business, I had no idea how many expenses are involved in running a business. I have so much more respect for small businesses now that I understand how many things they are balancing! Here are a few of the expenses I have:

Expenses Associated with One Wedding:
-Second Shooter
-Gas
-Meals for client meetings/travel
-Wooden USB, prints, and wedding package materials and postage
-Taxes
-Client gifts

Other Business Expenses:
-Equipment (thousands spent every year...I have $10,000+ worth of equipment that is always growing!)
-Equipment insurance (average $500/year)
-Equipment maintenance
-Website
-Computer & external hard drives
-Editing software
-Marketing
-Education and workshops
-Home office
-Cell phone
-Health insurance
-Retirement
...and the list goes on!

2. Taxes
Believe it or not, the IRS typically takes 30%+ of our income! In normal jobs, your employer pays half of the tax and you pay the other half. But when you're self employed, you pay all of the tax! So that typically amounts to at least 30%.

3. Time is Money
Many people think, "Man! Photographers are making bank! I mean they charge $2500* and they only work 8 hours!" In order to clear up that misconception (which you already know isn't totally true because of the taxes and business expenses that are already taken out of that $2500), let me break down the time I typically spend one wedding for you:
*Please note: I chose $2500 as an average amount that low-mid range photographers may charge. These numbers do not necessarily reflect what I charge.

• Initial client emailing, phone calls, and/or coffee/lunch/dinner meeting, preparing the contract and invoice: estimated 4 hours
• Engagement session: estimated 3 hours (usually 1.5 with the couple, .5 to arrive early and check out the location, 1 for driving)
• Total post-processing time to upload the session, back it up, cull, edit, export, upload to the online gallery, and blog: 6 hours
• Continued client communication throughout time leading up to wedding: estimated 2 hours
• Social media posting between the engagement session and wedding: estimated 1 hour
• Build final timeline for wedding day: estimated 1 hour
• Assorted administrative stuff (e.g. send out final invoice, contact other vendors, etc.): estimated 2 hours
• Wedding day: estimated 12 hours (8-9 official, 1 to be there early, and 2, on average, for driving)
• Total post-processing time for wedding to import, cull, edit, export images, load them to online gallery and organize in gallery: estimated 30 hours
• Blog wedding: estimated 2 hours
• Submit wedding for publication: estimated 2 hours
• Social media following the wedding: estimated 1 hour
• Send images to wedding vendors: estimated 1 hour
• Continued client communication following the wedding: estimated 1 hour

TOTAL ESTIMATED HOURS: 68 hours

That's right, a photographer most likely spends an average of 68 hours on every wedding! That's a week and a half of full time work! Time is one of most valuable assets. Time is time spent away from our family and friends and time is something we can never get back. Time is valuable!

So, let's take that $2500 average profit made from one wedding that I mentioned above. Let's say after expenses and taxes a photographer theoretically take home $1250. That means that after a photographer's 68 hours of work, they're making $18/hour (VERY different than the $300+/hour price tag some people may assume photographers make). 

4. If They Book Your Wedding, They Probably Can't Book Another Wedding

Another thing to keep in mind is that if a photographer books your wedding and something happens or you have to cancel for some reason, it's highly likely they will not be able to book another wedding because most couples book their wedding photographer 6 months-2 years out. That is why almost all photographers require a non-refundable deposit (usually 50%) to book their services. your wedding is cancelled, that 50% will offset some of the costs they'll still be loosing.

Why I think wedding photography is worth the expensive for a talented, professional, and personable photographer:

1. Tangible Memories are Extremely Important

In my opinion, your wedding photography is one of the most important aspects of your day because it is one of the few (or may the only) tangible reminders you'll have of your day once it's over. Your wedding pictures are something you'll look back on and cherish for years and years to come. I think that makes them incredible valuable and important and so they should be an aspect of your day that you invest in and prioritize. 

2. You Get What You Pay For

Often, I think that people can assume that all photographers are created equal and so they should just book whoever is cheapest. However, like most things in life, you typically get what you pay for with photography! In my opinion, it is important to not only preserve your most cherished memories, but also to have someone who can capture them in a beautiful, artistic way. When a photographer charges more, it is likely because they are in demand, they have experience, and they have better equipment. Most photographers, at least in the early years of their businesses, raise their prices a little after every few weddings they book (or maybe after each year). That is because their experience, equipment, and talent continue to grow.

