Considering his important role on your big day, a wedding photographer belongs to the list of most pursued event suppliers. After all, he’s the one who can encapsulate the beautiful memories of your special day!

To give you an idea about the prospective costs of hiring a shooter, here’s your ultimate guide to wedding photographer Melbourne prices.

Cost Breakdown of a Wedding Photographer Melbourne

Do you know that most couples spend 10%-15% of their total budget on wedding photography? Considering the overall costs of a wedding, this average percentage is surely a huge portion.

If you’re wondering about the items and services that are covered in wedding photographer prices, here’s the detailed list of the possible inclusions.

1. Expertise

Professional skills and experience are the top things that you pay for when hiring a premium wedding photographer in Melbourne. These are the reasons why asking your Uncle Jack or your friend Amelia to do the photography work just won’t fit the bill.

Your big day only happens once, and you should invest in a shooter who can do the job well. Who doesn’t want to have the best wedding photos, anyway?

2. Professional Gear

Other than expertise, another thing that sets a wedding photographer apart is his collection of pro equipment. Photography gear costs a lot of money, but professionals invest in the best kits to ensure the finest quality of your images.

Ever wondered what’s inside a photographer’s gear bag? To give you an idea, here is the list of all the equipment involved in wedding photography:

✅ Camera

✅ Lenses (Prime Lens, Medium Zoom Lens, Wide-Angle Lens, Telephoto Lens)

✅ Tripod

✅ Reflector

✅ External Flash

✅ Softbox Light

✅ Memory Cards

✅ External Hard Drive

✅ Laptop and Editing Software

✅ and many more

3. Time

Wedding photographer Melbourne prices typically include a range between six hours and unlimited time of coverage. Apparently, the longer time you need, the more you’ll have to shell out.

4. Travel

If your event requires your wedding photographer to travel a long distance, you may have to pay a travel charge. As for destination weddings, you may expect to shell out for accommodation and airfare costs.

5. Assistant Shooter

Do you need a second photographer to capture your big day? If yes, you’ll have to pay more.

6. Editing

Do you know that wedding photographer typically spend more time editing than capturing your wedding? The editing and retouching part is crucial in ensuring that your wedding photos look incredible!

7. Digital Images

Wedding photographer prices include the final images which can be provided through a USB drive, an online gallery, or other digital ways.

8. Print Release

Most wedding photographer Melbourne prices include a print release that allows you to utilize the images for your personal use. Note that this is different from ‘copyright release’ which denotes the legal ownership of the photos.

Usually, wedding photographers hold the copyright which allows them to sell the photos or use the images for marketing purposes.

9. Print Credit

There are some shooters who incorporate photo printing in their wedding photography packages. However, there are other photographers who offer this service as optional.

You can select whether you’d like to purchase your prints through your photographer or do it through other printing services.

10. Albums

Perfect for taking a walk down memory lane, a wedding album is one of the traditions that last. Some photographers include a wedding album in their package but it’s up to you if you’ll avail this as inclusion.

11. Extra Shoots

If you decided to do an additional photography session, you can expect to shell out more. Extra shoots may include (but are not limited to): engagement shoot, bridal portraits, boudoir session, post-wedding photography, and honeymoon photography.

Aside from the mentioned items above, there are other less noticeable portions of wedding photographer prices and packages. These may or may not include the following: liability insurance, business expenditures, marketing costs, business employees, and more.

Wedding Photographer Prices

Depending on several considerations, wedding photographer Melbourne prices can range from $500- $10,000. To give you an idea about the typical costs, here are the average market fees for various shoot duration.

✅ 1-hour photo shoot – $762

✅ 2-hour photo shoot – $1,219

✅ 3-hour photo shoot – $1,676

✅ 4-hour photo shoot – $2,134

✅ 5-hour photo shoot – $2,591

✅ 6-hour photo shoot – $3,048

✅ 8-hour photo shoot – $3,962

✅10-hour photo shoot – $4,877

IMPORTANT: This price guide only presents the average wedding photography costs in Melbourne. Depending on the level of expertise and years of experience, you can find a shooter that charges less or more than the average market price.

Wedding Photography Melbourne: Miscellaneous Sessions

Other than the actual day coverage, there are numerous photography sessions that you might add to your wedding photography package. However, you can expect that the more photo sessions you do, the more you need to pay.

For your reference, scroll down to check the list of the miscellaneous shoots that you might be interested in.

1. Engagement Shoot

Engagement photos are more than romantic portraits and fun snapshots. Your engagement is a wonderful time of your life that’s worth encapsulating – you just said yes, after all!

Your pre-wedding session is also a great opportunity to practice to be comfortable around your photographer. On average, engagement photography prices can range from $500-$2,000.

2. Bridal Session

Done before the actual wedding day, a bridal shoot is a session where the bride is photographed while wearing her complete bridal look.

If you want to take your bridal portraits somewhere other than the wedding venue or you just want to have more photos of you in your wedding dress, this option is perfect! For your reference, a bridal session can cost between $300 – $1,500.

3. Boudoir Photography

Do you want to surprise your person with an intimate photo album? A boudoir shoot is a sultry photography session intended as a wedding gift for your soon-to-be-spouse.

Many wedding photographers started including this pre-wedding shoot in their services so this could add up as extra cost if you decided to do one.

4. Trash the Dress Session

Several couples jumped in the ‘trash the dress’ bandwagon and we totally understand why! Also known as ‘rock the frock’, this trend involves the picturesque process of destroying a bridal dress while a photographer captures the moment.

Whether you’re swimming through ocean waves or kissing under a majestic waterfall, trashing the dress makes for spectacular and unique photos!

5. After Session

Do you want to have extra time doing everything on your wedding day? Some couples decide to maximize their big day by cutting the photo sessions and doing an after session instead!

An after the session is a photography shoot that’s taken post-wedding. In contrast with your engagement session, and after shoot allows you to wear your wedding attire while you and your partner head out to the location of your choice.

6. Honeymoon Shoot

Your honeymoon is one of the momentous parts of being a newlywed couple. If you want to capture the memories of your first getaway through stunning photos, a honeymoon session is a great option for you.

Are you planning to purchase an extra photography session? No matter what you decided, the most important part is to celebrate your love and cherish every moment of being together!

Looking for a Wedding Photographer Melbourne?

If you want to add a fun and wonderful twist to your wedding photos, hiring a candid wedding photographer is the best option.

Specializing in candid wedding photography, JF Studio aims to wonderfully capture your day while you’re having the best moments of your life!

Providing a range of services that are specific to your needs, our team offers an all-inclusive package that starts from $2990.

To get more information about our wedding photography packages, contact us today!

A Definitive Guide to Wedding Photographer Melbourne Prices 2020