How much should I pay for Wedding Photography in Hampshire?

This is a question I see discussed – A lot!

You have a budget, and it has to be spread across many elements on your big day.

Usually, photography is in the top 3 costs of the day. The average cost generally is around £1,500.00. 

These prices vary across the country but in Wedding Photography in Hampshire general, this is about the average price.

You can of course go much cheaper.  I have seen people offering an all day service, hundreds of edited images, handing all the rights of their images over and staying all day and evening for a few hundred pounds.

On the other end of the scale for an award winning photographer, an expert in their field, you can pay around £2k upwards.

Other things to consider are:

Do you want a 2nd photographer capturing your partner getting ready?

Is it just the service you want captured or the reception, cutting of the cake and first dance or do you want someone there until the last person leaves?

This will all have a bearing on the price.

The style of photography you like will play a major part in your decision.
Don’t necessarily get hung up on how many several hundred photos you are going to receive, quality is definitely better over quantity.
Many photographers offer packages of bronze, silver, gold for example others will not.
Personally I don’t offer packages and the main reason for this is the types of weddings I have captured.
Some couples have wanted me all day, others especially in lockdown have only needed me there 2-3 hours.
Rather than having to fit you into a package I prefer to price the wedding based on your unique wedding requirements, and yes they are all very, very different!

Paying more does not necessarily mean a better photographer as beginners can charge more with little experience.

It’s always good to look at a wedding photographers portfolio to see if it matches your style.
Look at reviews of others that have used the photographer you are considering, (Google reviews and website reviews are great for this) as well as social media.

It is important to consider that you aren’t just paying for the photographer on the day. You will be paying for the experience and training of the wedding photographer as well as the huge equipment cost. If your chosen photographer has had to travel far there will also be those costs as well as an overnight stay possibly.  When the wedding is over there will be several hours of choosing the best photos and then around 30 hours of editing of the images. You may have asked for prints and a 2nd photographer too.

Although you can’t see the service you are receiving on the day, just like the videographer, it will be one of the only things apart from your memories that will remain. Many moments too will be taken that you will not have seen.
If budget is an issue you may be able to find a student photographer and get some very good results. Equally if you do have a healthy budget there are many great photographers at the top of their game who will take all the stresses and strains away from you with their experience.

Whoever you choose the important thing to remember is your connection with your photographer!
I always meet my clients 2-3 times to make sure that connection is there, if it isn’t and the relationship just feels wrong don’t be afraid to say no.

If you aren’t comfortable then this will come across in every image.
Always trust your gut instinct.

When you make your list of items for the day from your budget an important point to remember is the venue, the dress, flowers, cake and invites are just for the day.

Your precious memories will stay with you for life, so if you can put aside extra for the pictures it will be well worth your investment.

If you would like to discuss your wedding photography plans with me, please contact me. I look forward to having a virtual coffee with you.