How Should You Budget for Wedding Photography?

Weddings in India are an exorbitant affair. If you want to plan a budget wedding, you need to create a budget and allocate specific amounts to each wedding activity. This will give you a clear idea of how much you’ll need to spend to make the wedding happen.

As a general rule of thumb, allocate 10 to 20 % of the wedding budget to photography.

That said, you can come up with several ways to bring down the expenditure.

Having this budget guideline will help you –

• Have a peace of mind.
• Find it easier to eliminate offers that are out of reach.
• To reallocate the extra money on some other aspect of wedding planning if you manage to find a photographer much cheaper than what you had budgeted for. 

While this guideline is the average, you don’t have to follow it.

Many people lay lot of emphasis on the quality of their wedding photos. They don’t mind spending more on professional photography while reducing the expenditure on other aspects of wedding.

So, when budgeting for wedding photography, consider these 2 factors –

• What’s your overall wedding budget? and
• How important is wedding photography to you?

Also, while allocating a budget for wedding photography, you need to know that wedding photography costs are not fixed. There are various factors that determine how expensive or cheap wedding photography is going to be.

Your wedding photography budget should account for these things

• The style you are interested in.
• The output you desire to receive
• The amount of photographer’s time
• Wedding and pre-wedding photoshoot locations

Get Multiple Quotes and Personalised Offers

As mentioned earlier, wedding photography has no fixed costs; it comes with different price tags for every budget. So, you need to do your research to find your wedding photographer.

Check out the websites of different photography studios. Ensure that the aesthetics and style shown in the pictures resembles what you’re looking for. When you find such photographers, request for a quote from them.

Once you receive personalized offers from them, compare the quotes. Remember, don’t go for the cheapest offer. Rather, try to find the right balance of quality and price.

Does a Higher Price Indicate Better Quality?

Usually the answer is yes. Paying more is linked to better outcome. However, this rule isn’t set in stone.

Many people hire amateur photographers and are still happy with the results. People who are just starting their career bring new ideas to the table and compensate lack of experience with enthusiasm and creativity – something you wouldn’t get from someone who has decades of experience.

However, experienced photographers are more skilled and dependable. Whether it rains or shines, your wedding pictures are going to be beautiful.

Finding a Good Value for Money Photographer

How to find a wedding photographer, who can shoot beautiful wedding pictures without breaking the bank?

Ask for referrals from friends and family members who recently married. Online reviews and testimonials are also beneficial.

Meet your potential photographer with a list sof questions to ask. Focus on the cost, the different packages and the specific style that you’re interested in. Ask for a custom package and a quote.

Pro Tip: The more information you can gather, the easier it will be to find the right photographer for you.

In conclusion

Wedding photography captures the special memories in the best possible way. When you decide your wedding budget, you’ll be able to determine how much you can spend on wedding photography. Compare the multiple quotes and contact the photographer that best fits your needs.

Shiv Nanda is a financial analyst who currently lives in Bangalore (refusing to acknowledge the name change) and works with MoneyTap, India's first app-based credit-line. Shiv is a true finance geek, and his friends love that. They always rely on him for advice on their investment choices, budgeting skills, personal financial matters and when they want to get a loan. He has made it his life's mission to help and educate people on various financial topics, so email him your questions at shiv@moneytap.com.