How Much Does Wedding Photography Cost in the UK? An Honest Guide

OK, let’s deal with the elephant in the room. Weddings can be expensive, and that won’t be news to anyone reading this.

They’re a pretty big deal. There are often a lot of friends and family who want to be there, and while they’re there, they do like to eat and drink a fair bit. But here’s the interesting part: in the scale of things, wedding photography isn’t the expensive bit. It’s also the only thing you’ll still be holding in thirty years’ time.

This guide covers what wedding photographers in the UK typically charge, what affects the price, what my own packages cost, and the questions worth asking before you book.

What Does a Wedding Photographer Cost in the UK?

Most couples in the UK spend somewhere between £1,000 and £2,500 on a professional wedding photographer. Photographers in and around London, or those with very high-end album products, often sit above that.

For that, you can usually expect a pre-wedding chat, coverage of most or all of the day, careful editing and an online gallery of high-resolution images. Where a photographer sits within that range comes down to a handful of things.

What Affects the Price?

Experience

Experienced wedding photographers tend to charge more, because they’ve learned how a wedding day flows. They know where to stand during the vows, how to get forty people into a group shot without losing anyone to the bar, and what to do when it rains.

Location

Cost of living plays its part. Photographers in more expensive areas generally charge more than those in smaller towns and cities. If your photographer is travelling a long way, there may also be travel or accommodation costs.

Hours of coverage

This is the biggest single factor. Some packages cover a few hours around the ceremony; others run from bridal prep to the first dance and beyond. Think about which moments matter most to you, then pick the coverage that includes them.

Albums and prints

Some photographers include an album; others charge separately. Album prices vary a lot depending on size, materials and the number of pages.

Editing and delivery

Every image you receive should be carefully edited for colour, light and crop. Check how many images you can expect, how they’ll be delivered and how long it will take.

What My Wedding Photography Costs

I’d rather be upfront, so here are my packages:

• Elopement – £600, for intimate weddings and elopements
• Timeless – £1,100, 6 hours of coverage
• Forever – £1,300, 8 hours of coverage (my most popular)
• Eternity – £1,500, 10 hours of coverage

Every package includes an engagement session and a private online gallery to share with family. You can see exactly what’s included on my wedding photography page.

Never fall into the trap of thinking a lower price means a lesser service. Many of the weddings I photograph are booked on my smaller packages, and they get exactly the same care as the biggest days.

For that price, you’ll get a set of images that tells the story of your day. I’ll get to know you beforehand, find out what matters to you, and work around the plans you already have in place. On the day, I blend in like one of your guests. Some couples tell me they barely noticed I was there.

I’ve heard stories of photographers turning up in jeans and trainers, or missing important moments because they’d had a couple of drinks at the bar. That should never happen at any wedding, and it never happens at mine.

How Payment Works

I know money flows quickly in one direction as the wedding gets closer, so I keep payments simple. A £100 booking fee secures your date (and comes off your package price), with the balance due 30 days before the wedding.

If you’d like to set money aside as you go, my wedding payment calculator works out how much to put away each week or month.

Questions to Ask Before You Book

• How many hours of coverage do we need, and what moments will that include?
• Have you photographed at our venue, or somewhere similar?
• Will you be working alone or with a second photographer?
• How many images should we expect, and when will we receive them?
• What happens if you’re ill on the day?
• Can we see one or two full wedding galleries, not just highlights?

You’ll find more advice in my 5 tips for choosing your wedding photographer.

Planning Your Wedding?

I don’t just take pictures. I help you hold on to how your day felt, so you can come back to it for years to come.

If you’d like to chat about your wedding, call me on 07815 141779, email hello@mikelisterphotography.co.uk or send me a message.