Is 4 hours enough for a wedding photographer?

Four hours is enough for couples planning an intimate wedding, a small, backyard gathering or an elopement. It's usually not enough for Portland couples planning a traditional wedding with a ceremony and reception. Many Portland photographers only book weddings for 6 hours or more. 

What is included in most wedding photography packages?

Most wedding photography packages in Oregon include many products and services. These are usually built into the cost of the package, collection or hourly rate.

- Planning, guidance and a consultation
- Visits to the venue and site tours
- Maintaining cameras, preparing equipment and charging batteries
- Taking pictures on your wedding day
- Backing up photos
- Reviewing and sorting images
- Applying specialized color technique and editing styles to images
- Sorting images by category, such as, "getting ready" or "first look"
- Uploading the best 500-1000+ edited images into online galleries

When you calculate all the extra hours a photographer spends for each wedding, they're working 20 to 40 hours! That's even when they were only physically present on your special day for 8 hours. So, asking what a wedding photographer charges per hour is somewhat misleading. It doesn't give the whole picture. Sound Originals offers a-la-carte photography packages. You can hire us by the hour. Rates begin at $500. (And, yes, this includes all the editing, color correction and processing of your images.)

Is $4000 a lot for a wedding photographer?

$4000 is not a lot for a wedding photographer. We'd consider this the the middle to upper-middle range of wedding photography investments. You can find Portland wedding photographers charging a range of prices. A professional photographer will typically charge more than $1500.

Can you negotiate with wedding photographers?

It never hurts to ask if you can negotiate with an Oregon wedding photographer. For example, some Portland wedding photographers offer discounts for bookings in the fall or winter. Many photographers also have associates, or trainees, who charge less. Plus, if a wedding photographer is not booked on your date, maybe they'll give you a discount or an affordable rate. 

How many photos do wedding photographers take?

Our team of wedding photographers takes thousands of photos at a marriage and reception. Couples can expect to receive about 700 to 900 edited photos. These include everything from the getting ready process, first look, family formals, portraits, ceremony, reception, first dances, and the party!

Do wedding photographers get paid upfront?

Yes, most Portland wedding photographers get paid upfront. Professional photographers charge a fixed amount, called a deposit or a retainer, in order to reserve a couple's date. Sound Originals charges 50 percent. This is because the photographer holds the date and turns away other couples who would want to book it themselves. Deposits and retainers aren't refundable. This is a good thing for Oregon couples. It means you can rely on us - because we are there for you no matter what! We've held your date. We've turned away other business. We're committed to being your storytelling partner.

Who pays for the photographer at weddings?

Even Martha Stewart agrees! times are changing and that includes who pays for wedding photographers in Portland. To be fair, we don't really know who usually foots the bill for our Oregon photography packages. Most couples pay by credit card or debit card. Some couples open a new credit card or checking account only for their wedding expenses so they can rack up airline mileage or credit card points! It's possible that the parents of the bride or groom or partner could transfer money into various accounts or write a check back to the couple, so the couple can pay for our actual services on their own credit card.