Life in San Francisco is expensive, and hiring a San Francisco wedding photographer is no exception. The city is full of qualified and well-trained photographers, but many charge rates ranging from $2000 for a budget package to deluxe $7000 or $8000 deals.
If you want to find a quality San Francisco photographer for your wedding day but are on a budget, keep reading for three great tips that will save you money without sacrificing the photo memories of your big day.
Ask Photographers to Match Competitor’s Prices
If you’re investigating multiple photographers, you can often ask them to match a competitor’s price, but only if the two photographers are offering similar packages. For example, if one photographer is providing an additional photo album, extra hours and photo retouching, you can’t expect them to match the price of a competitor who only provides digital proofs.
When asking for a price match, simply reply to a photographer’s quote by referencing other quotes from local competitors that were cheaper and better suited to your budget. Most photographers will reduce their quote in the interest of bagging a contract.
Take the Last Minute Risk
Booking at the last minute is risky, and you may not get the specific photographer whom you want. But because there is so much competition in the San Francisco area, there are going to be a lot of providers who will be available on your wedding day. Waiting is especially effective during the slow season.
Booking last minute also gives you room to wiggle and negotiating power. A San Francisco wedding photographer is more likely to drop their price by a few hundred dollars than spend a valuable Saturday bring in no income.
Go Out of Town
You may have to pay for travel time or gas expenses, but you can often still save money by booking a photographer outside the San Francisco Bay Area. Check rates of photographers in Concord or San Jose and you’ll see discounts as steep as 50{429ab47ec6edc388b6294e86ae75f304ecbd477a894283ff02535d40af3f3097}, meaning that extra $100 to $200 for travel is worth the added savings.
Hit the Wedding Shows
A wedding show or bridal expo lets you meet multiple photographers all in one location and on the same day. So, instead of spending weeks browsing websites and interviewing prospects, you can get your photographer shopping in a day. Most photographers also offer special deals and promotions as a way of attracting brides to their exhibits.
Try the San Francisco Bridal Show or the Bay Area Bridal Expo, both of which are big wedding shows with numerous vendors. Take the opportunity to meet and greet photographers, interview them and get a feel for their personality and style.
In short, hiring an inexpensive San Francisco wedding photographer is possible. You just have to know where to look and how to negotiate. Remember, try out-of-town, last minute options, bridal shows or old-fashioned negotiating power.
