Wedding Photography Prices for Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia
Are you searching for an affordable wedding photographer? The average cost of hiring a wedding photographer varies from region to region. According to the knot.com, which surveys brides and grooms every year, wedding costs are on the rise. The national average for wedding expenses is $35,329, an all-time high.
The average cost of a wedding photographer is the Washington DC area is $3200 and approximately $2850 in the Baltimore area. For most couples about 8-10 % of their wedding budget is devoted to wedding photography. For couples on a budget is not always easy to find an affordable wedding photographer but there are options out there if you know what to look for.
For most couples, searching for a wedding photographer is their first experience with hiring a professional photographer. The process can be overwhelming as there are lots of factors to consider. Of course, a couple wants to find the best wedding photographer they can for their wedding. There is a lot to consider when searching for a wedding photographer. Things such as style, experience, items in the package, level of customer service & assistance are important. There are several styles of wedding photography. Traditional wedding photographers tend to pose couples throughout the day and capture lots of portraits. A photojournalist or documentary wedding photographer will tell the story of the day as the moments happen and will capture a limited amount of portraits. Some photojournalistic wedding photographers will also incorporate some artistic wedding photography. These contemporary photographers tend to be more in demand so their wedding photography rates generally are higher.
Most wedding photographers will include the digital files so couples can print their own prints. It’s very important to have the images captured in RAW format as it will produce the best quality prints. Its also important the studio does post processing of your wedding photography images. Some studios include an album as part of the package but for most studios, its an a la carte add on. Although an album may be important to a couple its best to hire the best wedding photographer you can and add the album at a later date if there are budget restrictions. An album can always be added but you can make the photos better after the wedding.
Studio size is also important when considering your wedding photographer. Professional wedding photography studios range from the sole operator, weekend warrior, national chains, and mid size local studios. So what’s the best option? A solo operator tends to offer lots of personalized attention but lacks some of the advantages of a larger studio such as backup plans and a staff that specializes certain tasks. Someone who does photography part time may be inexpensive but is not going to have the same amount of experience as a full time professional photographer. They are also less likely to have a backup plan for any unforeseen emergencies. National studios are very impersonal and generic as they do so many weddings they don¹t have time to get to know the couple. They have been called wedding factories as they hire lots of “photographers” to full fill their orders. There are many working pieces to the studio so like many large organization things get lost in the shuffle and couples tend to get pass along to the next person. A mid size local photography studio tends to be very invested in their couples as the studio thrives on quality and making their couples happy. Their passion is photography and not just turning out weddings as fast as possible. The key is quality. They generally have a smaller staff so there is lots of oversight and personalized attention to each couple. Couples are brides and grooms not just another number. They also generally have back up plans in case of an emergency as compared to a solo photographer who is on their own.
Why are you so affordable?
We believe that quality photography shouldn’t be reserved for those with only the most extravagant wedding budgets. Our intention is to provide excellent service & products at a fair price in order to work with a wide range of clients planning all types of weddings. From the intimate backyard affair to the high end hotel wedding, we’re always honored to be a part of your most important day.