Why is Wedding Photography So Expensive? I mean really… how much does it cost to take a few digital pictures? I understand the sentiment out there but the reality is much different. To have someone photograph your wedding, they really have to be a professional. To be a professional wedding photographer, they need to fully commit themselves to the job. That means a lot of things but what’s most important to the couple getting married is that they can trust their photographer. To build that trust we (photographers) need to do everything we can to be the best we can be. So what about the nitty gritty? What cost’s so much? The obvious costs would be:

  • Assistants, at the wedding and in the studio
  • Albums
  • Prints and products

But there are other costs that if your photographer is aware of, then you know that he/she knows what they’re doing and a true professionals, things like:

  • Taxes-professionals are not going to cut you a deal if you pay in cash because we have to pay those taxes regardless of what we charge you. 20% comes off of the top of your wedding payment, that’s big
  • Health Insurance-this one is also huge, i.e $1000/month is not uncommon for a family
  • Shipping-it really adds up at the end of the year
  • Insurance-your photographer should be fully insured for accidents, liability and equipment
  • Equipment-woah, these cameras are around $5K each, and you have to have a backup
  • Advertising-a full page magazine ad can run over $7K each
  • Education-being committed to the craft means continually learning i.e. trade shows, seminars, webinars, books, lectures, professional organizations, fees.

That’s just to name a few. There are even more costs but I’ll spare you the pain of listing them all. In short, if your photographer doesn’t charge close to the average (national average wedding photography cost is $2800) there is a good chance, they will be out of business in 10 years.

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