Wedding Photographer Cost – BEST Resource

Engaged, congratulations! So what does a wedding photographer cost? What is the average wedding photographer cost? So wedding photographers all charged different prices. Especially based on area. Let’s compare how different websites report average wedding photographer costs. Keep in mind this information was gathered in 2021:

Here are some top websites we have researched to pull together the average wedding photography prices around the United States. Keep in mind that price dramatically differs between location and the experience of the photographer, among many other factors:

#1 WeddingForward.com

According to WeddingForward.com, this is where they felt prices lie. For us, as professionals in New Jersey, we charge about $2,900 for an 8 hour wedding event, so we would fall in line with their professional range.

They stated on their website: “On the average, your wedding photography will gulp 10-15% of your wedding budget.” ” A great understanding of the individual packages will save you lots of heartbreak. Find out everything about the package you opt for. How many images do you get? Will they be in print or soft copies? Will you get an album? How many hours does the package run for? Will you get basic pictures or well edited and digitally manipulated pictures? This will help you know how much to spend and what exactly you spend on.”

#2 BRIDES.com

According to Brides.com,

“Wedding photography prices vary from $1,000 to $10,000 or higher in the U.S., but Millay (a seasoned wedding photographer in Cleveland) says the average for a Midwest photographer is between $3,000 to $4,000. In New York, Brooklyn photographer Susan Stripling says prices range between $2,500 and $5,000. California isn’t much different; West Coast photographer Zoe Larkin says Bay Area prices are between $3,000 to $4,700 on average.”

#3 Weddingwire.com

• What do wedding photographers charge? What is average wedding photographer cost? According to Weddingwire.com, they believe prices can vary depending on many factors including your wedding’s location (photographers in big cities tend to cost more than in other areas), the type of services and packages you’re looking for, and your chosen photographer’s experience and level of expertise. In general, they think wedding photographer prices in the U.S. tend to range between $1,150 and $3,000.

“They say “Wedding photographers are usually among the first vendors couples book after they secure their venue. We recommend starting the search for your photographer about 11 months before your big day.”

>> Before you keep scrolling:

Want help planning your wedding? We offer virtual planning and advice services to anyone in the country!

Email: goldentouchweddingplanners@gmail.com or TEXT “Planning” to 732-497-8861 

---

#4 ValuePenguin

What do wedding photographers charge? According to ValuePenguin, that chart above shows what one photographer offers wedding couples in Nashville, TN, where cost-of-living is about average for the U.S.. They feel the average wedding couple spends about 7% of their wedding budget on a photographer.

#5 The Plunge

What do wedding photographers charge? According to The Plunge, “expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $5,000 for a wedding photographer, though the sweet spot in an average American city seems to be about $3,000 for a seven– to eight-hour shoot day with a second shooter. At the highest end, you’re dealing with truly exorbitant rates that are more like daylong professional modeling sessions than typical wedding photography — famed wedding photographer (and lighting-equipment inventor) Gary Fong charged a day rate of over $120,000 for weddings.” What is average wedding photographer cost? Now you know!

#6 Woman Getting Married

What is average wedding photographer cost? According to this blog, “On average, couples in the United States pay 10-15% of their total budget on a wedding photographer.”

#7 TheBash.com

According to this blog, ” I recently asked a random group of friends, some recently married, some married years ago for their estimate of how much a wedding photographer costs and received answers ranging from $1,000 to $4,000. “

They also added this advice: What is average wedding photographer cost?

“Many people have a visceral reaction against a price that seems to mean a photographer is charging between $275-$487 an hour. Keep in mind though that wedding photographers work more hours than you see. They meet with you before and after the wedding, and they spend a lot of hours editing your wedding photographs. Photographers also pay for assistant shooters, equipment, and like every other business they pay for their work space, insurance, marketing, etc.

One reason prices vary is that photographers offer different packages. One photographer may offer you a package that includes an engagement session, digital negatives, a second shooter on your wedding day, and an album. It’s hard to compare his or her price to a photographer who is just offering the wedding day services. Of course, some photographers just cost more because they are more experienced, in high demand, and can afford to charge more. Just like with any business, with wedding photography you do get what you pay for.”

