Why is wedding photography so expensive?

Or it could be that wedding photographers exploit the market a little.

The above list can be used for any facet of photography. I shoot both editorial and fashion and it’s a known fact that they have both suffered in recent months with the economy.

One thing we haven’t seen drop is the price of wedding photography, but we have seen a general drop in talent as the price of pro kit has fallen, so has the general increase of those going “pro”.

I know many wedding photographers charging 3k for the day, which is totally unrealistic and overpriced, in my mind :0)

then again if you can get the cash, good luck to you all, no amount of money would see me shooting a wedding, give me drug dealers and South East Asian rebels over a gushing couple any-day.

I think one thing people don’t appreciate when it comes to wedding photography, is the amount of extra work that goes in to the finish result.

Often shoots outside of wedding photography only require a handful of great shots. Often picking just one or two for use.

Wedding photography requires you give a huge amount of quality photographs of the happy couple, family, friends, children, the works. The shoot goes from being a relatively simple portrait shoot with inexperienced models to being a full on documentary shoot and children’s portrait shoot.

You’re also required to work in all manner of conditions and HAVE to produce the goods no matter what. This means all kinda of weather, lighting, environments including increasingly intoxicated people.

Added to that the fact that post-production can often take longer as a lot of the shots aren’t taken with perfect lighting, backgrounds, etc unlike fashion photo-shoots where everything is set up or documentary where the background is as important as the subject matter.

So there’s a lot more going on. A lot more that can go wrong and a lot more involved making sure the happy couple remain happy.

There are those that think wedding photographers are overpriced, but I’ve also heard many stories of awful cheap photographers that people wished they’d never used. Also lots of stories from people who were very glad they spent the extra money and got exactly what they were after.

Brian, news often happens there and then, there is no going back to shoot it again….

With todays budget deficits, we also do not have any chance to go and shoot again. The pressure to deliver is just as high.

Everyone is trying to say that wedding photography is different to anything else, which in all honesty, is a load of bollocks.

Each has pressure and time constraints and budget issues, no matter who the subject is.

Daniel. Maybe instead of moaning about how much wedding togs charge you should moan about how much you get paid for your editorials. All of these are realistic costs- perhaps its better to compare it to someone working a full time salaried office job. I havent been able to give mine up to pursue my dream of being a full time photographer because the books just dont balance yet.

Very simple, really. Weddings occur mostly on a Saturday. A wedding photographer can cover one wedding per week. There are 52 Saturdays in a year, even presuming that the photographer in question never takes a holiday. You do the math.

I’m surprised no one has mentioned HOW TIRING it is to shoot a wedding all day. An 8+ hour wedding is much more physically draining than something like an 8+ hour fashion shoot. It’s not uncommon to be on your feet all day for a wedding. You ALWAYS have to be watching for moments, you have to be socially “on” and making everyone feel comfortable, and depending on how “intense” you are with your shooting, you might be crawling around on the ground and climbing on things and RUNNING to get your shots. If you’re lucky you can sit down at the reception, but you don’t always get that luxury (it’s a treat when you have a moment to eat during the day).

Also, why should we lower our prices due to the “economic climate”? The other wedding vendors haven’t lowered theirs, and that’s because weddings are a sure thing. Families can put off their group portrait for another year, but weddings are still happening, and those photos can’t be put off. The couple getting married understand it’s still a necessary expense. Photographers who shoot weddings know that is where the bulk of their income is coming from, so if you want to support yourself and stay in the business, you can’t cut your costs to reflect the times. That being said, some photographers DO charge what I would consider too much, but in many of those cases you get what you pay for. I doubt the big shots in editorial are charging menial fees.

Talk about poking the nest… I think this post and its contribution has been pretty much (for the most part) on the side of the wedding photographer.

I’m glad to see a number of wedding photographers on here explaining about the weeks of work that go in to producing tonnes of images that just might make the final album cut, then there’s the storyboard albums, which in themselves take a who’ll great amount of effort.

