How Much Do Wedding Photographers Cost? And How to Save
As soon as you start wedding planning, there’s one crucial aspect you have to consider early on: What’s your wedding budget, and what will be your most significant costs? Wedding photography is a biggie. And it’s not just the cost of hiring the perfect photographer for your wedding day to take into account, but also documenting related events. For example, an engagement session, if you want one, and photography services for the events leading up to your wedding, such as the various showers, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and/or the rehearsal dinner.
So, what’s the average cost of a photographer for a wedding? Your wedding budget will impact every element of your dream wedding experience. The budget will dictate what venues to tour, which potential vendors to interview, and how extravagant your honeymoon can be. Along these lines, your budget will determine which photographer you hire and the photography services you ultimately purchase.
The Average Cost of Wedding Photographer Services
According to The Knot’s 2025 Real Weddings Study, the average wedding in 2024 cost around $33,000, and for couples who spent this amount, the average wedding photographer cost was $2,900. The study also found that couples spend the second-largest portion of their wedding budget on the photographer, second only to the venue. However, other wedding expenses were cheaper, with the cost of a wedding florist being the third most expensive at $2,700.
Of course, not everyone can pay the average cost of $33,000 for their wedding, and some couples may have the budget to pay for more. As such, it’s best to consider your expenditure in percentages. On average, most couples spend about 8% of their total wedding budget on wedding photos. The data below shows how this looks at different price points:
| Total Wedding Budget | Estimated Wedding Photographer Cost (8%) |
|---|---|
| $10,000 | $800 |
| $33,000 (Average) | $2,900 |
| $50,000 | $4,000 |
Factors That Influence the Average Cost of a Wedding Photographer
Luckily, the wedding industry is highly varied, and you can find everything you need for your wedding at a wide range of price points. When it comes to the average cost of photographer for wedding services, a handful of factors will influence the starting prices:
- Location: Photographers in larger cities often charge more than those in smaller locales. Likewise, a photographer will charge more if they need to travel to your destination event than if your wedding is in town.
- Scale: Photographers charge more for large events, which require multiple assistants.
- Seasonality: Many also charge more in the summer, when demand is highest.
How to Save Money on the Average Wedding Photographer Cost
No matter how big your wedding budget is, you may not want to spend 8% on wedding photography services. So, how can you save a little cash? Here are some ideas to prioritize what you want.
If you want to lower the cost of your wedding photography, consider what moments you’d really like photographed and which you are okay with skipping. For example, you may not need an engagement shoot to cap off your perfect proposal. Or, if you do an engagement shoot, you might opt for a lower-cost photographer with less experience. You might not want your photographer there for the entirety of your wedding, either.
There are even more ways to get the most for your money if you purchase fewer services overall. In the latter case, you might forgo a first look photography session, or “getting ready” photos ahead of the ceremony, or you might not require the photographer to stay for the full duration of your reception.