Local Wedding Photographers Prices By Region

Prices vary greatly within local regions for wedding photographers. Your Perfect Wedding Photographer has cited from their 2020 survey some of the differences in regions throughout the UK. YPWP stated that the cheapest region is the North East at £1100 and the most expensive region was the South West.

I took a closer look at different wedding photographers to get a regional average and found some discrepancies that produced. I looked at different wedding photographers in all of the regions of the UK and took an average of each region’s local prices of the photographers that had them listed on their site for all day wedding packages. Here is what I found.

Regional Averages For Wedding Photographers

The stat’s I have found match YPWP’s survey with the North East having the cheapest wedding photographer prices and the South West having one of the most expensive prices. I did find a minor discrepancy, that London wedding photographer prices were among the most expensive, but there was a larger sample size as there were many wedding photographers in London, and most of them listed their prices on their website.

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER LONDON PRICES: £1679

According to stats of my study, the average price of wedding photographers in London were £1679. The reasons for this difference between my findings and the survey conducted by YPWP could be simply the sheer number of photographers in London along with the the variety of packages offered. By far, London wedding photographers had the most websites that had a price for all day wedding photography out of all of the regions I researched.

• London £1679

• South West  £1675

• Wales £1455

• North East £1268

• South East £1545

• North West £1318

• Scotland £1618

• West Midlands £1495

• East of England £1480

• East Midlands £1450

• Northern Ireland £1380

*Remember these are all averages, and based on a small sample size, as many wedding photographers do not list their prices on their website.

Comparing Wedding Photographer’s Prices

How do you figure out what is the best option for you?

There are so many wedding photographers out there, where do you start? When considering different wedding photographers, it is important to find a good balance between your budget and what you are looking for (experience, multiple photographers, longer hours).

It is really hard to compare wedding photography prices as the costs are only part of the story. Many factors affect the final price so it is important to research your potential photographers carefully. 

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY PRICES CAN VARY WIDELY

Since there are so many variables that can affect the price of different photographers, it is important to have a good understanding of these variables and how they influence the price.  There is a lot of work that goes into photographing a wedding and all of the factors associated with them.

The price of wedding photography is based on how many hours are required to shoot on your wedding day, the number of final photos, any additional photographers or assistants and much more. This is why it is so important for you to understand what the costs are associated with wedding photography, along with the amount of time that is required. 

HERE’S THE DEAL: PHOTOGRAPHERS INVEST A LOT OF TIME WHEN THEY TAKE ON A WEDDING.

Any guesses on how long a wedding photographer spends with a couple when they are hired to photograph a wedding? 

8 hours? 12 hours?  15 hours?

What if I said it is much more than this.

Wedding photography prices are directly related to the time a photographer’s services are needed.  This goes above and beyond showing up and photographing the wedding day. There is work to prep for a wedding. Communication with the couple, any time at rehearsal dinners, engagement photos and such.

Your Perfect Wedding Photographer did a recent survey with hundreds of wedding photographers across the UK and the results would surprise you.

They found that the actual time the photographer spent photographing the wedding day was only about 4% of the time they dedicated to a wedding.  The majority of the time is spent editing and on business-related tasks (a total of 72%) than the actual photography. 

72%!!! THAT’S CRAZY THAT A PHOTOGRAPHER SPENDS THAT MUCH TIME NOT BEHIND A CAMERA!

One Size Doesn’t Always Fit All: Different Pricing Options For Photographers

When looking at different pricing options between wedding photographers, expect to be a little confused. Wedding photography pricing is not something that is standardised. Some photographers offer wedding packages and some offer a la carte pricing.

Flat packages typically include a set number of hours and images and might include some products like prints or albums. But what happens if you don’t want to use the packages the wedding photographer offers?

Many offer hourly services that can be customized to the couple’s needs. 

How Much Are Wedding Photographers Per Hour?

On average, a wedding photographer price is about £150 an hour. This is a very rough estimate and each photographer will charge a different hourly rate.

Hourly wedding photography pricing is not as common as package pricing, especially during the busy peak seasons. Hourly rates can depend on factors such as the location of the photographer, experience, day of the week and time of the year.