Being a full time photographer (weddings ~ commercial ~ portraits) I come up against the budget marketers. Bless there little cotton socks, and for the most part they’re un-insured hobbiest who own a dSLR and don’t understand posing, lighting, location scouting and weather directing alternatives. When they work out how much time it takes them to do their own post production in the small hours of the night before they’ve to be up for work in the morning, most of them don’t tend to say in the market for too long.

Lets face it, reputations are easily destroyed in this sector. I feel a fair charge should be levied for a fair WEEKS work, its not a day thing! Never is, never will be.

dSLR’s have made it a lot easier on the day, but a lot harder for the weeks that follow.

Anyway, I’ve said my piece… Great post (again).

Great post and great comments.

The rate a professional wedding photographer charges is tied directly to how much the market can bare.

Weekend warriors often charge based on an arbitrary number they’d like to be paid. It often has little do with the reality of staying in business.

I’m not a profession photographer, its just my hobby. I thought I’d contribute my 2 cents here.

As someone who is still learning, I know that every field of photography comes with its fair share of challenges, learnings, investment of time, and of course, money. And usually the individual’s choice over which branch they choose.

Having said that, on reading through the above comments and some minor experience on my part, I feel that the challenges are similar, if not the same, in both fields. Because when you come down to the bare facts, both editorial and wedding photographers are recording events (of differing magnitudes) and there’s also similarities between fashion and wedding (you need to make the person / persons in the frame look good!)

On to the monetary angle, which is the real issue here, a very nice point made by Tanya Plonka, where the number of marriages are limited and hence the work opportunity is limited to weekends (not so in India though, where I am from, where weddings can happen anytime during the week based on religious requirements). Where as editorial assignments can come by literally everyday. So on one hand, it becomes a matter of charging a ‘lot of money’ off a few events or charging less money off many events. That might just balance out over a period of a year, but that’s just my speculation.

There’s another angle here as well. I work in the media industry, and over here, there’s a slowdown happening, with salaries being cut and people being laid-ff because of rising newsprint costs and slow down in advertising in newspapers and websites. This automatically means that companies have to cut costs and hence payout for editorial staff and correspondingly editorial images is bound to see a decline.

Where as on the wedding front, the market is dictated with a “memories of a life time” (despite the prevalent divorce rates, we’re all optimists!) for a person who charges 3000 pounds for a wedding, he /she is not catering to someone who can’t afford that. Anyone spending 3000 bucks on such a photographer believes that they are worth it (perceived value being higher because they are quoting higher rates!). There’s also the whole point that anything with the word ‘wedding’ attached to it automatically commands a premium, this fact has been highlighted very often in popular culture.

A wedding photographer can keep the rates the same because there’s always someone richer who is getting married and can pay. If the work delivers, there’s the word-of-mouth for more assignments, in the same or higher circles too. For an editorial photographer to do that, he / she would have to move higher up in the media chain, from a local newspaper, to a national newspaper to maybe a wire service.

At the end of the day, a higher price can only be determined by the quality of your work, and of course your perceived worth in your market or in this case, your field of photography.

hmmm… that came out longer than expected.

This is a really great thread!!!

I do think that the wedding industry is wide open in terms of cost. You can always get a $500 photog off of craigslist or you can drop 7k on a photographer. It definitely is about supply and demand and the simple fact that, often, you get what you pay for.

Think about it this way… would you walk into a BMW dealership and demand to buy a car for 15k? Of course not. Same thing goes with wedding photography. It’s an investment. You are capturing memories that will always bring back the romance and joy of that day.

You can hire someone based on how cheap he is or you can really invest in your wedding photographer and trust that you’ll get a top quality product.

In my mind, anyone who complains about wedding photography costing a lot hasn’t worked as a full-time wedding pro. It is A LOT OF WORK just to get by.

Sure there are some wedding photographers making a lot of $$ out there, but the majority are in the middle (just like every other occupation).