Many people think that if a photographer has expensive equipment, it makes them a great photographer, While equipment is very important, that is only part of what makes someone a talented photographer! Being able to find light and composition, pose subjects, and work with people in order to make them comfortable so they can capture natural, candid expressions are a HUGE part of the quality of photographs. Really equipment is only half of what's involved in getting a beautiful photograph and light, composition, and posing are just as (if not more) important.

3. Your Photographer Impacts Your Wedding Experience

In addition to paying for beautiful pictures, you also want to pay for an amazing experience! From the very beginning you want to have a relationship with a photographer who is professional, hard working, and enjoyable to be around! Having your pictures taken can be awkward and so it's important to have a wedding photographer who you communicate well with and who makes you comfortable. You'll probably be with your wedding photographer more than almost any other vendor (or even any other person for that matter!) on your wedding day and so it's important to be with someone who you enjoy being around! In addition, it's also important that your photographer is able to work with your friends and family, handle stress and pressure, and respond calmly in difficult or unexpected moments (because there's likely to be a few unexpected moments during every wedding!). For me, it was so important to have a photographer who I enjoyed being around and who I felt would be professional and capable to capture my wedding day.

I hope this post has better helped you understand all of the financial aspects that are involved in running a wedding photography business and why wedding photographers are worth the investment! As always, I would love to hear your feedback so please leave comments and questions below!

Friday Feature: Kristi Lynn with Makeup By Kristi Lynn

Please introduce yourself and your business.

Photo by Amber Marie Photography

Hello! I am Kristi Martinson, owner and lead artist of Makeup By Kristi Lynn soon to be co-owner of WINK Hair and Makeup Team with Krystal Lehman! We are a team of professionally trained hair and makeup artists that specialize in wedding and event hair and makeup. 

Why did you start your creative small business?

Makeup By Kristi Lynn started in 2009 because I had such a passion for making women look and feel confident and beautiful, but also for the artistry and creativity of makeup. I am an artist and I love that every canvas isn’t the same. Every face, every set of eyes, every mouth has a different shape and color. I love constantly learning how to enhance natural beauty and teaching what I know to clients and other artists.

What does an average day look like for you? What things/responsibilities are you juggling?

7-7:30a- Wakeup, check emails, see if there are any anniversaries for past clients.

7:30-7:45a- Try to roll out of bed (I am NOT a morning person!)

7:45a-12p- Play dates, errands, & dance parties

12-2p- NAP TIME!! Catch up on emails & phone calls, map out trials, schedule artists with weddings, double check wedding and photo shoot dates with artist schedules

2p-7:30p- nature walks, play dates, art projects (I love painting with my daughter), more errands or house work.

7:30p-11:30- Check emails, schedule appointments, work on rebranding, research new trends and techniques, put together invoices and wedding timelines, triple and quadruple check wedding and photo shoot dates with artist schedules, various administrative work.

11:30p- Try to go to sleep...but I usually end up sending out more emails or watching makeup videos.

What has been a struggle for you as a creative small business owner?

When my daughter was born in 2014, I was able to quit cosmetic retail and focus on raising my daughter and re- launching my business. It was terrifying leaving a steady job with benefits without knowing for certain if I was going to make it. Everyday in the beginning was a struggle. Last year I had to reintroduce myself to the wedding world because I had taken myself out of it for 3 years. The first 3 months of 2015 I didn’t get any inquires, I had nothing booked for the upcoming year and I almost gave up. But one day, I got an inquiry for a wedding. Then one day I got booked. By the end of the year I had done over 40 weddings, 2 album covers, several commercial, boudoir, and head shot shoots all by myself. I still cannot believe how blessed I have been.

Everyday is still a struggle, but it’s a new kind of struggle. Last year my struggle was keeping afloat. This year my struggle is learning to be organized not just for myself, but my team and

finding that balance of working and being a wife and mother. I love the struggles that this year has brought me.

Photo by Cheyenne Kidd Photography

What has been a joy for you as a creative small business owner?

