You’re engaged! That’s awesome, and I know you are excited about all the big things to come. Most people, though, really don’t know a lot about planning and wedding, and it can be quite overwhelming. There are so many things to do and so many options out there. Once you start looking into things, you might be really surprised at how different each thing costs. Some photographers might charge $5000 and another might charge $500. Now, you’re really wondering, how much does a wedding photographer cost? Don’t worry, by the end of this post, you should have a much better understanding and know how much to spend on a wedding photographer.
How Much Does a Wedding Photographer Cost
1. There are Different Levels of Wedding Photography Cost
At first, you might be really shocked to see such a difference in wedding photographer cost. Really, this happens in every single market out there from toothpaste to shoes or even paperclips! There will always be a low, middle, and luxury option. For example, think about shoes. You can buy a pair of shoes from Walmart for around $15 or you could spend hundreds on a luxury brand like Jordan’s or Louboutin.
The same thing is true in the cost of a wedding photographer. You can find a photographer on Craig’s list that will do it for really cheap or you can find a luxury wedding photographer that costs much more.
2.What to Expect from Your Wedding Photographer by Cost
Each market is different throughout the United States, but in general, here is what you can expect to pay for a wedding photographer within 7 hours of Fayetteville, AR. I’ve divided it up into different groups based on price, and under each, I’ve tried to write what you can expect.
These are generalizations. You could possibly find a great wedding photographer for under $1500 and a horrible one for over $4000, but I base all of this on what I’ve seen over the years.
Wedding Photographers that Cost Under $1500
In this range, you will find Beginner photographers, which means there will be a ton of difference from one wedding photographer to the next. You might find someone that has never shot a wedding before or someone that does them occasionally.
This group will be lacking in experience and equipment. They could easily miss something extremely important or produce really low quality photos. Most likely, they will only show up the day of the wedding and deliver digital files.
Wedding Photographers that Cost $1500-$2500

They want to create the best photos for you, but they just quite aren’t there yet. The photos will look good in certain situations, but they still might lack in posing and dealing with difficult light situations.
At this point, they might start doing extra things like giving you wedding advice or doing things based on your preference. They might even provide entry level print products, but overall, the experience is still lacking, and they are mainly there to snap photos.
Wedding Photographers that Cost $2500-$4000

They will be much more involved in your wedding from the beginning till the end. They will contact you with questions to make sure you are taken care of and possibly even give you advice on other wedding topics. They will make the wedding day easy and fun, and in the end, you will get printed products so you can fully enjoy your wedding photos.
Wedding Photographers that Cost Above $4000
The highest level of wedding photographer cost is what I would consider the Luxury brand or experience. Think about it like buying the best car or going to an all inclusive resort. They do all the things that the professionals do, but they take it to the next level.
It’s all about service and creating a wonderful experience. While the professional might shoot 30-40 weddings a year, a luxury wedding photographer might only shoot 15-20, so they can really focus on their couples.
You can expect to build a real relationship with your wedding photographer with them getting to know you and being in constant contact. You will receive the best treatment throughout the entire process and only the highest quality or products.
3. What Type of Wedding Photographer is Right for You?

