Wedding Photography Pricing Guide

The ultimate guide to wedding photography pricing in the UK.

A breakdown of the pricing of wedding photographers in the UK. A guide for couples who are planning their wedding day and want an insight into the who, what and why of the true cost of wedding photographers. You've likely seen a wide variety of prices and this guide will help explain what's incorporated into those costs, all in the hope to help you find the best photographer for you without having to spend more than you need to.

How much is it to book a wedding photographer?

Wedding photographers vary wildly in their pricing, you can easily find one person charging £700 whilst someone else is asking for £3000. For what on paper appears the same service there's a lot that can impact the total cost. Here are the biggest factors when considering photography pricing:

Quality of the work
Experience of the photographer
Hours of coverage provided
Type of camera equipment used
Location & date of the wedding
Digital vs albums

Not dissimilar to the car market, there are cheap and more expensive options. Both provide you a car, but they won't be the same experience. However, that doesn't mean you have to spend your entire wedding budget on just the photographer. In this guide I list the things I don't charge for and how you can get some great wedding photos at a fair cost.

My Photography Pricing

Cost Breakdown

According to the Bridebook 2023 wedding survey 91% of couples hire a professional photographer for their wedding day, significantly more than any other professional wedding supplier.

The Your Perect Wedding Photographer survey has the average UK cost of a wedding photographer at £1820. With the likes of the SE and SW charging more than their northern counter parts.

Generally speaking, photographers with less experience charge less. Costs tend to increase as the body of work improves. This is complimented by credible positive reviews from couples and supported by a varied and well executed portfolio.

What To Look Out For

Let's dive into the factors that can influence the price of booking a wedding photographer...

Location and time are two big factors on price. Booking a photographer for a Saturday in July in the Cotswolds will likely cost more than a Thursday in December in Durham. I'm based in Devon myself, so I'll speak specifically to that. Like most products, things tend to cost a bit more in the south of England. Summer Saturdays are competitive dates, but couples will find some flexibility when considering a mid-week wedding.

Experience is Key

Before any big investment research is key. According to the Bridebook 2023 survey couples on average will look at an average of 7 photographers online, contact 3 of their favourites and consider 18 reviews before making a decision. Style of imagery is the biggest influence on what get's a couples attention, whilst nearly a third of couples are driven by price.

Photographers tend to get better with the more experience they have. Couples will tend to pay more for a photographer that has a proven track record of delivering quality work. This means, on average, a photographer is the third biggest wedding investment behind the venue and catering.

What NOT to Pay For

As mentioned above, there are choices couples can make to help bring down the cost. The number of hours you book in a big influence, plenty of photographers offer 8, 10 and 12 hours options at varying costs. Are you interested in a pre-wedding shoot, or an album design to be included? Opting for an online digital only delivery is a great way of keeping the total cost down.

For me, I can't think of anything worse than connecting with a couple then spending the next year trying to up sell them into spending more. I'm a terrible salesmen, and in part I think that makes me better at actually taking the photos. I like to keep everything simple, including my pricing. I have no hidden fees in the final galleries, once delivered it's there for you all to enjoy. If you'd like an album I don't think I should be your middle-man for designing and incorporating a huge mark up. I like for couples to have total control on what photos are selected and on how many pages.

If you would like some further information I have a detailed post about my approach to weddings here and I've written a wedding photography guide for couples to get the best out of their photographs too.

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