How much does wedding photography cost?

Professional wedding photos are one of the most important things to organise for your wedding. Of course, you'll have plenty of photos from family and friends (unless you ban your guests from having phones and cameras), but a wedding photographer will make sure you have quality photos to help you remember your special day. Budgeting for your photography is a necessary part of your wedding planning, but it can be tricky to determine just how much you should be spending.

A few different factors can affect how much you pay for wedding photography. You might find prices as low as £1,000, although you are more likely to pay around £1,500 to £2,000, on average (source: cost of wedding photography on photographyprices.co.uk)

Location

Location is one of the factors that affect the cost of wedding photography. The prices you see will generally reflect regional differences related to any other expenses. London is the most expensive, with the south of England having the next most expensive prices. The Midlands and the north of England offer lower photography prices too. Overall, Scotland is more expensive, but you will find it costs more in cities such as Edinburgh, while Wales and Northern Ireland are cheaper. The highest average price is in London at £1,679, while the cheapest is the northeast of England at £1,268.

Quality and Experience

The price you pay for wedding photography is also connected to the quality and level of service that you will receive. Just like with any other service, the more you pay, the better the quality. Of course, there can come a point where you are paying too much. One thing that you can know for sure is that if you're paying under £1,000, you're not likely to get much for your money. The photographer might be someone less experienced who is hoping to build their portfolio and so offers their services at a lower price.

Time

The time that a photographer spends on your wedding photography is another factor to take into account. Most photographers will give you a quote for a package, rather than charging by the hour, but you can expect to pay the equivalent of about £150 an hour. One thing to keep in mind is that it's not just the photography on the day that matters. In fact, this is the least of the work that your wedding photographer does. They also spend a lot of time making arrangements with you and editing your photographs.

Extras

Any extras added to your photography package will affect the price too. This can include the use of a second photographer or assistant. You might also get a pre-wedding or engagement shoot, and you might receive some physical products such as a wedding album or prints of your photos. These kinds of things can be great to have but will mean that you pay more for your wedding photography.

Wedding photography is available across a range of prices. Before choosing a photographer, compare prices in your area to find out what to expect.