Wedding Photography Prices in The UK: An Informative Guide For 2024
Confused about wedding photography prices? You’re not the only one.
Let's talk wedding photos—beautiful, but wow, can they zap your wallet! So, you've found the dream photographer, but their price tag? Not so dreamy. If you're scratching your head, wondering how to snag them without draining your savings, you're in the right place.
Knowing all the little details and information about wedding photography prices, will help you make an informed decision and allow you to stay within your budget.
This comprehensive guide delves into the latest trends in wedding photography pricing in the UK for 2024, including key factors influencing costs. Updated from 2021, it provides insights into current local average prices and addresses frequently asked questions, ensuring you have up-to-date and relevant information at your fingertips. Say goodbye to outdated articles and make informed decisions about your wedding photography budget.
Wedding Photography Prices In The UK
So, what's the damage for some quality wedding snaps in the UK? Typically, you're looking at shelling out between £1550 and £2140. Yep, that's the going rate to capture those special moments. But don't stress—experts suggest earmarking about 5-10% of your wedding budget for photos. Sounds about right, according to the folks over at “Your Perfect Wedding Photographer” and Hitched.co.uk.
Stay tuned, and we'll discuss how to get the most bang for your buck without compromising on those picture-perfect memories.
Local Wedding Photographers Prices By Region
Wedding photographers charge different prices in nearby areas. Your Perfect Wedding Photographer compared prices in the UK regions. According to YPWP's 2020 survey, the North East is the cheapest at £1400, while the South West is the most expensive.
I compared wedding photographers across the UK regions for average prices.
Regional Averages For Wedding Photographers
Turns out, the stats I stumbled upon line up pretty well with what YPWP's survey says: snagging a wedding photographer is generally cheaper in the North East, while the South West can be a bit of a wallet-buster. But here’s a quirky twist: while London's photographer prices are up there—yep, pretty steep—the city's teeming with wedding photographers. Loads of them, actually. And most have their prices right there for you to see online. Handy, right? But this also means there's a huge variety to pick from, which probably skews the average price a bit higher due to the sheer volume of options.
Wedding Photographer London Prices: £1954
According to stats of my study, the average price of wedding photographers in London were £1954. The reasons for this difference between my findings and the survey conducted by YPWP could be simply the sheer number of photographers in London and the variety of packages offered. London wedding photographers had the most websites that had a price for all day wedding photography out of all of the regions I researched.
But let's break it down by area, shall we?
London: £1954 (Yeah, we talked about this.)
South West: £1785
Wales: £1655 (A bit friendlier on the wallet.)
North East: £1468
South East: £1745
North West: £1518
Scotland: £1818
West Midlands: £1695 (Not too shabby.)
East of England: £1680
East Midlands: £1650 (Similar vibe to Wales.)
Northern Ireland: £1680 (Right in the middle.)
*Just a heads-up, these are averages based on what I could find, and remember, not all photographers like to show their cards (a.k.a. prices) online. So, take these numbers with a pinch of salt and always ask for a quote!
Comparing Wedding Photographer’s Prices
Let's Talk: Finding Your Perfect Wedding Photographer Match
So, where do you even start with all these photographers out there? It's like dating, but for capturing your big day. You gotta balance what you want (like experience, team size, and hours) with what you can shell out.
Here's the deal: comparing prices is like comparing apples to, well, weddings. There’s a whole story behind each quote. It's not just about the dollar signs; it's about what bang you're getting for your buck. So, dive deep and get to know what each photographer offers.
Why Wedding Photography Prices Are All Over The Map
Ever wondered why one photographer charges a mini fortune and another not so much? It's because there's a whole bunch of stuff that can swing the price – like the hours they'll be on their feet at your wedding, the number of snaps you get, and whether they bring buddies (also known as assistants).
But here's something to chew on: photographers don’t just spend the day snapping pics. They’re planning, editing, and doing heaps of behind-the-scenes work.
