Don’t rush when it comes to choosing your wedding photographer. There’s a huge amount of pressure within the wedding industry to book vendors years in advance, but there are so many fantastically talented photographers out there. Taking the time to find the best fit for you is always a good idea.
However, I’d caveat that by saying if you’ve truly got your heart set on a particular person and have done your homework, then consider being flexible to their schedule. Plan your day around them and you won’t regret it.
Unsure where to start? Here are my insights into wedding photography costs, styles and expectations…
HOW MUCH DO UK WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS CHARGE?
Wedding photographers with large Instagram followings and a celebrity client base are only shooting a very limited number of weddings each year. They charge at least £10,000 as a starting price. Then there’s a group who fall between £4k – 8k. Again, they probably have a limit on how many weddings they shoot each year depending on where they fall in this price bracket. Then there’s a group who shoot weddings most weekends, at around £2k – 3k.
If you’re US based and looking at US photographers, then expect these prices to be significantly higher.
WHAT IS REPORTAGE STYLE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY?
You might come across this phrase when you’re researching – most wedding photographers shoot in a reportage style. This means letting the day unfold naturally and capturing the moments as they happen, with minimal directing of you and your guests. It’s candid, unstaged and photojournalistic. A decent photographer will make suggestions and guide you, but this should never feel forced. You should have a list of shots or moments that you really want captured, and a list of group shots too, but don’t get fixated on recreating a particular image you’ve seen on Instagram or Pinterest. If you book the right photographer, you’ll receive images you adore and obsess over because they are meaningful to you and capture your memories.
WHAT IS THE BEST EDIT FOR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY?
As well as the style of the images themselves, have a look at the edit and colour grading the photographer uses on their finished images. Does everything look super bright and light? Dark and atmospheric? True to life? Which do you prefer? Have they shot a wedding at your venue, or a similar venue, and at the time of year you’re getting married? If you start to answer these questions, you’ll narrow down a list of wedding photographers to contact. Photography is an art form and wedding photography is a particularly niche art form. There are no second chances to take your wedding photos, so make sure you book someone you really trust to do a good job.
WEBSITES, PORTFOLIOS AND FULL WEDDING GALLERIES
Look at photographers’ websites and ask to see full galleries from real weddings. Speak to them on the phone or via zoom and meet in person if possible. You need to have a good rapport with your wedding vendors – your photographer particularly. They will be with you at the most personal and vulnerable moments on your wedding day. This person needs to be someone you’re happy to have next to you all day long.
UNDERSTAND TIMEFRAMES
You want your photographer to be with you to capture the ‘getting ready’ moments, but you don’t want them there too early. Equally you want the first dance and party shots, however there’s definitely a point at which it just all gets a bit messy. This timeframe is usually around 10 hours, but check with your photographer what hours are included in your package. If you want lots of party shots, or have a large list of group shots that will make the drinks reception longer, then consider adding extra hours with your photographer.
Check how long it will take for you to receive your full wedding gallery. Lots of photographers now will send over a small selection of previews almost immediately, but this isn’t a given so make sure you know where you stand so you’re not disappointed by a wait.
WHAT WILL I GET IF I BOOK A MORE EXPENSIVE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER?
I’m the first person to say please don’t bankrupt yourself for your wedding. It’s tricky to talk about costs because there are no industry standards (there are no barriers to entry and no accreditations required to be a wedding vendor of any type just FYI). Also, the clients I work with have a range of budgets and some really see photography as their priority.
So if you’re going for a more expensive option you really need to see that the photographer has the portfolio to back up their pricing. And while it’s not always the case that more expensive is better, I think with photography the level of experience gathered to justify the higher price really does make a difference.
If your photographer does a small number of weddings each year, this means that they will be fresh, focused and enthusiastic. I’ve mentioned this before in my ‘how to choose your wedding vendors’ post, but this industry can be emotionally and physically exhausting, so knowing your limits is a positive thing.
With a more expensive photographer, you’re likely to be getting a team, rather than one person. This ensures shots from all angles – especially important during the ceremony and speeches, and plenty of time with both people getting married while they get ready in the morning. The higher-end photographers often have drones and wide lens to capture those beautiful overhead and scene-setting shots we see all over social media. They really are capturing every moment, every detail, from every angle.
However, there are some incredible photographers who do the above but don’t necessarily have the social reach of some of the more ‘Insta famous’ photographers and so charge a little less. Ultimately, you have to decide how much you’d like to spend and find a photographer matches your vibe – that’s the most important thing.
