Do you charge more during busy months?

[Jeff Cook]

I have heard other videographers charge more during their busy months. Do you charge more? I never thought of doing that, but there are certain months of the year that are more busy than others. And how much if you do charge more 10-20% Thanks in advance.

[Noa Put]

That's the first I hear about that, why would they charge more? and if they do, are they in such high demand that clients are willing to pay more?

[Matt Thomas]

I've heard it done the other way around, where people offer a discount during the quieter months.

[Chris Harding]

That sounds crazy Jeff

I too used to have a "Winter Special" to try to attract brides to book their wedding over my 2 month quiet period but don't offer it any more. I suppose if you upped your normal prices by 20% and called those your "high season" prices and left your prices normal during the "off season" you would achieve the same result.

It's really more important to charge enough money to keep yourself happy and not too much to chase away all the brides to someone else but weddings already are subject to a price boost ripoff " I normally charge $100 for a cake but since it's a wedding it's now $500" so it might be unwise to boost your prices during the busiest months.

[Roger Gunkel]

I'm with you Chris, weddings often seem to be an opportunity to charge vastly inflated prices for everyday items. There is a fashion for vintage and shabby chic weddings in the UK at the moment, so hessian sacking seat ties, old apple boxes, jam jars for flowers and loads of other old tat is being rented out at exorbitant prices by various companies. Anything vaguely vintage, such as old plates and cups, old cameras on display etc, command top prices. I wonder if I can charge an exorbitant price for being a vintage videographer :-)

Roger

[Chris Harding]

Hi Roger

I guess we are old enough to do just that ... let's look for some Saticon tube cameras on eBay and then record onto VHS tape and triple our prices! Seriously there is a guy on our East Coast who offers weddings shot on 8mm film and charges big bucks too!!

There is a trend in the USA to have shoots done on old VHS tube cameras but they send the composite signal directly to a solid state recorder so you get digital format but with all the quirks of an old tube camera ... Hmmm my first camera was indeed a Panasonic WVP100 with a single Saticon tube and an Ultrasonic autofocus ..should have kept it!!!

Chris

[Clive McLaughlin]

For the vast majority of video and photo guys, they don't post prices online. Essentially becasue they come up with an individual price based on whatever you want.

For example:

Might need a B&B that night +100
Lots of fuel +100
Not a great venue +100
Saturday wedding +100
I've got too much work this year already +300
Panic - I've got an empty calendar -200
The groom is a celebrity -200

etc etc....

What does it matter what peoples reasons are. If it works for them it works for them.

I know some people who send out a different price to weddings they aren't too keen on. If they agree, you at least get more money to balance out the perceived negative aspects you anticipate.

P.S. I normally require the quiter months to get through the backlog from the busy months - so no price difference for me! It's the same amount of work either way! It's hardly that hard to balance your income over the whole year.

[Robert Benda]

I don't charge more for busy season, but during the slow months I am much more flexible.

I was perfectly willing to do a ceremony-only job, rather than requiring my usual 6 hour minimum. Or, for next January 2nd (when its often about 0 degrees here), to meet her budget, I'm shooting solo rather than as a duo.

Why? Well, up here in the frozen north, I'm lucky to book 4 weddings between New Year's and May 1st. My average over the years has been 3 during that stretch (one in April, one in March, and one in January/February, like clockwork).

[Edward Calabig]

If you are booking more than you can handle, you should charge more. Otherwise, you're working more for less... and what for? :)

Sure you can say you shot 50+ weddings but if you shot them for a substandard each, how many hours did you waste with all the extra filming and editing?