I have had so many joys as a business owner; it’s hard to narrow them down. One of the best feelings professionally is seeing my work make a woman blossom and come alive when she looks at herself in the mirror. So many women sit in my chair and immediately begin telling me what they believe is wrong with them. My goal is to make those insecurities disappear and show her the beauty everyone else already sees.

Also, seeing my work featured on wedding blogs and in magazines always gives me butterflies. That is definitely a joy that puts a huge smile on my face and bounce in my step.

What productivity tips do you have for my readers?

I recently discovered 17 Hats and I have quickly become obsessed. It has definitely helped organize my life. Other than that, create a schedule for yourself and keep to it.

What resources or tools have helped you in your business?

Other people that know the business and have been doing what I want to do for years have been a huge help. I am amazed that so many people have been open with sharing their knowledge and experience with me. I have learned more about marketing and building my business from a handful of fellow wedding vendors than I would have anywhere else. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate everyone that has helped me along the way.

What tips do you have for readers who have (or want to start) a creative small business?

Introduce yourself to everyone, give everyone a business card, and get one in return. Utilize your fellow creatives. They hold so much knowledge and are happy to share what they have learned from past mistakes and victories to you. You just have to reach out.

Photo by Six Foot Photography

Is there anything else you’d like to share with my readers?

My only other pearl of wisdom I have for anyone looking to start their own small business is to surround yourself with people you trust and get along with well. I love the women I work beside and I chose my team based on how talented they are, how willing they are to learn and take criticism, and if I liked them as a person. As a result, I love what I get to do and whom I get to do it with. Their successes are my successes and visa versa.

We’ll end on a light note: What is your favorite clothing store?

It’s so difficult for me to shop in an actual store with an almost 2 year old that has no idea what it’s like to sit still. Since having my daughter, I have become an online shopping addict. I could spend hours looking through Revolve Clothing. And Nordstrom. I could do some serious damage in Nordstrom. 

10 Ways to Save Big on Your Wedding

I totally understand what it's like to be a bride who wants a beautiful wedding that is also affordable! When planning my own wedding, I received some great advice. I was told to pick 2-3 things that I want to prioritize and to spend money in those areas, and to try to cut costs as much as possible in all of the other areas. So I picked my most important priorities: Photographer, catering, and venue. Then I made a budget with those three thing being the priority and then limiting my costs elsewhere. It's really important that you make and budget and that you stick to it! 

1. Order local, in season flowers

You can save a lot of money by ordering flowers that are in season. Look for a farm or a florist who buys seasonal flowers from local famers. For my wedding, I purchased flowers from a farm and my original plan was to arrange them all myself. That got a little too overwhelming and so I ended up paying a little more to have the farm owner put them together for me. If you plan to order local, in season flowers, it is important that you remain somewhat flexible with your colors and types of flowers. Local farms only have so many flowers available and they may not have the exact colors you imagined. However, I always prefer the natural, somewhat wildflower look anyway! Two great options for people in the Raleigh-Durham area are Spring Forth Farm and Pine State Flowers.

2. Rent furniture and decorations

Instead of buying 200 candle holders or multiples of decorations you'll probably never use again, why not rent them? I recommend searching for a vintage rental company. A great option for Raleigh-Durham area weddings is Plume Events!

3. DIY decorations

There are so many great decorations that you can make yourself! I made almost all the decorations for my wedding and I kept things really basic. Pinterest has a lot of great ideas for DIY wedding decorations! You can also find great ideas on Something Turquoise. 

4. Serve a Smaller Cake

Wedding cakes can get really expensive! One way to save a lot of money on your cake is to display a smaller cake and then to have sheet cake in the kitchen that your caterer can cut up and serve to guests. That way, you still have a pretty cake display and your guests will probably never know that the cake they're eating isn't actually part of that display!

5. Buy a sample or secondhand dress

There are a lot of great wedding dress consignments stores out there these days! You can also find many wedding dress options on sites like Tradsey and Preowned Wedding Dresses. Also, you can ask bridal boutiques if they have any sample dresses for sale. Keep in mind that the average wedding dress sample size is a 10 so you may need to be a size 10 or less (if you are a smaller size, you can always get the dress altered).

