How much did you spend on your wedding photographer?

@maezee (41997)
United States
June 20, 2009 8:15am CST
Is it your idea that "the more you spend", the better the photographer will be? My cousin is getting married TONIGHT, actually, and paid 2K ($2,000) for her photographer! I find this to be a ridiculous amount. What about you? Is $2,000 standard for a wedding photographer or way too much? How much did you pay for your photographer at your wedding, and was it worth it? If you aren't married yet - how much would you be willing to pay? (Side note: I'm speaking in terms of USD $$, but feel free to answer in any currency you'd like). . Thanks in advance, everyone!
2 people like this
8 responses
• United States
20 Jun 09
$2000 does seem a little unreasonable. I'm currently working on my wedding budget, and my funds are a bit limited. So I'm trying to decide which items are the most important to spend my money on and my top 2 items are my dress, and the photography. Flowers will die, the food will be eaten... but the pictures are the one thing you have in the future to look back on your wedding, so you don't want to be too stingy with your price. But you also need to be reasonable. I've been to several photographers' studios to look at their work, and the one I like best is $1250 to get 2 photographers for unlimited time, with all my pictures on a CD and giving me the rights to my pictures.
@maezee (41997)
• United States
21 Jun 09
That's totally true. You'll have your pictures forever. Thanks for your input!
1 person likes this
@maezee (41997)
• United States
21 Jun 09
And good luck with your wedding!
1 person likes this
@carlas (198)
• United States
21 Jun 09
I am kind of a cheap skate so I would probably opt out of having a big fancy photographer, and maybe find a college photography student. but when i suggested this to a few already married women, they said that the photographer is the one thing you shouldnt cheap out on.
2 people like this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
25 Jun 09
My husband and I got married about a month ago, and we spent about $500 on our wedding photographer. We didn't know him beforehand, but we found him on the internet. There were plenty of other phographers to choose between, but I am happy that we chose the one we did. Some of the other photographers seemed a lot more expensive, and our photographer did a very good job. He took more than 100 pictures, and we have got pictures from the church and pictures from a nearby park.
• United States
22 Jun 09
That's alot of money for pictures! I wouldn't pay that much. Maybe $500? I don't really know though. Hopefully when/if I ever get married I will have a nice photographer friend who will give me a deal.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
22 Jun 09
I rather spend a thousand for the wedding rings, house decorations or honeymoon than a photographer. In my opinion the cost of the hired photographer will not guarantee that he or she may capture all the picture perfect shots of the whole event. I think before hiring someone, you should look into his or her previous jobs before...his or her portfolio so you'll have an idea of how the photographer works and his or her forte. They say that capturing all the perfect moments is quite a hard job so the client and the photographer should be at ease with ease other. Even if I am getting married I don't think I will hire someone with that huge professional fee. I might end up looking bad in the pictures because instead of enjoying te moment I might be thinking of the fees.
@Bradpete (822)
• Philippines
20 Jun 09
Two of my cousins are married, and the co-office worker. Three times I'm the garter boy catcher. It is so fun. Wedding is one of the best things in life of 97% of persons. Have a nice day.
1 person likes this
• Canada
23 Jun 09
We didn't have a photographer at our wedding. We just had family and friends take pictures, and they all gave us photo disks after. It was really great. The pictures were very personal, and no one had to stand and wait and pose for hours after the ceremony. We got some great pictures.
@uath13 (8192)
• United States
23 Jun 09
My wife & I didn't pay the photographer at all. In fact we got him to pay for the dinner afterwords ( he is now my father in law ). Frankly who needs a fancy wedding or pictures? My wife & I have been together 12 yrs now.