Help!!!! wedding through the MANY photographer websites!!!!!

[cryssyv]

Hi all,

 

I'm so happy to have stumbled across this forum!! We are planning a Maui wedding for May 2011 - I know it's a way's away yet but I thought I would at least start the process of narrowing down a photographer...... super important part of the day. There are so many out there and so many different packages I'm overwhelmed already LOL.

 

I'm trying to stay within a reasonable budget of around $500 or so (We are not having a formal reception and our thoughts at this point is to find a photographer to just do a 1 hr (maybe longer) photo shoot of us in our wedding attire on the beach we were just married on after the ceremony. I have found some great galleries but pricing seems to be in the $1000's and the packages very small. If the photographer is amazing and has some great reviews w/ a good package I am willing to budge on cost but at this point I know nothing of these photographers and afraid I could easily be "had" by booking something online.

 

Any feedback you have would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks a bunch!!!

[cryssyv]

OOPS - how embarassing...... my title should say "weeding" through websites not wedding, and I can't figure out how to change it

 

and another tidbit of useful info would be that we are most likely staying in Kihei and are looking at Makena Cove as our destination

[TATrisha]

This is pretty tough. Most photographers won't offer packages that are less than three hours, as that is how long you'd need to cover the ceremony and then formals afterwards. So maybe you're actually looking for a photography session instead of wedding photos?? Kind of like an engagement session. Just an hour, on the beach. Perhaps you should contact some of the photographers that you like and see what they have to say.

[ronsoliman]

I wish I am there the same time in 2011. I am shooting a wedding there this August, and will send you some i images if you want for you to get ideas on how amazing Maui is for photography.

[cryssyv]

Tlseege - thanks for the tip, I will definitely look into that! I didn't realize how tough it was going to be to find the photographer. I thought I was jumping the gun on starting so soon but holy, this could take forever

 

 

ronsoliman - that would be great of you to send some pics!!!!! Thank you! I'm assuming you must travel to do your photography?

[weiky]

what si the date of your wedding? we are getting married may 12th 2011 and we are bringing a photographer from cali with us. he is cheaper for the day and he is actually going to shoot some all wedding week for us. i was thinking that if you are around the same date and we are there he would maybe work a deal with you for a few hours. let me know the date and i can contact hi and see what he thinks.

[blckrevpower]

I've realized by using this forum that photogs are VERY expensive! So much more than I actually thought. So we have to re-arrange our budget. most of the packages I've come across offer at least 5 hours of coverage for about $1800-2000. For 8-10 hours, you may end up paying about $2500-4000 for a really good photog.

I'm hooked on Nathaniel Thompson's photos, but I'm not going to be able to afford him, so I'm still looking.

Many of the brides on this forum used AMAZING photogs and their pics look very professional as though they should be in a bridal magazine. I know I want that look for my wedding, so I'm just gonna have to bite the bullet and spend the money.

[cryssyv]

Weiky - We haven't actually set a date for our wedding yet. Does your photographer have a website I can check out??

 

Blkrevpower - I agree, here I thought I was gonna save by going away for our wedding LOL. Photographer is turning out to be much more expensive than I originally planned for. I'm so afraid of getting something to save a little money and then end up with no photo's of my wedding day - that would be horrible. I think I too will end up paying the extra for someone with a good reputation.

[cryssyv]

blckrevpower - who is amazing photo's?? I tried google-ing it and can't seem to find anyone. I'm curious to check it out.

 

thanks!!

[laura&james]

We selected Marbelle as part of our wedding package with Deanne from Precious Maui Weddings. Our entire wedding package was only $1,000, which was shocking considering how well-known Marbelle is on the island (typically bill $1,000/hr). They shot for about 2 hours (church ceremony, outside the church and then on the beach). When I asked Deanne, she said they had been working together for about 12 years and had a well-established relationship. Our photos came out fantastic and we are having a really hard time narrowing it down from 400 to 60 or so. It might be worth it to book a package with a wedding planner just to have the option of working with a photographer at a reduced cost. Marbelle's website can be found at: Fine Art Photography & Video: Marbelle