7 Hidden Costs to Check Before Booking a Wedding Photographer in India
Avoid post-booking surprises: statutory GST, travel reimbursements, overtime surcharges, album revisions, and RAW file handling fees.
FliqaIndia Editorial Team
Wedding Photography & Planning Desk

Transparent itemized quotations prevent uncomfortable billing disputes after the wedding.
1. The 7 Most Common Surprise Surcharges
- Unlisted 18% GST: Many studios quote base numbers orally. Ensure your formal quotation explicitly includes 18% statutory GST.
- Late-Night Ritual Overtime: Indian Pheras frequently extend into the early hours of 3:00 AM or 4:00 AM. Inquire about exact hourly overtime rates in advance.
- Crew Travel & Early Morning Transit: For weddings outside city limits, clarify whether cab fares or fuel allowances are billed separately.
- Extra Album Pages: Standard albums include 30 to 40 sheets. Adding 10 additional sheets during photo selection can cost ₹5,000 to ₹12,000.
- RAW Footage Hard Drives: If you want the complete 500GB+ unedited camera master files, verify if you must provide your own portable hard drive.
- Music Licensing Fees: Verify whether background tracks used in cinematic films are legally licensed to prevent YouTube or Instagram audio muting.
- Drone Permission Fees: Venue or local authority drone clearance charges are often separate from the studio's pilot fee.
2. How to Ensure All-Inclusive Billing
At FliqaIndia, all package quotations provide complete, line-by-line itemization: - Exact crew numbers, equipment lists, and hours are locked in writing. - Any applicable travel or outstation lodging parameters are declared upfront. - You receive an official digital invoice with transparent milestone schedules.
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