Wedding Photography prices can vary widely
Since there are so many variables that can affect the price of different photographers, it is important to have a good understanding of these variables and how they influence the price. There is a lot of work that goes into photographing a wedding and all of the factors associated with them.
The price of wedding photography is based on how many hours are required to shoot on your wedding day, the number of final photos, any additional photographers or assistants and much more. This is why it is so important for you to understand what the costs are associated with wedding photography, along with the amount of time that is required.
Breaking It Down: The Real-Time Investment
Think a wedding photographer just hangs with you for 8, 12, maybe 15 hours? Try again. They're putting in way more hours than just the big day. There's prep work, chats with you, maybe even hitting up your rehearsal dinner, not to mention the engagement shoot.
Yup, according to the folks at Your Perfect Wedding Photographer, the actual wedding day is just the tip of the iceberg. They found that shooting the wedding is only about 4% of the time they commit. The rest? It’s a whole lot of editing and admin – 72% of their time, to be precise!
72%!!! That’s crazy that a photographer spends that much time not behind a camera!
One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Decoding Wedding Photography Pricing
Ready for a head-scratcher? Wedding photography pricing is as standard as British weather. Some photographers have packages, others go with 'pick what you need' prices.
Packages might get you a set number of hours and photos, maybe even a fancy album. But what if their package isn't your cup of tea? No worries – lots of photographers offer hourly rates so you can tailor things just right.
How Much Are Wedding Photographers Per Hour?
On average, a wedding photographer price is about £150 an hour. This is a very rough estimate and each photographer will charge a different hourly rate.
Hourly wedding photography pricing is not as common as package pricing, especially during the busy peak seasons. Hourly rates can depend on factors such as the location of the photographer, experience, day of the week and time of the year.
Facts About Wedding Photography Packages Prices
Wedding photographers often offer various packages with different inclusions, such as coverage time, edited photos quantity, and additional items like a USB or album.
The more services and products you want, the more directly the overall cost will be affected. It is best to talk with the photographer about what wedding package would be best for you. Make sure you understand what exactly is included in your package and ensure the contract you have details these services in detail.
To give you an idea of the different types of wedding photography packages that photographers will use across the UK:
Basic Packages (£)
Basic wedding photography packages will normally include the photographer's time for shooting the main events such as the ceremony, formal photos and some of the reception. These packages tend to be shorter in the overall time your photographer will be at the wedding.
Couples opting for a simple wedding photo package usually want photos of key moments and a limited number of edited photos without extra items like albums or prints. If you're on a tight budget, these packages could be ideal. For instance, I provide coverage from the ceremony to the beginning of the reception and fewer edited photos.
Midrange Packages (££)
Simplified Version: Midrange wedding photo packages usually offer more hours than basic ones. They typically include meetings, a pre-wedding session, and many wedding photos in a USB or online gallery.
Midrange wedding photography packages normally have a set number of hours and will capture most of the critical moments on your wedding day. Photographers tend to limit these packages to about 8 or 9 hours.
Expensive Packages AKA Luxury Wedding Photography (£££)
Expensive Wedding Photography packages include the highest level of service and products. This includes full-day wedding coverage from the very start of the day to the very last goodbye at your wedding.
Premium packages typically encompass a comprehensive range of services, such as a second photographer or assistant. You can expect to receive a pre-wedding photo session along with photography products such as an album and prints.
So Why Is Wedding Photography So Expensive In The UK?
The answer isn’t simple. There are many variables that can affect photography pricing.
Money for equipment, insurance, employees, software, and that doesn’t even include everyday costs like travel.
Photographing weddings is time-consuming and expensive. Hidden business costs, post-wedding editing, emailing back and forth, all of this is on top of the time you spend photographing the wedding day. A full wedding can be anywhere from 20-40 hours of work in total. This includes editing images, planning timelines and scouting locations.
Professional Wedding Photography Prices: Breaking Down The Costs for 2024
BRIDAL AND WEDDING SHOWS
There are many different wedding shows throughout the UK. These wedding shows are good for couples to meet potential vendors. The problem is the fees associated with this type of advertising is very expensive. These fees can run between £500 to £2500 per book. It all depends on how exclusive the wedding show is.
