How do you handle travel fees? at DVinfo.net

Katie Fasel · December 27th, 2011, 10:13 PM

Do you charge a flat fee for weddings more than X miles away? or do you charge by the mile? Or do you quote on a case-by-case basis?

Chris Harding · December 28th, 2011, 03:01 AM

Hey Katie

Hope you had a great Christmas!!

Our "Metro Area" embraces maybe 60km south and the same North and about 40km East (sorry I'm too lazy to convert to miles!!) I cost out for that area and include it in my price.

Anything further over here would be over 200kms so I have a '200" and "400" travel fee which includes overnight accommodation and travel cost for two people. I have done a few of these and the bride have never queried the travel/sleepover fee...my reasoning is that I don't really want to finish a wedding after midnight and then still have a 2 hour + drive home!!!

I guess in another Town/City I would cost in for an area that would take me around 45 mins approx to get home after the gig! Anything more than that in my opinion needs it's own travel cost fee (whether it's an overnight stay or not) The boundaries are really up to you!!

Chris

Don Bloom · December 28th, 2011, 06:36 AM

Case by case. For instance when I go to downtown Chicago I charge a flat fee because of parking (can easily be $50). I shot a wedding in East Lansing Mi. a few years ago and there was a fee plus they took care of hotel for 2 nights (Indian wedding ran Friday and Saturday) I've been to Milwaukee where I've charged a travel fee but didn't stay over although I probably should have. Heck, I've stayed over in downtown Chicago on a couple of occassions.
Point is, it's all case by case but around here traveling 50 or 60 miles one way isn't all that unusual and with the highway system in the greater Chicagoland area it isn't too difficult to get around plus around here we don't talk in miles but in how long it takes to travel. For example, people ask me what area I live in and it's "about 20 minutes northwest of O'Hare" no miles mentioned. So travel fees all depend but sometimes they are necessary and when so, they get charged.

Kren Barnes · December 28th, 2011, 11:07 AM

Hi Katie,

We have a standard formula.
We add the total distance and the first 60 km is free but after that its .40 cents a km (based on the ridiculously high price of Canadian fuel) We go over this with the clients during the contract signing.

Cheers,

Kren

Tim Bakland · December 28th, 2011, 02:29 PM

Case by case, like Don. I don't advertise a particular set up, because it really depends on the date, how the travel falls against other travel/etc. If I happen to book back-to-back weddings in the same far off spot (this happened a couple times), I can take that all into account.

Kelly Langerak · December 28th, 2011, 06:58 PM

What works for us is to charge a basic rate and hide it in your package price. For me it's $100 because we have up to three cars sometimes. If the wedding goes beyond 40 miles from my house or we are doing a wedding in San Francisco where we are going to get hit with parking fee, tolls etc. then we charge $100 more. Sometimes I make out with extra money and sometimes I lose a few bucks, but I always tell my clients travel and tax is included. Countless clients have told me that they love how I give them pretty much one price and they don't have to do much math.

If we have to drive more than two hours then we charge for one or two nights stay. Which we charge and pay for ourselves. And we tell the client that the hotel is not included in the price because hotel rates fluctuate.

Taky Cheung · December 29th, 2011, 12:34 PM

I'm in Los Angeles. I don't charge additional in any in state weddings. Recently took a wedding in Hawaii. I asked for $500 expense. The couple agreed. It's more like, I'm having a vacation in Hawaii.. but I can work one day to make some money. Why not. Also, I can expense air fare and lodging =)

Chad Whelan · January 1st, 2012, 11:25 PM

Hi Katie

Case by case basis is I believe the best way. I think it also really depends on your pricing structure. I think if you were to put on a rate sheet something like "50 cents per additional mile over 50 miles or hotel must be provided if over x number of miles" (you get my point) you risk loosing potential clients and not even knowing it. I think if a client is going to spend a good amount of money with you then trying to get an extra $50 bucks for mileage or $100 for a hotel may be a turn off, I know it would be for me. Now if your going to Hawaii, lucky you Taky:) that is a different story, of course you would charge travel.

December 27th, 2011, 10:13 PM	#1
Katie Fasel Major Player Join Date: May 2011 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 236	How do you handle travel fees? Do you charge a flat fee for weddings more than X miles away? or do you charge by the mile? Or do you quote on a case-by-case basis?

