Hey Everyone! I have not taken on my first wedding solo yet. I have only been a second shooter. I will be launching my website soon that has a wedding side and have NO clue what to put in pricing. I am TOTALLY with telling the client that it is my first solo wedding, no problem with that! I just personally don't think it to be wise to put on my website "I have not done a wedding yet but umh let me do yours!" I at first thought to put what I hope to be charging after my first few as the pricing info and then put under the news section a 'special' or 'discount' for the first 'certain #' booked weddings that I get after website launch. THEN, when I get the potential client on the phone, I can explain further to why the deal is so sweet. Please give me ANY helpful advise! Thanks So much for your time!!!

Why do you even need to place your priceing on your website? Just leave it out.

Agreed.

Also,
Do you have a reputation in portraits built up yet??

"Shara Lana Photography is now available for a limited number of weddings..." If you already have a good reputation, people will bite.

If she's got a "god" reputation she'll have no problem booking at all! She could probably just demandeth the clients shall booketh!



I couldn't resist.

You still rule, Carrie.

if your competent to do A wedding, then your competent to charge a normal price - personally i dont think its wise to undercharge just because its a first wedding. either you can do it or you can't. by explaining to a potential client that this is your first so your giving them a discount is, in my view, telling them you may be able to do it ( ), but your not quite sure so here is a discount just in case.

I thought that I have read somewhere that it is best to put pricing on your web. Couldn't tell you where I read that but I am sure that I have.

I am just an infant in everything to do with photography. Word is getting out but I am SO new. I have had only extremely happy customers, so that is a great start. I thought that I may have had one customer that was not too pleased but could not figure out why because the initial feedback from that customer was out of this world. It seemed she had dropped off the face of the planet, not ordering after 3 weeks but come to find out, she was so inspired by how fun the session was and the results, she has gone out and bought herself a camera and is neck deep into the excitement. She is putting in a big order very soon. I tied that thought into the reputation comment. I was nervous for a little bit but I just got the email from her a little bit ago. Had to share. So although my reputation is small, it is growing strong.

If you read it on the Internet it is probably false.

You might want to search for pricing threads like this for more reasons, pro and con, for why you should list/not list them.

Good luck!

i have read that too Shara. In fact, when I was researching for a wedding photographer, I only compared photographers with their prices on their website. I find it annoying to have to call and get a price and then having to call back again if i want to book. I just think it saves EVERYONE time.

That's where I read it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS SO MUCH!!!! I tried to search for it right before I made that comment but found nothing, umh.

Great! I believe you just have to take the plunge. Everyone had to at some point.
I think I will put a 'normal price' as suggested, one that I hope to make after the first few and offer a special for the first few that are booked. I will be upfront but definitely won't make that a BIG issue.

i have read and heard many places that if you charge low to begin, it makes it harder to justify raising your rates later. i understand where you are coming from, but dont underestimate yourself. in other words, dont under sell your product.

good luck!

Sounds like you believe in me! <tear> Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOU HAD MEEEE AT HELLLOOOOOO.

I've struggled with this too. Finally, I simply opted not to put a price on the web for the next 90 days. I've booked three summer weddings in the last two weeks in spite of that--calling them "customized packages".

Once I've booked my first 5-7, then I'll post standardized prices. I'm not anticipating referrals from the first several anyway--they're all very small, courthouse & luncheon types, and they all know they're getting a screaming deal that won't be available by the end of summer, let alone by the time their friends marry.

You could put "Packages starting at $x" on your website. That would give you flexibility to change your prices based on what goes into the package (time, #prints, album, etc).

A great book for starting a photography business is by Vik Orenstein, "The Business of Photography"