“WHY does wedding photography cost so much???”
“If you put ‘wedding’ in front of anything, it costs so much more.”
“I need a photographer that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg!” 

Okay, let’s be real – these are some hot topic questions that you’ve likely heard, read, or even said yourself.

Let me be clear, it’s OKAY if you’ve said or thought these things! Even as a wedding photographer, I get it. Wedding photography can seem expensive and unless someone takes time to educate the “why” behind it, how the heck would you know why it has the price tag that it does! 

So today, I’m going to lift the curtain off wedding photography and let you all in on the answer to: “Why does wedding photography cost so much?” Psst: I promise it’s because it’s worth it! 

Wedding Photography is a Luxury

Here’s the truth: wedding photography IS a luxury service. Is it a need? Welllll in theory, no. You don’t NEED photos like you absolutely NEED a marriage license to be legally married. But photography is something that can bring people immense joy that you really can’t put a dollar amount on! To be able to relive your wedding day over and over, to have snapshots of loved ones that have passed, and to freeze a moment in time IS priceless to many people. So I understand that photography may not seem like a necessity to some. And honestly, if that’s how you feel, that’s okay! That just means photos are not a priority to you. 

Breaking Down the Business Expenses

However, if you are one of the many brides that DOES prioritize photos, let’s actually talk about what is included in the price of a wedding photography package. On the surface, most wedding packages are going to include: an engagement session, a certain amount of coverage hours during the wedding day, and then, of course, the edited images delivered to you. This is where a big misconception typically comes in. That photographers are charging thousands of dollars for “a few hours of work.” 

Let’s debunk that! Although it’s true that you’re getting the eight hours of wedding coverage and the one hour engagement session, what you aren’t seeing are the quadruple amount of hours of work going on behind the scenes! There’s actually a new statistic that says for every one hour of photographing a photographer does, there are nine hours of behind the scenes work. That’s because the majority of the work that a photographer does is behind the scenes! There is timeline prep for couples, location scouting, uploading, culling, editing, and exporting photos, and the prep for the actual day of the wedding! In short, when you are paying for a wedding photography package, you are paying for much more than eight hours of work. 

There is also the business aspect of wedding photography. Like any business, wedding photographers are paying taxes on every dollar they make! There is website hosting, marketing, gear purchases, processing fees, bookkeeping, and business insurance. Then of course it’s fair to consider a living wage in that as well! All of those items are factored into the price that wedding photographers charge. 

The Experience ✨

With these few points though, I understand that as a client you may be reading this and saying “Yeah yeah yeah, but ANY business has expenses and behind the scenes work.” To that I say, you’re right! I have one more major piece to this puzzle.

The reality is, wedding photographers are often charging for their experience and expertise, plain and simple. And it’s well deserved. Most photographers have spent years and a lot of money to grow to where they are, and their pricing often reflects that! Wedding photographers have learned how to work under any circumstance. It’s why they can walk into a dark church and know how to produce beautiful photos. It’s how they can get you photos you will LOVE even when the day is 90% rain. It’s also how they are able to view your day as an artist and deliver you a gallery full of moments and not just posed images. 

Weddings are a whole other ball game from photographing a senior or family session. This is a day that can not be recreated. You won’t have a chance to walk down the aisle to your groom for the first time again. You won’t get to let your mom see you in your wedding dress for the first time again. These moments on a wedding day are precious, and wedding photographers have very specific skills and knowledge to be able to capture your day and work under any circumstance that may arise! 

Your wedding photographer also has invaluable expertise that they can give to you! They know the ins and outs of wedding vendors and can give you the best recommendations. They can help you create your wedding day timeline because they know how much time you actually need for each part of the day. They will make your day stress-free and give you photos that truly will last a lifetime. 

The Final Point

I didn’t write this blog to tell you you’re wrong in asking the question of “why do photographers cost so much?” I wrote it to help clients understand why photographers charge what they do and most importantly, why it’s worth it!! So if you believe that photography is a vital part of your wedding day and want a 5-star experience, then let’s chat! You can start the conversation by filling out my contact form here. I would love to work with you! 

Much Love Always,
Syl Santos