How Much Does Wedding Photography Cost?
Updated for 2026 — national average costs with state-by-state breakdowns
Low End
$1,500
Average
$2,800
High End
$5,000
per event
What Does Wedding Photography Include?
Wedding photography packages typically include 6-10 hours of coverage, a second shooter, edited digital images, and an online gallery. Albums and prints are often extra.
The national average cost for wedding photography is $2,800 per event. Most homeowners pay between $1,500 and $5,000, though costs can vary significantly based on your location, the scope of work, and other factors outlined below.
What Affects the Price?
Experience
New photographer: $1K-$2K. Experienced: $2K-$4K. Top-tier: $4K-$10K+
Coverage
4 hours: $1K-$2K. 8 hours: $2K-$4K. Full day + engagement: $3K-$6K
Key Cost Factors
- ✓Hours of coverage
- ✓Photographer experience
- ✓Second shooter
- ✓Deliverables included
- ✓Travel distance
- ✓Album/prints
💡 Tips to Save Money
- 1.Book a talented newer photographer for significant savings
- 2.Skip the album and order prints separately
- 3.Consider photo-only vs photo+video combos
- 4.Off-season weddings often mean more photographer availability and better rates
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📈 Wedding Photography Cost Trends (2022–2026)
Prices have increased +17.7% over the last 5 years
$2,378
2022
$2,478
2023
$2,639
2024
$2,713
2025
$2,800
2026
| Year | National Avg | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $2,378 | — |
| 2023 | $2,478 | +4.2% |
| 2024 | $2,639 | +6.5% |
| 2025 | $2,713 | +2.8% |
| 2026 | $2,800 | +3.2% |
Based on national averages adjusted for annual inflation. Actual costs vary by location and project scope.
Wedding Photography Cost by State
Costs vary significantly by state due to labor rates, cost of living, and local market conditions. Click any state for a detailed breakdown.
| State | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $1,230 | $2,296 | $4,100 |
| Alaska | $1,920 | $3,584 | $6,400 |
| Arizona | $1,425 | $2,660 | $4,750 |
| Arkansas | $1,200 | $2,240 | $4,000 |
| California | $2,025 | $3,780 | $6,750 |
| Colorado | $1,620 | $3,024 | $5,400 |
| Connecticut | $1,830 | $3,416 | $6,100 |
| Delaware | $1,575 | $2,940 | $5,250 |
| District of Columbia | $1,875 | $3,500 | $6,250 |
| Florida | $1,470 | $2,744 | $4,900 |
| Georgia | $1,350 | $2,520 | $4,500 |
| Hawaii | $2,130 | $3,976 | $7,100 |
| Idaho | $1,380 | $2,576 | $4,600 |
| Illinois | $1,575 | $2,940 | $5,250 |
| Indiana | $1,320 | $2,464 | $4,400 |
| Iowa | $1,290 | $2,408 | $4,300 |
| Kansas | $1,275 | $2,380 | $4,250 |
| Kentucky | $1,260 | $2,352 | $4,200 |
| Louisiana | $1,305 | $2,436 | $4,350 |
| Maine | $1,530 | $2,856 | $5,100 |
| Maryland | $1,725 | $3,220 | $5,750 |
| Massachusetts | $1,950 | $3,640 | $6,500 |
| Michigan | $1,380 | $2,576 | $4,600 |
| Minnesota | $1,530 | $2,856 | $5,100 |
| Mississippi | $1,170 | $2,184 | $3,900 |
| Missouri | $1,305 | $2,436 | $4,350 |
| Montana | $1,425 | $2,660 | $4,750 |
| Nebraska | $1,320 | $2,464 | $4,400 |
| Nevada | $1,530 | $2,856 | $5,100 |
| New Hampshire | $1,680 | $3,136 | $5,600 |
| New Jersey | $1,875 | $3,500 | $6,250 |
| New Mexico | $1,350 | $2,520 | $4,500 |
| New York | $1,980 | $3,696 | $6,600 |
| North Carolina | $1,350 | $2,520 | $4,500 |
| North Dakota | $1,350 | $2,520 | $4,500 |
| Ohio | $1,350 | $2,520 | $4,500 |
| Oklahoma | $1,245 | $2,324 | $4,150 |
| Oregon | $1,650 | $3,080 | $5,500 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,530 | $2,856 | $5,100 |
| Rhode Island | $1,725 | $3,220 | $5,750 |
| South Carolina | $1,305 | $2,436 | $4,350 |
| South Dakota | $1,275 | $2,380 | $4,250 |
| Tennessee | $1,290 | $2,408 | $4,300 |
| Texas | $1,395 | $2,604 | $4,650 |
| Utah | $1,425 | $2,660 | $4,750 |
| Vermont | $1,620 | $3,024 | $5,400 |
| Virginia | $1,575 | $2,940 | $5,250 |
| Washington | $1,725 | $3,220 | $5,750 |
| West Virginia | $1,200 | $2,240 | $4,000 |
| Wisconsin | $1,410 | $2,632 | $4,700 |
| Wyoming | $1,380 | $2,576 | $4,600 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many photos should I expect?
