How much should I spend on a wedding photographer?

“How much should I invest in a wedding photographer” is one question that doesn’t seem to ever get you a straight answer. We can look at statistics and averages all day, but ultimately, the amount you budget for your photographer will depend almost solely on the experience you want to have with your wedding photographer. My recommendation is to put together an emotional or priority budget rather than a financial one, at least initially. This will help you determine what is most important to you both and distribute your budget accordingly.

Here’s what mine looked like:

Here’s a super easy way to calculate your wedding budget based on your priorities. First, give yourself 100 points. Then, go into Canva and create a pie chart. There, you can assign a point value to each of your wedding wants to equal 100. For me, having luxury wedding photography was obviously the most important, so I assigned 20 points to it. In my mind, we could later upgrade our rings (10 points) if we wanted to. Further, our high-end wedding photographer could make our Airbnb backyard wedding look high-end if we got the details right, like floral, invitations, and décor. Or, we could go with a nicer venue and spend less on nice details. We settled on 20 points for our photographer, 15 points for our venue, 10 points for my wedding dress, and 10 points for our rings. This could look similar or entirely different for you. Once you and your fiancé have decided on your priorities together, you can now come up with an overall budget, and assign the percentages that Canva gives you based on your pie chart to your budget! Boom, done.

Example: We have $30,000 to spend on our wedding altogether. Based on my point assignment, I want to dedicate 17.6% of that budget to renting our venue. That would make our venue budget $5280.

As you can see, 24% of our overall budget went to our photographer. To me, this makes sense because I understand the value of having a great wedding photographer. I understand what it’s like to have an inexpensive photographer too. I’ll explain.

Wedding photography is largely based on demand, experience, expertise, and equipment. The less you pay for a wedding photographer, the less you can expect in return. Sure, there are unicorns out there that have one year of experience and do an exceptional job, but by in large, that’s not the case. Here’s a simple breakdown of what you pay for in a wedding photographer.

As a disclaimer, I have been on every one of these tiers. It takes a lot of time, effort, and work to gain the experience to increase prices and it doesn’t happen overnight. I am, in no way, speaking poorly of inexperienced photographers (I have been there!), simply demonstrating the scale in which we have all based our prices in an attempt to help couples understand what they are really paying for. I’m writing this from my own experience with each of these levels.

Brand new photographer: $500-1000

• May or may not have photographed a wedding before

• How they’ll likely make you feel: You likely won’t receive a lot of direction in posing, planning, or timing. You’ll be taking a risk on their professionalism, confidence, and skill as they probably won’t have many testimonials or references. Their equipment may be of lesser quality and have a higher risk of under-quality images.

Beginner: $1000-1500

• Just starting, may have shot multiple sessions, but may or may not have shot a wedding yet.

• How they’ll likely make you feel: You may feel more confident with a beginner who has more experience in natural posing, lighting, and technical skill.

Amateur: $1500-3000

• Has a few weddings under their belt, may not be in high demand due to inconsistent style or business development.

• How they’ll likely make you feel: This is your middle-of-the-road photographer. They’re likely more confident with posing, and difficult lighting situations, but still learning working styles and finding a balance between being directive and flexible.

Growing amateur: $3000-5000

• In higher demand for style, shoots consistent weddings while focusing on providing a good experience to couples.

• How they’ll likely make you feel: They’ll have higher level equipment, and a backup system in place, and will likely be involved with furthering their training and education to help grow their business. Their portfolio is consistent and offers real referrals and testimonials.

Professional: $5000-7000   

• Generally a full-time photographer in high demand

• How they’ll likely make you feel: They’ll bring ease and confidence to you in posing and direction. They’re aware of your vision and set forth to deliver high-quality photographs while providing a comfortable experience to couples.

Luxury: $7000-8000 and beyond starting prices (not uncommon for these to reach $20,000 and higher)

• Established, refined style, luxury offerings to couples.

• How they’ll likely make you feel: You’ll be at ease with natural and candid posing. High-profile events will be a breeze for these photographers, and they usually have a style that is highly sought-after.

So not that we’ve got that down, we still need to answer the question: How much do wedding photographers cost?

Anywhere between $0 and $20,000 or more. Thanks for the straight answer, right? The fact is, wedding photography can be compared to handbags. There are a lot of factors that go into which handbag is going to suit your needs best. Guys, we can use a wallet interchangeably here (my husband is crazy picky about his wallets). A handbag or wallet is something we use every single day of our lives. When we see people, they’ll likely see us and our handbag. So, you want it to look nice, right? Okay, but “I work at a law firm and have to carry an iPad, notebook, water bottle, and an emergency snack in my bag at all times.” So, you’ll need something functional for those purposes. Guys, you have a dozen credit cards because you own a business, you’ll need a wallet that isn’t bulky and bulges from your pocket and makes it uncomfortable to sit, right?

