Cotswolds Wedding Photography Prices - The Goldilocks Principle - What price is just right for you?
Wedding photography prices in the UK
The Goldilocks Principle is so named from the children's story "The Three Bears". Goldilocks tastes three different bowls of porridge and finds that she prefers porridge that is neither too hot nor too cold but is just right.
Finding the wedding photographer that is just right can mean different things to different people. Style, personality fit and what you get for your money are all important factors. This blog, however, is all about just one thing - what price is just right for you?
Why is one wedding photographer so much more or so much less than another, and does it matter? I'll give you my honest thoughts on this, and more so please do read on.
As you can see from above, if you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur. It's a well-used phrase because it's true - how many of us have been burned by trying to cut costs in the wrong places?
“Good work ain’t cheap, cheap work ain’t good.”
What is the average price for a wedding photographer in the UK?
Wedding photography prices vary in different parts of the UK, but not by as much as you'd think. I'm a Cotswolds wedding photographer, which is similar to the prices of a London wedding photographer. According to a recent study for 2020* the average price for full wedding day coverage in The Cotswolds or London is £1670. Average prices for a North West Wedding Photographer, for example, are £1318. With the overall average price for UK wedding photographers in 2020 being £1590. Prices do vary within region of course. Some are much more, some much less. There are a whole variety of reasons for that including experience, length of time needed on the day, packages offered and last minute deals or offers.
What is the right price to pay for your Cotswolds wedding photographer?
You get what you pay for! Well yes, but what does that mean? At the time of writing, I charge £1400 to capture a full wedding day. Depending on you, my prospective customer, that may seem a lot. It may seem like not enough to some, and for some, it may be just a little more than you were expecting, but you might be willing to stretch your budget to get the photographer and the service you need.
Those who charge less than you expect
There are many wedding photographers out there who charge less than me. There may be good reasons reason for that. They may not have the experience or may be just starting out. They may be unsure what to charge and have just looked at the competition and then come up with a figure which is less to try to win more business.
Suffice it to say there are good people out there who will do the job for less than I am charging. So why not just hire them? Well, perhaps you will. I suggest you do look at some of them. After all, I was one of them until I started charging based on my value and experience. You will soon know if you have found one of the good ones or chanced upon one of the, well, chancers. Use your intuition, your heart and your head, and you won't go far wrong. Those charging less than me are not bad photographers; they have their reasons for charging less - ask them what it is - their answers will be varied I’m sure, but if you have found someone who offers what you want, has the experience and charges less than me you may well have found your Goldilocks’.
Those who charge more than you expect
What about the ones who are more expensive than me? Well, again, I like to think that they are charging more because they either have more experience, have a specific, often in vogue "magazine" style or work with certain venues which demand a higher price tag. Believe me, if your budget can stretch to it, then one of the more expensive photographers may be just who you are looking for. Again talk to them, see their work, not only their hero shots but a whole wedding from start to finish. If you can afford them and like what they offer, then go for it. They may well be offering an album in their package which makes the price seem higher. That's great if you want an album, but what if you don't or if you might want to have one at a later date, which is what I offer. So don't forget to go back and look at photographers in my price range.
Those who charge about what you expect
So why do I charge what I do? In essence, you get a wedding photographer with a lot of experience who can capture your day in any lighting condition, any weather condition and in whatever circumstances are thrown our way on the day. In summary, you get peace of mind that your day will be captured beautifully. I don't stop working at a wedding until I'm proud of it - every single one.
You can relax knowing that your wedding story, every aspect of your wedding day, will be captured by someone who fits in with your guests. A photographer who is discreet but attentive, genuinely curious about all aspects of your wedding and will capture it all with imagination. And yes - capture it with skill based on more than 8 years of direct wedding photography experience.
You get a consistent style in your wedding photographs, you get images which look great in all conditions and hang together as a storyboard of your wedding day. The whole wedding looks lovely - the day and the evening photos blend together.
How much is your peace of mind worth?
Those of us at my price range and above are genuine masters of light - we are obsessed by it, we look for it everywhere. By light, I mean the quality of light. Highlights, shadow detail, skin tones. Regardless of whether it be indoors, at a church, a dark or bright ceremony room. Even harsh lighting in full sun on a lawn with no shade (believe me that separates the experienced from the less experienced photographer). Then dusk/sunset and in the complete dark for that beautiful backlit shot to finish your story or album.
So, you will find some wedding photographers that offer the same sort of coverage I do for £800 or less; you will find some who offer the same kind of package - and often a few hours less - for £3000. You will find photographers who have risen to celebrity-like status who charge upwards of £6000. Then you will find plenty like me who have lots of experience and who feel like we are charging a realistic price for what we offer.
The bottom line is you have to decide what is right for you. What price is enough? What value do you get so you can balance that decision of price, against your peace of mind?
“You’ll never find peace of mind until you listen to your heart.”
Next up
My next blog is all about “How to choose your wedding photographer.” It covers what to look for in the package details, personality and "fit" of the photographer and the couple. Plus lots more on the importance of style in wedding photography.
I hope you have found this useful, if so you may be interested in some of my other blogs. Perhaps this one "5 Reasons why you should have a pre-wedding shoot" or one of the others shown below.
Visit us on Pinterest
Cotswolds Wedding Photography
by The Lemon House
I 'm a Cotswolds wedding photographer based in Gloucestershire.
I capture documentary style wedding stories with real imagination, creativity and natural but vibrant imagery. I work throughout the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire and across the whole of UK
I work with couples who love and see the value of beautiful wedding photography. People who want to have their story captured forever to share with family, friends, and future generations of themselves. If this sounds like you then please do get in touch.
I am based in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire