Photography prices

Are you comfortable sharing your budget?


Imo, photography should be a big priority in your budget. The wedding is one day, but the pictures last a lifetime.
You can generally find photographers in any budget, even if that means working with a student photographer or someone on Thumbtack. However, they do deserve compensation for their time, so I wouldn't expect to pay $100 or something for a day of work and all the work after that comes with sorting through and editing.

Does your area have a bride Facebook group? I live in Ohio and there is one for the Cleveland area. You could make a post with your budget and those vendors would be able to contact you directly on the post!

Have you checked with a local community college? There are many talented students out there who may be willing to photograph/take video of your wedding for way cheaper than a professional, with still really good quality! Otherwise, also search on local Facebook wedding groups ("[city/area name] Weddings" or "[city/area name] Brides"), and put a post out looking for a photographer and/or videographer! In your post, be sure to list your budget, wedding date, preferred style, etc. Often times, vendors join those groups to try to connect with couples who need vendors, and I've noticed that many of them are less expensive than the ones you'll find on Wedding Wire or The Knot.

I looked at so many photographers and put inquiries into the ones whose photos fit my vision. Some were WAY above what I was willing to spend, and I don’t feel like I need a photographer all day, the man I hired will cost $2,950 for six hours and I will probably have him bring along another shooter who will be an extra $300. Which isn’t horrible. Plus will have to feed and tip them as well. Planning a wedding isn’t cheap at all, but maybe you can cut your spending elsewhere to be able to afford a photographer?

In my opinion, photography and videography should be a high priority! They are the only physical memories you will take away from you day, and they last forever. We are so glad we spent the money on good photos and videos.

You could always cut cost elsewhere in order to afford a good photographer and add videography.

Photography was our top priority & is about 20% of our budget. It’s pricey for a reason—tons of time (time spent at your event & then editing work), a highly specific skill (you only get once chance to get most of the shots), & a good photographer will also help you stay on schedule, assist in emergencies, etc. I’ve heard stories of photographers fixing the bride’s veil, helping bustle the dress, showing men how to tie ties, coordinating special surprises with the DJ, etc.


I think you need to think about what you want from your photog. If you want a few posed photos, then any professional for a few hours will work. If you want a full day, you may need to compromise on quality to afford a full day service. If you care about style & quality, you’ll probably want to pay more money for fewer hours, focusing on the ceremony & scheduling your timeline to fit in as much as possible in that time.
We’re in the latter camp—great candids & a certain editing style were our top priority, so time is what got cut. We’re likely skipping “getting ready” photos & putting special dances & toasts as early as possible. We of course want posed family photos, too!

View Quoted Comment I was thinking 1500

View Quoted Comment You can definitely find that! I had quotes as low as $1k

Price depends on your area. This is an international forum so no two people even in the same city will pay the same prices. Find local photographers on Instagram or Yelp and interview each

I agree with PP who suggested college students! they are really good at this stuff and a lot of them are cheap. or even just on craigslist i saw photographers who were looking to expand their portfolio give discounts

We paid 800 for 6 hours and we are very happy with our pictures so far (haven't seen all the photos just a sneak peek) and she was super professional.


I think I was just super lucky. I found her in Facebook. She just moved to our area and was looking to build her clientel. She is also young but has a few years of experience.

So, it is definitely possible to find someone affordable. Of course you are getting less than with some expensive packages (more hours, more photos, second shooter, ...) and it depends on the style you choose.
With Covid changing a lot of brides' plans I've found a number of reasonable photographers who are more flexible and offer shorter packages or even an hourly rate (I've seen around 200 per hour). Hiring someone for a shorter period of time can also be a way to save money. Think through what you really want to have pictures of and only book someone for that time. I think companies like Georgestreet or lillyandlime also offer packages for 4 or 6 hours and might be within your budget.

Facebook has been most helpful to me in looking for an affordable photographer. And always look at their portfolio. I've also seen some work that was really not impressive to me and some that was good but totally not my style and taste.

Our photographer is charging us $1500 for 8 hours on the wedding day and the engagement shoot, which is an absolute bargain in our area. Most here charge around $3000 for 6 hours of wedding photography and a discount on an engagement shoot. The added cost of the engagement shoot makes the final cost around $3500. I have a friend who's a professional wedding photographer down in LA and last I checked he charges about $6000 for 6 hours at the wedding. Granted, that's Los Angeles, so it definitely isn't representative of most of the country.

We have a super tight budget as well, so I completely get where you're coming from. My best suggestions would be to maybe check out a local community college to see if there are any photography students who are able to do it within your budget. Also check out thumbtack. $1500 is totally doable. Good luck!

View Quoted Comment

Interview? Is this a normal thing to do with your vendors?

View Quoted Comment

It's the process when you meet them in person or over the phone to discuss your vision, their services, and whether you click or not. All done before you decide who to hire and who not to.

See if any photographers are offering a micro-wedding package. It would be for a shorter amount of time but it makes it more affordable. We are having a small wedding of about 35 people and a photographer is offering a smaller package for 4 hours for $1500. I don't want the getting ready photos and we're not having a bridal party so she's going to show up to do a first look, ceremony, family pics, then head out after dinner starts.