QUALITY PHOTOGRAPHY EQUIPMENT HAS A HIGH PRICE
We all have heard horror stories about wedding photos being too blurry and grainy because of the quality of the equipment. I never wanted my couples to worry about this, so I invested heavily in my equipment. I always bring appropriate cameras, lenses and lighting gear to my weddings.
Being prepared with good quality gear is not cheap, costing me about £15,000 for the initial investment. Good equipment requires updating every few years. This is what you are paying for. Someone with years of experience, someone you can trust.
COMPUTER AND OFFICE EQUIPMENT
Photographing a wedding is only a small part of the work that needs to be done. Most photographers will spend between 15 to 30 hours editing a wedding. Professional editing software and a good computer are also needed. Having a good computer, software, and hard drives can range anywhere from £1500 to £3000, depending on the different brands.
Direct Costs That Affect Wedding Photography Pricing
Besides all of the above costs, you also have the direct costs that the wedding photographer will incur for each wedding.
SECOND PHOTOGRAPHER
While some couples aren’t 100% certain that they need a second photographer, for couples who require and request them, this will be an added cost for each wedding. Depending on the length of the size of the wedding (and the experience of the second photographer) these costs can be in the range of £150-£300 per wedding.
TRAVEL & PARKING
The photographer will have to plan to spend some money for travel and parking. This can vary due to distance and location.
Some larger venues make the photographer pay for parking for the length of time they are in attendance at the wedding. Parking can be around £30-£50.
PRODUCTS: ALBUMS AND CLIENT GIFTS
Products such as albums and prints differ in price ranges. This would depend on the quality, size and amount of the product that needs to be ordered. As a rule, I emphasise the client experience and tend to spend about 3-5% of the client's budget on gifts and products to any products I offer in the packages.
UK Wedding Photographer Price Ranges
IF YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER’S PRICE IS BETWEEN £2500+:
If your price point is £2900+ then you are in a very safe and good place to guarantee that you have the best of the best with top-quality work. You will notice a few things about wedding photographers in this group:
Your photographer might include a very high-quality album custom-designed with your wedding images (be aware of markups as some photographers add 200% of the actual cost of the album)
You can expect full-day wedding photography coverage from early to late, with multiple team members, including photographers and lighting assistants.
These photographers should have the very best of the best cameras, lenses, and lighting equipment. These include prime lenses and multiple camera bodies such as Canon or Nikon) and equipment should well be worth £20,000+.
Post-processing or editing will be top-notch with an in house retoucher or editor.
IF YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER’S PRICE IS BETWEEN £1500-£2500:
Most wedding photographers will fall into this area. With such a wide range of products and photographers, make sure you do your research. Most photographers in this range will have shot many weddings before and have amazing experience and technical skills.
most photographers in this range will be quite experienced and offer good packages and products. Most packages will include full-day coverage, with some form of an album, USB and prints.
Photographers in this range will also have knowledge in timeline planning and how the day should flow, and they won’t get tripped up if anything extraordinary occurs.
most photographers in this prices range will be booking months if not years in advance.
they will have good equipment, including professional cameras, flashes, and other lighting equipment.
most photographers in this range will work solo, or with a single second shooter.
They will have professional business and liability insurance as required by some venues.
IF YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER’S PRICE IS BETWEEN £500 - £1500:
most photographers in this range will have experience and offer good packages and products.
these wedding day photography prices can be a bit lower, as some photographers offer smaller, more niche-type packages (elopement, half-day).
most of the time there will only be 1 photographer, but sometimes will have two for their larger packages.
if you are looking at a wedding photographer in this range, make sure you do your research. You want to check that they have insurance and professional equipment and look over their portfolio in depth.
IF YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER’S PRICE IS UNDER £500
When selecting a photographer whose pricing falls below £500, it is crucial to proceed with caution and conduct thorough research. Typically, photographers offering such low rates may be using a budget single camera that is not equipped to handle the challenging lighting situations often encountered at weddings. Consequently, the resulting photos may appear blurred or grainy, or even exhibit both issues. The expenses associated with running a photography business, including insurance, high-quality professional equipment, continuous training, and effective marketing, usually far exceed the rates set below £500. Consequently, photographers in this price range may resort to compromising on equipment quality or even opt to operate without insurance in order to maintain their pricing, potentially compromising the quality of their service.
My Recommendation: Do your research into wedding photographer pricing and packages.
Why Do Wedding Photographers Vary In Price?
Many variables influence different photographer’s prices and the cost of doing business. Some wedding photographers offer smaller packages, with limited post-processing and products. This is up to the individual photographer to set his/her prices.
Some photographers work full-time and offer more products, which would make them more expensive than someone just starting out, building their portfolio with limited products.
SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY PRICES:
Number of hours of photography
Number of photographers
Experience, popularity and brand status
Marketing & online advertising costs
Location
Products, prints & albums
Availability
Is Price A Good Indicator Of The Quality Of The Wedding Photographer?
Price is not always a good indicator of the quality of a wedding photographer, it is just part of the story. Some wedding photographers could charge a lot in their first few years, but still, be relatively new to the industry and technical side of photography. I would research any potential photographer to get an idea of their photography style, cost, personality and such.
Generally speaking, a couple could spend much more than the typical average if wedding photos are important to them and they have their heart set on a specific photographer.
Should I Hire A Professional Photographer Or Use My Family Member Who Owns The Nice Camera?
When investing significant time in organizing your wedding, it's crucial to keep in mind the profound significance of the occasion. Your wedding day stands out as a once-in-a-lifetime event that deserves to be beautifully preserved through the art of photography. It is imperative to select a wedding photographer who truly understands your vision and connects with both of you on a personal level, regardless of the budget you have allocated for this aspect of your special day. Be transparent about your financial limits right from the initial stages of discussions with the photographer. You will find that many professional wedding photographers include their pricing structures or starting rates on their websites, which can aid you in making an informed decision.
How Do I Get The Best Quality For My Money Without Spending A Fortune On Wedding Photography?
When searching for a photographer, look for someone whose shooting and editing style resonates with you. Engage in a conversation to gather all essential details. Opting for a video call is convenient, saving time and allowing you to meet from the comfort of your home swiftly.
Ensure that your personalities align well, and both parties are comfortable. Verify that the photographer holds proper insurance coverage and has complete equipment backups in place.
If everything fits your criteria and the photographer is within your budget, secure their services as soon as you can. Talented yet affordable wedding photographers are in high demand, with bookings often scheduled well in advance (even up to 2-3 years).
Remember your wedding photography is an investment that will last for years and generations to come. When planning your wedding make sure you make a budget and plan accordingly. Most of your items: like your cake, dress, food, and decorations will only be used the once, but your photos will last a lifetime.
Wedding photography is different, you will be able to relive these moments: the joy, the tears, the hugs and looks between the two of you. So when you are planning your wedding budget, photography is not something you want to skimp on. If you are thinking of hiring a friend or your Uncle Bob to do your wedding read these articles by “Your Perfect Wedding Photographer” first.
UK Wedding Photography Prices Summed up
This article shows that the decision around wedding photography should probably be based on what value you are giving the photography you select to capture the day.
With the average spend in the UK at £1600-2100, if you want better photography than the average couple, then you may be looking at spending more, or if you don't know what the big deal is, then you might spend less.
Ultimately, it comes down to the experience, quality of service, creativity and, most importantly, the personality of the person you decide to hire to spend 10-12 hours on the most important day of your life. You have to ask yourself this question: is it worth it? How much is your wedding photography worth to you?
I hope this guide helped you figure out how much a wedding photographer costs in the UK. If you like my images or want more info on my packages and prices then go on over to my information page.