Typically 50-100 edited photos per hour of coverage. An 8-hour wedding usually yields 400-800 final images.
🏙️ Wedding Photography Cost by City
Compare wedding photography costs in the most popular US cities:
New York City
NY
$4,060
Los Angeles
CA
$3,864
Chicago
IL
$3,220
Houston
TX
$2,660
Phoenix
AZ
$2,744
Philadelphia
PA
$3,136
San Antonio
TX
$2,464
San Diego
CA
$3,696
Dallas
TX
$2,856
San Jose
CA
$4,256
Austin
TX
$2,940
Jacksonville
FL
$2,576
Fort Worth
TX
$2,660
Columbus
OH
$2,520
Charlotte
NC
$2,660
Indianapolis
IN
$2,464
View all 219 cities →
San Francisco, CA
$4,340
Seattle, WA
$3,640
Denver, CO
$3,220
Washington D.C., DC
$3,780
Nashville, TN
$2,800
Oklahoma City, OK
$2,296
El Paso, TX
$2,296
Boston, MA
$3,920
Portland, OR
$3,304
Las Vegas, NV
$2,856
Memphis, TN
$2,296
Louisville, KY
$2,380
Baltimore, MD
$3,080
Milwaukee, WI
$2,576
Albuquerque, NM
$2,464
Tucson, AZ
$2,464
Fresno, CA
$2,940
Sacramento, CA
$3,304
Mesa, AZ
$2,660
Kansas City, MO
$2,520
Atlanta, GA
$2,940
Omaha, NE
$2,464
Colorado Springs, CO
$2,856
Raleigh, NC
$2,744
Long Beach, CA
$3,780
Virginia Beach, VA
$2,940
Miami, FL
$3,360
Oakland, CA
$4,060
Minneapolis, MN
$3,024
Tampa, FL
$2,856
Tulsa, OK
$2,296
Arlington, TX
$2,660
New Orleans, LA
$2,660
Pittsburgh, PA
$2,660
St. Louis, MO
$2,464
Bakersfield, CA
$2,856
Anaheim, CA
$3,780
Honolulu, HI
$4,200
Santa Ana, CA
$3,696
Riverside, CA
$3,220
Corpus Christi, TX
$2,380
Lexington, KY
$2,464
Stockton, CA
$3,080
Henderson, NV
$2,856
St. Paul, MN
$2,940
Cincinnati, OH
$2,464
Anchorage, AK
$3,584
Greensboro, NC
$2,464
Plano, TX
$2,940
Newark, NJ
$3,500
Lincoln, NE
$2,380
Orlando, FL
$2,856
Irvine, CA
$3,920
Durham, NC
$2,660
Chula Vista, CA
$3,584
Toledo, OH
$2,296
Fort Wayne, IN
$2,296
Jersey City, NJ
$3,780
St. Petersburg, FL
$2,856
Laredo, TX
$2,240
Madison, WI
$2,744
Chandler, AZ
$2,744
Buffalo, NY
$2,576
Lubbock, TX
$2,296
Scottsdale, AZ
$3,136
Reno, NV
$2,940
Glendale, AZ
$2,660
Gilbert, AZ
$2,856
Winston-Salem, NC
$2,380
North Las Vegas, NV
$2,744
Norfolk, VA
$2,744
Chesapeake, VA
$2,856
Irving, TX
$2,800
Fremont, CA
$4,060
Richmond, VA
$2,744
Boise, ID
$2,744
San Bernardino, CA
$3,024
Spokane, WA
$2,660
Des Moines, IA
$2,380
Tacoma, WA
$3,220
Modesto, CA
$2,940
Fontana, CA
$3,080
Moreno Valley, CA
$3,024
Fayetteville, NC
$2,380
Birmingham, AL
$2,296
Rochester, NY
$2,576
Salt Lake City, UT
$2,940
Oxnard, CA
$3,416
Knoxville, TN
$2,380
Worcester, MA
$3,220
Brownsville, TX
$2,184
Grand Rapids, MI
$2,520
Newport News, VA
$2,660
Huntsville, AL
$2,380
Amarillo, TX
$2,296
Little Rock, AR
$2,296
Montgomery, AL
$2,240
Akron, OH
