Average cost of a Wedding Photographer in Minneapolis
light and airy photographer Alexandra Robyn
Before you book your dream photographer, I always encourage clients to understand the value of photography. Once your day has ended, photos and keepsakes will be the only reminder of your wedding day. That is what makes photography so special – it is a way to relive your Wedding Day for years to come. It is a way for your dad to remember how it felt to see his beautiful daughter for the first time in her dress. This is also a chance for you to see the awestruck look on your beloved’s face when you walk down the aisle. It truly is the only way to preserve those once-in-a-lifetime moments that are easy to forget years down the road. The next step is to understand the average cost of a Wedding Photographer in Minneapolis.
MINNEAPOLIS WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | ALEXANDRA ROBYN PHOTO + DESIGN
“On average, a talented wedding photographers in the midwest can range in price from $3,500 – $4,500,” according to brides.com. Of course, there are many photographers in the $2,500 – $3,000 range as well. Typically, photographers in this range are newer to the industry or have not been mentored by a specific photographer. There are several factors that affect pricing – including experience and the number of publications or awards that a photographer has received.
A talented photographer will make your other wedding investments even more valuable. This is a great way to think about it: you have invested so much love into the dress of your dreams, the cascading bouquet you’ve always hoped for, and every wedding detail! Not to mention, you’re smiling more than you have any other day you can remember. But what if that emotion isn’t captured? Photography and Videography should account for 10-15% of your overall budget for this reason. But know, if you fall in love with a photographer, you may have to adjust your budget to accommodate!
| 6% | Attire |
| 2% | Beauty |
| 2% | Cake + Dessert |
| 2% | Ceremony |
| 8% | Drinks |
| 2% | Favors + Gifts |
| 10% | Flowers + Decor |
| 20% | Food |
| 2% | Stationery |
| 8% | Music |
| 15% | Photography + Video |
| 17% | Reception Venue |
| 2% | Transportation |
| 2% | Day of Coordination |
| 2% | Emergency Fund |
The Average Cost of a Wedding
The Knot falsely shares “average costs,” unfortunately giving unrealistic expectations when it comes to budgeting. Please do not be fooled just because it is a big brand. Mostly because of their use of the word “average.” When they take this statistic, they are including outliers like a photographer with no experience who might price themselves at $1,000. At the same time, they are not taking into account the $10,000 photographers who are more common than you’d think. Mostly because those photographers won’t work with The Knot, therefore the data is amiss. But when I say misuse of the word average, I mean this: the cost to host a nice wedding. Nothing too over the top, but also a wedding day that is still beautiful. There are spots to save on costs, and things that just cost what they cost.
As a recent bride myself, I even underestimated my costs. Our budget was $35,000 with a bit of wiggle room. When all was said, we spent $52,000. This number is much more in line with what I see as an industry expert in 2023. My husband and I hosted a really beautiful backyard wedding – and the first thing people always think is “wow, you must have saved so much on the venue.” Where we incurred some costs were having to provide: a Reception Tent, Ceremony back-up tent, Ceremony Chairs, Reception Chairs + Tables, Serving Tables, and a Dance Floor. We were able to use our own alcohol, but did choose a higher-end caterer as well.
| $3,600 | Dress + Jewelry |
| $220 + travel fee | Beauty |
| $0 | Cake + Dessert (perks of having a cake friend) |
| $200 | Ceremony |
| $2,500 | Drinks |
| $0 | Favors + Gifts |
| $4,500 | Flowers + Decor |
| $17,500 | Food + Service |
| $750 | Stationery (DIY’d) |
| $1,400 | Music |
| $7,800 | Photography + Video |
| $11,500 | Reception Venue (Tent, chairs, table, flooring) |
| $1,000 | Transportation (valet) |
| $2,000 | Day of Coordination |
| — | Emergency Fund (blew that right away) |
How do I have the wedding of my dreams?
While there are a few practicalities to consider, it’s best to reflect on what is your dream wedding. A few ways to help make this dream are:
- extending your engagement to save up
- shorten your guest list – with a little help from this article
- consider catering options while choosing your venue – get a comprehensive catering quote
- elope somewhere incredible
- skip wedding favors, wedding programs, get creative with stationery to cut costs
- can we repurpose anything? Florals, extra tables, chairs
Truly take your time to plan this very special occasion. Something like understanding the catering costs upfront can really help. Some venues are priced to seem more reasonable at it’s starting price and then builds in costs as you add chair rentals, in-house catering, etc. Since this is your biggest set of costs and will only increase as the day gets closer, really be mindful of where you can save here. The number of appetizers, the quality of caterer, ceremony chair rentals, etc. will all be things to think about.
What Do I think things cost?
| $3,600 – $3,800 | Dress + Jewelry |
| $250 | Beauty |
| $400-$600 | Cake + Dessert |
| $350 | Ceremony |
| $2,500 | Drinks |
| $0 | Favors + Gifts (skippable) |
| $4,000-$5,000 | Flowers + Decor |
| $80-90 per head | Food + Service |
| $750-$1,000 | Stationery |
| $2,500-$3,000 | DJ |
| $5,000-9,000 | Live Band |
| $3,800-$4,500 | Photography |
| $3,000-$4,000 | Videography |
| $10,000-$17,000 | Reception Venue (rentals included) |
| $1,000 | Transportation |
| $2,000-$3,000 | Day of Coordination |
| $3,500-$6,000 | Full Planning (with day-of coordination) |
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