So you are beginning to see my point. There are a lot of things that go into choosing that bag or wallet that will likely be your companion for at least the next six months. If you’re one who is drawn to designer bags because it is a statement of who you are, of what you’ve worked for, and of what you are capable of, you’ll likely want a professional or luxury-level wedding photographer. If you’re one who is strictly concerned about function, you’ll likely be okay with a lower-level photographer. But, there is a catch here… your wedding photos will be cherished by generations and generations to come. Your handbag and wallet probably won’t make it past your kids’ possession.

The bottom line here is value. Here’s an outline of what can help determine the value of wedding photography you want for your wedding.

• Lifestyle

• Expertise

• Experience

• Style

• What they included standard in basic packages (album, engagement session, etc.)

Expertise

Expertise and experience are often used synonymously. But, there are some differences. Imagine a new car salesperson, then one who has been selling pre-owned cars for two decades. The guy who has been selling pre-owned cars for his entire career could have loads of experience, but compared to the new guy who has test-driven every Mercedes-Benz and has been reading every bit of information on them for the last year, who has more expertise on Mercedes cars? The new guy would be the safe bet. Not to mention, the stakes are far higher with luxury car dealers and with pre-owned (correct me if I’m wrong here), so the Mercedes salesperson has probably worked a lot harder to learn how to deliver a luxury experience to their clients.

How does that apply to wedding photographers? A photographer with 10+ years of experience in budget weddings probably won’t have the same expertise as the photographer with one year of experience with high-end or luxury weddings. In my mind, it comes down to opportunity, risk, and determination. When a photographer consistently pushes the limits to what they don’t know, they force growth, they take risks, and they leap to opportunities. These things create great technical skills, interpersonal skills, emotional and communication skills, and business skills in a photographer. How do these skills affect your experience?

–        Technical skills – This will determine your photographer’s ability to work under difficult slighting situations (very harsh light or complete darkness), produce consistent images that are in-focus and high-resolution, and handle technical malfunctions with ease.

–        Interpersonal skills – Often, the photographer fills in and acts as an assistant (or main) wedding coordinator. There are hundreds of moments throughout the day that involve on-the-fly decision-making, even with rock-solid planning. The photographer with expertise will work through these moments with ease and confidence with calm communication.

–        Emotional and communication skills – This come into play when you remember that a beautiful moment can also be a difficult one as someone you love won’t be there, or when you’ve realized something important got left behind. A photographer with expertise will be able to recognize your emotion and tend to it accordingly. It’s the ability to bring comfort and empathy.

–        Business skills – These skills come from great pressure to succeed in a world that says “photography can’t be a successful career”. As I stated earlier, we are a one-man show. It’s likely that a photographer with expertise in business will be able to create stability and service to deliver consistent results.

Generally, you can expect a higher premium for a photographer with expertise as it is directly related to their desirability and demand. To confirm a photographer’s expertise, read their reviews, ask for references, and look at their portfolios for different parts of the wedding day with different lighting conditions.

Experience

Experience is important. If I had to choose, I would say that expertise is more important as it shows the overall passion and ambition of a wedding photographer. But, experience is still closely related to expertise. Experience should be thought of as the various situations they may have experienced statistically. They’ll likely be more comfortable handling unexpected situations (changes in your timeline, family tension, etc.) or local venues, but expertise can almost always create an equal competitor in this regard.

A wedding photographer with experience will be proactive in preparing for a new venue, adapting quickly to a new environment, and putting together a plan ahead of time.

If you’re seeking a photographer with experience and expertise, be prepared to see something above your average cost of a wedding photographer.

Style

Photography style is highly subjective, often appealing to a niche. There is also a lot that goes into the style a wedding photographer develops and produces. Many times, photographers will have a philosophy for their particular style. Sometimes, the style a photographer falls into is based on demand. I have honed my style based on both philosophy and demand. I believe that weddings are happy and bright days, so my style reflects that. I’m partial to pastel colors, painting-like portraits, and classic architecture, so my photographic style reflects those aspects. Photographers who charge a premium generally have a very specific style with philosophy and demand behind it.

I think it’s safe to say that, generally, we all want originality. We want to be unique, but also on-trend. So, how does one achieve a unique aesthetic but an on-trend feel? Style is determined as much by the things that make you you as the color scheme and overall aesthetic. It’s the posing, the heirlooms, and quirks, that make your wedding unique, but still in style.

What Comes Standard in their Package?

When researching wedding photographers, you’ll discover that some include very few things in their packages at a higher price point, but some offer more value by including many benefits. By the same token, some may begin at a lower price point, but can quickly become more expensive as you add “extras”.

Here are some examples of what may or may not be included in wedding photography packages:

• One shooter or a second shooter for part or all of the day?

• A two-hour or more engagement session?

• Some or all travel?

• Timeline development and review?

• An engagement style guide?

• A list of tips and tricks to help the day go smoothly?

