According to The Wedding Report (Jan, 2009) the average cost for a wedding photographer in Ocean County, NJ is anywhere between $1,780-2,966. With this over $1,000 price difference it is no wonder why brides and grooms are so confused when meeting with photographers. All the customers want is a “good” price with a lot of “stuff” in the package. To help brides and grooms shop for the perfect NJ wedding photographer below is a quick list of items that they should be looking for:
1. Customer Service Oriented Business: The wedding is only one day; you need to make sure that whomever you choose will be there before and after to answer your phone calls and emails. Also customer service oriented businesses will edit your albums with a higher degree of care and keep you informed every step of the way.
2. All-Inclusive Packages: Photographers that have a base shooting fee and charge a la carte for everything else after the wedding like the albums, prints and image copyrights almost always run over budget very quickly. Look for a photographer who offers everything you will need in one simple package and price. If you want to add more after the wedding, you always can.
3. Unlimited Hours & Locations: It is very common for NJ weddings shoots to last over 10 hours and take place in 3 or more different locations. Do not sell yourself short by opting for a less expensive package that does not include the bride’s prep or that has the photographer leave right after the cutting of the cake. Most companies often charge hourly and location fees, don’t pay for that; find a company that includes it all for the same price.
These are just a few quick simple tips to help you find that perfect wedding photographer. Remember, shopping for a wedding photographer in NJ should be fun and exciting; not stressful. If you see a photographer that has great work but from the beginning is not offering customer service or all-inclusive packages, be very careful. Find the photographer that will answer every call, email, text message and who has easy to understand all-inclusive packages.
Alex Karas is a full-time wedding industry entrepreneur in Manahawkin, NJ. He is the owner/operator of a wedding services company, Enchanted Celebrations. To learn more about wedding planning and tips you can visit his website at https://www.enchantedcelebrations.com or contact him directly at alex@enchantedcelebrations.com.