Wedding Photography: Don't Skimp!

I was reading an article on CNN this morning about a couple in New York (where the average total wedding cost is apparently almost $50,000), and there was a quote I found particularly interesting...

"Spend less money and attention on things that aren't very important to you.

Michelle and Jason knew exactly where they would loosen the purse strings: photography. 'That was one area we didn't want to scrimp on,' says Michelle."

This has always been my philosophy. With the current price of gas and rising prices everywhere, it's no wonder people want to save a couple of bucks. But I don't think having your friend who happens to have a camera do your wedding photography is the best way to do it.

One thing that won't bring you back to the essence of your wedding day in 20 years is whether you went with starfish or sea shell centerpieces. Simple elegance is a great way to save money, but skipping wedding photography is a mistake for a number of reasons. Nothing is going to capture the essence and memory of your day like powerful wedding photos of you, your wedding party, your venue and your guests. You need an experienced wedding photographer to capture those moments.

Here's a link to the article in full, it has some interesting ideas about how to save money on your wedding and some other wedding price statistics.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/06/20/wedding.budget/index.html