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Archive 2022 · Midweek wedding discount

  
 
johnld
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Midweek wedding discount


I'm getting a lot of requests on midweek weddings. I'm curious what percentage of a full wedding you discount for midweek?


May 01, 2022 at 12:09 PM
DannyBostwick
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Midweek wedding discount


johnld wrote:
I'm getting a lot of requests on midweek weddings. I'm curious what percentage of a full wedding you discount for midweek?


Depends. Depends on if I really want to shoot it. Depends where it is. Depends what the surrounding dates hold. Depends what my editing workload is, depends on the clients, their needs and expectations, and the overall vibe I get from them. Depends if I need money or not. Depends on if I want to buy a new toy or not. Depends what side of the bed I woke up on.

That alllll being said. Mean average would be 30-40%. Maybe more. My weekends average take is 4000. But that's an 8 hour day with a second. I've shot 4 hour things on a Wednesday for 1000 bucks because it was an easy going wedding and I wanted to redo the floors in a spare room or something. I've shot the same 4 hour wedding for 2500 because the bride was a bit more needy and there were more moving parts and I was super busy. So on an hourly basis, it might be considered more expensive than my weekend rate. So, the economics of those things are highly dependent on your situation, how bad you want it, and what the markets are like in your area. Sorry to be vague, just wanted to explain how I would approach it.



May 01, 2022 at 07:35 PM
BKphotography
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Midweek wedding discount


I prefer shooting during the week due to family commitments but discounts are not the way to go.

Maybe start charging more for weekends? Lol.



May 02, 2022 at 06:53 AM
IrishDino
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Midweek wedding discount


No discount.

Effort is the same. Risk is the same. Workload is the same. So why charge less?

The only difference is, I'm willing to take on a 2h wedding on a Wednesday, whereas I wouldn't take that booking on a prime-time Saturday.



May 02, 2022 at 08:30 AM
johnld
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Midweek wedding discount


DannyBostwick wrote:
Depends. Depends on if I really want to shoot it. Depends where it is. Depends what the surrounding dates hold. Depends what my editing workload is, depends on the clients, their needs and expectations, and the overall vibe I get from them. Depends if I need money or not. Depends on if I want to buy a new toy or not. Depends what side of the bed I woke up on.

That alllll being said. Mean average would be 30-40%. Maybe more. My weekends average take is 4000. But that's an 8 hour day with a second. I've shot 4
...Show more

Interesting, but I can't gauge a brides confidence when my pricing structure is set, so we're unable to adjust based on their "needs". I've decided to simply have a set hourly rate based on a 4 hour minimum and offer less products. You'll still get all the quality and experience, albeit, with less tangible products, but pay considerably less than for a full 12 hour wedding.



May 02, 2022 at 11:36 AM
LeeSimms
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Midweek wedding discount


Used to discount for mid-week, but don't do it anymore. Certainly wouldn't do it now with so many venues running at capacity. It's a wedding boom and we're at least another year or two of having to use booking incentives.


May 02, 2022 at 01:43 PM
johnld
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Midweek wedding discount


LeeSimms wrote:
Used to discount for mid-week, but don't do it anymore. Certainly wouldn't do it now with so many venues running at capacity. It's a wedding boom and we're at least another year or two of having to use booking incentives.


Probably leaning towards this. I've only got 6 booked for the summer, so was trying to capitalize on numerous requests for
midweek pricing to fill the gaps. Apparently venues are marking down for midweek and apparently most potential clients consider photographers to do the same. However, by offering a 4 hour midweek saves us on editing.

Edited on May 03, 2022 at 09:41 AM · View previous versions



May 02, 2022 at 03:53 PM
LeeSimms
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Midweek wedding discount


A smaller service level for mid-week isn't a discount, to me. Not every wedding needs full coverage and there's money to be made with a truncated service. "Right-sized"


May 02, 2022 at 09:37 PM
JRobertson
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Midweek wedding discount


I agree with most, are you somehow less valuable during the week as opposed to weekends? I think not! A truncated service, like LeeSimms mentioned, is a great opportunity!


May 04, 2022 at 09:34 AM
LeeSimms
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Midweek wedding discount


There's an LDS Temple in my neighborhood. I do midweek-only 2.5 hour coverages there that are perfect. Most of the sealings are at 10a and I'm home before 1p. It's like shooting fish in a barrel - every Temple wedding looks the same, and there's gobs of concrete to bounce back the midday sun. Everyone's well-behaved and well-dressed. Easier (for me) than an e-session.

