When it comes to wedding planning, or any event really, you want to try to cut costs as much as you can without sacrificing quality, right? When it comes to wedding photography, the truth is that you usually get what you pay for. The average cost of wedding photography is around 15% of your total budget, with the average cost of wedding photography being around $2500. You might luck out with a $700 photographer who takes amazing photos, but odds are you’ll be disappointed and wish you’d have splurged a little bit.
Photo taken at Herns Mill Covered Bridge in Lewisburg WV
According to PetaPixel, 21% of brides polled, said they wish they would have splurged more on wedding photography. That says a lot. Either they regretted the photographer they chose or they were disappointed in the photos they received.
A beautiful sparkler sendoff with Maggie & Jake!
The difference in a cheap/beginner photographer and a professional
Not all cheap photographers are bad. Most that are charging only a few hundred dollars have likely just started and don’t have backup gear. Trust me, I was in this category about 7 years ago. I thought I was the BEST. I had a decent camera and a couple lenses so I thought I was set. I was definitely not. I had a cheapo backup camera to put it lightly. My camera only had one card slot (all high end professional cameras have dual card slots in case one card fails).
Praise the Lord above that I never had a card corrupt! I could have lost someones Once-In-a-Lifetime photos! I cringe to even think about what could have gone wrong. And what if my camera would have frozen up right before the wedding kiss? My backup camera was not that great so the wedding photography would have suffered big time! At this point in my career, I would never show up to a wedding without at least 3 cameras.
The bride riding from the ceremony to reception at The Greenbrier.
I’m in several Facebook groups for photographers and I’ve heard horror stories from beginner photographers who didn’t have a backup camera. One photographer in particular showed up to a wedding with only one camera, it malfunctioned and stopped working (luckily after the ceremony.) She then proceeded to shoot the family formals with her cell phone and then drove to the nearest Best Buy to purchase a camera to use at the reception. Here in WV a lot of weddings are in rural areas, thankfully she was in a town where there were stores nearby. I cannot image being a bride and seeing my photographer whip out their cell phone to take family formals.
Tyler & Crystal looked stunning at their wedding at The Greenbrier.
Some cheap photographers have great photos in their portfolio, so how do I know who to trust?
When you find a photographer with images you fall in love with, ask them questions. I promise, we do not mind answering all of your questions even if it’s a really long list! Your wedding day is so very important and it only happens once. You deserve to know that your wedding will be captured perfectly. Make sure to ask questions like: What happens if it’s raining on my wedding day? Does the photographer use weather sealed gear? Do they have experience shooting a wedding like yours? Sure anyone can take gorgeous photos outside on a perfectly clouded, blue-sky day. What if the reception is dimly lit? How will they handle different lighting scenarios? Most professionals will use a wireless lighting setup with strobes or flashes. Ask them how many weddings have they shot, they have years of experience or only a few months? These are all things to take into consideration.
Tyler & Crystal having fun before the reception
A beginner photographer usually has a “Portfolio Building” mindset
I can write this because I was this beginner photographer 7 years ago. I went into a wedding day trying to get gorgeous images that would look super pretty on my website, and all my friends would oooh and ahhh over it. I wanted images for MY portfolio. Now I go into a wedding day solely to get the images YOU want. The photos that you’ll want to hang on your walls and to go in your Heirloom album you’ll pass down to future generations. It’s not about what will look good on my instagram feed, it’s what will bring happy tears to your eyes in the years to come.
Jake & Whitnee at the beautiful Doe Creek Farm venue in Pembrooke, VA
Also, I remember as a beginner I always tried to keep up with trends. I see new photographers doing this all the time. It really helps them to get booked, because who doesn’t want to be up to speed with everyone else? The problem is that these photos will look dated and completely out of style within a few years. Wedding photos should look timeless and classic, and be as beautiful 20 years from now as they are today.
Check out other helpful blog posts like "How to Choose the Right Wedding Photographer Who's a Right Fit for You"
Sheena Pendley is a WV Wedding & Portrait Photographer who loves capturing images you'll cherish for a lifetime. She's photographed weddings at countless venues including The Greenbrier, The Four Fillies Lodge, Swift Level Farm, Doe Creek Farm and more. Based in Greenbrier County WV.
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