After planning a wedding and getting through the long, emotional day, you’re going to want to see your beautiful wedding photos. A great wedding photographer will capture the beauty and emotions of your friends and family throughout the day. Their work will also allow you to look back and reminisce on everything from the first look to the grand exit. Needless to say, you don’t want to get stuck with a dollar-store hobbyist photographer that overexposes all of your photos, frames everything badly, and just hands you poorly lit RAW photos. No, instead you’ll want to find a professional wedding photographer with a portfolio that matches your style– even if that means making some concessions.
How Much Does a Wedding Photographer Cost in Texas?
In Texas, a 1-hour wedding photoshoot will likely cost you upwards of $700. This is generally the baseline cost to schedule a wedding shoot, regardless of time. If you want to schedule a wedding photographer for 10 hours to ensure complete event coverage, you’ll likely pay about $5k. But like all services, different vendors offer different prices and wedding photography packages. Most Dallas wedding photographers will work for $100-$400 per hour. However, some utilize second shooters and this may cost an additional $50-$75 per hour.
Be aware of the hours, price, and services a photographer offers before signing a contract.
What’s Included in a Wedding Photographer’s Package?
It’s important to ask your wedding photographer what’s included in their package because it varies by artist. Most photographers include a set number of hours, photo editing, and a custom digital photo gallery where you can download and print images. Common extras include a second shooter, an engagement session, props, a USB drive loaded with high-resolution photos, special wedding albums, or rights to print.
What if a Photographer is too Expensive for me?
Contact them anyways! You might think your dream wedding photographer is too expensive for you, but in actuality, the wedding package you saw might be what’s really out of your budget. Now, that doesn’t mean you should negotiate their rates. Most photographers are firm on their hourly rates because that covers the cost of equipment, editing software, expertise, licenses, shooting, and editing time. However, if a photographer shares a $4k package with you, ask how many hours that includes. Chances are you’ll be looking at 8-10 hours of coverage, which is great, but unnecessary if you’re trying to save a few bucks. Instead, ask them if they’d be willing to work for 3-6 hours to boost your savings.
A Great Photographer Will Capture the Important Moments
You’ll definitely want a photographer to show up early to capture you getting ready with your loved ones, first looks, walking down the aisle, some of the reception, and the grand exit. You may think this will take at least 10 hours. However, if planned strategically, you could knock off $500 or more from the photography invoice. The key is just to condense activities. Most of the important stuff happens early, and Hidden Creek can help you plan a fake exit so you can take photos running through sprinklers or bubbles with your new spouse. Then you can send the photographer home and get back to partying, knowing you just saved yourself a ton of money!
Hidden Creek Event Venue– Dallas Wedding Coordinator
We are a full-service wedding venue located in Heath, TX. Our expert wedding coordinator can ensure everything looks beautiful and will look stunning in your wedding photos. Contact us today to schedule a tour of our venue or check out our vendor list to get started on your wedding planning journey!
