How Much Does a Wedding Photographer Cost? (Plus Videographer Pricing)

Photography is the one category where it is genuinely hard to course-correct after the wedding. You can serve simpler food, skip a band, buy a smaller dress — but you cannot go back and reshoot the day. This is why most planners advise couples to allocate generously here and find savings elsewhere. Understanding what photographers actually charge helps you make that decision with clear expectations.

Average Wedding Photography Costs

United States: The typical range for a wedding photographer is $2,500 to $5,000 for a mid-range professional with a solid portfolio. Budget options start around $1,200 to $1,800 (often newer photographers building their portfolio). Experienced photographers in high demand — particularly those with editorial features, destination wedding experience, or a distinctive style — regularly charge $6,000 to $12,000 or more.

The national average often cited by industry surveys lands around $2,900 to $3,500, but this average includes a wide range from budget to luxury markets. In New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and similarly priced cities, mid-market photographers typically start at $4,000 to $5,000.

United Kingdom: Photography packages run approximately £1,500 to £3,500 for a mid-market professional, with premium photographers in London charging £4,000 to £7,000+.

Australia: Expect $3,000 to $6,000 AUD for a mid-range wedding photographer, with Sydney and Melbourne professionals toward the top of that range.

Canada: Photography typically costs $2,500 to $5,000 CAD, higher in major cities.

New Zealand: Packages run $2,500 to $5,500 NZD for a professional photographer.

What a Photography Package Typically Includes

Standard packages vary by photographer, but a mid-tier package usually covers:

• 8 to 10 hours of coverage on the wedding day
• One photographer (second shooter is often an add-on)
• All edited digital images (typically 400 to 800 delivered photos)
• Online gallery for download and sharing
• Print release

Common add-ons that cost extra: - Second photographer: $500 to $1,500 extra - Engagement session: $200 to $600 - Printed album: $500 to $2,000+ - Additional hours of coverage: $200 to $500 per hour - Travel and accommodation for destination weddings

Some photographers include an engagement session in the base package; others offer it separately. An engagement session is genuinely useful — it gives you time in front of the camera with your photographer before the wedding day, which reduces the "being photographed" awkwardness that shows up in formal portraits.

Wedding Videography Costs

Videography is a separate booking from photography. Many couples skip video to save money, then regret it — you hear your vows, you hear the toasts, you see moments the photographer missed. Budget for it if you can.

United States: Wedding videography typically runs $1,800 to $4,500 for a standard package. A cinematic highlight film (3 to 5 minutes of edited footage set to music) plus a full ceremony and reception edit is a common deliverable. High-end videographers with a cinematic style charge $5,000 to $10,000+.

United Kingdom: £1,200 to £3,000 for a mid-range videographer.

Australia: $2,000 to $4,500 AUD.

Canada: $2,000 to $4,500 CAD.

New Zealand: $1,800 to $4,000 NZD.

Bundling Photography and Videography

Some studios offer a discount when you book photography and videography together. The discount is typically 10 to 15 percent off the combined total. This also simplifies coordination — both teams know each other, have a shared workflow, and are less likely to step on each other during key moments.

If you do book from the same studio, confirm that each service has a dedicated professional. Some studios send one person to handle both, which compromises the quality of both.

What Affects Price the Most

Experience and style: A photographer who has shot 200 weddings knows how to handle every lighting condition, difficult family dynamic, and unexpected timeline change. That experience costs more and is genuinely worth more.

Date and timing: Peak season (May through October in the Northern Hemisphere, October through March in Australia and New Zealand) commands higher prices. Booking a Friday or Sunday often unlocks discounts of 10 to 20 percent.

Location: Destination weddings add travel and accommodation costs. Photographers at popular destination venues (Queenstown, Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast, the Cotswolds) may be in high demand and price accordingly.

Album and print products: Some photographers build album costs into their packages; others charge separately. A high-end printed album is a genuine luxury item — beautifully made but also genuinely expensive. Decide upfront whether a printed album matters to you.

Questions to Ask Before Booking

• How do you deliver the edited photos, and what is the turnaround time?
• What happens if you are sick or injured on our wedding day? Do you have a backup photographer?
• Who owns the copyright to the images?
• Are there any restrictions on where or how we can print or use the photos?
• What is your editing style — will you match the work in your portfolio, or does it vary?

The backup question is critical. Photographer illness is rare but not unheard of. A reputable photographer has a network of colleagues who can cover in an emergency. A solo operator with no professional network is a higher risk.

Tipping Your Photographer

United States and Canada: A tip of $100 to $200 per photographer (main and second shooter) is appreciated and fairly standard if you were happy with the work. Some couples tip at the wedding itself; others send a note and tip with the gallery delivery.

UK: Not expected, but a positive review and a referral carry real professional value.

Australia and New Zealand: Tipping is not the norm. A glowing Google or wedding platform review is the most useful thing you can do.

The photography and videography budget is one of the most consequential decisions in wedding planning. Get the Complete Wedding Budget Planner to compare vendor quotes across categories and make sure photography gets the share of the budget it deserves before other costs crowd it out.