How to budget for your wedding photographer
Congratulations, you are engaged, you are soooo excited and now you need to plan your budget and answer the question “How much does a wedding photographer cost?”
The average price for a wedding photographer is £1,590 based on a full day starting package from a professional wedding photographer.
Prices vary across the UK for wedding photography with the South East being the most expensive, followed by London, the South West and then Scotland.
How much should you budget?
Ask yourself what memories do you want from your wedding day, do you want photographs that capture how you and your guests felt on your wedding day as well as how they looked? Do you want to put your wedding pictures on your wall, share them on social media and show your kids in the future? If the answer is yes then read on.
Why does a professional wedding photographer cost so much?
When comparing photographer’s prices, you should also make sure you’re comparing like with like. So does the quoted price include a pre-wedding consultation for example or are they just going to wing it on the day? Are the photographers travel expenses included, do they have the latest photographic equipment, or are they using their old iPhone! There are so many things to consider that you might not initially have thought about but an experienced, professional wedding photographer will be able to reassure you what’s included in their pricing. It’s important that you check early on what you’re getting for your money so there are no hidden extras that you haven’t budgeted for. With an average of 12 hours spent taking photographs on the actual wedding day and a further 36 hours or so editing back in the office to make sure those photos of your special day are perfect, it’s not hard to see how your professional photographer is earning his fee.
USB, Cloud or Wedding Album
In 1840 you would have received your wedding pictures as printed media, from 1985 it would have been on CD, 10 years later it would have been by USB: now you have the option of printed media, CD, USB or cloud, but seriously do you have a DVD player? Do you currently have a device that takes a USB and what will you do if you store your pictures on the cloud then forget to pat the cloud fees? The answer really goes back to 1840 where printed media has stood the test of time and does not require any technology to be seen.
So, 20 years after your wedding do you want to have the opportunity to look back at your wedding day? If the answer is yes then you need to build a wedding album into your budget.
Pre-wedding shoot
You really should have a pre-wedding shoot with your photographer as early as you can to check you like their style and you like the way they work. This is why we offer a complimentary wedding shoot, read our blog on engagement shoots
Wedding Photos last forever
Remember, the cake gets eaten, the flowers will die, but your wedding photos will last forever so hiring an experienced wedding photographer means you will have a lasting legacy of your big day. It’s not just a few nice snaps that you want to have to look back on. Memories fade, so you want a photographer that can catch the emotion, the laughter, the unexpected comedy moments, the spirit of the day, in essence, your wedding in a kind of glorious 3D, not just those posed, ‘everyone smile ‘ kind of images that your ‘Uncle Tom’ can take. You will both be very busy on the day itself but rest assured, your photographer will be capturing all those little moments with your friends and family that you never got to see.
A full-time wedding photographer will be insured, have a reputation to maintain, will know what they are doing on the day, where to be and when, know how to get that perfect shot to tell a story of all love laughter and emotion of your day with incredible wedding photographs, otherwise they simply will not be in business for long.
How much you spend on your wedding photographer will depend on your budget, and the importance your wedding photos have to you. Wedding Photography is about unique moments, it’s about being able to relive the day again and again through beautiful photos, to remember the excitement and emotion of the day.
We have 3 standard packages but each and every package can be fully customised to suit what you want for your wedding day.
If you need to know what to ask a wedding photographer then take a read of our blog on what you should ask a wedding photographer.
If you are planning your wedding and are looking for a couple of Norwich Wedding Photographers who offer a complimentary engagement shoot and includes wedding insurance in their Platinum Package, then please do get in touch, Karl and Jim would love to hear about what you have planned for your wedding day.
View our Wedding Photography Packages