What to charge?

[WarrenG]

Brad was very right, the lower the budget, the greater the expectation...regardless of what they say now. There is a lot of good advice here, and as previously mentioned, there is a lot to wedding photography that has nothing to do with the actual photography. Understanding the rules of the venue, understanding how to overcome set-backs like delays to the ceremony, etc. If your renting equipment you will probably be unfamiliar with it (assuming it works 100% to begin with). Finding out there is a problem with rented gear during the middle of the formals when you are left with only 15 minutes to complete them because of a late start to the ceremony, is most certainly going to shake the confidence of almost any photographer. Are you familiar with how to have the bride and groom cut the cake and position their hands, etc? We are asked this a bunch where we are in venues where the corrdinator may be very busy or "MIA", and there are a plethora of other things that "come up" which are out of the ordinary.

Learning on the job is certainly a great experience, but never the less, when someone pays for a service there is a certain level of "expectation" that comes along with it. I might suggest that you have your friend pay the "costs" - rental gear and a tank of gas, and that you provide the photography as a "Wedding Gift" since you will be gaining experience from it and using it towards your portfolio.

Just my .02 cents. Good Luck

W