How much is wedding photography in the DMV area?

What is the average cost of a wedding photographer?

I can only imagine that question is googled a couple hundred times a day. And as a wedding photographer myself, the answers you find are somewhat disappointing and lack an incredible amount of nuance.

When you look up “what is the average cost of a wedding photographer?” You can usually find answers ranging anywhere from $2,500-4,000. I see this in a lot of inquiries I get, with lots of people inquiring listing their initial budget as around $3,500.

I know I’m going to disappoint a lot of people planning their weddings in saying this but I’m gonna list a couple reasons why this number isn’t going to be a great starting point for your wedding in the DC metro area.

First, let’s talk about what average means. An average is a middle value. This means that there are going to be lots of options below that, along with a bunch above it.

Usually when we look up what the average cost of a wedding photographer is, most sources are giving you what the national averages are. The DC, Maryland and Virginia (DMV) areas are home to some of the highest cost of living places. Right there you can expect your photographer based in the DMV to cost a little more than what’s average across the country. We gotta eat and pay our bills too!

Next is the matter of experience. An average priced photographer might not be giving a high or luxury level experience to their clients. However, price does not always equal better quality. The level of quality a photographer can deliver should be determined by the clients and their past clients. You need to determine what your needs and wants are out of your wedding photographer. However, it’s pretty safe to say that MOST well established wedding photographers with upwards of a decade of experience or more, great customer service, and who are reliable and will deliver a quality product are going to cost more than what’s considered average. Your average photographer will probably have less experience and maybe offer less in their collections, and maybe have less professional equipment.

Lastly, I want to touch on something that I know might upset some folks.

Weddings. Are. A. Luxury.

And therefore, a wedding photographer is a luxury. No one is entitled to a wedding photographer. I think it’s fair to say (and it’s what I personally wholeheartedly believe) that everyone DESERVES an amazing photographer, BUT photographers are providing a luxury service and can charge whatever they want for those services. What’s important is that you find the right photographer for you that’s in your budget.

So what’s a reasonable budget to set aside for your wedding photographer in the DMV???!

Based on my discussions with fellow photographers in the area, and past clients who’ve had to do some research, it’s my opinion that it’s reasonable to expect to pay $4-5,500 for an average wedding photographer in the DMV. You can definitely find some photographers who offer services for less, but they tend to have less experience and are either part time or taking on a massive amount of weddings per year. If you’re looking for a higher end, premium experience, expect to pay anywhere from $6-15,000 (I know this range is huge but this market has a serious range! And those DC based luxury photographers can go for anywhere from $10-30k).

I hope this sets some reasonable expectations for people getting married in the DMV.