So I'm thinking I'm going to have a stroke as I look at all these prices for photography in my area. Now mind you I'm lucky with prices of things like venue, dresses, and cakes in Northern Michigan, but photography... I swear no matter where you are that is going to be expensive.

I did have a close family friend that shoots AMAZING pictures and I wanted her to take my daughters one year shots (July) and then my wedding (August). But of course she's pregnant and due in Mid July so she's out of the question now....

I feel so lost because I'm a big photography buff and it's looking like I'm going to have to comprimise on what I want. Since 1,500 dollars for 3 hours of a photographers time is just out of the question.

Honestly, check Craigslist/Kijiji (don't know if Kijiji is Canadian or not). I was looking earlier today and found all day packages in my area for $900 from GOOD photographers. Most are running $3000 plus. There was just an article about this on PW today... Lemme see if I can scare up a link...

http://www.projectwedding.com/wedding-ideas/wedding-photography-on-a-budget

Thanks so much for the craigslist idea! It never occured to me to check that out, and I just did a quick search and I don't feel nearly as discouraged anymore.

SO glad I could help :) I know photography was gonna be the end of me, too :( You do need to be careful on Craigslist, but the article I linked has a lot of great advice to avoid getting scammed etc.

You know - shop around.  My sister got married 4 years ago and paid about $2500. for engagement and wedding pics which included a book and he was with them all day.  Well I couldn't afford to spend that much on photography but we called the same guy because he is great and he ended up charging us $1500. (and in my area that is a deal) for engagement photos and wedding photos (8+hours) but instead of prints or a book we have ALL of the digital photos and are able to make our own prints and someday make our own book.

Sarah Killakey photography.  She's young and new but her pictures are very good.  I'm a Texan now, but from Northern MI originally!!!!  :) 

May I suggest asking your friend who originally was going to do the photography if she has had a 'helper' at previous weddings/photo shoots she's done or another up and comer whom she knows of and has the same photography concept as her? Even though I'm from the Northern VA area- EVERYTHING here is priced ridiculously expensive- I was searching for a photographer last year for my boys and the one photographer I inquired about was waaaaay out of my price range but she refered me to another photographer who was much cheaper but just as fabulous.

Good luck and keep us posted!

You should definitely look at craigslist, the newspaper, etc.! You should visit some college campuses and post flyers looking for photo students who are willing to take pictures and "practice" (usually they are STILL amazing!) and they won't charge and/or it will be extremely cheap. Or, look for a long lost high school friend or acquaintance who would be willing to do it for free or cheap. Good luck!!

-Update-

I found someone through a friend for only 400 dollars. She's a photography student at GVSU and I loved the pictures in her portfolio.

BUT then we hit a snag with that plan when some unexpected expenses came up as well as my daughter's first birthday bash which has ballooned out of control... luckily my soon to be mother in law informed me that her sister's husband is a full fledged photographer and he offered to take the pictures for free. I hit the motherlode there! So now I get great professional pictures, for free, and I get more of a say as to what is being done. Couldn't be happier :)

That's so great! Photography is definitely hard. As I've written my blog on budget weddings, this has been my focus since it seems this is what I get contacted about all the time. Advice for any other brides: read that article posted above (I wrote it ... so I might be biased). :)