Exclusive Wedding Hall

[egproductions]

Frustrating day for me. In the past couple of years i've gotten a lot of work at a particular wedding hall. The hall has decided to implement exclusive packages which includes 1 of 2 photography studios that must me used by the client. A client called me that has used me for all their family weddings and told me they couldnt use me for this one because they are making the wedding at this hall. They then called the two exclusive studios whos work is subpar to mine (not trying to be pompus but it's pretty clear from their sample work) and they were told that they are already booked that day and that they would be subcontracting the work and they might even be willing to subcontract it to me. I don't really want to subcontract for them but I guess I would be willing if they paid me my retail rate (why should they get my wholesale rate) I don't mind them marking it up to make money but why should I loose money since the client wanted to use me in the first place. Of course I would feel bad that my client ends up being the one loosing out since they essentially added another middle man thats marking up the cost of the photography/video

This exclusive issue gets me incredibly frustrated. Not only am I probably loosing out on a return customer but now everyone that books that venue isn't even going to be looking for a photographer. I work in a close knit wedding market so it really does impact me when a hall does this. The only way I would be willing to be exclusive for a hall myself would be if I'm getting my retail rate. Again, if I have to give them a wholesale rate so that they can mark it up then I'm loosing out on people that might have wanted to use me in the first place and now to get their business I essentially have to work at a wholesale rate.

I'm mainly just venting but open to advice. I feel like this should be illegal for a hall to not allow their client to choose their other vendors. Thoughts?

 

[arco1]

Well, this is really just a way for the venue to force you to pay a cut of your profits (and effectively raise the price for the end-consumers.) But I wonder how this sort of thing is impacted by anti-trust laws, price-fixing laws, etc? Or maybe you should start offering video packages that also include the venue?

And I wonder what would happen if, instead, you were an "invited guest" who just happened to bring your video equipment? I also wonder how long this venue would stay in business if they tried to bar "uncle joe" from bringing his camcorder, or insist that all the other guests couldn't use their cell-phone cameras?

Yeah, frustrating, but business is business, and the big fish always eats the smaller fish.


Jim