booked your first, high paying gig? I mean, something over $2500.

Please describe.

Did you just book? If so, congrats!

I got my first $2600 wedding not too long ago, but the bride's dad is my CPA so we're bartering. and then I booked my first $3600 wedding and it felt pretty awesome. Like, wow, I am actually worth that much to someone. Someone is willing to pay THAT much money for my services. And then a few seconds later - man, I've been charging HOW MUCH all this time, when I could've been making THIS much?!

Ah, yes, yes I do... The first time I booked my $3500 package, I just about peed my pants with excitement. Ya know, that smile you have trying not to let the client know that you've never booked that much before, but at the same time you're smiling so big you feel like you're going to just explode. So, you run out the door and basically do one of those end-zone dances like a total idiot. Yeah, that kind of feeling.

I haven't had the feeling of booking that high paying wedding yet... My highest one so far has been $1800, but it was totally awesome when the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) called me up and asked if I wanted to be "THE" series photographer for their Sport Compact Drag Racing series at $1000/ per race, plus hotel, airfare, rental car, food... that was really cool.. flying all over the country taking pictures of race cars on someone else's dime.

yes I remember that feeling...I remember how excited I was when I booked my first non-friend couple for $350...yep that's right $350. And then the next level was a whopping $900...I was beside myself Then I went up to $1500 and it was very exciting for me. I remember talking with my wife and saying "can you imagine if we ever book a wedding for $3000 for the day....that would be crazy" Well as you will soon learn once you break a dollar milestone you set for yourself...everything below that seems like it's not worth it...

Anyway have fun...and remember we are all very very very lucky to do what we love and get paid for it.

Cheers.

My favorite milestone was the $5000 mark... never in a MILLION YEARS would I have thought we'd book that high. We had the package on there just to make the $4000 look more appealing. Then when I asked the mother what they were thinking about doing, she said, "Oh, we plan to head over the rainbow!" That was the name of that package... Over the Rainbow. It was all I could do not to pee myself right there.

Then I added a Shoot the Moon for $6000... and booked that less than six months later. INSANITY!!!

Ya, the $5500 mark was a good one. Back when I did a basic package for $1500, I thought I was too expensive . . .

The first time we booked $6,500 was for a TN Titan. What a far cry from our first wedding we did for a couple in our Sunday school class for $500! I can't believe that we have come that far since June of 07!

-Zach & Jody Gray

Mine was my $4500 package. Client booked me on the spot during our consult. It's really hard to make a smile appear warm and friendly when, really, you're smiling cause you are thinking "holy sh!t, woohoo!!!!"!

I had one client turn my top of the line package ($4999) into a $7,200 gig with add-ons. Wow. And they were really easy to work for.

I remember the first $900, the first $2400, the first $3K, 4K, 5K and 6K. Still working on the 7K

My largest package was last year. It was a little over $5000.00. The day I met the bride was on my birthday and I had family at home waiting for us to have lunch. I thought the bride would never leave (3 hrs.), and it was that next week before they signed the contract. I kept thinking that she better book after I spent half my birthday with her chit chatting. Y

gabemc wrote:
yes I remember that feeling...I remember how excited I was when I booked my first non-friend couple for $350...yep that's right $350. And then the next level was a whopping $900...I was beside myself Then I went up to $1500 and it was very exciting for me. I remember talking with my wife and saying "can you imagine if we ever book a wedding for $3000 for the day....that would be crazy" Well as you will soon learn once you break a dollar milestone you set for yourself...everything below that seems like it's not worth it...

Anyway have fun...and remember we are all very very very lucky to do what we love and get paid for it.

Cheers.

$350 for Gabe? Man, I should've booked you 5 years in advance

the best feeling was when i got my first paying gig. $500....mmmmm i loved it. then it was 5k....mmmm loved it more. then i got my first 10k wedding this year. i think i had a heart attack then when the bride left i threw up and pissed. (i was sick to begin with) but i was in awe...

the best feeling was when i got my first paying gig. $500....mmmmm i loved it. then it was 5k....mmmm loved it more. then i got my first 10k wedding this year. i think i had a heart attack then when the bride left i threw up and pissed. (i was sick to begin with) but i was in awe...

Just checking.. do you guys have periods with no enquires after you increase your price?

So my first paid wedding as a main was $400 (october for 4 hours), then my next one is this Dec. 27, for $1500, the bride that wants me to photograph her wedding but hasn't put anything down yet wants a little bit watered down version of my $4,500 package. But, i won't celebrate anything until i get that retainer fee. on top of that it's gonna be at one of my favorite places in the world!

first off, great post. Second off, something over $2500, is extremely relative.

Shooting my first one for $500 with Sam second shooting for free=priceless! haha, we were hacks, but we nailed some good ones. First one over 5k was a solid feeling. I'm elated to have one for next year over 10k. Now, a destination wedding in Italy or Asia for over 10k is my next goal. Then.......well Robdawg, it never ends.

Scott, $10K!!! phat!!! that's off the hook!!!

see y'all tomorrow