Destination wedding pricing

<p>Hey all!</p>

<p>I just got asked to shoot a wedding in Mexico and I was wondering if I could have advice on what exactly to charge. They have a pretty big budget which will definitely cover my travel costs, but what else should I charge for? Thanks!!</p>

<p>Value your time</p>

<p>Have you looked into equipment rental? What about insurance? Carrying all your gear on a plane and through customs would be difficult, unless you went minimalist. The couple times I've been asked about destination weddings, I kept my bid and overhead costs low because I thought it would be a fun experience and great for my portfolio. </p>

<p>No one can tell you *exactly* what to charge. The following threads may help you, although some are older, the concerns are still the same. Also be sure to check whether you need a work permit.<br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/wedding-photography-forum/00DJ5O">http://www.photo.net/wedding-photography-forum/00DJ5O</a><br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/wedding-photography-forum/00UMUH">http://www.photo.net/wedding-photography-forum/00UMUH</a><br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/wedding-photography-forum/00Vk2B">http://www.photo.net/wedding-photography-forum/00Vk2B</a></p>

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<p>Also be sure to check whether you need a work permit.</p>

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<p>I recall a horror story about a US photographer shooting in Mexico that got arrested because a guest ratted him out that he was getting paid and when the police came to ask for a working visa he couldn't produce one.</p>

<p>Here is the link to Photographer's story (facebook account needed) - <a href="http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=385787114544">http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=385787114544</a><br>

Her bad experience might be helpful.</p>

<p>Missy you may change your mind about destination wedding after reading the post above. Hope it helps.</p>

<p><strong><em>" ... but what else should I charge for? Thanks!!"</em></strong></p>

<p>INSURANCE: if you have your photo equipment insured with a home owner's rider and it is stolen, lost, or damaged while shooting a wedding <em>for pay</em> ... it most likely will <strong>NOT</strong> be covered (learned that one the hard way). I would also check whether geographical insurance coverage will extend to Mexico, even if you do have a business policy (mine does <strong>not</strong> cover Mexico). So it may be worth a call to your insurance carrier to arrange special and specific coverage of your equipment and liability insurance for this job and add the premium costs to the quote. </p>

<p>Never leave your gear unprotected or out of your control ... and trust me on this ... don't trust anyone no matter how nice they seem. Theft is on the rise due to the world wide financial crisis. A secure gear bag with lock wouldn't hurt. Plenty of threads on that subject here already.</p>

Missy, who asked you to shoot this wedding? Is it a friend, or a stranger that lives in Mexico? Be aware of scams. Also, you didn't mention where in Mexico the wedding will be. Google US State Department Travel Advisory: Mexico.

<p>Final technical note: if you will be using battery chargers for your camera and flash, be aware that other countries do not use the same plugs we do ... be sure you have a travel converter kit.</p>

<p><br /></p>

<p>Thanks so much Marc! Wow! And thanks everyone else too. The person is a stranger getting married in Tulum. The budget is $5k is that enough?</p>

<p>Only you can answer that question, Missy. Tulum should be amazing. Lots of potential red flags though - just make sure you do your due diligence before signing on the dotted line. </p>

<p>Destination weddings in a foreign country are never a good idea. You don't know the legal requirements and running afoul of the law can be a nightmare. Especially in a third world country like Mexico where corruption is the norm. You may have your gear confiscated. You may wind up paying a fine (well really a bribe). You may wind up in jail.</p>

<p>$5K is not enough. $50K is not enough.</p>

<p>One of my exchanges students is getting married in Germany and they want me to photograph the wedding. I will under the condition that NO money changes hands and I am an invited guest with an actual invitation with my name on it. I have made four trips to Germany and even with that I don't trust my knowledge of foreign rules. Germany is certainly a whole lot more civilized than Mexico.</p>

<p>This is one of those events or opportunities that I would pass on without a second thought.</p>

<p>Raymond, So what if I rented all of my equipment and got insurance on it. Then I ask the bride and groom to give me an invitation, pay for the hotel, flight, and then the balance after the wedding?</p>

<p>I love your photography but... you are too exposed regardless of how you try to pull this off. You need to respect the couples wedding and not put their wedding photography at risk. Have them hire a local.</p>

<p>too exposed? What does that mean? It's not like it's illegal?</p>

<p><strong> Too many Cassandras here.</strong><br /> This sounds like a wonderful opportunity, for your portfolio AND for fun. I wish they had called me! Assuming it's not next week, you have enough time to do your research and find out what type of permits you need and get them. I think you might need one from customs for bringing a large amount of equipment into the country and another for working? Make sure your insurance is valid and up to date and lock your cameras in the hotel/room safe when you're not using them.<br /> Personally, I don't like others making my travel arrangements. I've had a few bad experiences. I'd make them myself and then bill for them or make it all-inclusive.</p>

