Why is Wedding Photography so expensive??

It's a big question. Its a good question and I have some answers! 

Price is reflective of the photographer's experience and expertise. Lets face it, your wedding day is a big day. One you will remember for the rest of your life. When you choose a photographer, you are trusting that person to document one of the most important days of your life! It is so important to book someone who will truly capture your day the way you imagine it! ?

Lets break down some reasons wedding photograph is expensive.

1.) Photography gear: Your photographer will likely own and use at least $10,000 +  in gear to shoot your wedding. Your photographer should have a main camera or two as well as a backup camera. They will also have a range of lenses to capture your day just right. During your reception your photographer will likely use lighting and that is another business expense for them. They will also have memory cards and backups and they are not cheap! ($500+) They also have to have a good computer ($2,500+) and software (monthly subscriptions usually) to edit your photos, not to mention storage ($200+ per year) and extra storage for the photos. (We always have backups so we don't lose your precious memories). They will likely also have online hosting for their website ($200+ per year) and hosting for sharing your photos with you ($200-$400+ per year). 

There are definitely more expenses your photographer has but these are the basics!

2.) Talent + Expertise: Your photographer is going to charge not only to supplement the COD (Cost of doing business) but also for their talent! They have likely spent many years learning and perfecting their craft to give you the best possible wedding photos they can! You just can't put a price on talent! You are choosing someone whose work you love, whose style you love, and who you trust to document your day in the best possible way. At the end of the day, what are you left with from your wedding? Just your memories and your photographs! The food is eaten, the decor is donated, the flowers die, the music is just one night, and so on. But your wedding photos? Those will stand the test of time. Your kids will look at them, your grandkids, and so on! 

3.) Editing: Your photographer will likely take about 10 hours or more to edit your wedding and upload it properly and store your images. Time is money.

4.) Marketing + Advertising: Gone are the days of referral only leads. Yes, we still get them but social media has made it harder to gather organic leads for many self employed individuals. Therefore, we spend money on advertising to reach our ideal client! Many photographers spend about $4,000+ per year.

5.) Workshops + Learning: As a creative we never stop trying to perfect our work. We're always trying to stay current and learn new ways of editing and so on! A single workshop could cost $2,000+. 

6.) Business Insurance: We carry business insurance to protect our business. This helps in case of damaged or stolen gear, accidents while working, etc. A typical photographer pays $500+ per year.

7.) Retirement: As someone who is self employed we have to fund our own retirements and with how much the cost of maintaining our lifestyles increases year to year, its a large investment!

8.) Taxes: A typical photographer will set aside about 20-30% of their income for tax purposes. 

There are plenty more things that could go on the list but I think you've gotten the point by now! :)