Regardless of your feelings about late-night reception appetisers or costly floral centrepieces, most brides-to-be can agree on one thing: beautiful wedding photos are a requirement. While the average wedding photographer cost is often on the higher side, it is one expense that most couples do not skimp on. Of course, how you divide your wedding money is determined by which components of your event (and hence which vendors) are most important to you. However, because you will most likely want to relive your wedding experiences for years to come, hiring a superb photographer is a critical responsibility. Wedding photography rates vary depending on the vendor and services provided, so it is up to you to pick a pro that meets your specific requirements. However, if you want to get a general idea of how much a wedding photographer charges, we have the answer. Continue reading to learn how much real couples spend on wedding photos today.
Long after the vows have been exchanged and the reception hall has been cleaned up, your wedding photos will tell the tale of your special day and capture the memorable moments you will remember. Finding the best wedding photographer may appear to be a daunting task, but if you grasp the fundamentals of pricing and contracts, it’s a rather simple process.
In this article, we’ll show you how to find a professional wedding photographer with a style you like, a personality you like, and a price you can afford.
Check out our most recommended Sydney Wedding Photographers to help you capture those precious moments.
In Australia, the average cost of a wedding photographer is:
The average cost of a wedding photographer in Australia has risen by 8% in the last year, to $3,211.
This, of course, takes into account the expenditures in each state and territory, as well as couples employing professional photographers rather than having a friend or family member take their images. Photography is one of the most significant aspects of a wedding, with 91 percent of couples choosing a professional for their special day. In comparison, only 7% had their photos taken by an amateur. Only 2% prefer not to have any photos at all!
New South Wales
The whole expense of a wedding in New South Wales is above average, and the photographer is no exception. A photographer in New South Wales will cost you roughly $3,896. This is attributed to an increase in luxury weddings in NSW, as well as the state’s desire for professional wedding photographers.
Victoria
Couples in Victoria will spend $3,080 on their photographer, which is a little less than the national average. This is fantastic news for couples in the state because most weddings in Victoria may be rather expensive – especially if couples prefer to spend more money on additional services such as catering.
Queensland
The average cost of a photographer in Queensland has risen only slightly, at $2,672. When compared to NSW and Victoria, the costs for a wedding photographer in this state are significantly lower than the national average.
South Australia
Couples in South Australia may expect to pay an average of $2,741 for a wedding photographer. This, like Queensland, falls below the national average and is consistent with South Australian weddings costing slightly less than weddings on the east coast.
Western Australia (WA)
Weddings on the west coast are also less expensive than those on the east, and photographers are no exception. If you want to hire a wedding photographer in Western Australia, you should expect to pay around $2,893.
Australian Capital Territory
While other states have seen very minor increases, the ACT has witnessed the greatest increase in the cost of wedding photographers, even exceeding the national average. Couples who want to have their own Cinderella moment on the steps of Australia’s parliament should budget roughly $3,292.
Tasmania
Tasmania offers some magnificent landscape for wedding photos, and couples in the state will be glad to find that the cost of a photographer has decreased since last year! Expect to pay roughly $1,838, but cost will vary depending on the photographer’s skill set.
Northern Territory
The entire cost of a wedding in the Northern Territory is likewise lower than the national average, with photographers costing slightly less than the national average. Despite the fact that there are less weddings up north, couples may still locate a wonderful wedding photographer in the area. You should plan on paying roughly $2,850.
What should the cost of wedding photos be?
If you’ve looked into wedding photography costs, you’re probably aware of how costly wedding photography can be. It’s a figure that appears to have been nearly steady over the last five years.
With a wedding photographer being one of the top three items to prioritise for a wedding, most websites will advise you to set aside 10-15% of your wedding budget for one.
10-15% of your budget is a significant sum of money. It is especially expensive if you are already on a tight budget.
What, though, drives the expense of a wedding photographer? This was a question I posed to myself after seeing a question from a new wedding photographer seeking pricing guidance.
Is wedding photography really that pricey?
So let me get this out of the way right away. This essay isn’t going to help me make friends with other wedding photographers. It’s also not an article intended to justify the cost of wedding photography or to argue that wedding photographers overcharge for their services. I do hope, though, that for some, particularly newbies, it will prompt them to reconsider their price and package offerings.
To some extent, as a wedding photographer myself, I appreciate the high cost of wedding photography. There is a lot of work involved, and it isn’t as simple as showing there and snapping a few photos with a nice camera.
For many wedding photographers, each wedding would require between 30 and 40 hours of effort. The job begins even before the wedding with planning, administration, and travel. Then, after the wedding, there’s still a lot to accomplish in terms of editing your wedding photos and creating a gallery. If you have chosen a package that includes prints, they must be arranged and checked. It can potentially take hours to create an album.
Other factors to consider include the photographer’s experience, training, the cost of the equipment, insurance, production fees for prints and albums, and so on.
I believe we should also consider the expense of a wedding photographer. When you see the total figure as a package price upfront, it is natural to assume that the cost is high. How much would you spend to get some repairs done around the house or on your car done?
When compared to the same hourly fee charged by a plumber, electrician, or mechanic, the rate charged by a wedding photographer does not appear to be that exorbitant.
What sources do wedding photographers use to determine their prices?
