Most couples like to choose their own wedding suppliers. From the venue, the florist, the cake, the car hire company and the photographer, the whole process of choosing products and services is something that most couples want to enjoy and share the experience together as part of the build up to their wedding day. It’s what makes their day special, they have created it for themselves with their own ideas and choices.
So what about the alternative ‘one stop shop’ option of All Inclusive Weddings that is offered by some venues? You pay a fixed price to the venue for a range of suppliers and services. The florist, the car and the photographer are usually part of the deal. The concept will appeal to many couples as it removes the need to make multiple email and telephone enquiries, as well as arranging meetings with suppliers to make product and price comparisons between them when choosing who to have for your wedding. All Inclusive Wedding offers are usually restricted to weekdays only.
The venue, of course, will be exactly what you see and a fixed number of guests will be covered, possibly with an adequate drinks allowance. If your guest list is higher than the deal offers, you may need to reduce the number of guests at your wedding or pay a higher rate for the extra guests. Make sure you see the car before booking to know exactly what you will get on your wedding day. The flowers will be perfectly adequate, but make sure that everything you want is included. There should be a quality bridal bouquet and enough hand-ties and coursages (button-holes!) for the Bridal Party as well as centre-pieces for the tables and mantle shelves.
The risk lies with the packaged photographer. Can you be certain that the wedding photographer who is sold to you is the one who will be photographing your wedding? Is the album that you were shown by the venue the photographer’s own work?
A significant portion of the All Inclusive fee will be taken by the photographer and that may well be in the region of £1500, but you can be certain that the album will not be a top quality product.
Would you pay £1500 for a photographer who you might not meet until they turn up on your wedding day and can only supply a low to mid quality off-the-peg wedding album?
Whilst an All Inclusive Weddings package may be attractive, there are a few caveats and in today’s marketplace, everything is negotiable – especially your choice of wedding photographer and your choice of a wedding album or a disk – or both!
Choosing your own photographer could well bring cost savings too, book Steve Walton to photograph your wedding and I guarantee there will be a significant saving as well as the option of choosing from a range of high quality products, including all of your wedding images on disk!
Your wedding is just one day and one chance, but your photographs are there for more than a lifetime It’s your choice!