Facts About Wedding Photography Packages Prices

Most wedding photographer’s prices will come in some forms of packages. Each photographer might offer something a little different for different reasons. The packages will normally stipulate the time the photographer will be at your wedding, how many edited images will be delivered and any other products, such as a USB or wedding album.  

The more services and products you want will directly affect the overall cost. It is best to talk with the photographer about what wedding package would be best for you. Make sure you understand what exactly is included in your package and ensure the contract you have details these services in detail. 

To give you an idea of the different type of wedding photography packages that photographers will use across the UK:

BASIC PACKAGES (£)

Basic wedding photography packages will normally include the photographer’s time for shooting the main events such as the ceremony, formal photos and some of the reception. These packages tend to be shorter in the amount of overall time your photographer will be at the wedding.

Couples who choose a basic wedding photography package, normally are looking for coverage for specific events and only a few edited photos with no products (such as albums and prints). If you are on a restricted budget these types of packages might be perfect for you. For example, I offer a ceremony and photos up until the start of the reception and a smaller number of edited photos.

MIDRANGE PACKAGES (££)

Midrange wedding photography packages usually include a longer time frame than basic wedding packages (see above).. These packages normally include meetings with couples, a pre wedding shoot, and a good amount of wedding photos on a USB or online gallery.

Midrange wedding photography packages normall have a set number of hours and will capture most of the important moments on your wedding day. Photographers tend to limit these packages to about 8 or 9 hours.

EXPENSIVE PACKAGES AKA LUXURY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY (£££)

Expensive Wedding Photography packages include the highest level of service and products. This includes full day wedding coverage right from the very start of the day to the very last goodbye at your wedding.

These expensive packages normally include all the bells and whistles including second photographer, or an assistant. You will probably get a pre-wedding photo shoot and some photography products like an album and prints.

So Why Is Wedding Photography So Expensive In The UK? 

The answer isn’t simple. There are many variables that can affect photography pricing.

Money for equipment, insurance, employees, software, and that doesn’t even include everyday costs like travel.

Photographing weddings is time-consuming and expensive. Hidden business costs, post-wedding editing, emailing back and forth, all of this is on top of the time you spend photographing the wedding day. A full wedding can be anywhere from 20-40 hours of work in total. This includes editing images, planning timelines and scouting locations.

Professional Wedding Photography Prices: Breaking Down The Costs for 2022 2023

MARKETING AND ADVERTISING COSTS

Online marketing such as Google Adwords or Facebook marketing is all done as a PPC or pay per click. For example, if I were to advertise with Google Adwords for my main Keywords, West Midlands Wedding Photographer or Birmingham Wedding Photographer, the cost is estimated at anywhere between

Facebook Marketing can be just as expensive, but if done correctly, it can be very effective. Facebook used to be a free platform for many wedding photographers and creatives. Facebook has become more expensive in the last five years. I can spend about £250 a month on Facebook ads and can book about 2 average priced weddings.

BRIDAL AND WEDDING SHOWS

There are many different wedding shows throughout the UK. These wedding shows are good for couples to meet potential vendors. The problem is the fees associated with this type of advertising is very expensive. These fees can run between £300 to £1500 per book. It all depends on how exclusive the wedding show is.

QUALITY PHOTOGRAPHY EQUIPMENT HAS A HIGH PRICE

We all have heard the horror stories about wedding photos being too blurry and grainy because of the quality of the equipment. I never wanted my couples to have to worry about this, so I invested heavily in my equipment. I always bring appropriate cameras, lenses and lighting gear to my weddings. 

Being prepared with good quality gear is not cheap, and this costs me about £15,000 for the initial investment. Good equipment requires updating every few years. This is what you are paying for. Someone with years of experience, someone you can trust.

COMPUTER AND OFFICE EQUIPMENT

Photographing a wedding is only a small part of the work that needs to be done when photographing a wedding. Most photographers will spend anywhere between 15 to 30 hours to edit a wedding. Professional editing software and a good computer are also needed. Having a good computer, software and hard drives can range anywhere from £1500 to £3000 depending on the different brands.