6. Have a smaller bridal party

This was one that I really had no clue about when I got married! I never thought about the connection between bridal party size and cost and so I had a bridal party with 18 people! Now, I don't regret that at all and I'm so thankful for each person who was in our bridal party. However, if you're trying to cut costs, consider having a smaller party. The reason bigger bridal parties cost more money is because you have to pay for each bridesmaids bouquet (typically $50+/person!), boutonnières, and bridal party gifts. 

7. Invite less guests

When planning my own wedding, I was also pretty unaware of how much each wedding guests costs. If you are serving a full dinner, you're most likely going to spend at least $35/person just on food! One of the things that can most significantly reduce the cost of your wedding is inviting less guests.

8. Borrow or make a veil

I saved $200+ by simply borrowing a veil from a friend. The bride in the picture below on the left had a friend make her veil with tulle and a brooch! You could also consider not having a veil at all.

9. Get married on a Friday/Sunday or during the Off Season

Choosing to have my wedding on a Friday evening was one of the best decisions I made! When you get married on a Friday or Sunday, venues are often less expensive and you typically have a much larger selection of vendors available to you.

10. Skip the favors

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy wedding favors and they're fun to photograph. But if you're trying to cut costs, wedding favors are something you can easily skip and I guarantee that people will not notice. At most weddings I've been to, I've found that over 50% of the guests don't even remember to pick up favors anyway! Hmm...maybe that's why I still have a huge basket of pink matches in my closet 1.5 years after my own wedding?!

I hope you found this post helpful! What are some ways you've found to save money on weddings? 

Friday Feature: Amy Perdue with Plume Events

Please introduce yourself and your business.

Image By Brett & Jessica

Hello!  My name is Amy Plant-Perdue.  I am a wife, a new mommy, and a lover of English, dogs, and all-things vintage.  My husband and I welcomed our first son, Graham, last August, and he is the biggest blessing and the greatest joy in our lives!  My mom and I work together doing vintage rentals and event planning.  We named our company Plume because we love the symbolism behind feathers and birds.  In literature, they represent flight, freedom, and independence, especially from things and people that could potentially hold us back from our goals and dreams.  Plume as a verb means to decorate, adorn, or arrange, so it couldn’t have been a more perfect name for our business!  We love shopping for new, interesting pieces for our inventory and styling them for weddings and parties.  We also enjoy meeting couples who are in love and helping them bring their ideas to life for their dream weddings. 

Why did you start your creative small business?

Image By Danny Gorman Photography

When I got married in 2013, we knew we wanted to start a vintage rental company, so when we were shopping for the wedding, we were also shopping for what would become our rental inventory.  We love antiques and the “hunt” for amazing pieces, and we work really well together, so we knew we wanted to have a business together and one that involved antiques.  We loved the idea of vintage rentals because it gives our clients access to the beautiful pieces we have without the cost of purchasing them themselves.  We genuinely are sad when we see pieces that just sit in antique shops waiting to be sold, and no one is enjoying their beauty and value, so renting pieces people otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford or don’t have the need for long-term gets them out of antique stores and helps create beautiful weddings and events!  The vintage rentals expanded into event design and styling, and that led to wedding planning and coordination.  It has been so fun to see our business grow and to be challenged with new opportunities!

What does an average day look like for you? What things/responsibilities are you juggling?

 My average day is a balance between my roles as a mom and as a small business owner.  In between feeding, playing with, and reading to my son and the millions of things that need to get done around the house, I use every spare minute to work on business tasks.  I spend a lot of the day on the computer, answering and sending emails, connecting with other vendors, updating our inventory on our website, working on wedding details, or searching Pinterest or Etsy for inspiration.  I love when I get to get out of the house to meet with couples or meet with another vendor to talk weddings or just catch up. 

What has been a struggle for you as a creative small business owner?

Whew—where do I start?  Haha!  Owning your own business is definitely rewarding and worth all of the struggles, but it is hard.  I have struggled with self-confidence and my tendency to compare myself to other people in the industry who I assume are doing better than I am.  I have to remind myself that everyone in the creative industry has to work their butts off to stay relevant and attract business.  I also have to remind myself to stay focused on what I love about event planning and vintage rentals and to stay true to my style and my goals and not worry so much about what other people are doing.  When I do that, I am a much happier person, and good things happen for my business! 