#8 TheGernards.com

According to this blog, “The short answer is $0-$10k and sometime more!” and “Wedding photographers’ rates vary from city to city. In Chicago, wedding photographer prices average around the $4,000-$6,000 mark. In Richmond , VA, they range from $3500-$5500. “

#9 Shutterfly.com

According to Shuttefly, “We surveyed 1,000 married women to see what they paid and our findings were in line with the national average of $2,000. The majority (78 percent) spent $1,000–$3,000 for their photography package, the remaining 6 percent spent above the $3,000 mark while 16 percent made it in under $1,000.”

#10 CostHelperWeddings

According to this site, “Wedding photography can be broken down into four basic categories: budget, moderate, upscale and luxury. Budget photographers run from under $1,000; moderate photographers average between $1,000 and $3,000; and upscale photographers between $3,000 and $5,000. Luxury weddings photographers average between $5,000 and upwards of $10,000.”

#11 PIXPA.com

According to Pixpa, “Depending on the location and client base, wedding photographers can charge anywhere between $2500 to $5000 per wedding. Another approach is that typically, brides budget around 10-15% of their wedding spend on photography”

#12 Shotkit.com

According to Shotki.com, “It’s interesting to see that out of the 3 countries examined, the USA leads the way as the most expensive country to hire a wedding photographer, followed by Australia, then the UK.” How did they get the data? “Over a 3-month period, I pushed the survey out to multiple locations, including to Shotkit newsletter subscribers, to More Brides and LIT customers, to the Facebook Page/Group, and to multiple other wedding photography related communities.”

#13 TheWeddingBlogger.com

According to the WeddingBlogger, “The average cost for a wedding photographer is $2000. The pricing with change depending on how many photographers, how many hours your photographer will be working, editing, prints, etc. However, when budgeting for your wedding, $2000 will be a good pricepoint to plan on.” “Hiring a wedding photographer is definitely worth the cost! When you’ve spent $5,000 to $10,000 to have a beautiful wedding, you will want all the pictures you can get to remember the day.”

#14 Fearless Photographers

According to this site,

• 167 wedding photographers in the United States charge an average of $4,231 for wedding photography.
• 20 wedding photographers in Colorado charge an average of $4,485 for wedding photography.
• 23 wedding photographers in New York and New Jersey charge an average of $4,353 for wedding photography.
• 22 wedding photographers in California charge an average of $4,248 for wedding photography.
• They add” This a very simple survey. The information provided by photographers is unverified and this compilation of data is unscientific and unofficial. It is not meant to be used for any business purpose or as part of any research. Prices can vary depending on additional services, products, or discounts.”

#15 SomeBlueBook.com

According to this site,

Photographer:
Average price: $2980

#16 THE KNOT

“Based on an internal study of over 27,000 couples who got married in 2019, the average wedding photographer cost is $2,400. Almost 90 percent of couples hired a photographer, making them one of the most popular wedding vendors. Photography was also the most common area where couples were willing to spend more. Over half of all couples increased their original budget once they started planning—of that, 47 percent admitted to spending more on their photographer. ”

“The average wedding photographer cost has remained the same since 2016, but it’s important to remember that this number represents the entire country. Prices will fluctuate based on region and the services you opt-in for. You can choose to go all-out with your wedding photos and splurge on the most expensive package—or, you could have a loved one take photos at a fraction of the cost. Ultimately, it’s up to you to find a vendor in the price range that  best fits your budget. No matter what you choose, wedding photos are something you’ll get to have, hold and cherish forever—and that’s pretty priceless.”

---

Want help planning your wedding? We offer virtual planning and advice services to anyone in the country!

Email: goldentouchweddingplanners@gmail.com or TEXT “Planning” to 732-497-8861 .

Our Final Thoughts: Us? Our standard 8 hour photo package is $2,900 and we deliver around 1,500 images per wedding.

As the saying goes, A picture is worth a thousand words. These are YOUR moments frozen in time. They are memories that will last forever. These are the same memories you would want to share with everyone, including future generations to come. Find a photographer with your style, who you connect with, and who you feel is fair in comparison to their experience and your local market for wedding photographer cost.