How to Get All Your Wedding Photography Under $1000 with Craigslist

No one wants to spend $5000 plus on wedding photography only to be annoyed all day by a control-freak photographer who stages every shot and then doesn't get you your pictures for months. So here is how I got all of my photography for under $1000 using Craigslist.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Familiarity with www.craigslist.org
• Time to browse photographer's websites
• Patience

1. 
    
   Bella photography logo

   Start by familiarizing yourself with what photographers offer and charge in the region where your wedding is to be held. Use websites like www.weddingchannel.com and www.theknot.com to find lists. Bella photography is pretty nationwide and will give you a variety of packages to look through - just understand that most things you will see in this initial phase will be expensive - but they aren't the only game in town.

2. Go to www.craigslist.org
   Click on "post to classifieds" in the left column
   Click on the region where your wedding will be held
   Click on "gig offered" then "I want to hire someone" then "creative gigs" then on any applicable subregion

3. Write you add, be sure to:
   1. include the words "wanted", "wedding", "photographer" all in the title
   2. specify where the wedding will be held and if the photographer will be expected to travel to multiple sites
   3. specify the number of hours you will want the photographer present, and round up
   4. specify the style (e.g., traditional, photo journalism, mixed, etc.)
   5. specify whether you want film or digital, and whether you want prints (and how many) or just negatives or files (on a DVD)
   6. specify what rights you want to the pictures - what you want to be able to do with them (e.g., post to Shutterfly and build own album)
   7. name our price or a range

4. 
    

   Follow the directions on Craigslist to post your ad including the part where you go back to your email inbox, open the email Craigslist sends, and click on the link provided to publish the ad

5. 
    
   My photographer and I got along just fine!

   Wait for responses. Don't respond right away. Wait a few days to collect offers and browse their websites. If someone sends an offer but not a website, ask for one. You goal should be to find 3 offer whose work you like. Arrange for one-on-one in-person meetings to go over their other work and to discuss what you want. This is important - you need to see if your personalities can handle being up close and personal for 8+ hours on a very stressful day.

6. Once you settle on a choice, read his or her contract, and if one isn't offer, write an agreement yourself. Before signing anything obtain and follow up on 3 references, and make sure they are for weddings. Then, sign and keep a copy of the contract, any correspondence, and any checks you send. Keep in touch once a month, and about two weeks before the big day, go over in excruciating detail the day's schedule, providing the photographer with a written copy.

7. 
    
   Shutterfly album

   After the big day, upload your photos (if digital) to a site like www.shutterfly.com so your friends and family can browse and purchase with minimum hassle to you! When you're ready, explore the site's album creating software ... the subject of a future eHow article...to get the most inexpensive, quality, and personalized album possible!

Tips & Warnings

• Start no later than 4 months before your wedding so you have the time you need to make an informed decision
• Be as specific as possible in your Craigslist ad
• If the offers aren't perfect, make counter-offers, it never hurts to ask!
• If you get nothing on your first try, re-evaluate to make sure your offer isn't too low. Adjust your price, hours, and offer a range within which you will negotiate
• Don't settle for someone with little to no wedding experience
• Don't skip the in-person interview - personalities are key, and you want to know that this person is professional and dependable

Resources

• How to Plan Your Wedding for Under $10,000 and Save On Everything

[woot]

on 2/11/2009 I like the article. However, people should consider that it is actually still possible to get a family member or friend to take your pictures. They might offer their services as a gift, or should charge you a low rate. Talk to the person you are considering and ask them some reasonable questions, such as if they are interested, have they done this for anyone else, could you see some photos they have taken of people and events? Suggest scenes you would like to have covered, such as the vowels, the kiss after the vowels, the bridesmaids, the maid of honor, the best man, the grooms, the parents, the ring bearer, coming out of the church or other building, friends and family at the reception, cutting the cake, the gifts,the get away car, etc. Talk with the potential photographer about how you feel concerning posed pictures and candid pictures. As a backup, try having two people take ph

[savvypanache]

on 2/9/2009 Sorry you feel that way. We were very happy with the pictures, and I've posted some different ones to show that our photographer really did a lovely job.

[eap1]

on 2/9/2009 That's why you have shadows on your faces, you're squinting into the sun, and you have an asphalt driveway behind you. If you would have hired a professional photographer, he/she would have moved you away from the sun, posed you better, and found a more interesting background. You get what you pay for. Hire an amature from Craigslist - receive photos that look like someone from Craigslist took them.

[OBigDaddyO]

on 2/7/2009 I love craigslist! 5* and recommended!