Why not then whine about how much lawyers make or how about a dentist or a CEO? A photographer makes whatever he/she makes because that’s what the market deems they’re worth. Simple economics.

When I was getting married, I didn’t want to risk hiring a newbie (although the thought did cross my mind) who might screw up the photos or give me a bunch of crap photos that anyone could have shot. I plan on getting married only once, so for me, it was worth the investment for a lifetime of memories.

A typical good honeymoon for two costs between $3000 – 5000K and it lasts about a week. Photos cost around the same, and (if they’re good) can be enjoyed for much longer than a week.

Anyone who has received good wedding photographs know the tremendous value they have. It’s the first official “documentation” of the beginning of a family, so why not invest in it?

I appreciated the post and the thread of comments. What stands out to me is everyone seems to be defending or challenging wedding photographers (am one myself). The post itself is not trying to defend why wedding photographers should be paid more than other types of photographers. The premise is simply to discuss what goes into the cost of wedding photography.

I’ve had numerous discussions about how clients don’t understand what goes into the cost of wedding photography. That it’s more than just showing up for a few hours and downloading pictures off of your camera and burning them to a disc.

I think that’s all this article is trying to point out. The fact that the same points apply to other types of photography is true . . . and unnecessary to argue about in this discussion.

The question I’d have is how do people discuss this topic with their clients (if at all)?

Im a wedding photographer living on a 5sq mile island in the Dutch Caribbean. I am my own competition and weddings are only a handful annually. As Ive just shot my 2nd wedding last week, I can honestly say that it is more work in processing (digital) than shooting on the wedding day. Although it is great fun shooting them, I still have alot to learn and don’t consider myself a professional (yet).

Like someone on here said, you only have one chance to get that perfect shot. So dont screw it up and dont ask for a re-take. For myself, so far so good, both clients are extremely pleased with my work!

My rates are not expensive at all. As the more I shoot comes with experience and a more developed style, so will the rates increase. But for now, Im happy with them. Needless to say, it isn’t my full time job (yet).

The amount of time spent in post processing is enormous. I remember 15+ yrs ago- before digital- it was standard for the bride and groom to get/see a couple hundred photos (proofs) from their photographer. Prices then were average $1500+ if you also got an album of prints.

Now the bride and groom wish to see hundreds of photos, which is easier to do in digital however that means so much time spent in post processing. Doesn’t mean that photographers are less talented but rather the bride and groom expect more today.

You can still find excellent wedding photographers that will shoot for less. We have shot weddings for as little as $750. Find a photographer that can provided a custom package.

Yes I agree with Pat. I am a ‘one man band’ per se. So I do everything!! Its more work than most people think it is! For me, its fun work and I love doing it!

“Timeless Memories”

A fellow photographer buddy of mine said he attended a decent sized wedding a couple months ago where the paid photog showed up with just a DSLR in a dark church on a rainy day. Here’s the good part… She used her popup flash as her only light source for all her shots. Good times… =)

I am a better than average amateur photographer. I have shot two weddings for nieces in the last 6 months. I was hired by the bride’s parents. The first wedding, I had total responsibility for the wedding photographs. I was very critical of the result, and was absolutely exhausted after the event. Everyone else was pleased. Six months later, I am now extremely pleased with the result from the first wedding as well. The second wedding, the groom hired a professional? photographer and his mate. In the second wedding, my work was obstructed by the so called professional who gave nobody else a chance to take their photos. I believe the day should centre around the bride and groom, not the photographer.

Photography is an art. If you find an artist he is worth every cent. Be critical of their past work, and not just what they put up for show. Make sure they have had success with weddings in the past, and not just photographing dogs and dog shows. Scratch below the surface. There are noisy showmen out there posing as photographers.

Photography service all over the world costs a lot as well as equipment, and everything you mention.
It’s all true, but photographers have to explain that each time to non photographers and showe them different point of view so they will understand what’s behind man with a camera and his backpack full of high-end equipment :)

Cheers!

