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Re: [OM] [OT] As the Winder Turns, Part 1, The Primal Scream

Subject: Re: [OM] [OT] As the Winder Turns, Part 1, The Primal Scream
From: "John A. Lind" <jlind@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 01 Nov 2000 01:50:09 +0000
At 03:09 11/1/00 , Susan wrote:
>OK, I'll bite...
>
>just what DOES a mid-sized wedding package cost nowadays? I had guests take 
>pics for mine and have regretted it ever since. I never even priced them back 
>then.
>Susan
>still regretting after 25 years...

According to one site I found, the U.S. national average is about $1,000.
That includes "Getting Ready" shots before the wedding, shots during the
wedding (and/or recreated afterward), formal wedding portraits, and all the
major reception activities.  It's about 5-6 hours of time from start to
finish on the wedding day if the reception immediately follows nearby.  Add
to that the time for a planning session to create the "Must Have List" well
beforehand, and a session to go through the proofs to pick what goes into
"The Book" afterward.  There must be some variability:  geographic area,
the minimum number of photographs guaranteed, if there are any 8x10's or
larger included up front, and to some extent you get what you pay for
(equipment used, especially lighting and MF gear).

If that's really the average, then there's got to be "Steerage Class"
packages down to maybe half that, and "First Class" packages with the "Must
Have List" running on for five pages of everything in 8x10 or larger but
the kitchen sinks in the reception hall and the hubcaps on the "getaway
car" for who knows how much.  One list I saw on a "bridal site" touted as
"minimalist Must Have" was like a Sears Christmas Wish Book.  [Yeah, dream
on, it would take an army photogs to be everywhere at once to get
everything on that one.]

I've begun adding up the likely cost for my shoot.  The bridal party is
small; six total including bride and groom.  There's no grandparents
either, just their parents.  I'm planning on two rolls of 220 for 60 frames
of 645, and four to five 36-exp. rolls of 35mm.  That's about 200-250
frames of film (Portra NC), and I'll have twice that much with me.  I
figure about 5 hours at 40-50 frames per hour.  There's batteries for the
flash heads, which I figure I'll go through about 3 sets of 8 AA's, and
I'll have almost twice that many with me.  After that there's processing to
the 4x5 and 4x6 proofs at a pro lab for about $17 per roll of film.  I'm
praying my cost will stay under $175, but I won't scrimp on film or
batteries either.  Oh yes, I figure one more roll of 35mm will get shot at
the rehearsal dinner the night before.

Ken Norton, and others who've done weddings, please tell me if I'm in the
ballpark on this.

My better half looked ours up.  It was about $300 18.5 years ago, and
included about a half-dozen 8x10's.  The rest were 4x5's.  "The Book" is an
8x10 about 1.5 inches thick.  Relatives who ordered prints they wanted paid
for their own, although I think we gave an 8x10 to my parents and one to hers.

BTW, the bride's sister did what you did, and she has regretted it ever
since too.  This didn't do much for the bride who was contemplating doing
the same thing.

-- John

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