<p>Missy--I think people are just worried for your safety, both physically and otherwise. I think they mean exposed to risk. Just be sure you know the risks and requirements, and are not naive about it. $5,000 does not sound like a lot for a destination wedding, considering the photographer will have to spend not just one day, but at least two days, not even considering possible 'lost opportunities' compensation since you wouldn't be able to work a prime weekend day just because you're traveling. If that money covers the album and other products, that doesn't leave much for the actual fee, not to mention travel, hotel, meals, insurance, permits, and all the other miscellaneous fees one will need to pay to get there with all one's gear and back.</p>

<p>I did a wedding in Mexico the weekend after 9/11. That was really no fun, and I had to be back the next day to photograph an associate's wedding anniversay event. But I was doing it for a friend's son, and not charging them anything.</p>

<p>I read somewhere as well that some Mexican resorts require the use their in-house photographers for weddings and outside 'pros' are not allowed to shoot. I have no idea if it's true, just suggesting you add it to your list of things to check out as you do your due diligence.</p>

<p>Hi Missy,</p>

<p>I think the idea of this sounds fantastic. $5000 doesn't sound like an awful lot when you break it down.</p>

<p>I'm assuming alot but let's say you'd be gone at least 2 days? The evening before the wedding, the day of, and the next morning. You would leave I'm assuming for this exercise on the morning after the wedding but it would still eat up 3 entire days of your time.<br>

I looked up a quick flight to that area of Mexico from NY or NJ and it's $1000 roughly (bit more or a bit less).<br>

If you factor in roughly $50 a day for food, that could easily mount to $150-ish especially airport food.<br>

A nice resort in Tulum can be anywhere from $60 - $150 a day. Assuming you'd be there 2 days, and assuming you'd be in a 5 star resort as we are assuming this couple are relatively wealthy that's say $300 for your two nights there. <br>

<br />You might want to factor in roughly $50 - $100 for any unexpected taxis you might have to get. That's $1550 right there and you haven't taken into account any rental equipment, working permits or your fee yet.<br>

http://portal3.sre.gob.mx/english/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=14<br>

(How can I get permission to work in Mexico?<br>

You must get permission from the INM to enter Mexico and authorization to do paid work. You must demonstrate that you have a job offer from a Mexican business or institute.<br>

Consult the requirements or go to any INM delegation in Mexico for more details about what is required.)</p>

<p>I have no idea how much a work permit is but it would require some fees I assume. No less than $200 I am guessing, that is what it costs roughly for a UK work permit these days.</p>

<p>I went to Victoria, Mexico with a Church group - we were doing voluntary work and yep every single one of us had to get a visa to do it. On top of that, we all had to individually go into a room with two men, and he would look at the visa, and slide his hand in the folds of the passport. Meaning he required money to let us go through, and we paid - we had Mexican guides with us that could get us through the process. It is a corrupt country in some respects so even having the proper documents doesn't assure you will not have to pay a bribe to actually get in or out. I think ours was $100 each passport each way.<br>

So setting things like this aside you are nearing $2000 and you haven't snapped a picture, nor covered extra insurance costs, nor rental costs, etc. I see that you are usually making $3000 per shoot anyway on your website. It seems you could make the same amount of money in one day rather than 3, and have no rental or insurance worries to speak of. If you want to do it for the fun of it, then good luck. If you want to get paid alot, I would think again. Whatever you decide - the very best of luck.</p>

<p> </p>

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<p ><a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=4754640">Missy Kay</a> , Mar 31, 2010; 11:50 a.m. Raymond, So what if I rented all of my equipment and got insurance on it. Then I ask the bride and groom to give me an invitation, pay for the hotel, flight, and then the balance after the wedding?</p>

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<p >I really don't know. That is your decision, something that you have to make. My personal preference is that I will not do weddings on foreign soil. I only am doing the exchange student because she lived with us for a year and has become like family. Her family and mine are not strangers and we have spent much time with them in Germany.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >I don't trust Mexican officials as they are mostly corrupt. They can charge you with just about anything and you have very few rights or recourse if there are problems. Someone with a lot of expensive equipment would be a delightful target for a local law enforcement that needs a little extra cash. Maybe I am just paranoid after having been ripped off in Mexico before.</p>

<p>Working without a work permit when one is required is illegal. To arrive as a guest and then work could lead you into problems and the officials will see you as an illegal worker trying to fool the system. Even if an official eventually believes your story they could detain you long enough that could not photograph the wedding. The officials know all the scams so I would not risk it.</p>

<p>There was a link to an article on Facebook towards the top of this thread. Here is the same article if you don't have Facebook. http://www.nowisleep.com/showthread.php?t=11224 It's making its way around some other wedding photo forums. Missy, please read it if you haven't already done so. This didn't happen in some backwater town but in a major tourist town, Cabo.</p>