Don’t know if anybody noticed this but beside numbers 4 and 5 there is a picture of a woman in a wedding dress and the label to the left of that tells you the picture is on the left, when there really is no picture on the left. Im sorry if this comment wasted anybodys time. I am a bit OCD.

Late
-Zawl

I’d like to express my experience with Wedding Photography as this thread was intended for.

First of all… I own and operate a home based business with the intent of providing affordable photography of any event. I also incorporated a video service within my photo. My wife is my business partner, and my main photographer & editor. I do the videography, running the business, and sealing the deals with the distributors, photo labs, and of course our clients.

However, this is not a full time employment for us. I work full time doing something not associated with my business or photography. The money I earn from this job supports my family and operates my business.

Because of this, I am able to keep my overhead costs down.. not to mention it gives my wife something to do.

I thought about charging my clients a lot for portraits, seeing that other photographers were doing likewise. But I couldn’t justify the meaning of it. These photographs (pros to ams) were making thousands off one event. What I learned from their experience is this:

Overhead Costs : This is the source to anyone running a business faces. This is the reason your rates are high. These costs are items such as rent of a studi (if you have one), insurance on equipmnet, equipment rentals-repairs-replacements, subscriptions, fees, maintenance, housekeeping, transprotation, location, blah blah blah…

Advertising Costs : My personal view is that a good photographer shouldn’t have to advertise… ever. But for some that do are either one of two things… broke or ‘in demand’. A struggleing professional will advertise to get new clients, for example. A popular professional (well known in the trade and/or area) will get more based on who’s willing to pay. If you had a choice to spend 3k on only one photographer and your choices were (a) a veteran pro of 20+yrs that could you nane you just about every citizen in town… or (2) a pro that moved into a new area from elsewhere, didn’t know anyone, had no recent or local references, but had the latest in gidgets and gazmoos that looked advanced for our time..?

Its a hard decision to tell you the truth. Some will argue the difference between film and digital. Either form is considered art. How you apply that art makes your impression. The veteran pro may not be in the digital age (most are not willing to learn the new gear) but his past thousand weddings show a prime example of true life photography. The new guy in town has the latest in gear and can produce digital art in a matter of moments, not to mention that previewing these art can be acheived at a quicker rate.

So what I learned: Both styles (film vs. digital) are both considered art. The VALUE of the work is what represents your rate. I started my business many years ago, slowly builind one client at a time using the new digital art procedures. But I’m not Pro #2 as mentioned above, however I can be. The most important aspect of these rates professionals (or ‘average joe’) charge is the fact of cost of living. I charge fractions of the going rate because I have a funding supply that supports the business. The ones that charge a lot rely on this income to support not only their business, but perhaps their life and family. Its not so much about the importance of the price to charge, but at what VALUE your going to give the client. If you’re on your own, do it full time, produce your own work, and are a leader/mentor to those around you… then you should be rewarding yourself.

But if you work a second (or third) job to support everything AND you still charge the same as others… SHAME ON YOU. Your not dedicating yourself to the appreciation of supply art… your taking advantage of the situation.

With my wife and I, we provide the best for our clients, from top album names (Rennaissance, TAP, etc..) to outsourcing our prints to professional photo labs… we charge list price on most items. The only take we recieve in retyrn is the labor. But we’ve seen so-called photographers charge and mislead their clients into thinking their getting a great VALUE.

And to get back about advertising… your work IS your own advertisment. How you perform and your items presented builds your network of “word of mouth” adverts. Thats how you gain respect. Thats how you become popular. And that’s when you can justify your right to charge a bit more for your service. Think about it in terms of the blue collar work force. Would you expect to see a mailroom clerk making a CEO salary? Of course not. You have to work your way to the top for that. But would you deserve that CEO position if you had ‘bought’ your way up? Absoultely not, and your trust and respect from others would eventually dwindle away. But if you raise right, you increase your network, and you build your bond with others.

