This season more than ever before I have been asked to shoot the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding. I don't have a problem with this, but I am curious how you handle it. Do you have a set price, number of hours, plan?
I haven't built that into a package yet.
Just trying to get a feel for how much to price it, and how others go about shooting it.
I would only shoot these if they asked within ~3 months of the actual wedding. Otherwise you obviously give up the chance to book a wedding that night.
Bartlett Pair wrote:
I would only shoot these if they asked within ~3 months of the actual wedding. Otherwise you obviously give up the chance to book a wedding that night.
I do understand that logic, and all the weddings I am doing it for are well over three months out. Do you often shoot a Friday night wedding followed by a Saturday wedding?
StowePhoto wrote:
Do you often shoot a Friday night wedding followed by a Saturday wedding?
I do have a lot of double-header weekends and a few triple-header weekends this year (Fri/Sat/Sun). I also have prime weekends that are completely empty, so it varies.
StowePhoto wrote:
I do understand that logic, and all the weddings I am doing it for are well over three months out. Do you often shoot a Friday night wedding followed by a Saturday wedding?
Yes.
The only time I would consider doing a rehearsal dinner/welcome reception is if I'm at a destination wedding.
Just wondering, but what would you shoot? Toasts and little speeches? I think most people are eating and chatting it up. I don't take photos of people eating so I'm guessing that would be it?
aonavy wrote:
Just wondering, but what would you shoot? Toasts and little speeches? I think most people are eating and chatting it up. I don't take photos of people eating so I'm guessing that would be it?
Mingling, toasts and speeches. Also decor, because our rehearsal dinners are bigger than a lot of weddings (150 guests, full decor, etc).
TRReichman wrote:
Mingling, toasts and speeches. Also decor, because our rehearsal dinners are bigger than a lot of weddings (150 guests, full decor, etc).
Mike Col wrote:
One could make a living on rehers dins
not doing them once a week you could not.
and yes we charge 300$ an hour and get it all the time. if a person is booking a package that is 3500$ and up they are not afraid to shell out another 600-1200 for us to capture their rehearsal dinners.
With that said our upper packages have rehearsal dinner included. some of the rehearsal dinners we shoot are as involved as some smaller weddings.
aonavy wrote:
what would you shoot? Toasts and little speeches?
I've shot a handful of rehearsal dinners. Didn't get paid hardly anything. Toasts and little speeches was about it. There were no special decorations. Just some of the couples' closer family and the wedding party at a larger room in a restaurant.
I'm not going to mention the religion but, for one of the dinners, the main course - which they shared with me - was leg of lamb. First time I tried it. BLECH. Everyone around me was digging in while I just sat there after having tasted one bite. Some people at my table even inquired if there was something wrong with my lamb. Uncomfortable.
Inquiries from clients to shoot rehearsal dinners are almost non-existent.
