Do you charge additional for holiday weddings?

[starkitty]

I just realized this is my third Memorial day weekend in a row that I am missing out on family time due to a wedding shoot. Do any of you charge extra to photograph holiday weddings, and if so, about how much more? I don't want to be greedy, but I want to make it worth missing out. On second thought, I may just block them out altogether....

[bigjon0107]

I dont. If you decide it is ok to miss, then book the wedding, otherwise just tell them you are not available on that day.

[guitarbug]

I am in the same boat this weekend! Did not realize it was Memorial Day weekend when I booked this wedding back in Nov. Wish I did charge a little more. They same thing is going to happen for me in July! I was about to really tick someone off a couple weeks ago, I was just about to book a long weekend in the Grand Canyon. Had flight, room, car and even a helicopter tour into the canyon with a picinic at the falls! Just before i was going to purchase it i thought i had better look at my calander and to my huge dissapointment I had a July 5th wedding booked. I would have either bit the bullet on the trip or had one very pissed of bride, lol..

[bondarnes]

My answer is yes and no. My "regular prices" are set for "Prime Time" dates which includes the last two weekends in May, all of June, Valentine's Day, Spring Break, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. All of those dates that you are 90% sure that you will fill. And on those dates they must book one of our better packages.

If I book a wedding for a non prime time date I offer them a bonus such as an additional hour or two at no charge or an extra page or two in their album at no charge. The bonus depends on how badly I want to book that date. If the event is on a date that I know I will book a wedding then the bonuses are probably off the table. It gives me a lot of leeway without "penalizing" those that want the most popular dates.

That being said to get me for a Christmas Day wedding, you would have to book my $10,000.00 package.