Charge for Travel

[Big Mike]

How much do you charge for traveling outside of your area to do a wedding shoot, for example.

Do you estimate the distance you need to drive (there & back) and use a set rate per mile (or km)? Does that include fuel and maybe other travel expenses? Do you then charge for this upfront? If you have a rate, what is it?

Or would you just record the exact mileage and receipts for travel expenses and send them a bill afterward?

 

[Jim Gratiot]

Mike:

In the event of a wedding, I would probably estimate my average expenses per wedding, then just add this to the total price of the package... people who are getting married don't want to concern themselves with mileage, tax, etc. In other words, if your inclination is to charge $1,000 for a wedding, you can charge $1,100 and be able to advertise "...including expenses."

After all, compared to the $XX,000 they're probably shelling out for the wedding, driving expenses, etc. will seem insignificant.

If you do want to separate it out, I'd try and quote them a generic: "$50 for expenses" up front, rather than sending them an itemized bill for $47.42 after the wedding.

 

[darich]

my friend and i shot a wedding a few months back. We agreed a price with the bride that was all inclusive.
My mate's travelling was only a mile or two, mine was approx 16miles each way. Not exactly a lot but the price included that travelling time and mileage.

She paid upfront anand no money was mentioned again after that meeting a couple of weeks before the wedding. We arrived on the day at the specified time and took the photos - the happy couple knew that no extras were going to be added to the bill.

 

[Big Mike]

You're right, it's probably much easier to include the 'expenses' with the price. On the other hand, I'd like to break it down for them.

Here's the scenario. A client of mine recommended me to a friend of hers, who is getting married this summer. She is currently living up in the Yukon, or something like that...and she is moving to Medicine Hat, Alberta, just before her wedding. This means she's planning it mostly over the phone & E-mail and she is having trouble finding a wedding photographer so they asked me if I was willing to travel.

The relevant part of that is that Medicine Hat is 540km (336 miles) away from where I live. My travel expenses will be extensive and I'll need a hotel room for at least one night. There are some things I can do, to cut back on the expenses...I've got family that is 300km closer to Medicine Hat, where I could possibly stay...and the Alberta Meet-up that we are planning, is right after this wedding, so I wouldn't be driving all the way back home anyway.

Either way, she asked me what I would charge for travel and I said I would get back to her....so I'm just trying to get a gauge for how much I should quote.

 

[Big Mike]

Normally, I don't (or wouldn't) charge for travel for anything that is within the city where I live...or even in the general vicinity...say about 30 minutes drive. But as you can see...the issue in question is considerable farther than that.

 

[dewey]

I'd charge mileage, meals and hotel. I usually just lump it into the quote but I have had people request it be seperate.

 

[Mike_E]

Looks to me like you're looking at $525 US assuming $75 US per night (x2) for a hotel (If you fall asleep driving home and kill yourself make sure your SO's name is on the checks too!) This also includes about $50 for food and 'stuff'. Enjoy the road trip!! mike

 

[xfloggingkylex]

500 dollars?????

how does 75+75+50+gas (I said 100 just to add extra for regular wear and tear)

I get 300 dollars, which I think is more than fair for the distance, not to mention the time, traveled.

 

[craig]

I would just tag a travel expense on the bill. I am sure they realize that 300 + miles can get pricey.

I was once paid to drive "the pass" in a snowstorm. Deadlines are a killer. Was not that snowy. Got an extra 50 dollars out of the deal. That is my only experience with traveling.

 

[Big Mike]

I think I'll start with the same rate as what my employers pays when I use my personal vehicle. I think it's $.33 per km plus expenses. So I it's 540km (one way) and about 200km back to Calgary that's $244. It will probably be about $80-$100 in gas. $50 for food and then one or possibly two nights accommodation. That's about $470 (CDN)

 

[Mike_E]

So, are you donating your time to drive? If you have to travel to get there then you should be on the clock to do it. You could be doing something else that makes you money except for the fact you'll have your hands on the steering wheel for what -10 or 12 hours total? You are talking about giving away a hard days work. I was being generous towards your friend figuring 50 cents a mile and 2 days hotel. The first thing about being in business is to not loose money. If this is a freebee, why charge anything? mike

 

[Big Mike]

Good point...I did forget to factor in my driving time.

This is, of course, just the travel charge and I would charge for shooting the wedding...but there is no reason that something like this, shouldn't be as profitable as a wedding just down the street from my house.

 

[elsaspet]

Hi Mike,
I do out of town weddings from time to time, and I charge the client for a hotel room for two nights, boarding for my dogs during that time, as well as reasonable gas and mileage. I've never had a problem getting it.

 

[BAB]

Mike considering the extensive nature of the travel to do this wedding, I would charge your normal rate plus expenses and quote that upfront to the client. This is the reasonable and the correct thing to do.

 

[Big Mike]

Thanks for all the input.

While I am interested in booking this wedding...it seems to me that she could save a lot of money by hiring a photographer from somewhere closer...Calgary, for example. Calgary probably has thousands of photographers waiting to be booked.

Sure I'm excited that she would want to consider hiring me, all the way from Edmonton...but she hasn't seen any of my images yet and the recommendation came from a girl who's wedding I haven't shot yet.

I'll show her some photos and giver her a price that will be fair to me and her...and see how it goes.