MY FAVOURITE PHOTOGRAPHERS
There are hundreds and hundreds of incredible wedding photographers out there. But here’s list of some of my absolute favourites. There’s a mix of styles, price points and locations here, but all of these people are industry experts and would do an incredible job of photographing your wedding.
Benjamin Wheeler – an industry powerhouse. Ben has shot society weddings, influencer weddings and many gorgeous ‘normal people’ weddings too 😉 He’s supremely talented but also down to earth and a really lovely chap to have around on your wedding day.
Rebecca Rees – the ex-Vogue staffer with a beautiful eye for detail and light. If you want your photographs to have a dreamy, editorial style then Rebecca is the one for you. I love the way she captures different angles and shots that aren’t necessarily on a list of key wedding photos, but that instantly become a must-have image!
Georgina Harrison – if you’re after timeless, glamorous and elegant imagery, then Georgina is definitely the photographer for you. Her black and white images are always absolutely divine, and she captures the fashion elements to perfection, as well as everything else.
James Frost – spends a lot of time in the ocean, so you know he’s a good human. Plays with light and shadow in the most incredible way and will create the most stunning portraits at golden hour for you. I’ve seen him capture winter weddings in the UK and sun soaked Italian celebrations with equal amounts of magic.
Imogen Xiana – a true fine art photography queen. Imogen shoots digitally, but her analogue work is incredible too. She is also a lovely person to have around on a wedding day – kind hearted, endlessly calm and fun.
Ash Powell – a bright spirit whose work has real soul. Ash has gorgeous vision and captures the emotion of the day so beautifully. Her portrait work is always incredible and she has captured some fantastic party moments for me over the years too.
In Lovers Eyes – John is just a delightful human being. He will instantly put you at ease and get to know you as individuals and as a couple so that he is in a perfect position to capture your wedding day. He always brings joy and will find little moments throughout the day to capture your portraits rather than putting all the eggs in the ‘golden hour’ basket!
Nick Walker – relaxed, easy going but secretly capturing every. single. last. detail. Nick has a gorgeously natural style, has zero pretentiousness and he is an excellent person to have around on your wedding day.
Colin Ross – a gentle giant of a man whose work always blows my mind. Colin captures stunning weddings across the world and always sets the scene so beautifully. His images are full of real moments, they brim with emotion and they are always so beautifully framed.
Taylor & Porter – Louise is a seasoned industry pro and has shot weddings all over the world. Her full galleries are honestly some of the very best I’ve ever seen. From the fashion, to the scene setting, from the people to the styling. She really captures every moment to perfection. I adore her portrait work and love that she always takes killer images of the guests too.
Tara Statton – a gentle soul with a gorgeous eye for special moments. Tara is so calm and sweet, she will make you feel at ease and will capture your day with a beautiful softness.
David Wheeler – there’s a certain elegance to David’s work that feels very high society. His imagery feels simultaneously raw but considered and there’s a crispness to the final imagery that feels really special.
Richard Skins – for couples who have lots of energy and who just want to have a day of fun – Richard is the photographer for you. Yes he captures the details beautifully, but people and emotion is at the heart of what he does.
Millar Cole – there’s an element of otherworldliness to Ben’s images that is almost indescribable. Everything he shoots looks like it has been spun in gold and like it belongs to another realm. If you’re after imagery that is unique and sacred, then he is the photographer for you.
Lyra & Moth – this husband and wife duo are a dream team offering photography and videography. They spin magic into everything they do, and there’s something truly authentic and empathetic about their imagery. They knit the feeling of the day into the fabric of their images and their results are always dreamy.
Sam Docker – I’ve known Sam since the glory days of Rock My Wedding, and he is truly one of the UK’s leading talents. His images always have a strong sense of energy and joy, and he captures light so beautifully. A decent guy to have with you on your wedding day, he will 100% make you laugh and keep the energy high all day long.
The Curries Studio – now a collective of incredible photographers, Gill & Chris have built their brand of photography by doing a really excellent job for a long time. They really led the charge on changing wedding photography from a dated style to something much more unique. Whether it’s an intimate city wedding or a large stately home wedding, they capture them all with an element of coolness that’s only possible with years of experience.
Jamie Dunn Photography – has shot some absolutely stunning weddings and is incredibly talented, but is completely unassuming and just a lovely man. I really recommend Jamie if you’re after stylish, beautiful imagery but also want to see smiles, tears and real emotions in your photographs.