The Average Cost for Wedding Photography in the UK is £1,590
When it comes to weddings there a lot of things to think about and before you start off it is all about the budget, how much are you looking at spending and how are you going to split it across all the different things. When I say different things there is quite bit to think about, venue, food, dress, suit, shoes, flowers, drinks, cake and not forgetting wedding photography.
In the UK the Average Spend on Wedding Photography in the UK is £1,590
In our 2019-2020 wedding photographer survey the average spend by couples getting married was £1,590, this will be for a full days coverage from getting ready through to the first dance. If you are planning your budget then hopefully you have budgeted around £1,500, that is not of course to say you can get it cheaper or wish to spend more.
In the US it was reported that the average spend was $2,556 in 2014, which converts to £1,780 at the conversion rate on the day this article was published. So although slightly more you have a good ball park figure of what you will be looking at spending.
Things that can effect your Wedding Photography price…
Time of year – If you have your wedding in the off season, so in the winter months then you are likely to get it slightly cheaper as photographer may be willing to do a special deal as many couples look to get married in the spring and summer months.
Day of the Week – Thats right, which day you get married can have an effect on the price, and not just for photography but also the venue too. Fridays and the weekends are the most popular days, however if you get married on a weekday you maybe able to get a better price as the photographer is unlikely to be booked then.
Coverage – Less photos can reduce the cost, and by this I mean less time capturing, so instead of the full day you hire them to just capture the ceremony and a few after, so instead of the whole day they are just there for a few hours. Before deciding this is a great cost saver think about the day you are planning, think about the story you want to be told via photos. How are you and your bridesmaids getting ready, do you want photos of you all getting ready? What about the groom? Do you want photos of the cake cutting, or the first dance? Don’t jump the gun and only hire your photographer for a few hours just to save money, think about the whole day and the photos you really want.
Presentation – Once the photos have been edited and ready to go how do you want them? If you want your photographer to produce a beautiful album for you to relive and tell your wedding day story then this would be an additional cost to just getting all your photos on a USB. Most photographers will upload your photos online to a password protected area for you and your guests to see.
Engagement shoots – This is an option, quite a few photographers will include a free engagement shoot if you book them to cover your whole day, this is great to help get comfortable in front of the camera and around your photographer. It will help you feel more relaxed and calm in front of the camera when having photos taken on the big day itself. As well as a bit of fun you also get some lovely shots of you and your partner perfect for going on wedding invites or your save the date cards.
What about the ‘Cheap’ Photographer
What about the Photographer who can do it for £500? As with anything in this world there is always something cheaper no matter what it is, however it doesn’t always mean that is what you should go for. At around £1000 less than the average spend there are a few reasons why they are so much cheaper.
They could be a part time photographer, work a full time job in the week and capture weddings at the weekend. This doesn’t mean they are not great photographers, however you want to ensure that they are. A professional wedding photographer is a full time photographer, no jobs in between, their living and reputation depends on the quality of their work. A professional wedding photographer will have a little more time to ensure they meet your needs, be able to answer any questions, worries or concerns you have, but you also have their trust, a part time photographer who has a full time job won’t have that ‘fear’ of ruining their reputation because they have their full time job as their main source of income.
Another reason to be wary is the quality of their work, how many weddings have the shot before, ensure you look at full completed albums and check to see there is a high quality consistent through out, from the very first to the very last photo. Does it tell a story or is it just lots of posed shots? Think about the sort of photography style you want and make sure it matches.
Things to consider when Booking a photographer
Once you have budgeted for a photographer browse our site and pin photos you like, favourite photographers that match your style and ask them for a quote. If they are within budget and you really like their work then go and meet them, ensure you get on and feel comfortable with them, make sure they answer any questions you may have if they haven’t already. When chatting to them you want to feel relaxed, if you feel like you are telling a friend about your wedding that you have known for years then that is a good sign.
Of course getting on is one part, but also ensure their work is of the highest quality, look through completed albums and get in touch with previous couples who they shot their wedding for to make sure they are happy.
You are not restricted to local photographers either, if you are getting married in Manchester for example but the photographer you really like is based in London then get in touch with them, most photographers now will travel the country and also fly abroad too. You may have to pay for their travel expenses but if you get the photographer you really want then it is certainly worth it.
With wedding photography you only get one chance, don’t regret not hiring a professional and make sure you get the photos you want that tell a beautiful story which you can show your family, kids and grandchild. That is why wedding photography is so important.
So the average Spend on Wedding Photography in the UK is £1,580, how much have you budgeted? And how much did you spend?
Louise Young
Really interesting read!
As a husband and wife team it’d be really interesting to know whether this could be broken down further. For example, I assume the majority of couples booked a single photographer, so this would be most representative of the average cost of a lone photographer perhaps? I’d be interested to see how the average spend compares to that of duo’s.
Phil Rogers
I agree with Louise, I offer a second photographer option so would also be interested on the average spend for two. I would also be interested in how many couples choose an album at the time of booking or choose one after. My last three couples have gone for the first option.
Polina Perri
That’s interesting to know about the second pilot fee, I think it should be paid extra…
Poptop
Really interesting read! Just be honest about what you want and what you are willing to pay. What about dropping the price by 25%?
Kelly
This is a good read and agree to some extent on being professional, however I don’t agree with the professionalism of the photography being a part time or a full time job, its doesn’t mean because they are cheaper or its their 2nd job that they will think anything less of their professionalism and enthusiasm in creating a beautiful, unique story for couples, if building a portfolio of their work so that they can get enough of a client base / bookings before transition from being part time to full time, so therefore to do so you advertise cheaper and remain in your 1st job. There is also photographers out there charging 1200-1400 a day and some pictures are very disappointing, these are the types that are complacent with their work. For example…….. my partner attended a 3 day workshop with a “Professional photographer” who has been for over 30 years now and he didn’t just come away with knowledge that he was already a better photographer but that he already cared more about his clients wishes and demands who he hadn’t even met yet! When this so called “professional” took only 5 minutes to edit 20 or more shots, it’s called “careless and embarrassing!” My partner came away knowing he’d give his all and treat his edits like his own.
Please do not slate part time photographers as not being professional as this could ruin aspiring photographers careers who really want to make a go of it in the industry, Everyone has to start somewhere
Andrew Miller
Really good blog. I sort of agree that the price is determined by professionalism. A part timer has no real emotional attachment to the wedding, despite what people may say. If it all goes wrong they can walk away knowing they still have income to provide for the family. A full on full time weddig phogroapher on the other has a HUGE emotional attachment to making sure the wedding photography is perfect.