Image By Danny Gorman Photography

What has been a joy for you as a creative small business owner?

I love almost every aspect of my business.  I love the challenge of finding new ways to market myself; I love that part of my job involves shopping and Pinterest searches; I love being organized, scheduling meetings, keeping up with spending vs. profit, and maintaining a website; I love meeting new people, hearing about their relationships, and taking their crazy ideas from just that—ideas—to an amazing wedding day.  But I think my greatest joy has been knowing that I am pursuing a dream I have had for a long time and being proud of myself for taking this risk.  I am proud that my son will see me working hard to build my business and that he will learn to take risks in his own life for the things he is passionate about. 

What productivity tips do you have for my readers?

Image By Brett & Jessica

My biggest piece of advice for anyone who is multitasking, whether it be with a child, a second job, or another major responsibility, is to devote some uninterrupted time to each task every day.  Sometimes you can successfully feed a baby while typing an email one-handed, but sometimes that’s just too much.  I’ve realized that I get most frustrated when I feel as though I’m trying to do it all at once, so when I feel that starting to happen, I make a decision.  For the next hour, am I going to be Mommy, or am I going to be Boss Lady?  I pick what is going to be most feasible, and I put all my attention and efforts into that one thing and enjoy it with my whole self.  I hold my son and play peek-a-boo without thinking about an email I received and planning out my response in my head.  Or I put him in his exersaucer, which he LOVES and I know is a place he will be entertained and safe, and I work on the computer without feeling guilty that my son is playing independently.  It isn’t always an easy thing to do, but when I can manage, I always feel significantly better emotionally and way more productive.   

What resources or tools have helped you in your business?

Networking!  The absolute best thing I have done to grow my business is to reach out to other people in the industry.  Not only can you potentially get new clients that way, but you become more knowledgeable about your industry and better equipped to help your clients.  Meeting with awesome people in the wedding and creative industries also helps me to stay positive and focused on my goals. 

What tips do you have for readers who have (or want to start) a creative small business?

 I really just can’t say enough about networking.  Reach out to other people you think you could or would want to work with and people who you would consider your competition.  You never know what opportunities will come from a simple, kind email or a coffee date!  Another important lesson I have learned is to value your talents and make sure you are charging what you are worth.  It is really hard to decide what that is in the beginning, and you have to start somewhere, but remember you are running a business, and your time and talents are worthy of (at least) a decent living.   

Image By Brett & Jessica

We’ll end on a light note: What is your favorite clothing store?

Old Navy.  Hands down.  I LOVE Old Navy.  I shop for every person in my life there because the clothes are super cute and reasonably priced.  And they almost always have something—or everything!—on sale.  I think eighty percent of my wardrobe, my husbands, and my son’s is from there haha!

Follow Plume Events on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and their Website. Also, find Plume Events featured on Style Me Pretty and 100 Layer Cakelet.

Photos by Brett & Jessica

Photo by Timeless Photojournalism

Photos by Brett & Jessica

5 Business Tips I Learned from "Jiro Dreams of Sushi"

This weekend my husband Alex suggested that we watch a documentary called “Jiro Dreams of Sushi.” Neither one of us are extremely interested in learning about sushi (although we both love sushi!) but we heard that it was an excellent documentary about the world’s greatest sushi chef. I’m always amazed by and interested in learning from people who are “the greatest” at their profession or skill. I’m SO glad we took the time to watch it because it was really inspiring and actually taught me so many lessons that are applicable to my photography business (or to any small business owner!). Here’s the top 5 business tips I took away from “Jiro Dreams of Sushi:”

1)   Success Doesn’t Happen Overnight and It Requires a LOT of Hard Work
In our world of instant gratification and instant everything, it's easy to expect that our businesses will be an overnight success. It's also easy to compare our businesses to what we see on Instagram and to get discouraged when we don't instantly have the amount of followers, the beautiful pictures, or the businesses we constantly see before us. In "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" there was a quote that I really liked:

“A great chef has the following 5 attributes: First, they take their work very seriously and consistently perform on the highest level. Second, they aspire to improve their skills. Third is cleanliness. If the restaurant doesn’t feel clean, the food isn’t going to taste good. The fourth attribute is impatience. They are not prone to collaboration. They’re stubborn and insist on having things their own way. What ties these attributes together is passion. That’s what makes a great chef.”

