How Much Does a Wedding Photographer Cost?

It's a great moment that you will remember forever. A wedding takes a lot of planning and loads of cash. It's a once in a lifetime (or twice, or three times, or 8 times in a lifetime if you're Larry King) event that has a special meaning in the lives of two people and their families. It's a moment you want to capture and hold on to in your memories forever. That's why you need the best wedding photographer you can get. You need the wedding photographer that will take all the right shots at the right times at the right price.

Wedding Photographer Prices #

The absolute minimum you can expect to pay for a wedding photographer is $500 to $800. This is the cost for one photographer for one to two hours on site. He will, naturally, then take the film home, make a photo book for you, and perhaps, provide you with an online slideshow on a computer data file.

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The cost for a wedding photographer for the average wedding average wedding is $1,500 to $3,000.00. That will get you one photographer for the duration of the wedding and the reception. The wedding photographer should include stand alone photos of various sizes, a hardcover photo album, and/or digital media like a slideshow to go along with all of that.

You can spend $3,000 to $7,000 on a wedding photographer. This is the cost for a ritzy wedding photography service that goes the extra mile. This should cover photography of the rehearsal dinner, wedding reception, bridal shower, etc. At this price there should be two different photographers at the wedding both snapping photos from different angles and capturing the entire event from different locations.

Things to Remember #

• Prices go up during wedding season, mid- April through mid-October. Like purchasing anything, you can find a better deal in the off season. If you want a photographer for that lovely June wedding you've always imagined you can expect to pay a little extra. Out of work photographers aren't going to charge as much as fully booked photographers.
• Hotels and resorts have off-seasons, too. If you are planning on putting the family up at a hotel during a busy time then the rooms will cost more.
• The honeymoon may cost less during the off season, depending on where you choose to go. Check the off-season for your destination. The wedding off-season may not coincide with the off-season of the tropical island you are planning on honeymooning at. There, it may be high time due to differences in seasons.
• Make sure to view sample photography from your wedding photographer prior to hiring them.