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Photography is going to be one of my splurges. I love artistic photographs. And I intend to look at them a lot. I’m big into scrapbooking and photo albums. Naturally, to get the best photographer you start early, right? Besides looking for a venue, the photographer was the first thing I started looking for.
The first meeting I set up, Mr. Hyena couldn’t make it. I met the photographer and we talked for a while, and I flipped happily through a gorgeously printed album. I knew before meeting him that he was out of our price range, even for a splurge, and I told him so before we’d even met. But he said I should come meet him anyway. What happened next…well, I wasn’t sure if this was a ploy to book him RIGHT THEN, or not.
He told me I needed to make a decision soon on a photographer, or all of them would get booked up at the bridal fair that was coming up in a few weeks.
WHAT? It’s the third week of January 2010. I had been engaged all of two weeks. I’m not getting married until May TWO THOUSAND ELEVEN. I thought I was way ahead!
I flipped out and planned about 35 appointments with photographers over the next three weeks, and amid all the pictures and coffees and faces…was our photographer (teaser!).
Did you encounter any ploys vendors tried to use to get you to book them? Did you hold out and, if so, did you get the ones you wanted anyway?
35??!!! Lady, you scare me 
I think I met 5 or so….and that was 9months till the wedding.
We did receive a few offers for discounts “if you book today” or “if you book within 30 days” - those annoyed me greatly. I assumed if they were willing to give me the discount today, if I come back and ask for it they will give me that price anyway, since it seems that everything is up for negotiation.
I think I experienced ploys by all vendors EXCEPT for wedding photographers. I get so aggravated by all those outdated sales tactics. “But if you sign up today and today only..!” A good vendor doesn’t need those types of ploys to get business. However, I don’t mind it when vendors provide discounts for paying in full or for paying in cash.
@bRooklynRocks: Ok, 35 may be a slight exaggeration, but we did attend a whole bunch of appointments!
I have found just the opposite in a lot of cases! There are quite a few vendors that I have spoken with that will not let you book over a year in advance! I guess it just depends for each vendor!
Kleinfeld’s gave me a ploy last Friday- I found a dress I loved during a trunk show and they told me I had to buy it that day for the discount b/c it was only a one day trunk show. Which was a lie, it is a 10 day trunk show, and the same show is happening again in May, June, AND July. Glad I did not get sucked in!
Yes! I wanted to make a decision about a photographer soon and I had one tell me on the spot that he had like 5 other brides interested in my wedding date. This was also a year in advance!
It freaked me out and I almost booked him, but then I asked my friends their opinions on photographer and I changed my mind right before booking and made my decision that I’m still happy with. The first guy was soooo surprised. I think he thought his scare tactics really would work.
Like brides need more stress and photographers pull crap like this! Not appreciated!
my wedding will be on June 2012 and I already booked my photographer, she gave me a 5% discount with the price. But this is the photographer that I really really want. Her work has been chosen for the cover of Washingtonian magazine just recently. I love her work.
We only met with one photographer, who we happened to love, so we went with him!
The photography company that we won our free save the dates through told us they would give us $100 off if we booked that day but even with stretching their lowest package was far beyond our budget starting at almost $2,000
35? Haha. At least you know you wound up with the one for you!
I did a little online research beforehand, picked my two favorites and emailed both. One sent me a follow-up email saying that she’d had two other brides ask about that day, so ‘I’d better book quick’. It was a year out, an obscure date in February, and she was 1,000 more, so I went with the other… And she was AWESOME.
(also, I’m cringing at the thought of all of those photographers, trying to hand you things and talk to you at bridal fairs… ‘I just want to sign up for free things so you can start spamming my inbox, okaythanks’)
I think it was me who put a lot of pressure on us to book, but that is only because we have one of the most popular dates this year. 9/10/11!
I had a huge pressure to book my hair stylist/makeup artist since she is very saught after. I had to book my date with her, which she wouldn’t allow until I had my trial. Soooo I had a trial 7 1/2 months before our wedding date. I’m not too happy about that since my hair isn’t grown out yet. But definitely pressure to book!
Phew! I lucked out and was referred to my photographer by a friend/coworker of mine. I made sure to take a look at his website and met at his house to look at albums, and I fell in love! Very lucky indeed, as he has the lowest prices I have found anywhere with photos that look better than most of the expensive photographers in the area! 
The photographer we almost went with made it a point to say she didn’t do the whole ‘if you book now’ thing. Her thoughts were if you’re going to book me you’ll book me, and if not c’est la vie. She wasn’t going to try and pressure anyone with a you must buy now thing.
I did get that with my dress though. Oh there’s a sale and you’ll get 15% off if you get measured today! It was only the 3rd dress I’d tried on, so I didn’t do that-but it did rub me the wrong way. I didn’t get the discount, but I figure the 15% is totally worth my piece of mind. I would have driven myself crazy otherwise.
Lol! That’s so dirty. I only encountered that with a potential make-up artist, and I was like 17 months out. Say whuuuut? Silly, but I suppose it’s a pretty successful scare tactic when you prey on nervous, newly-engaged brides. Can’t wait to read about who you chose!
I didn’t have this with our photographers (Happinest in Fort Wayne, Indiana- who are absolutely amazing by the way!), but I did have it while trying on dresses. I have been engaged for 3 years and tried on dresses at the 1 year mark (way early I know). I tried on what became my dress and the consultant told me they would be discontinuing it in the near future (they had talked to the designer, blah blah blah). I wasn’t ready to commit and walked away. Fast forward by 6 months and I went back to try on the dress again and I ended up with the same consultant except she didn’t remember me. The line this time: “You should buy this dress now if you really love it because we never know when the designer will discontinue the dress.” Can we say gotcha!
I’m terrible… I met with one photographer and I knew I was going to book him when I was setting up the meeting. And I did exactly that. Signed the contract and took e-pics the same evening. Perhaps I over-simplified a bit though. (Which is not to say he isn’t awesome, because he totally is!)
Yikes! I would have freaked out, too. o.O That’s a terrifying thing to say to a newly engaged gal! We didn’t encounter any ploys, but I was also a crazy woman who booked the majority of her vendors over a year in advance.
Holy smokes, that does seem a little early! Honestly we only met with one photographer. I looked at a ton of portfolios online and eliminated anyone that wasn’t in budget, or was in budget but didn’t come with a second shooter. I knew instantly who I wanted our photographer to be if it was in budget and as soon as Mr. G saw their photos he agreed. I think we might have even signed the contract before we could meet her, but such is life when you are planning everything from out of town.
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Mrs. Hyena, College Station, TX Age and Occupation: 23, Marketing Specialist Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Aerospace Engineering Grad Student Engagement Date: January 8, 2010 Wedding Date: May 2011 Venue: Downtown 202 About Me: I'm a Texas girl who met my future hubby in high school, then headed up to Oklahoma for a college education (BOOMER SOONER!) before moving back to the Lone Star State to be with him. I love reading and recycling, Photoshop and reality TV, making lame jokes and then laughing at them, quoting movies, and Mr. Hyena most of all. I'm perpetually early and I like to get things accomplished. When my cat meows at me, I meow back. We're planning a laid-back, unintentionally DIY wedding with a cocktail-party vibe, and can't wait to celebrate our nuptials with our nearest and dearest!
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