December 28th, 2011, 03:01 AM	#2
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: How do you handle travel fees? Hey Katie Hope you had a great Christmas!! Our "Metro Area" embraces maybe 60km south and the same North and about 40km East (sorry I'm too lazy to convert to miles!!) I cost out for that area and include it in my price. Anything further over here would be over 200kms so I have a '200" and "400" travel fee which includes overnight accommodation and travel cost for two people. I have done a few of these and the bride have never queried the travel/sleepover fee...my reasoning is that I don't really want to finish a wedding after midnight and then still have a 2 hour + drive home!!! I guess in another Town/City I would cost in for an area that would take me around 45 mins approx to get home after the gig! Anything more than that in my opinion needs it's own travel cost fee (whether it's an overnight stay or not) The boundaries are really up to you!! Chris

December 28th, 2011, 06:36 AM	#3
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Re: How do you handle travel fees? Case by case. For instance when I go to downtown Chicago I charge a flat fee because of parking (can easily be $50). I shot a wedding in East Lansing Mi. a few years ago and there was a fee plus they took care of hotel for 2 nights (Indian wedding ran Friday and Saturday) I've been to Milwaukee where I've charged a travel fee but didn't stay over although I probably should have. Heck, I've stayed over in downtown Chicago on a couple of occassions. Point is, it's all case by case but around here traveling 50 or 60 miles one way isn't all that unusual and with the highway system in the greater Chicagoland area it isn't too difficult to get around plus around here we don't talk in miles but in how long it takes to travel. For example, people ask me what area I live in and it's "about 20 minutes northwest of O'Hare" no miles mentioned. So travel fees all depend but sometimes they are necessary and when so, they get charged. __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

December 28th, 2011, 11:07 AM	#4
Kren Barnes Major Player Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Winnipeg Manitoba Canada Posts: 415	Re: How do you handle travel fees? Hi Katie, We have a standard formula. We add the total distance and the first 60 km is free but after that its .40 cents a km (based on the ridiculously high price of Canadian fuel) We go over this with the clients during the contract signing. Cheers, Kren __________________ Modern Wedding Cinema for the Modern Bride www.verticalvideoworks.ca

December 28th, 2011, 02:29 PM	#5
Tim Bakland Major Player Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Beverly, MA Posts: 512	Re: How do you handle travel fees? Case by case, like Don. I don't advertise a particular set up, because it really depends on the date, how the travel falls against other travel/etc. If I happen to book back-to-back weddings in the same far off spot (this happened a couple times), I can take that all into account. __________________ Event Videography, New England www.timothybakland.com

December 28th, 2011, 06:58 PM	#6
Kelly Langerak Major Player Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Bay Area Posts: 522	Re: How do you handle travel fees? What works for us is to charge a basic rate and hide it in your package price. For me it's $100 because we have up to three cars sometimes. If the wedding goes beyond 40 miles from my house or we are doing a wedding in San Francisco where we are going to get hit with parking fee, tolls etc. then we charge $100 more. Sometimes I make out with extra money and sometimes I lose a few bucks, but I always tell my clients travel and tax is included. Countless clients have told me that they love how I give them pretty much one price and they don't have to do much math. If we have to drive more than two hours then we charge for one or two nights stay. Which we charge and pay for ourselves. And we tell the client that the hotel is not included in the price because hotel rates fluctuate.

December 29th, 2011, 12:34 PM	#7
Taky Cheung Inner Circle Join Date: May 2007 Location: Los Angeles, USA Posts: 2,114	Re: How do you handle travel fees? I'm in Los Angeles. I don't charge additional in any in state weddings. Recently took a wedding in Hawaii. I asked for $500 expense. The couple agreed. It's more like, I'm having a vacation in Hawaii.. but I can work one day to make some money. Why not. Also, I can expense air fare and lodging =) __________________ LA Color Pros Blog RODE Authorized Reseller . Comer LED Camera Lights . TakyBox HTML5 Menu Generator

January 1st, 2012, 11:25 PM	#8
Chad Whelan Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Deep River, Connecticut Posts: 261	Re: How do you handle travel fees? Hi Katie Case by case basis is I believe the best way. I think it also really depends on your pricing structure. I think if you were to put on a rate sheet something like "50 cents per additional mile over 50 miles or hotel must be provided if over x number of miles" (you get my point) you risk loosing potential clients and not even knowing it. I think if a client is going to spend a good amount of money with you then trying to get an extra $50 bucks for mileage or $100 for a hotel may be a turn off, I know it would be for me. Now if your going to Hawaii, lucky you Taky:) that is a different story, of course you would charge travel. __________________ ___________________________ www.ChadWhelan.com