Continue to My Wedding Photography Journey

getting ready for her big day but relaxed

It has been a week now since I shot my last wedding, and it has been another busy stretch – running between family homes and local council offices for maternity shoots, and professional headshots with my pop up studio set up. In between, I’ve been calling potential leads, and almost always the first question people ask is: “So, how much do you charge?”

According to Hitched’s own marketing guide, the going rate for a wedding photographer in the UK during peak season (May to September) is usually around £1,500. That typically covers around 8 hours of coverage with lightly edited photos. Physical albums often come at an additional cost. For celebrity or Vogue-featured photographers, prices can start at £4,000 or more for your big day. So naturally, the big question is: why does it cost so much?

Why Are Wedding Photographers So Expensive?

1. A once-in-a-lifetime moment – Most couples don’t marry often, and it’s a milestone event. Having a professional record of the day means you’ll always have something tangible to look back on, to bring a smile years down the line for you and your family.

2. It’s a team effort at the top – Many high-end photographers have teams working with them: a second shooter, a lighting assistant, designers for albums, and editors. All of that expertise adds up.

3. The cost of equipment – While phone cameras improve every year, professional photographers carry gear worth thousands: two or three camera bodies, multiple lenses, flashes, filters, tripods, spare batteries, and storage. And all of that has to be backed up in case something fails.

4. The pressure of the moment in front of an artistic eye – Perhaps the biggest, unseen cost is the responsibility. A wedding and beauty tuned photographer only often has seconds to capture once-in-a-lifetime emotions. The pressure to deliver images that match (or exceed) expectations is huge, and not something everyone can handle. My experience is that you really do not want to get on the wrong side with the bride on her big day..

   
   

My Approach – One Man, One Vision

I run my business as a one-man band, drawing on nearly 20 years of experience and the extensive gear I’ve built up over that time. I don’t hire assistants at the moment, and I personally edit every single picture. At the end, my couples receive a beautifully curated digital wedding album. My prices are honest, appealing to most hard working people.

So when people ask “how much does a wedding photographer cost in the UK?” or “what is a wedding photographer’s hourly charge?” — the answer really depends on the level of service, expertise of the team, and the experience, unique artistic angle behind the lens.

If price is a concern, talk to me. There may be flexible options to make sure your wedding is beautifully captured without compromise.