How Much Does Wedding Photography Cost in 2024?
Disclaimer: I am biased, as I’m a wedding photographer myself – but I’m going to try and be as unbiased as possible on this (if a little tongue in cheek in places). Please drop me a line and Let me know if you’ve any comments / suggestions / questions on how to improve the article.
(Here are my wedding photography packages, if thats what you were actually looking for and ended up heading in the wrong direction)
I thought it would be good to get hyper-specific on this. You obviously want to know at least Post-Bowie prices – (I’m not saying everything in the Bowie period is irrelevant, but wedding photography pricing was all over the place during his reign) So let’s try to talk about wedding photography costs here and now, in 2024.
Also – talking of here and now – I’m based in the UK, so lets talk about costs there, as they can vary wildly across Europe, Australia and America and we could be here all day (you’re probably going to be here all day anyway, as you’ve no idea what you’ve signed up for). Let’s go.
Ballpark wedding photography costs
The cost of wedding photography in the UK can vary significantly depending on various factors such as the photographer’s experience, location, package inclusions, and the duration of coverage. On average, couples can expect to pay anywhere from £800 to £3000 or more for wedding photography services.
Basic packages typically include coverage of the ceremony and reception, a certain number of edited photos, and sometimes a wedding album or digital files. More expensive packages may include additional services such as engagement photo sessions, longer coverage hours, second shooters, or premium albums.
Now this can also vary due to the location of a wedding photographer. A wedding photographer living in London is usually going to have to charge more than a photographer living in Huddersfield – just to pay the same bills.
Getting an average cost is acually quite difficult, as a lot of photographers don’t publish their prices. And the wedding surveys done by Hitched, Bridebook tend to be a bit down rated (they are price-comparison sites, really, aren’t they?)
Anyway, with all those disclaimers in place – here’s a guide to cost of a wedding photographer depending on where you live
Rough Wedding Photography Cost by Location 2024 :
London: £2000
South West: £1785
Wales: £1650
North East: £1475
South East: £1750
North West: £1525
Scotland: £1825
West Midlands: £1695
East of England: £1675
East Midlands: £1650
Northern Ireland: £1675
How do I make my wedding photography cost more?
I know this is the question you’ve been dying to ask! Some of the factors are the same as most wedding suppliers but here are some tips to help you spend as much on wedding photography as possible.
1. Book a really good experienced wedding photographer.
Ok, so in reality, price isn’t the only factor in a photographers talent. Sometimes you’ll find a bargain undiscovered wedding photographer with real skill and sometimes the opposite.
A lot of new photographers are coming into the market pricing really high because that’s what influencers tell them to do. (Inflencers, the guiding light of our generation) So it can be a bit buyer beware. Read lots of reviews, see lots of photos.
Oh make sure you book a style that’s on-trend. You can tell whatever it is, because every photographer wil use it in their webpage blurb.
Having a quick look around google – apparently this year it’s documentary photography – lucky me!
(Even a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day)
2. Have a weekend Wedding
You’ve always wanted a Saturday wedding, so why compromise? Especially if you can land it on the bank holiday so guests can chill / work off their hangovers afterwards. It’s the best.
There’s no sarcasm here, it’s exactly what I’d do. (And did)
If you are looking to cut costs though, get married Monday-Thursday. I’m sure you knew that already.
3. Have an August Wedding
Again, if you want to make sure you’re having a premium wedding – July / August are the months to go for. (We did this one too!)
Some photographers will give you a nice discount for a December weddings
Those with a bit of experience of December weddings probably won’t though.
I think the message here is, get an inexperienced photographer to shoot your December wedding. They’ll give you a hefty discount and it will be a learning experience for all concerned.
4. Book Two Photographers
I’m beginning to see my mistakes here (as a guy who booked a two-photographer team for a wedding on August bank holiday)
Seriously though, having two photographers is great, you do get more for your money, and usually that value-to-money ratio is really great as a well connected photographer will usually find someone awesome to second shoot with (maybe not so easy on August bank holiday).
You can also look to add £300-500 to the package in one fell swoop. So it’s a winner all round.
