Paying Photographer in Advance

Hmmm as long as you have a contract that protects you too, that's fine... Make sure your photographer has a PLAN B! What happens if they have an emergency on the day? You need them to be responsible for getting you a back-up photographer, and/or a full refund...

My photographer only required $250 deposit, with the remainder on the day (it's about $1900 for the package).... so I kind of didn't have to dish out as much to commit.

View quoted message That would never happen if you sign a contract! It's very normal for vendors to ask for a big deposit, as often people can be flakes. this is to prevent this from happening! Yours aren't doing it wrong by any means, just a different way of doing business!

Thanks for all the advice, this is so helpful!

This sounds normal. Our photographer gave us 2 options.
1. 25% down I believe and then so much monthly

2. 50% down and 50% like 30 days or 2 weeks before.

We chose the 50% down as he is very well known and reliable and we didn't want to worry about monthly payments.

I don't think that is normal, I'm paying my photographer in 3 payments. Payment on deposit, payment day of wedding, and payment day we receive our final photos. And these are professional high end, popular photographers who have been in the industry a very long time-

Was the same for my brother, and my two cousins who've gotten married the past 5 years.

If you pay them in full prior to the wedding I feel they can screw you over and maybe not even show up to the wedding, or not take as good of photos, and there is no incentive to hurry and get your photos done and back to you since they've already got your money.

I personally wouldn't trust them, but the choice is yours!

Good luck

Normal for deposit and the payment plan. I had chosen to pay small amount duration of the time.

Fairly normal for most vendors. a lot of mine are ok with 2 weeks before. 1 vendor requires 30 days before.

Normal! Though it's something I'm not comfortable with... our photographer takes payments in instalments and FOUR of the payments come after the wedding once we start getting photos and videos back! SO much more comfortable with this idea!

This is very normal - especially since photographers can book up quickly! The deposit serves as a promise to use your services so the vendor won't double-book hoping someone will fall through. Other couples will be contacting your vendors too and if they have a deposit from you they are more comfortable turning away other prospective clients since you gave them money already. It also protects their business if the couple has to cancel and they are no longer working that day since deposits are non-refundable usually.

As for paying the rest beforehand, a lot of vendors do this too but it is beneficial to you since you don't have to worry about paying people on your big day because you will be too busy to worry about that!

Yup this sounds right! If she is a professional and the contract looks good I wouldn't worry about it at all. we have to pay 50% of our photography bill when we signed the contract and the rest the day of the wedding but we will pay her probably a few days before to get it out of the way and then tip her on the wedding day

We have make deposits on all of our vendors, including our photographer. The balance of the funds for our photographer is not required until after our wedding, however we have decided to pay him in full prior to the wedding. Having less details and money to worry about close to the wedding day makes sense to us.

A deposit is normal for most vendors, photography or not!

This is actually quite normal for most vendors! They will require some sort of deposit when you book and then you will pay the remainder closer to your date

We paid a third when we signed, we will pay a third the day of and the remainder when we receive the photos.

Yup, this is pretty normal. In fact, I have fully paid off my photographer 8 months before our wedding - our DJ, florist and hair and makeup will all be fully paid before the wedding as well.

Most, if not all, vendors will require some type of confirmation deposit. We paid 50% to our photographer when we booked her services. $1,500 for our venue and $100 for our DJ. Typically, the contract will tell you when the remainder of the fees would be due.

Sounds about right. Most vendors need that money so that if a couple cancels last minute (which leaves the vendor without a job to do), they don't have their time wasted. Sure, the vendor could take the couple to small claims court but it would be more of a hassle than anything else.

Most of our vendors require all the money paid by about the 2 week prior mark. Of course, yes we still have vendors that take the last bit of money on the day of the wedding as well.

As well, congrats on the engagement - I noticed that this is your first discussion so I just wanted to also welcome you to the wedding wire community!

We paid 500 deposit for our photographer and have to pay the remaining a week before the wedding.
Also paying before the wedding eliminates stress on your wedding day worrying about who you still have to pay!

We paid 50% as a deposit for our photographer, and anywhere between 25 and 50% for most others. The remainder on all is due a month before. As michelle said, you'll find this with most vendors!

You will find that with most vendors. They almost always want the payments finished a week to 1 month before the date.