What is the Average Cost of a Wedding Photographer
Weddingsonline.ie Survey Released
Average Cost of a Wedding Photographer is €1856
Hi
Weddingsonline.ie has announced the findings of their latest Irish wedding survey. 1200 people participated in January 2023.
For the first time, the majority of of Irish wedding ceremonies are non-religious! Only 43% of couples chose a religious ceremony (down from 55% in 2022) with civil ceremonies and humanist ceremonies gaining popularity.
The Main Findings From the Survey About the Current Attitudes Towards Weddings in Ireland are:
- The average budget for a wedding is €29,550 (not including honeymoon).
- Friday and Saturday are still the most popular days for weddings (68%), with midweek (28%) and Sunday (4%) weddings becoming more popular.
- The busiest month for weddings is June (13%), followed by August (12%) and May and July (both 11%), with 44% of our participants getting married in 2023 and 32% getting married in 2024.
- 43% of ceremonies are religious (down from 55% in 2022), 23% are civil and 18% are humanist.
- 6% of weddings have fewer than 50 guests, 39% have more than 150 guests, with the average number of guests being 142.
- 27% of couples had their parents help pay for their wedding and 31% got a loan.
- 56% of couples surveyed went over budget with 30% spending over to 5K more than they had intended to.
- The average age for couples tying the knot is 34 for men and 32 for women.
- The hotel venue remains the most popular choice at 57%, followed by the country house at 21% and then castles at 14%.
- The Top 5 wedding counties are Meath, Cork, Cavan, Kildare and Dublin.
- Average cost spent on photography is €1856
- The decided factor for which suppliers to book was reviews and recommendations (56%), favourite choice (34%), with only 10% stating that price was their deciding factor.
Average Cost of a Wedding Photographer in Ireland is €1856
As you can see from the above the average spend on a wedding photographer is €1856. This can range from having a photographer for the ceremony and a few photos after to having two photographers for a full day with a full size wedding album, 2 smaller parents album, USB Key in a bespoke wooden box with prints etc.
The core of any wedding photography package is the digital files that the photographer takes on the day and subsequently culls and edits to produce a final gallery. Everything else can be added on at the time or later. When you are looking for a photographer for your wedding there are 2 important things to look for. The first is Style and the second is Experience
A Wedding Photographer's Style
Simply if you like a photographer's style you are on the right road. There is no point in hiring someone who is highly recommended and has won every award in the book but you are looking at the portfolio and it does not connect with you. Don't worry about making the wrong decision because everyone else thinks the particular photographer is fantastic. It's your wedding you are not making the wrong decision. Walk away.
Personally I work in mostly Documentary style. I only really set up the family and couple photos and discuss with the couple what they want before the day. This is not for everyone. So if you want big staged shots that take set up and lights and lots of direction then I'm not your guy and I will tell you as much. If you want all the important parts of your day captured without having to pose and perform for the camera and all the candid moments you didn't have a chance to see then I am!
The photo at the top of this Blog Post is an example. It happened by complete accident. We took a walk around Grafton St in Dublin after the ceremony to get some photos. On a side street there was a delivery van delivering the sofa to Pygmalion. I quickly asked the lads could I use it for a minute. Nobody wants to upset a bride on their wedding day. I got them to put it in the middle of the street and took a few shots and we were "Gone in 60 seconds"
A Wedding Photographer's Experience
Secondly a Wedding Photographer's Experience is what allows them to produce consistent results every time. I'm going to regret saying this but if a problem happens at a wedding that interferes with me getting a shot I have seen it a dozen times. The Auntie deciding to stand in the aisle with her iPad as the bride arrives in, the Uncle that's an amateur photographer directing everyone where to stand in the group photos after the ceremony and so on. An experienced photographer will see this happening, step in and deal with it politely, firmly and quickly to resolve the situation.
Weddings also happen in such a variety of venues that provide lots of challenges for a photographer in terms of logistics and lighting. We have all seen blurry smart phone images from the night before that don't inspire. Again an experienced photographer will have dealt with the venue or similar situation before and not panic or be frustrated by it and still get the best possible shots.
Experience is also incredibly important in the post production of the images. As I said above weddings are in a variety of venues with various lighting conditions. An experienced photographer will be able to bring all these different images and situations and give them a consistent look and feel.
Conclusion on Picking a Wedding Photographer
After you have considered a photographer's style and experience then worry about the price. If the price is more than you budgeted for then see if you can get the digital package first and then add on all the extras if you want them after the wedding. You won't regret it as you will get years of enjoyment from the photographs and future generations will get to cherish them as well. I hope this helps in picking your wedding photographer
If you want to have a look at the packages I have to offer please have a look at them here https://www.simonpearephotography.com/wedding-photography-packages-and-prices
If you need any more information please get in touch at [email protected]
Thanks for looking
Simon
The Average Spend in Other Categories Was as Follows:
Wedding Rings: €1552
Band: €2247
DJ: €687
Videographer: €1592
Wedding Dress: €1807
Ceremony Music: €567
Drinks Reception Entertainment: €647
Evening Entertainment: €966
Celebrant or other Officiant: €501
Makeup (bride only): €104
Makeup (per bridesmaid): €73
Hairstyling (per bride): €91
Hairstyling (per bridesmaid): €68
Bridesmaid Dresses (per bridesmaid): €270
Price per suit: €287
Photobooth / Selfie mirror: €546
Wedding Car: €638
Wedding Cake: €444
Décor (Ceremony): €542
Décor (Venue): €906
Flowers: €751
Invites: €282
Foodie Treats: €399