How do wedding photographers actually structure the cost of packages?

Typically, we will base our prices on a few things:

1.     Cost of living

2.     Overhead costs (business insurance, equipment, advertising, etc.)

3.     Hours of labor

4.     Standard of service

5.     Travel

6.     Experience & expertise

Some areas may be exponentially more expensive to live in. If you’re looking at getting a wedding photographer from Los Angeles, their price point may be much higher than an equal counterpart in a rural area. Our cost of living significantly affects our pricing.

Overhead costs can vary a lot. Wedding photographers that strive to deliver exceptional images, as well as a luxury experience, will invest a lot more into gear, training, and education. Business insurance can get pricey, depending on how much a photographer travels, how much gear they have, and how long they’ve been in business.

Total hours of labor is one of the most important factors in determining prices. Let’s break this down a little. This is based on an average wedding with a median photographer.

•1-3 hours of initial emails/meetings
•2-3 hours of engagement session (local travel, shooting time)
•2-4 hours engagement session upload, edit, export, delivery
•3-4 hours of timeline prep/pre-wedding planning
•10-20 hours of day of work (set up, local travel, coverage during day, tear down, photo transfer/backup)
•15-30 hours of editing time
•1 hour backup/miscellaneous activities

So that’s potentially 60+ hours per wedding of actual labor, not counting expenses.

Keep in mind that doesn’t include the time and money that goes into paying a second shooter, gas money, gear, education/improvements, business insurance, keeping software and everything up to date, advertising rates, etc.

I think it’s safe to say that any given professional photographer possibly spends at least 75-100 hours per wedding, counting all above-mentioned activities.

As a simple example, if a photographer needs to make $50k per year after business expenses (say maybe $20k worth of expenses per year), and they’re willing to shoot 40 weddings a year, they need to charge $1,750 per wedding on average.

That comes out to about $15 per hour (possibly less). And don’t forget, we still have taxes after all that.

So, if you’re paying $1,750 for a main and second shooter, I’d wager to say you either have a photographer that’s investing very little in their business or someone that’s working really hard for $15ish per hour (before taxes).

Not so sound harsh, but $15 per hour seems pretty cheap for being a specialist and an artist for one of the most important days of your life that you can’t recreate, doesn’t it?

Average Wedding Photography Costs In the Dallas and Fort Worth Areas

For the Dallas and Fort Worth areas in Texas, it seems most photographers in this area get grouped in the following starting price ranges:

•$500-1000 (Just starting, may have not shot a wedding, not considered professional)
•$1000-1600 (May have shot some weddings, may not have a high demand and/or may not have a style that demands a higher price tag)
•$2000-3000 (Probably photographs weddings fairly regularly, may not have a high demand due to style, may not be considered full-time)
•$3000-4000 (Probably has a bit higher demand for style, probably shoots a few less weddings while focusing on providing each client more support, beginning to get into the “professional” category)
•$4000+ (typically considered full-time professionals, have the demand based on style, expertise, etc.)

•$7000-$8000 and beyond starting prices (Typically more established, refined style, and luxury offerings)

Again, these are general starting price ranges. You can spend $10k with many of the photographers that begin at the $4k range. And please remember, these categories of pricing are not fixed; sometimes you can truly get a “good deal” at a lower price range. However, in those instances you are paying to forfeit the peace of mind and assume the risk.

Average Wedding Photography Costs In the Lubbock Area

For the Lubbock area in Texas, it seems most photographers in this area get grouped in the following starting price ranges:

•$0-500 (Just starting, may have not shot a wedding, not considered professional)
•$500-1200 (May have shot some weddings, may not have a high demand and/or may not have a style that demands a higher price tag)
•$1000-2000 (Probably photographs weddings fairly regularly, may not have a high demand due to style, may not be considered full-time)
•$2000-3000 (Probably has a bit higher demand for style, probably shoots a few less weddings while focusing on providing each client more support, beginning to get into the “professional” category)
•$4000+ (typically considered full-time professionals, have the demand based on style, expertise, etc.)

•$7000-$8000 and beyond starting prices (Typically more established, refined style, and luxury offerings)

Again, these are general starting price ranges. You can spend $10k with many of the photographers that begin at the $4k range. And please remember, these categories of pricing are not fixed; sometimes you can truly get a “good deal” at a lower price range. However, in those instances, you are paying to forfeit the peace of mind and assume the risk.

Conclusion

What you and your fiancé choose to place importance on is entirely up to you two. You may want a certain venue that you’ve been dreaming of since high school, or a photographer that you are confident in. Whatever it may be, remember that this is more than the budget you create – it’s your wedding. You two will be celebrating a new unity! Remember why you’re doing all of this!

There is no right or wrong way to budget or prioritize. At the end of the day, what matters is what makes you two happy.

As always, email me with any questions you may have or drop a comment below!

xo, Kensey