Cheaper to get freelance photographers or bridal package for pre-wedding shoot?

Synee

New Member
Hi everyone, I am wondering supposedly I sign up a bridal package and is interested to top up for another 60+ poses, would be actually be cheaper (but of cos to go through more trouble) to engage in a freelance photographer, who will return me all the soft copies, for my pre-wedding shoot?
 


lerlaine

Member
Bridal charges quite high for each pose, mine charge me $60 for every additional pose. The so call promo price (this will again be another painful bargaining process coz you have already lost your bargaining power after signing a package with them) they gave me was $2000 for 20 additional pose on top of my existing 50 pose. You can always bargain up the no. of pose to avoid paying more ( i bargain from 32 to 50).
Most of my friend top up $1200-$2000 for additional 20 pose, so for 60+ you do the math (of coz the more you take the more discount they can give sometimes)
Most freelance i have asked for quotes does not return all soft copies (unless you know the photographer personally), you may want to confirm on that, but of coz if they do, you may want to consider freelance since topping up 60+ photo in a bridal boutique can cost more than the bridal package you signed.

hope that helps :)
 

Synee

New Member
So far I have only went to 2 BS and both only offer 25poses for the package. I am quite certain this number is insufficient for me. Perhaps I should let them know I am willing to pay for 50poses and hopefully they will give me a discounted price before signing the contract? I heard from a lot of BTB and understand the most BS earn from these extra poses instead of the package.
I am surprised to learn that freelance do not return all soft copies. I will definitely check with them again. If this is true, I would be more inclined to engage a BS than freelance.

Anyway, thanks lerlaine for the reply. Will be scouting out more BS for the best package. Will post again to update on my final decision :)
 

lerlaine

Member
So far I have only went to 2 BS and both only offer 25poses for the package. I am quite certain this number is insufficient for me. Perhaps I should let them know I am willing to pay for 50poses and hopefully they will give me a discounted price before signing the contract? I heard from a lot of BTB and understand the most BS earn from these extra poses instead of the package.
I am surprised to learn that freelance do not return all soft copies. I will definitely check with them again. If this is true, I would be more inclined to engage a BS than freelance.

Anyway, thanks lerlaine for the reply. Will be scouting out more BS for the best package. Will post again to update on my final decision :)

Wow 25 is too little, most common i have seen have 30-38 photos.
First you bargain up your basic bridal package before bargaining for the top up of additional pose, you can ask them to lock in the price if you top up (to save you the trouble the bargain again which is harder), and yes do all this before your sign the contract, coz topping up is a better business than the basic package.

From what i know, free lance return all soft copies for AD, not sure for pre wedding.

Good luck to finding one! Remember to have everything written down in black and white in your invoice to avoid misunderstanding in the future. :)
 

lerlaine

Member
I just checked, pre wedding, some they return all is for unedited copies, edited is about 30-50.
Pardon, I mixed up with the edited shots. But i remember i have seen those who do not return all, so safer to confirm again. So you can still consider free lance. :)
 
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feliz

New Member
I am actually engaging my friend who is a freelance photographer, to take our pre wedding photos in Bali. Need to also pay for all his expenses incurred for the trip. Plus have to get the gowns on my own.. (taobao!)
Perhaps added up all together can be still cheaper than getting a package from bridal shops.

But then, please consider whether you can handle the hassles of getting things done by your own, DIY!
 

hippo_woody

Member
Given a choice again (coz I already took my PS with BS package that include pre-wed photography), I'll opt to get my own PG and then source the gown on my own (ie, from Taobao like what feliz suggested, from the occasional gown sales by the BS, from BS directly via rental wo photography). Its not that my BS is not good, but like what lerlaine mentioned, the BS charges v high for additional pose (mine is $95/each) and the expensive portion is actually not the package u signed with them initially but the cost u pay for the additional pose. We told ourselves not to top up when we went to choose photos, but the softie us lost the fight. sigh...

Plus, going ala-carte means I can choose the PG from the market (more choices) than to choose from a much smaller pool of PG attached to the BS.
 

Synee

New Member
Hippo_woody, I am also very worried that I cannot control myself (plus when I really want something, I will go into I-want-it mode and my HTB cannot do anything to stop me :p) so that is why I am considering to take up freelance PG instead.

Has anyone here tried buying from taobao? Was the quality as good as described?

feliz, that is so fortunate to have a friend working freelance. Hope your photo shoot turns out well. So you gotten your dress from taobao?

Berine, so in the end did you get all your photos back? No discount for more?