I never shot LDS weddings until a Temple came to my backdoor. Traveling for super short coverage doesn't fit with my current business but if I can ride my bike there, why not? ;-)




May 04, 2022 at 11:07 AM
johnld
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Midweek wedding discount


I've already done two LDS weddings, but wouldn't say they're the same. We had outdoor formals with lots of tulips (chasing the cherry blossoms) and plenty of after ceremony with food and dancing. These were considerably longer than a few hours. Plus, there's no photography allowed inside the temple. I'd love to shoot more LDS weddings. Very respectful and kind.


May 04, 2022 at 07:29 PM
LeeSimms
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Midweek wedding discount


If you limit you time to the Temple, it's 2.5 hours. Arrive 30 mins before the couple's presentation and shoot family & friends waiting outside. Then after they emerge shooting a full set of family pics then wedding party, then bride+groom. If there's a difference between Temple coverages, I can't tell. Receptions vary of course, but most of my Temple couples don't book reception coverage as it's usually in a city 1-4 hours away, and often on the weekend (versus their ceremony that I shot that was mid-week).


May 04, 2022 at 07:41 PM
DannyBostwick
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Midweek wedding discount


JRobertson wrote:
I agree with most, are you somehow less valuable during the week as opposed to weekends? I think not! A truncated service, like LeeSimms mentioned, is a great opportunity!


I definitely respect that idea, but I view it through the framework of an adaption to supply and demand. In my own experience, demand for mid-week weddings is very low. Supply is high. I have a ton of free Wednesdays in my life. So, I'd rather make 50% of my take than 0% of my take. By sending them a price for the full boat, I risk getting that 0%. By sending them the 50% number, I realize that my likelihood of adding money to my bottom line goes up.

If demand was high like in the OP scenario and I was getting a lot of inquiries for mid-week weddings, I would charge them the full boat because hey, I know there is another bride right around the corner. No big deal.

It's just my thought process. Maybe I'm wrong. I'm wrong a lot.



May 04, 2022 at 08:10 PM
pasblues
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Midweek wedding discount


I don't discount it. They are getting more common and maybe they save on the venue. But I do a lot of extra work for any wedding so the value is in the service and product, something that doesn't change. People looking for a discount aren't my clients anyway.


May 06, 2022 at 01:20 PM
MazeRunner
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Midweek wedding discount


It depends. If it's like a Monday-Thursday and not a holiday weekend, I may do a bit (10-15%) less--but only if they're not asking for the discount. Although the work is the same, I edit pretty quick (~1-2 month turnaround) so it's just extra income. That and they're not competing for my in-demand Saturdays. This is explained initially as well.

*Just a thought I'd like to add: a wedding on a non-holiday Monday-Thursday usually has significantly fewer guests, and second/third shooters are cheaper. At least that's my reasoning when I quote people.

As always, do what works for you. We all run different business models.



May 06, 2022 at 07:52 PM
IrishDino
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Midweek wedding discount


At least in my area, people are getting married on weekdays because they can't find enough available vendors on Friday & Saturday.

These people don't care about a discount, they're just looking for someone to get back to them quickly.



May 08, 2022 at 04:23 AM
EdwardDye
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Midweek wedding discount


I do a 30% discount for weekday weddings because there is not as much demand compared to weekends, I believe in free market so it's always supply and demand.

I do think we as wedding photographers are less valuable during the week as opposed to weekends, because most weddings are happening during weekend so we are not as desirable during the week and there is a lot more supply and a lot less demand, we are just like the wedding venues, very desirable during weekend, not so much during the week.

BTW wedding venues do different price all the time, Saturday 100% price, Friday/Sunday about 80-90% price, weekdays some times as low as 30% price, also different months are different price. I've helped a friend finding great deals on her Monday wedding, the Monday price the venues showed me shock me so much, I'm talking about a venue normally charge Saturday wedding for $375 per person and 225 people minimum(they are always fully booked) quote $120 per person and 100 people minimum. All the venue I've asked is doing that.



May 24, 2022 at 11:51 PM
nick williams
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Midweek wedding discount


If it's a full size wedding it's the same price. Unless they phone up and the wedding is in six weeks. I do offer a special price list for small weddings Monday to Thursday for up to 4 hours and less than 20 people. This type of wedding is still more money than a corporate event.


Jun 05, 2022 at 04:38 AM
elkhornsun
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Midweek wedding discount


Same amount of your time regardless and same amount of work for post processing and creating prints or an album. If anything you should consider charging more as many people photographing weddings have a regular job Monday through Friday.


Jun 19, 2022 at 04:45 PM





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