Consultations Primer

I would like to kick this blog off with something I have been hearing fairly consistently for over a year now during my consultations with brides and grooms. The most recent was a couple of weeks ago while I was meeting with a couple at the West Mountain Inn in Arlington VT when I heard it again. After the couple spent the weekend meeting vendors and pricing out their services for the big day I looked them in the eyes and saw it; That glazed over look followed by the phrase "I can't believe how expensive everything is for a wedding"! Sticker shock! I was the last vendor they were meeting with and we didn't finish up until 11pm that Sunday evening. We discussed many thing which I will get into later but the main thing I wanted to share is how important "value" is in your wedding photography. In reality the only thing you have that's tangible after the wedding are you pictures (memories) and the top of the cake (which is gone after the first year). I try to explain to my clients that what you are paying for is their eye, shooting style and the end product they deliver. If you are an inquiring bride ask yourself these questions; Did the photographer work to custom build a package just for me? How well did he listen when we were discussing my needs and desires? Does he have access to the products I am looking for? Does he have a non-threatening personality that would work well in a wedding environment? Would he be fun to have around? Most of all, did they work to put something together that represents real value and fits within your budget? Believe it or not, there are photographers around that do stunning imagery without the scary price tag! It is my belief that even though some people may be hurting financially in this troubled economy, as vendors and artists we can still find ways to meet the needs of clients on a limited budget. There are so many options out there regarding albums and end products that there is no excuse for not being able to meet a clients needs. It's more an act of will and doing what we love. There is nothing more rewarding than putting a beautiful bridal album into the hands of a bride and hearing how thrilled she is as well as her family and friends. They are memories frozen in time that will last their entire lives! I have modified work flow and added stunning new products which allow me to meet the clients needs at a much lower cost than just a couple of years ago. It can be done! It's all about "value", the "eye (style)", "the products", "the personality", the total package! Steven C Dunbar (Principal Photographer) www.dunbarphotographic.com