Being a wedding photographer is similar to being in any other line of work. When you first start out, you’ll need to create a business plan and conduct market research. You examine your rivals to discover what they have to offer. Then you craft your proposal to be competitive with theirs.
This is exactly what a wedding photographer would do if they were starting out or re-evaluating their business. They would research other photographers to see what they charge and what they include in each package and then base what they offer on what other photographers do.
They would also consider the expenditures associated with the service they supply as well as their cost of living. The biggest factor influencing geographical variations in the cost of photography services is the cost of living. House prices in the country’s north might be significantly lower than in the south. As a result, the cost of living would be lower.
Initial investigation into a wedding photographer will reveal that the bulk of wedding photographers cater to a specific pricing range. This purchase would generally include an album, prints, and a USB drive, or a mix of the three.
What does a wedding photography package include?
If you’ve ever ordered fast food or even a cup of coffee, you’re probably familiar with the’super-size me’ technique. You’d walk in, order a burger, and be asked, “Would you like fries with that?”
It was a method of offering the same thing but in a larger size, or you would go in and order a couple of items and the person serving you would ask if you wanted the meal deal,’ which was the same thing but included an extra drink for a few pennies more. The more it goes on, the more we see set packages, and it can be tough to buy the item you want on its own without being larger than you need or having extra components you don’t need.
What is included is one of the distinctions between different wedding photographers, or even between packages given by the same wedding photographer.
Many wedding photographers, it appears, only provide a full-day package. A package that includes everything from bridal preparations through the evening party. There are a few who will provide a half-day rate, but it appears that this is only available from a few wedding photographers.
Wedding album albums are something that most wedding photographers include in their packages. One of the more traditional aspects of a wedding photography package is a wedding album. Wedding albums have existed since the days when everything was still filmed. It used to be that you bought your prints and albums from a local shop. You then had a fun evening remembering the events of your wedding while choosing the photographs for the album. Do you still get that same feeling when you let the wedding photographer choose the photos and put together the album for you?
The USB Flash Drive
A USB drive packaged in a stylish box. It arose following the digitalisation of photography. All of your wedding photos are neatly stored in a small box. Though technology evolves, it wasn’t long ago that images were delivered to you on a compact disc. Is a compact disc drive still available on a laptop? The older USB drive is already being replaced by the newer USB C drive. How long will it be before that USB drive becomes obsolete? So, what are you going to do with those wedding photos?
Prints in physical form
Surprisingly, prints are not commonly included in wedding packages. You could argue that prints are included in the wedding album, but what if you wanted some for your home? You could also argue that prints are simple enough to print yourself if you have the digital file. The difference here is that the print suppliers used by photographers are usually of higher quality than what you can get on the high street.
Photographs in Digital Format
Here’s something that all wedding photographers have in common. You could argue that this is the only part of the package that you require. You can do whatever you want with the digital images once you have them. You can print them to hang on the wall or to include in an album. You can add them to your album or photobook by uploading them. They are on your hard drive, so as long as you back them up, you won’t have to worry about hardware technology becoming obsolete. If the software changes, you can save them in a different format.
The cost of your package increases as each of these items is added. Not only is there the cost of the album, USB, or prints to consider, but there is also the photographer’s markup. The percentage that they charge simply for supplying the product. Then we return to the hourly rate that a wedding photographer would charge. Creating an album, transferring images to a USB drive, and arranging prints all take time. All of this time is charged at the wedding photographer’s hourly rate.
How to Cut Costs on Wedding Photos?
You may be able to save money by obtaining printing rights instead of being contractually obligated to purchase prints and enlargements from the photographer. Always make certain that you understand whether you will have full rights to download and print images from any website you choose. This will assist you in determining the true final cost of your wedding photos.
You can also save money by combining engagement and wedding photos into a discounted package rather than purchasing each event’s photos separately.
Finally, don’t be afraid to bargain or ask for a discount. You may be able to negotiate lower prices for your wedding photos depending on the season and demand, especially if you receive lower, more reasonable cost estimates from other wedding photographers.
Check out our article on whether wedding photographers are worth it.
What Is the Reason for the High Price?
Because of travel time and the costs of packing up and/or renting equipment, hiring a professional photographer for a wedding will always cost more than a simple hourly fee.
Because it is difficult for one photographer to get everyone who is supposed to be in each photo to cooperate, the higher the headcount, the higher the cost. There is also the time spent communicating with each attendee by sending them photos and asking them if they want changes or more options.
The photographer must also consider the lighting at the event centre, which usually necessitates a memorable trip there in advance to get a sense of what he or she is dealing with.
With wedding photographers being one of the most frequently booked vendors, it’s also reassuring to see that they’re also one of the highest-rated. When it comes to the service they provide for your big day, wedding photographers receive a massive 5 out of 5 stars.
Is it possible, however, for both the client and the photographer to get what they want? The photographer wants to be paid on an hourly basis, whereas the client prefers a photographer who is more affordable.
Those extras in the package raise the price, which benefits the wedding photographer, but they are also parts that the client may not want. Is it possible to provide wedding photography without the’super-size me’ deal?
If you remove the album, you save not only the cost of the album but also the time it takes to assemble it. The same could be said for the USB drive, which costs money to manufacture and then takes time to arrange and load all of the images.
The disadvantage for the wedding photographer is that the average price of a booking will drop, as will their annual salary. The flip side is that by spending less time on each wedding, they are able to accept more bookings.