Anyone of you tried taking an indoor wedding package? Do they offer AD gowns?
 

bearine

Member
but BS package includes makeup artist as well. And having an experienced helper(MUA), it can speed up the changing process + makeup, allows more time for photography. It is true that taobao is cheaper, but the maintenance for me is a hassle, to dry wash and iron for actual day. And from taobao, need to iron, and the material/feel may not be the one you wanted. Buy 5, maybe only like 2/3? If size does not fit really well, need to get someone to alter. For mine, the lady made minor alternation for my chosen ones within 2 hours. Everything very efficient. Plus, need to get your own bouquet and accessories. Not sure how much you can save though.

There's no discount, but I asked for more freebies.
 

hippo_woody

Member
Hippo_woody, I am also very worried that I cannot control myself (plus when I really want something, I will go into I-want-it mode and my HTB cannot do anything to stop me :p) so that is why I am considering to take up freelance PG instead.

Has anyone here tried buying from taobao? Was the quality as good as described?

feliz, that is so fortunate to have a friend working freelance. Hope your photo shoot turns out well. So you gotten your dress from taobao?

Berine, so in the end did you get all your photos back? No discount for more?

Anyone of you tried taking an indoor wedding package? Do they offer AD gowns?

I always buy stuff from Taobao, but not gowns thou. Otherwise, u can aim those gowns sales from bridal shop, usually these cost v cheap, sometimes $100 for 1. My MUA tell me to go directly to her if u need her service, she says going thru BS will be more ex. The betta quality gowns in TB r slightly more ex, but the tricky part is it might not fit u nicely as we wouldn't know how to take our measurement the correct way. There r some affordable dry cleaning company out there, I remember saving their contact number somewhere, gonna dig out. I didn't use them thou coz my AD gown is quite ex.
Props, etc, u can buy from Taobao also, it's v cheap. Those movie clapper board, etc etc.
There's quite a bit of things to do if u go ala-carte. But if ur AD is nearing, then betta go with BS package.


Using SingaporeBrides app
 

feliz

New Member
Thanks hippo_woody! It totally slipped off my mind about the wedding props! Will try to get from TB.

Synee, already pretty much decided on which TB seller i am getting my gowns from. You will be amazed with the price differences you can get from different sellers, pretty much depending on the materials they used. But true like what hippo_woody said, it's the risk that we gonna take if the design/size doesn't fit us...

Ya... Even some photographers/MUA from the bridal shops are not as good as compared to you hiring them separately or choose from those who does not attached with BS. From the experience my sister got from KL bridal shop, those photographers and MUA aren't really that professional. So she ended up spending additional to hire from outside..
 

hippo_woody

Member
Thanks hippo_woody! It totally slipped off my mind about the wedding props! Will try to get from TB.

Synee, already pretty much decided on which TB seller i am getting my gowns from. You will be amazed with the price differences you can get from different sellers, pretty much depending on the materials they used. But true like what hippo_woody said, it's the risk that we gonna take if the design/size doesn't fit us...

Ya... Even some photographers/MUA from the bridal shops are not as good as compared to you hiring them separately or choose from those who does not attached with BS. From the experience my sister got from KL bridal shop, those photographers and MUA aren't really that professional. So she ended up spending additional to hire from outside..

I agree!! I wish I can choose my own PG with pre-wed!


Using SingaporeBrides app
 

Synee

New Member
Hi girls, is there a specific style of photography u look out for when you are choosing ur photographers, be it pre wedding or AD?
 

ongkim

New Member
I think getting a freelance photo doesnt have to be expensive. you can find some reasonably priced once. i feel better working with freelance because at least its not profit driven. planning for a wedding makes you sometimes feel like everyone is trying to squeeze as much money out from you from your wedding.
 

Synee

New Member
Ongkim, I agree with u. I do feel that I shld watch behind my back and avoid falling into their trap. Cos to many, it is just another business. Some sales could put my a friendly front before signing contract, after which they start to ignore you and reveal their impatience for everything u ask... thats wad I heard a lot of and is most afraid of.
Any suggestion on how you choose a freelance? Photography style?
 

hippo_woody

Member
I like bogek (is the aesthetic quality of the blur produced in the out-of-focus parts of an image produced by a lens) pics. I kinda like LightedPixels photography. Take a look at their FB page to see their portfolio.


Using SingaporeBrides app
 

Synee

New Member
Wow... that sounds like quite a good deal! Did u take a look at their products, as in photography for pre wedding? So their bridal shop is in china?
 

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