Go with a package vendor or spend more money?

Same here! With photography and the officiant actually. I’m paying for those and not including the ones that are a part of our package. It’s worth it to me, the photographer we prefer has so much more style and there’s just something else about the pictures she can really capture.

Theres nothing wrong with that at all!

You will have the pictures forever so my thought is if you're less than thrilled I'd say find someone who will excite you! It's your wedding - do what makes you happy!!

Good luck!!

Hi Mystica! That's great that you have booked your venue and are excited about your DJ. Although I'm sorry that you are less excited about your photographer. Have you seen this photographer's entire portfolio? Have you searched for their website and Instagram account? It would be a pity to dismiss them without having a full view of their work.

That being said, if you don't like their photos you don't want to look at them for the rest of your life wishing you had chosen a different photographer!

An important thing to think about is if there is enough flexibility in your budget that would allow you to hire an external photographer? The cost of a photographer varies hugely depending on what state/city you are in but here is the National Wedding Photographer Cost Guide on WeddingWire that you can look into. You can edit this to show your own area to get a more accurate cost.

Do you know what style of photography you want? Or at this point is it more so you knowing exactly what you don't want?

Thanks all for the feedback! I feel like it's a really important decision, and that means the choice of judging too harshly as well.
Sinead you are so right in the fact the budget is a major player in the whole scheme of planning the big day, and I need to dig in a bit more and see if I have dismissed them too quickly. Part of me feels like it shouldn't take a lot of digging to do - that they should showcase the best of the best without digging through a lot of the rest...
I know a lot of what I dont want - guess it's time to see if I can approach that in a one on one meeting without sounding like a bridezilla and see what they can do!

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Hi there Mystica! Did you and your FS decide to go with the photographer included in the package? Or search for your own?