Direct Costs That Affect Wedding Photography Pricing

Besides all of the above costs, you also have the direct costs that the wedding photographer will incur for each wedding.

SECOND PHOTOGRAPHER

While some couples aren’t 100% certain that they need a second photographer, for couples who require and request them, this will be an added cost for each wedding. Depending on the length of the size of the wedding (and the experience of the second photographer) these costs can be in the range of £150-£300 per wedding.

TRAVEL & PARKING

The photographer will have to plan to spend some money for travel and parking. This can vary due to distance and location.

Some larger venues make the photographer pay for parking for the length they are in attendance at the wedding. Parking can be around £30-£50.

PRODUCTS: ALBUMS AND CLIENT GIFTS

Products such as albums and prints differ in price ranges. This would depend on the quality, size and amount of the product that needs to be ordered. As a rule, I emphasize the client experience and tend to spend about 3-5% of the client’s budget on gifts and products to any products I offer in the packages.

UK Wedding Photographer Price Ranges

IF YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER’S PRICE IS BETWEEN £2500+:

If your price point is £2500+ then you are in a very safe and good place to guarantee that you have the best of the best with top-quality work. You will notice a few things about wedding photographers in this group:

• Your photographer might include a very high-quality album custom designed with your wedding images (be aware of markups as some photographers add 200% of the actual cost of the album)

• You can expect full day wedding photography coverage from early to late, with multiple team members including photographers and lighting assistants.

• These photographers should have the very best of the best camera, lenses, and lighting equipment. These include primes lens and multiple camera bodies such as Canon or Nikon) and equipment should well be worth £20,000+.

• Post-processing or editing will be top-notch with an in house retoucher or editor.

IF YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER’S PRICE IS BETWEEN £1500-£2500:

Most wedding photographers will fall into this area. With such a wide range of products and photographers make sure you do your research. Most photographers in this range will have shot many weddings before and have amazing experience and technical skills.

• most photographers in this range will be quite experienced and offer good packages and products. Most packages will include full-day coverage, with some form of an album, USB and prints.

• photographers in this range will also have knowledge in timeline planning and how the day should flow and won’t get tripped up if anything extraordinary occurs.

• most photographers in this prices range will be booking months if not years in advance.

• they will have good equipment, including professional cameras, flashes, and other lighting equipment.

• most photographers in this range will work solo, or with a single second shooter.

• They will have professional business and liability insurance as required by some venues.

IF YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER’S PRICE IS BETWEEN £500 – £1500:

• most photographers in this range will have experience and offer good packages and products.

• these wedding day photography prices can be a bit lower, as some photographers offer smaller, more niche type packages (elopement, half-day).

• most of the time there will only be 1 photographer, but sometimes will have two for their larger packages.

• if you are looking at a wedding photographer in this range, make sure you do your research. You want to check that they have insurance, professional equipment and look over their portfolio in depth.

IF YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER’S PRICE IS UNDER £500

I would be very careful and do your research when going for a photographer who’s pricing is under £500. Normally these photos are taken on a cheaper single camera, that was not made for some of the lower lighting conditions we see on wedding days. This can result in blurry or grainy (or both) wedding photos. Normally the cost of doing business (the cost for insurance, professional gear, training, and marketing) is much greater than the price points under £500. In this case, photographers in this price category will have to cut corners and buy cheaper equipment or forego insurance altogether.

MY RECOMMENDATION: DO YOUR RESEARCH INTO WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER PRICING AND PACKAGES.

Why Do Wedding Photographers Vary In Price?

Many variables influence different photographer’s prices and the cost of doing business. Some wedding photographers offer smaller packages, with limited post-processing and products. This is up to the individual photographer to set his/her prices. 

Some photographers work full-time and offer more products, which would make them more expensive than someone just starting out, building their portfolio with limited products.

SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY PRICES:

• Number of hours of photography

• Number of photographers

• Experience, popularity and brand status

• Marketing & online advertising costs

• Location

• Products, prints & albums

• Availability