You’re planning your wedding and you’ve had the epiphany that you’ve got a lot to learn about weddings! One of the tasks on your to-do list is “hire a wedding photographer” As this is likely the first time you’ve booked a professional photographer, your first question might be, “How much should I expect to pay for my wedding photography?”

How much do UK wedding photographers cost?

The average prices of wedding photographers in the UK can range from literally free to well over £10,000. If you're reading this, you might not be in the fortunate position to be able to afford a photographer at the high end of the market. Luckily, you don't have to spend five figures to get excellent wedding photos.

Like most things in life, the lower to middle markets are vastly different. Only you know how much you can spend on your wedding photographer. I’ll break down my average costs based on a few different wedding days later in this article. As of 2024, I recommend spending as much as you can afford for your full-day coverage. That way, you'll have peace of mind knowing you're in the hands of a professional. Expect shorter coverage to cost more per hour compared to a full day.

Your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event. You want your wedding vendors to take care of everything, leaving you to relax on your big day. I promise you will put more value on your wedding photographs than almost everything else in your house in ten years. My grandparents say theirs are priceless!

How much should I spend on my wedding photographer?

There is a subtle difference between ‘value’ and ‘price’, and it might be tempting to make a decision wholly based on price to start with, but not all photographers are the same.

While you might have expectations about the quality of your coverage and how much it will cost, like everything else in life, there is a market value. The adage that “you get what you pay for” is as true with photographers as everything else. You are only getting married one time; your wedding photographs are how you’ll remember your day, and if you’ve read this far, I’m going to assume you value this. You must budget according to the happiness each wedding supplier will bring you. And, while it’s tempting to blow your money on cake and flowers, these things will be gone within a few days of your wedding. Whereas your photo album is forever.

I suggest finding a photographer whose style you love and then speaking with them to ensure they’re a good fit for you both. Expect to pay a deposit and sign a contract before you can tick ‘photographer’ off your to-do list.

Here are the starting prices for professional wedding photographers in 2024. I would not recommend spending any less than this, and I’d spend more if I could afford it. If you saw Chanel sunglasses for £50, you’d be crazy to give the seller your bank details—this is exactly the same. If you get a considerably lower quote than the starting prices below, I suspect it’s too good to be true, so keep shopping.

Note: These figures are averages based on a summer weekend wedding in the UK. If you’re getting married in an expensive location, like central London, your photography will also cost more.

If you’re on the tightest of budgets, and if I were in your shoes, I’d reduce the hours of coverage before I compromised on the skill of my photographer. Honestly, some photographers can’t perform consistently, and I wouldn’t be prepared to settle for someone subpar at my wedding for more hours. Or, put another way, I’d rather have the professional for 2 hours than an amateur for 10.

Why are wedding photographers so expensive?

There are a lot of things that contribute to the costs of a good wedding photographer; here are a few of them

• Many years of photography experience.

• All the expensive equipment and backup kit, like;

  • Professional cameras are between £1600 and £6000; we need at least two or three of them.

  • A bag full of professional lenses between £1000-£7000

  • Loads of batteries at about £120 each. I have about 10.

  • Many professional memory cards can cost hundreds of pounds each

  • Professional lights, light stands, and tripods are all priced higher than you'd imagine.

  • A professional camera bag to put it all in, let's call it £300

  • The list goes on...

• High-quality printing, good computer, essential software.

• Storage and backup storage for keeping all your priceless wedding photographs safe.

• Professional insurance.

• Travel, accommodation, and typical running costs of business' like tax, accounting, and advertising.

• Don't forget the hidden cost of time! For every hour spent taking photos, we spend at least three more in front of the computer screen.

Justifying the value of an experianced wedding photographer becomes a riddle of how we make a living at all. A surprisingly large percentage of wedding photographers earn less than minimum wage once you calculate hourly pay.

Should I find a student photographer to save money?

I wouldn’t suggest skimping on your wedding photographer unless you're on the tightest of budgets. Finding a cheap photographer can be a huge gamble. Not everyone who owns a camera is a photographer. Think about it like this - would you want to find a student artist to give you a tattoo?

You might be lucky and get a bargain; more likely, you'll be disappointed with the results and ultimately regret taking the chance for the rest of your life.

Your wedding day will be one of the most important days of your life; you will never get a redo. You deserve a photographer who will take the time to get to know you and look after you like you’re family. You need to be confident they'll deliver breathtaking photographs of you, your family, and your closest friends. Take a look at weddings on awkwardfamilyphotos.com or your local Facebook wedding supplier group to see some unfortunate results.

What’s the difference between cheap and professional wedding photographers?

I constantly hear horror stories about amateur photographers ghosting couples a week before their wedding, leaving them panicking with no time to find a replacement. These couples all lose their deposits and a lot of sleep when they should be enjoying the excitement of their wedding. Or, even worse, they show up and ruin the couple’s memories of their day because they couldn’t take good photos.

The day after your wedding, when your food, flowers, and table dressings are in the bin - all you’ll have is your photographs and memories. Review your budget, and make sure you’re allocating money to the things that will bring you happiness. Hopefully, you can release the budget elsewhere with less permanent results.

I don’t offer discounts, but I'd be gutted to hear a couple wanted to book me and couldn’t because of concern over paying a lump sum. Please reach out; I'll work with you to find out what you need. And if it helps, I'll break your payments into manageable instalments. I’m not interested in trying to upsell you; I honestly just want to make sure you have something beautiful to remember your wedding by.

I don't see my role as simply being a wedding photographer. I'm on my couples team. I spend more time with them on their day than they spend with most guests. I want to honour their love when I document the start of a new chapter of their lives. I hope you can see the value of getting an experienced wedding photographer, even if it’s not me.

You're not paying for a photographer; You're investing in how you tell your story to your loved ones in years to come.

my Services and costs.

I’m a full-time wedding photographer, receiving hundreds of enquiries each year. To ensure I can give each of my couples the service they deserve, I only take 30 bookings. I offer some unique options, such as analogue film for that nostalgic look and story sessions anywhere in the world to tell your love story more fully.

My level of experience and my exclusive services come at a cost. I have full-day options to suit most budgets, starting at £1530 for eight hours of off-peak coverage. Typically, my couples tie the knot in a country manor with between 80 and 150 guests. Most of them start with a similar base and customise from there.

• An engagement shoot to personalise their save-the-date cards.

• My ‘Classic’ package includes ten hours of coverage to document everything from preparations to their first dance and a second photographer to maximise the moments in their gallery.

• A 1-3 minute highlight video of their wedding to help them remember their day perfectly.

This would come in at £2550 (at the time of writing). Most customise this further by adding extended coverage, a fine-art wedding album, analogue photography, or swapping their engagement shoot for a Story Session where we mark the start of this new chapter in their lives. Generally, my couples like to spend between £2400 and £3500.

If you’re interested in discovering more about my services, you can get a full brochure by following the steps on my contact page.