Did I make it clear? Thank you for reading my opinion.

Wedding photography is not easy. You have to love it. There are many aspects to doing it, as the above comments indicate. The marketplace dictates what to charge. Are you so in love with yourself that you do not see where your work is compared to your competition? Can you improve? Do you practice? Do you advertise? Have you tweaked your processes? Do you cry like a baby when the work does not come your way? It takes a complete and caring human being to be a great wedding photographer, not a lazy one.

It’s a career, it’s a passion, it’s a sickness. But I spend a ton of time reading, learning and practicing photography techniques, album design, photoshop, lightroom, et al, and I’m no noob, I’ve been at this for eons. It’s like continual education, always improving, developing. Look, it’s after midnight and I’m still up surfing around reading wedding photography related posts on the net!

Stumbled on this while searching Google.

The photographer who compared editorial/fashion photography to weddings doesn’t seem to understand the full picture. I was an editorial photographer for 12 years before doing weddings (weddings for ten years now).

Editorial/fashion photographers won’t be spending tens of thousands of pounds on advertising. A full page ad in a wedding magazine varies from about £1200 in a small regional publication, to over £3000 in some of the high end bridal magazines. A wedding photographer can easily spend £15,000 a year on marketing and advertising.

Editorial photographers don’t have other overheads like albums (they can easily cost several hundred pounds each). Don’t even get me started on some of the other expenses we have to pay (VAT, insurance, running a car, office, staff etc).

Wedding photographers are expensive because everything required to be a wedding photographer is expensive. Overheads are easily 50% of what a photographer charges. Then you have to factor in that most wedding photographers will cover about 35 to 50 weddings a year, from which they must make their entire living (presuming that like me they only photograph weddings).

My prices are from £1650 to £3000 inc VAT, is that a huge amount for what I produce? I don’t think so.

I certainly agree with you and since weddings photos will last a lifetime, great effort is invested by the photographer ensuring its quality.

Really good thread. I think the point here is it’s not just turning up on the day . There is a lot of work before and after. Also working with people who often are not used to having their photograph taken.. I’ll say no more.

Who really cares about all of our opinions? All that really matters is what the brides/grooms think. Wedding photography options range from very cheap to very expensive in virtually every town. There are options. Couples who choose to spend a lot of money on photography have their reasons and they are as valid as couples who decide to go on the cheap. So in the end it’s not about the price the photographer charges, but the value the client places on the work. And, generally, there is a big difference in quality in what you’ll get cheap vs. what pay a lot for. It’s true of virtually every product/service, and it’s true of wedding photography.

Finally, VISA credit cards did a survey just a year or two ago of brides after their wedding. The survey questioned how the brides felt about what they’d spent – in hindsight. The results – the vast majority of brides felt they overspent on virtually everything except two areas – photography and decorations. So say what you will about what wedding photographers charge. Most couples are pleased and wouldn’t spend less if they had it to do over again.

Great post. Thanks for sharing and educating the public.

Does anyone know a rich wedding photographer? I’m in the business over 25 years and while I’ve met rich guys who are in every other business you could mention, I have yet to meet a rich wedding photographer!!!!!!!

I have met rich wedding photographers, they are the good ones or the ones that have the business and manage a nominal amount of photographers that are out shooting for them on any given Saturday or Sunday.

If you can ask 3k to 20k and people will pay your price you would be stupid not to ask for the big dollars. Rich couples need wedding photographers too, if you told them it was only going to cost them $500 they would think something is wrong..

Why is wedding photography expensive?

If you think a professional is expensive, wait until you hire an amateur….

The bottom line is that a wedding is a once off, high stress, unrepeatable event. If the photographer screw’s up, they are screwing up possibly the most important day of a couple’s life, and that is why you should make sure you get the right photographer, with the right experience. But of course, that comes at a price.