There is little that’s more variable in the wedding industry than the cost of a wedding photographer. Not only is the range of available packages huge, but also the quality and value offered by each photographer is specific to their own style and experience.
Because of this, the cost of wedding photography varies widely and for many customers it’s difficult to know which packages offer value for money.
In 2022, the average cost of wedding photography in Sydney is $3,560 for a typical 6 hour package including all high resolution digital images. More than 60% of Sydney wedding photographers charge between $1,800 and $4,600 for this basic 6 hour package.
Sydney Wedding Photography Price Guide
Photo Package |
Cheapest Price |
High End |
| Elopement | $1,499 | $2,750+ |
| 4 Hour | $1,499 | $2,500+ |
| 8 Hour | $2,200 | $3,950+ |
| 12 Hour | $2,650 | $4,550+ |
Where your average sits on this scale depends on your total wedding budget, your photography requirements and how much you value wedding photography. If you're wondering what the average cost of wedding photography in Sydney is in order to gauge what you should be paying, here's how to calculate a photography budget that's ideal for you.
How to calculate your wedding photography budget
On average, Australian's spend 10% of their wedding budget on a professional wedding photographer. And while the average price of wedding photography in Sydney is slightly higher than the rest of Australia, so too is the average total spend on weddings. Hence, allocating 10% of your total wedding budget for wedding photography stands just as true for Sydney weddings as it does the rest of Australia.
Cost of Wedding Photography in Sydney
This article details the price of wedding photography packages in Sydney and links you in with the wedding photographers who provide them. The average price for Sydney's most common wedding packages are details along with the basic inclusions. For your reference, pricing for all basic wedding photography packages include:
- set # of hours coverage by one photographer at your wedding and
- a copy of your high resolution images
Elopement Packages
In 2022, there has been a vast increase in the number of wedding photographers now offering elopement packages in line with changing consumer demands. In Sydney, elopement packages range from $1,500 to $6,150. The average elopement package is a half day affair including 4 hours of photography that covers getting ready, the ceremony and photos afterwards. The average elopement package is $2,450 - $3,100.
Other elopement packages include a full day of photography or more of an adventure session style photo shoot, typically aligned with elopements that are off-the-beaten track.
Sydney photographers that offer elopement packages include:
- Hilary Cam Photography - $2,750
- Daniel Kukec Photography - $3,000
- Oliver Smith Photography - $2,000
4 - 6 Hour Photography Packages
In Sydney, the price of a basic 4 - 6 hour wedding photography package ranges from $800 to $4,900. About 95% of Sydney photographers offer this small wedding package and the most common pricing falls between $1,500 - $3,200.
Sydney photographers that offer 4 hour wedding packages include:
- Mr Wigley Photography - $1,499
- Joel Quinn Photography - $2,500
- Jason Corroto - $3,400
8 - 10 Hour Photography Packages
Eight hour wedding photography packages are popular in Sydney because it is typically sufficient time to capture the Bride getting ready to an hour or so of dancing at the wedding reception. The average cost of an 8 hour wedding package in Sydney is between $2,800 - $4,500 with additional hours coverage usually charged at $250 per hour.
Many of Sydney's best wedding photographers are available to hire in this price bracket and usually offer wedding albums as an optional extra at additional cost. At the higher end of the market you'll notice a marked difference in the quality of images. If you're not sure what to look for, consider how interesting you find the photos, how long you look at them for and how they make you feel.
Wedding packages with 8 - 10 hours coverage sometimes have a pre wedding shoot and/or photo album as standard inclusions. These inclusions effectively lower the cost per hour the photographer receives in hand. One way to compare vastly different wedding package inclusions, is to consider the effective hourly rate the photographer values their work at.
Photographers that are regularly published in major wedding magazines and blogs commonly offer 8 hour packages from $3,800+. One of the highest accolades in the industry is the title of Master Photographer, endowed by the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) and Wedding & Portrait Photographers International (WPPI). The average starting cost for an 8 hour package shot by a Master Photographer is $4,200.
Sydney photographers that offer 8 hour wedding packages include:
- Kevin Lue Photography - $3,500
- Mr Wigley - $3,000
- The Salty Shutter - $4,900
12 - 14 Hour Photography Packages
Around 35% of Sydney wedding photographers offer larger single-day wedding packages with 12 or more consecutive hours coverage. Only a handful are among Sydney's best photographers and after all, it's a long time to be at ones best creatively.
The average cost of 12+ hour wedding photography packages in Sydney is between $3,400 - $4,990. Nearly all wedding photographers that offer a basic 12 hour package of $4,800 or more are award winners and/or well published in prominent wedding magazines & blogs.
The 12 hour wedding photography package comes in two main varieties. The basic package which includes high-resolution images on a USB and the “all inclusive” package that is offered with a wedding album. The price range for basic 12 hour packages without a wedding album start at $1,175 and go up to $8,460. With a difference of more than $7,000, this is widest price range of all basic packages on the market.
Sydney photographers that offer 12 hour wedding packages include:
- Perfect Moment Photography - $2,650
- The Paper Fox - $3,600
- Fiona + Bobby Photography - $4,550
With no formal standardisation of photography packages across the wedding industry, the range of combinations into which extras are packaged varies widely. Inclusions that are sometimes priced into Sydney wedding photography packages are; a 2nd photographer, a wedding album, an engagement shoot, additional hours of coverage and wedding videos.
Bear in mind it's usually the quality of photography you'll be delighted with the day after your wedding. So when deciding on which wedding photographer is right for you, try to avoid comparing photography packages by price. No amount of shiny extras can replicate the delight of receiving a collecting of wedding images you absolutely love.
How wedding photography packages are changing
In 2022, wedding photography packages in Sydney are becoming more streamlined with most photographers now including just the basics in their standard packages. Typically, you get a specified number of hours coverage on your wedding day with one photographer and a set of high resolution images. This basic offering makes it easier for customers to compare wedding packages based on price.
A result of basic wedding photography packages becoming standardised in the industry, is that fewer photographers now offer wedding albums as a standard package inclusion. It's particularly uncommon to see albums included in lower priced photography packages. Even amongst the best wedding photographers in Sydney albums are mostly a package add on, although with these photographers the purchase of an album is often a condition of your booking.
The last two years have seen a noticeable increase in the availability of elopement photography packages right across Australia. Wedding photographers in Sydney have responded to changing consumer demand and now regularly offer smaller wedding packages as part of their standard offerings. Elopement wedding photographers work in a different environment to larger weddings hence we recommend picking a specialist elopement photographer if you're planning on running into the sunset.
Pre wedding photography packages have also become more prevalent in recent years as more and more couples opt for pre-wedding adventure sessions or engagement shoots.
Booking your preferred wedding photography package
Ready to find & book a wedding photographer? Competition for the best Sydney wedding photographers is stiff with most booking out 12 months in advance. We recommend enquiring early and share a little about yourselves & your wedding along with your enquiry.
To increase your chances of booking your preferred wedding photographer say what you love about their work when you enquire. If your preferred wedding photographer offers packages priced a little out of your budget don't be shy to ask whether they can make a package to suit. Photographers prefer this approach rather than requesting a discount.
Need help finding your ideal wedding photography package? Shoot us an email, we're always happy to assist.