Ok so some parts of the quote are more applicable to photographers and small business owners than others . But what I took away from this description of what a great chef is, is that I must take my work seriously and consistently produce high quality pictures and an amazing client experience. It is extremely difficult to consistently produce great work no matter what the circumstances are and it requires a lot of learning and hard work. In addition, I must be driven and passionate about what I'm doing. It is imperative to, essentially, be a perfectionist and to never give up trying to achieve higher and higher levels in your business and your work.

2)   Never Stop Learning and Growing in Your Craft

Even when he's in his 80's, Jiro is still thinking of new ways he can improve in his craft of making sushi. He says that he still doesn't feel that he has perfected his work or his restaurant. Even though he's world-renowned and recognized as the greatest sushi chef, he is still innovating, thinking, growing, and learning! That is pretty amazing and requires a great degree of humility and passion! I certainly want this to be true of me. I never want to stop learning, reading, growing, and striving to get better and better at what I do. Watching this documentary challenged me to be a better reader and so I just picked up How to Win Friends and Influence People and Selling The Invisible so that I can continue learning and growing in my business knowledge.

3)   Simplify and Specialize

Jiro's restaurant only serves sushi. No appetizers and no other options. They focus on and perfect the combination of fish and rice that their customers make reservations for months and years in advance. Jiro also repeats the same routine over and over again every work day and he makes minor changes and improvements to his routine over time. I took a lot away from this. As a photographer, it's easy to feel like I should be a good fit for every person that contacts me and that I should be able to photograph everything and anything that comes my way. However, I think there's SO much wisdom in specializing in something and getting really, really good at it. This is something I really want to work on this year. I feel like this is a weakness of mine and that I need to do a better job of determining my specific niche and my ideal client and then simplifying and focusing on what I enjoy most and am best at.

4)   Love Your Work and Be Ready to Make Sacrifices

It is clear throughout the documentary how much Jiro loves his work (I mean the guy is still working in his 80's and doesn't want to retire!) and additionally, how many sacrifices he makes for his work. Especially in the beginning of his business, it was not uncommon for Jiro to work 80+ hours a week and the only time he takes days off is for national holidays. Jiro sacrificed time with friends and family to create a successful business. I do feel the need to say that I don't totally agree with Jiro's view on work and how much work consumes his life. I would like to achieve more work/life balance in my life and I want to be sure to always put Christ, the Church, and my family before work. I never want work to become my idol or let the successes or failures of my business define who I am as a person. However, I do think that it is necessary to love your work, to be incredibly self-disciplined, to work hard, and to make sacrifices if you want your small business to succeed. Owning a small business is not really a 9-5 job and it's not something you can clock in and out of whenever you want. At the same time, I do think it's important to have balance so that you don't get burned out or neglect the things that are the most important in life. Just be prepared for some long hours and a lot of hard work (especially in the beginning!).

5)   Create a Holistic Experience

This was a fascinating aspect of the documentary to me. Jiro and the workers at his restaurant do an excellent job of creating a holistic experience for their clients. They only have 8 seats at a bar in their restaurant and they plan the entire experience from where each guests sits, to a hot towl served at the start of the meal, to each individual course, and so many other details. The commentator in the documentary describes it as a symphony where Jiro picks each course of sushi to complement the one served before it. Each course builds and their are crescendos and peaks in the meal just as there is in a symphony. It was amazing how much thought they gave to each detail of the entire dining experience! I think this is also so important in business! It is essential to create an entire client experience and to put a lot of though into each aspect of your experience. I'm learning that my client experience isn't just about showing up on a wedding day and taking pictures, it's about everything I put into the experience before and after the wedding. I'm constantly learning and trying to find ways to improve my interaction and communication with my clients throughout their entire experience with me.

I hope you found this post helpful! If you own a business, what tips do you have? What are helpful books you've read or are currently reading?