$2,296
Augusta, GA
$2,296
Baton Rouge, LA
$2,380
Mobile, AL
$2,240
Shreveport, LA
$2,240
Tallahassee, FL
$2,520
Hartford, CT
$3,220
Providence, RI
$3,136
Charleston, SC
$2,744
Savannah, GA
$2,464
Columbia, SC
$2,380
Chattanooga, TN
$2,380
Fort Lauderdale, FL
$3,304
Dayton, OH
$2,296
Sioux Falls, SD
$2,380
Springfield, MO
$2,240
Jackson, MS
$2,184
Palm Bay, FL
$2,660
Lakeland, FL
$2,576
Cape Coral, FL
$2,744
Pensacola, FL
$2,464
Port St. Lucie, FL
$2,744
Naperville, IL
$3,220
Tempe, AZ
$2,800
Overland Park, KS
$2,660
McKinney, TX
$2,856
Frisco, TX
$2,940
Cary, NC
$2,856
Clarksville, TN
$2,380
Cedar Rapids, IA
$2,296
Peoria, AZ
$2,744
Surprise, AZ
$2,660
Denton, TX
$2,744
Roseville, CA
$3,220
Gainesville, FL
$2,464
Bellevue, WA
$3,920
Murfreesboro, TN
$2,576
Round Rock, TX
$2,856
Columbia, MD
$3,220
Boulder, CO
$3,500
Ann Arbor, MI
$3,080
Santa Fe, NM
$2,940
Wilmington, NC
$2,576
Greenville, SC
$2,464
Fargo, ND
$2,380
Provo, UT
$2,744
Duluth, MN
$2,464
Billings, MT
$2,576
Missoula, MT
$2,744
Cheyenne, WY
$2,464
Burlington, VT
$3,024
Portland, ME
$3,024
Concord, NH
$2,940
Bismarck, ND
$2,380
Rapid City, SD
$2,380
Casper, WY
$2,464
Bangor, ME
$2,660
Charleston, WV
$2,240
Dover, DE
$2,744
Manchester, NH
$3,024
Bridgeport, CT
$3,360
Stamford, CT
$3,780
Wichita, KS
$2,296
Topeka, KS
$2,240
Springfield, IL
$2,380
Rockford, IL
$2,380
Erie, PA
$2,296
Scranton, PA
$2,380
Flint, MI
$2,184
Lansing, MI
$2,380
Syracuse, NY
$2,464
Albany, NY
$2,660
Eugene, OR
$2,940
Salem, OR
$2,856
Fort Collins, CO
$3,080
Pueblo, CO
$2,380
Aurora, CO
$3,024
Santa Barbara, CA
$3,920
Santa Rosa, CA
$3,584
Pasadena, CA
$3,864
Visalia, CA
$2,800
Pomona, CA
$3,304
Myrtle Beach, SC
$2,464
Daytona Beach, FL
$2,576
Sarasota, FL
$2,940
Naples, FL
$3,304
Ocala, FL
$2,380
Athens, GA
$2,380
Macon, GA
$2,240
Lexington, SC
$2,380
Asheville, NC
$2,856
Flagstaff, AZ
$3,024
Rochester, NY
$2,576
New Haven, CT
$3,024
Manchester, NH
$2,940
Augusta, GA
$2,296
Fort Myers, FL
$2,744
Wilmington, NC
$2,660
Arlington, VA
$3,640
Green Bay, WI
$2,380
South Bend, IN
$2,296
Bend, OR
$3,136
Bellingham, WA
$3,080
Midland, TX
$2,660
Waco, TX
$2,296
Newark, NJ
$3,360
Related Cost Guides
💬 What Did You Pay?
Real costs reported by homeowners for Wedding Photography
$2,826
Avg Reported
$1,978
Lowest Reported
$4,098
Highest Reported
Recent Reports
$2,267
Dallas, TX · Jan 2026
★★★☆☆
$3,175
Chicago, IL · Feb 2026
★★★★☆
$2,341
Phoenix, AZ · Mar 2026
★★★★★
$3,450
Denver, CO · Apr 2026
★★★☆☆
$2,447
Atlanta, GA · May 2026
★★★★☆
$3,689
Seattle, WA · Jun 2026
★★★★★
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