Wedding photography has a good range of pricing – so knowing what to expect for cost is key before you start talking to pros. First make sure you know your budget. Experienced wedding photographers in Maryland range from about $2500 – $8000 depending on how much coverage you want, how many shooters and the amount of guests at your wedding.

Some of the things that will affect price are:

How many guests are you having?

How many hours do you want your photographer there?

How many shooters do you think you’ll need?

How much experience do you want your photographer to have?

If you have over 100 people at your wedding, you should have more than one shooter. Having 2 shooters ensures you get more candids and fun moments that one set of eyes sometimes can’t see. If your photographer is doing family pics during cocktail, how do you get any candids during cocktail hour? Or if your photographer is at the front of the aisle as you are coming up, how can you get that cool wide shot from behind of the entire ceremony as you are walking up the aisle. Getting a shot of your partner’s face as you are coming down the aisle is amazing from the back – an angle that is hard if the photographer has to shoot you both of you at the same time. You can divide and conquer if you have more than one shooter!

Do you want pictures of getting ready? Those cool pics of everyone getting ready and details of the dress, etc, are adding time on to your package. I usually show up about 2 hours before your ceremony time to where you will be getting ready. If you are doing a first look add about 1 more hour to that. So if your ceremony is at 4, I would show up at about 1 pm with a first look. You need time beforehand to get your family pics, and bridal party pics done before your ceremony.

Do you want coverage until the end of the night? Are you doing an exit such as a sparkler send off? If not then you can have coverage until after the cake cutting and some dancing – than have the photographer leave.

An experienced photographer is going to be better at knowing what to expect, what happens when, and how to handle the stress on the day of a wedding. So you don’t want someone who isn’t accustomed to dealing with that. I have seen lots of weddings over my 20+ years of experience, so I have seen lots of ways to make the day go as smooth as possible without being overbearing or too demanding. I want you to have fun on your wedding day, so make sure you hire someone who you think is cool to be around! The photographer spends the most time with the couple of their wedding day. We are with you all day! So make sure you like them!  Someone with more experience is going to keep you calm and stress free. Plus an experienced pro is going to have at least 2 cameras, professional gear, insurance, and be able to work at a fast pace to fix any problems that arise. They are pros!

If you need about 8 hours of coverage, which is typical, then plan to spend around $4000 – $5000 for your photographer. If you want to add on any time or an Engagement session that will be an additional cost.

Hiring a wedding photographer in Maryland or the Washington DC area can be daunting! But pick 3 or 4 that you like and then talk to them. Set up a call ( or Zoom is even better!) Then you get to interact with them and see what they are like. I hope this gives you a little more insight and hlpe you make a more informed decision when you are wondering about cost for your photographer.

Remember, you are hiring someone to be the story teller through pictures of one of the biggest days of your life. So hire a pro and make sure you get those cherished moments and emotions!