Photographers are expensive. But why? Wedding photographers are often expensive because they offer a highly specialized and skilled service. Wedding photography requires a high level of expertise and experience to capture the special moments and emotions of the day in a beautiful and artistic way.
Wedding photographers also have to invest in high-quality equipment and editing software, and often work long hours on the day of the wedding itself. Additionally, the cost of wedding photography can vary depending on factors such as the location of the wedding, the number of hours the photographer will be shooting, and the services they will provide. All of these factors contribute to the high cost of wedding photography.
I’ve taken my time to break down the whys in no particular order and hopefully help couples understand what goes into the business, and answer those questions that every couple has!
1. As much as we all love to buy shiny new stuff, it is a requirement to buy and maintain our camera equipment, and not to mention the need for backup camera gear in case the unforeseeable may sadly occur. We don’t like to risk it on the most important day of your life.
2. Now I prefer natural light when shooting, but with the winter months and darker evenings, it is essential for photographers to invest in lighting equipment for off-camera flash. It is another “must-have” and it must be maintained. A good photographer will also have a backup plan put in place for equipment failure.
3. After a full day of celebrating the wedding day with couples and aching from the dance moves from the night before. We start the culling, editing process, and it is critical we buy computer systems that have huge storage space with external Hard Drives and calibrated screens to work our magic on, and this type of technology does not come cheap.
4. All passionate photographers, like me, will always invest in their business and themselves, and we all do this by attending photography workshops and signing up for business education. This enables us, photographers, to keep up the date with the modern world and to deliver an excellent service to our clients, and it improves our skills sets and knowledge. As there is so much to learn, which as a result helps photographers to personally grow in their business venture and to provide the best product and service they can to the best of their ability. And that’s what you’re paying for, the experience and skills of the photographer, not to mention the blood, sweat, and tears that go into building a business and maintaining it.
5. Each year it’s important we keep on top of our accounts by managing invoices and we all have to be prepared, by putting away a percentage to pay the HMRC. It just sits there practically waiting for the tax department, so we have to account for that too when pricing up our services.
6. To get our business name out there among an overly saturated photography market, we put money aside for marketing and advertising costs. This could include featuring in magazines, creating google/Facebook/Instagram ads, and registering on an online directory. Also, some photographers attend wedding fairs and all of these avenues add up over time.
7. I am one of a few wedding photographers that travel the beautiful British country for work, so take mileage and accommodation into account when booking, as it is a factor to be mindful of.
8. I spend ages searching for the perfect materials to suit my business brand. I only want the best and it costs time and money to do these tasks such as: ordering wedding albums and designing, USB transfers, placing print orders for the photo boxes, and then packaging them all up super cute before heading off to the post office to deliver the goodies safely.
9. The administration tasks behind running a business include setting up business insurance, creating and updating a website which involves fees for storage/blogging/images. And when delivering galleries to clients I use a trusted site called pictime and it costs further fees to do so.
10. As time goes on some photographers want to employ new people or outsource these tasks and workloads to be more available for weddings and engagement photoshoots.
11. And lastly we all want to pay the household bills and provide food on the table. So after the expenses, it can be thinly spread if we photographers are not charging enough to cover everything. But it really is the best job in the world.
I hope this blog has helped you with your questions and given you some direction in your search for a wedding photographer.
Happy Moments Co is a wedding photography company based in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, in the East of England. Owner Carrieanne makes it her mission to capture the authenticity of your relationship so that she can produce one-of-a-kind photographs. With an adventurous spirit and a romantic heart, this talented professional goes the extra mile to achieve the perfect image. Whether you want to tie the knot underwater, go hiking as a couple, or have a photoshoot on the beach, Carrieanne is happy to oblige. She’s available to travel all over the country to help with this and will go above and beyond to help you feel at home in front of the camera. Carrieanne will take an organised approach to your wedding day by understanding each request to ensure that each detail is beautifully documented.
Services Offered
Happy Moments Co offers comprehensive photography coverage of your wedding day, from the morning preparations to the dance-floor fun. Carrieanne’s packages include fully edited images presented in a private online gallery for easy viewing and sharing. You can also receive a USB stick with your photos in a beautiful white vegan leather pouch. In addition to wedding photography, she is happy to offer engagement sessions in a location of your choice. Ultimately, this company aims to provide a premium customer experience and a comprehensive collection of memorable wedding-day photos and stunning albums.
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