How much to charge for wedding photography
Wedding photography is priced per event in tiered packages. Coverage hours, a second shooter, and an album are the levers. Always take a deposit to hold the date, it is the whole booking.
You should charge
$2,950
per wedding · typical $1,500–$7,000
Why this number. Offer three packages and design the middle one to be the obvious choice; the top tier exists to anchor it. Require a non-refundable deposit to hold the date, it filters serious couples and protects your calendar.
Typical wedding photography prices
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Elopement / micro-wedding | $800 – $2,000 |
| Half-day coverage | $1,500 – $3,000 |
| Full-day + second shooter + album | $3,000 – $7,000 |
What changes the price
- Hours of coverage
- Second shooter
- Album and print products
- Engagement session and your experience
The pricing move most people miss
Offer three packages and design the middle one to be the obvious choice; the top tier exists to anchor it. Require a non-refundable deposit to hold the date, it filters serious couples and protects your calendar.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I charge for wedding photography?+
Most wedding photography is priced $1,500–$7,000 per wedding, with a typical rate around $3,000 per wedding. Where you land inside that range comes down mainly to hours of coverage and second shooter. Use the range as your anchor, then adjust up for experience, strong demand, and a higher cost-of-living area.
Should I charge per job or by the hour for wedding photography?+
Most wedding photography is priced per job, and that is the stronger model. It pays you for the result rather than the clock, and clients far prefer one fixed number they can plan around. Estimate the hours a job takes, multiply by the hourly rate you want, then add a 15-25% buffer for the jobs that run long.
How much should I charge for wedding photography as a beginner?+
Starting out, price near the lower end of the range, roughly $1,500 to $3,000 per wedding. Resist going below that to win work: a price that is too low attracts price-shoppers, signals low quality, and is hard to raise later. Once you have a few happy clients and reviews, move toward $7,000.
What affects how much wedding photography costs?+
The biggest factors are hours of coverage; second shooter; album and print products; engagement session and your experience. Two jobs that look alike can price very differently once these are accounted for, which is why a quick walkthrough or a few questions before quoting protects your rate.
How do I quote wedding photography so the client says yes?+
Offer three packages and design the middle one to be the obvious choice; the top tier exists to anchor it. Require a non-refundable deposit to hold the date, it filters serious couples and protects your calendar. Put the quote in writing with exactly what is included, state the price once without apologizing for it, and give one clear next step. A confident, well-structured quote wins jobs at a higher price than a vague one at a lower price.