5. Get a wedding album
You didn’t pay 3k for a wedding photographer to just post photos to instagram did you? Get them printed in a bold beautiful album way so you can show them to the children and the grandchildren and they can be part of your family legacy (in a way that you won’t want Instagram to be a few years down the line)
We also bought an album (I’m ticking all the boxed here, aren’t I). We also printed a cheaper one for the grandparents using some online service and all the photos were very green (including the black and whites).
You can find out more about fine art wedding albums and costs here
6. Have the wedding abroad
And ship your photographer out there with you!
There’s nothing expands the 16-20 hours a photographer will work on your day quite like making sure it takes at least 72 hours out of their life. Do it August bank holiday to make sure that they really can’t refuse. Top marks if you pull this one off. Bonus score if you do it within budget and with a photographer who isn’t straight out of school.
Whoops!
We did most of these when we got married (not that last one, thankfully… I burn really easily!). We also had quite a low-budget wedding, but invested in photography as one of our top priorities (I think it was 10-15% of our budget) as we knew it would be the only thing that lasted from the day. So we’ve no regrets and it’s lovely getting to show an album of beautiful photos to the children as they grow up and have questions about their family and where they’re from.
Why does wedding photography cost so much?
It won’t suprise you that most wedding photographers enter the business thinking they’re onto a licence to print money. I certainly did… priced myself competitively and lost money for the first 2 years / 40 weddings (that’s right, I was actually paying to do the job… luckily I had another job at the time to pay for my hobby as a ‘professional photographer’)
The truth is there are a lot of people to pay, there’s a lot of time goes into both the couples experience and the editing and producing of photos. And then there’s a lot of marketing, taxes, business admin etc on top. As well as trying to keep on top of photography / artistic skills and what the hell Instagram is meant to do (TikTok? Don’t even ask)
Skill and Experience: Professional wedding photographers typically have years of experience and training to capture the essence of a couple’s special day. They have honed their skills to produce high-quality images in various lighting conditions and settings. And we also like to continue learning and experimenting. I budget thousands in my own development each year and see it as something that makes both the photography and the experience sing.
Equipment Costs: Professional-grade camera equipment, lenses, lighting gear, and editing software and hardware necessary investments for wedding photographers. Maintaining and upgrading this equipment incurs ongoing costs.
Time Invested: Wedding photography involves much more than just showing up on the wedding day. Photographers spend time meeting with clients, planning the shoot, scouting locations, editing photos, and delivering the final product. A single wedding can require days of work before, during, and after the event.
Customization and Personalization: Each wedding is unique, and couples often expect personalized service and customization to suit their preferences. This may include engagement sessions, consultations, custom editing, and creating bespoke albums or prints (see how do I make my wedding photographs cost more for more tips)
Risk and Liability: Wedding photographers are entrusted with capturing irreplaceable moments, and there’s a significant responsibility to deliver high-quality images. There’s also the risk of equipment failure, adverse weather conditions, or other unforeseen circumstances that could impact the outcome of the shoot. So we have to have two of everything, back up plans and often millions of pounds worth of liability insurance (when we shoot on National Trust properties we often find we haven’t enough millions covered)
Business Expenses: Running a photography business involves overhead costs such as studio rent, insurance, marketing, website maintenance, and taxes. These expenses contribute to the overall pricing structure.
Post-Production Work: Editing is a crucial part of the wedding photography process. Photographers spend days meticulously editing your images to ensure they meet their standards and the expectations of their clients.
Limited Availability: Wedding photographers typically work a limited number of weddings per year to ensure they can provide personalized attention to each client. This limited availability may drive up demand and prices.
A little bit about me
I’m Simon, a professional wedding photographer based in Derbyshire. I’ve been around the block a few times (I started doing this in 2011) and have seen a lot of trends come and go. I shoot in a relaxed reportage style as I believe a wedding day is an experience in itself (it’s hard not to make good photos so I don’t get why things need controlling / posing)
(Not just because it’s bang on trend in 2024)
You can see more of my photography here and some real weddings here
If you’d like me to shoot your wedding for an exhorbitant price please get in touch
