7 savvy ways to save money on your wedding photography & videography
Wedding photography? In this economy??
I feel you. Planning a wedding in 2024’s economy is like trying to juggle flaming torches while riding a unicycle—it’s daunting, and the budget is often the first thing that goes up in flames.
If you’re stressing about capturing the memories of your special day without setting your wallet ablaze, you’re not alone. As a wedding photographer who specializes in small, intimate micro weddings and elopements, I know the struggle is real. As newly-engaged couples increasingly opt for small weddings, micro weddings, or elopements as a smart way to save money on their wedding, finding a wedding photographer and videographer who fits their minimalist budgets is difficult.
But you don’t have to sacrifice quality while you’re trying to save money on your wedding photography. Before you throw in the towel, let’s dive into these 7 savvy ways to make sure your wedding photos are as beautiful as your love story—without the financial stress.
7 SAVVY WAYS TO SAVE MONEY ON YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY & WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHY
Opt for a reduced package
The best way to save money on your wedding photography & videography is to find someone who offers a reduced package (or is willing to tailor your package to your needs). This could mean fewer hours of coverage, a reduced scope of offerings, or a reduced number of final photos that are delivered. The average wedding photographer and videographer offers packages starting at 6 hours of coverage, but those who specialize in small, intimate weddings may offer packages for less hours of coverage.
For example, we just signed a contract with a 2024 bride who only wanted us for a specific number of hours (that fell between our usual package breakpoints). We created a custom offer just for her, saving her $240 simply by reducing one hour of coverage!
Tailoring your wedding photography or videography package to your specific timeline and needs allows you to allocate your resources wisely while still hiring the wedding photographer of your dreams.
Ask your friends and family for recommendations
Look within your network of friends, family, and community for hidden talents. You’d be surprised to find people you already know, or friends of friends, who are wedding photographers and you didn’t even know! When we first began Author Made, we were actually quite shy to share our new endeavor with our network and solely relied on shooting friends’ weddings at discounted rates just to garner experience. Many of our church friends didn’t even know we were offering wedding photography until much later (or until they saw us at our clients’ weddings, if the bride and groom were mutual friends of ours!).
Many wedding photographers within your personal network might be willing to offer a friends and family rate, saving you a bit of money—and adding a personal touch to your wedding day experience by hiring a friendly face!
Bundle wedding photography and videography services
There’s a reason stores use the phrase “bundle & save”—it’s cost-effective for a store to serve more than one item (or service) to the same customer versus fulfilling single orders for multiple customers. As a wedding photographer and videographer, I’ll let you in on a secret: it’s the same for us, too.
Opting for a bundled package that includes both wedding photography and wedding videography is a savvy way to save money on your wedding. We’re going to be at your wedding anyway, so bringing along an extra camera (if we’re offering solo dual coverage) or an extra team member not only streamlines the wedding planning process but usually comes at a lower combined cost than hiring separate wedding photographers and videographers.
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Skip the wedding album add-on
Many wedding photographers include a beautifully-designed wedding album to their wedding photography packages as a way to increase their earnings from each client. And while having a professional-looking wedding album is indeed a beautiful keepsake, it can also be a significant expense. (This is why we never offer or include albums in our wedding photography packages.)
If you’re looking to save money on your wedding photography, skip the photographer’s wedding album. You can always create your own photo book or album later, giving you the flexibility to control costs while preserving your precious memories.
DON’T: sacrifice quality for budget
Much advice online on how to save money on your wedding photography suggests hiring a student photographer or simply asking friends to capture memories on their phones. However, tempting as this advice might be, it might be a costly mistake to sacrifice quality for savings. Your wedding photos capture memories that’ll last far longer than the food you served or the florals you displayed, so investing in a quality wedding photographer ensures you’ll cherish your wedding photos for years to come. Consider adjusting other aspects of your wedding budget before compromising on the quality for your wedding photography. (I know we kind of have to say this as wedding photographers ourselves, but it’s also true!)
Create a wedding photography fund
If you’re struggling to make your wedding photography work within your budget, consider including a wedding photography fund in your registry. Especially if the two of you are already bringing many of the typical wedding registry items into your new life together, try including an option for guests to help finance part of your wedding photography costs. Plus, some of your guests may actually prefer to contribute towards an experience for you rather than giving you more “stuff.” This enables you to gather some financial support for preserving your wedding memories—and allows your guests to show their love in a more meaningful way.
Hire a wedding photographer who specializes in small, intimate weddings
You might think that all wedding photographers are alike, but not so. Some have expertise in big weddings, and some (like us) are passionate about the unique needs and priorities of small, intimate weddings.
In the wedding photography world, there’s a glamorization of big budget weddings and a pressure for wedding photographers to continually chase higher-paying clients. Couples with limited budgets are offered “mini packages” (or priced out of the photographers’ base packages entirely), which may potentially lead these couples to feel like second-rate clients. As a husband-and-wife who had a small wedding ourselves, we never ever want our clients to feel that they’re less important because they aren’t paying as much.
Not only does a wedding photographer specializing in small weddings continually seek ways to make their wedding photography or videography services more affordable, but they also value the intimacy of small celebrations. Seek out someone who truly celebrates the beauty of your small wedding and who truly understands and appreciates your unique priorities and concerns without compromising on excellence.
Capturing the intimate moments of your wedding doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag. By putting these savvy tips to the test, you can achieve beautiful wedding photos that perfectly reflect the magic of your special day without overspending your budget.
