You’ve found the perfect dress, the dream venue, and a cake that looks like it was plucked from the clouds. Now it’s time to think about your photographer—and how much they’ll cost. Yes, wedding photography costs can be high, but you can make sure you’re getting your money’s worth by asking a few key questions before signing on with anyone.
Average cost of a professional wedding photographer
The average cost of a professional wedding photographer is about $2,780. Of course, hiring a professional photographer who has years of experience and knows how to capture candid moments will be a more expensive option. Many couples opt for the less expensive route by doing it themselves or hiring someone who doesn’t quite have as much experience as they would like in order to save money.
In addition to the fee you pay your photographer, there are other costs associated with hiring one:
- Travel expenses
- Additional equipment rental fees (e.g., lights)
Factors to consider:
- Location. The first thing you should look at is the location of your wedding and how much it will cost to fly there. This is important because some locations are more expensive than others and the photographer may have to travel thousands of miles to get there.
- Experience. Another factor that affects price is experience, which can be difficult to determine from just looking at a portfolio or what they say on their website. The best way to find out if someone has enough experience for your wedding would be through referrals or asking questions about previous jobs done by other clients with similar events as yours (i.e., destination weddings, elopements).
- Albums/Products Offered & What You Want/Need?
If you’re looking for what should be part of your package but aren’t sure whether it’s worth it—or if there are other products or services that will better suit your needs—then here’s what you should know about wedding photography!
What they charge
The average cost of a wedding photographer is $2,780.
However, it’s not just all about money. Some photographers will offer you their services for free or discounted rates if you’re working with them on multiple shoots in the future. And remember that there are other factors to consider when determining how much money you should spend on your wedding photographer: what style do you want? Do you want someone who’ll take photos in a classic way or modern? Are there any specific shots that are important to you?
Wedding photography costs can be really high, so be prepared.
- Don’t be afraid to negotiate: If you’re aware that your photographer’s services are valuable and in demand—and they are—then use this information as leverage when negotiating a price. You may find yourself able to get a lower rate than expected simply by asking if they’ll work on commission rather than charging fixed fees (which will help keep things flexible).
- Don’t be afraid to ask for a discount: While negotiating is one way to get money off your wedding photography costs, another way is simply asking outright for a discount on your quote because circumstances have changed since you signed the contract with the vendor. This could include something as simple as needing an outdoor shoot moved indoors due to rain or scheduling conflicts with another vendor who’s already booked space outside where your photographer had planned on shooting some portraits outdoors.
Wedding photography is an art form. The good news? It’s also a marketable one! You know what they say: pictures are worth a thousand words. But if you’re looking for a wedding photographer, don’t just look at their portfolio and price tag. Think about what you want and need from your wedding photos, where you’ll get them taken (and whether the photographer has experience in that area), how long they’ve been doing this work for (and whether those years were spent honing their craft), and how much value comes bundled into the package that they offer – like albums and prints included in cost or offered as extra items outside of it.