Hello to the newly engaged couples reading this! It’s time to get that wedding planning underway. We understand where you're coming from: you said "YES!", you put on the ring and you started dreaming about your big day...You want to know how much of your budget should pay for certain vendors and you'd like to know some average costs to at least give you a reference point since you're feeling a bit swamped. At this point, you’re probably wondering about wedding photography costs. The saying goes: first comes love, then comes marriage. But it’s really more like: first comes love then comes engagement, then comes a budget, setting a date and location, finding vendors…. Then a few months to a few years later comes marriage. One of the most important items to check off your list while planning for the big day is finding your wedding photographer. First, you’ll find a photographer with a style, approach, and vibe that you like. Then, your next question will be about price. When it comes to photography, you want to know that the average cost of wedding photography in Montreal is but you see such a huge variation from artist to artist that you're now even more confused than when you started. Though it’s different for every wedding and every photographer, we can give you some insight into what impacts your final wedding photography cost. Let’s start!
Why and How The Photographer You Choose Impacts Your Wedding Photography Cost
If there’s only one thing from your wedding that will hold its value, it’s photography. If you’re unsure about the cost of wedding photography, just think about it like this. You’re not just paying someone to take pictures that document your wedding day. You’re investing in capturing portraits and moments that will be oohed and awed at by generations to come. We’re creating heirlooms with you. Wedding photography truly is an investment. Especially when you hire an experienced and talented photographer like the ones at Luxury Moment Photography.
When hiring a photographer from Luxury Moment Photography, you’re getting the peace of mind of some very talented and some of the best wedding photographers in Montreal. As your wedding photographers and new besties, we’ll ease you through every step of the way to your big day. We’re also dedicated to making sure your photos reflect who you are as a couple. Plus, effortlessly show the vibe and story of your wedding. To be honest, we’re not just another wedding vendor. When you’re investing with us for your photographs, we’re investing in our relationship with you. This is how we’re able to tell your unique story in photos, and why our photography has an elevated level of personal intimacy.
Key Factors that Determine the Cost of Your Wedding Photography
This should give you a little bit of perspective about the cost of wedding photography and what you can get for your investment. However, that’s just the big picture stuff. There are so many other details about your wedding that define the final cost of your package.
Wedding Date
These days, it seems like the Wedding season is year-round, right? But the most popular days for weddings are still Saturdays from May to October. Having your wedding on a Saturday in high season or a Sunday during long weekends can up your wedding photography cost. Consider having your wedding during the off-season, on a Sunday, or even on a weekday. If you’re not worried about traditions, why not try a weekday in the off-season? Your traditional relatives probably won’t mind, we promise. Plus, the special pricing that comes with Friday and Winter weddings is worth it.
Coverage
Wedding days can be long days. By the time you get ready in the morning, go through the plethora of family photos, travel from point A to point B, C, and even D and then sit down for a tasty yet lavish dinner you've probably put at least 10 if not 12 hours into the day already: oh and not to mention that the party hasn't even started yet! If you are looking for full-day coverage, you will want to look for packages that are at least 10 hours in length if not 12. Some packages, like the ones we offer, are flexible in terms of full-day coverage while others may require you to purchase over-time hours. Make sure to know the price of over-time hours before you secure your booking as this is very important! Contact us to find out if you are planning for an intimate wedding and you don't need a full day wedding photography service. If you are also unsure about how many hours you will need, just reach out to us, we'd be more than happy to assist you in any way we can.
Location
Location, location, location! Having a destination wedding? You may need to pay for your photographer’s travel and accommodation expenses. Even being far from the closest big city can add to your final cost. Most wedding photographers charge a fee for weddings a certain distance from their home base. Fees for photography at some locations can add to your price too. Don’t forget about photography permits and licensing. This is a big one if you’re planning on getting shots in a government or commercially owned property. If you are planning a local wedding and looking for a Montreal Wedding Venues, check out our guide here.
Day-of Details
Think about your day and what your expectations are when making your budget. Depending on what you want for coverage, you may need more than one photographer. More photographers are an additional cost but are really worth it if you have a lot of guests or a large venue. You don’t want any moments left uncaptured! Plus, the more hours of photography you want, the more expensive your package will be. Early morning getting ready shots to a night-time sparkler exit can easily be 10+ hours.
Photography Add-Ons
If you’re like me, you love a good add-on. Fries with that? Yes please, how could I forget! You especially don’t want to forget your wedding photography add-ons when calculating the cost of your wedding photography. Some of the items that will add to your final quote are:
Adding professional prints and physical albums to your package. These will be the photographs your grandbabies will lust over for years to come! This can be prints for framing, bound books, collages, etc.
If you want to add wedding day cinematography on your fabulous wedding.
If you book a photo booth. This can be a total crowd pleaser! Camera, photographer, background, and props all included in the additional price.
An engagement session (Most of our full day wedding day collection comes with a complimentary engagement session). This one is a must! For more info on why an engagement session is crucial, check out our blog post about it here.
Limited Dates available
Ultimately it all comes down to supply and demand, our bookings are based on a first come first serve basis and because weddings are highly localized businesses, and since one photographer cannot attend two events simultaneously. There are only a handful of prime Saturdays in the year. Although you will come across many talented wedding photographers in Montreal, the best ones are consistently referred and booked far in advance due to the reasons above.
3 Tips For Picking The Right Wedding Photographer in Montreal
The number one factor for the cost of your wedding photography will be which photographer you choose! Here are our quick tips to help you find “the one”.
Personality: Do you jive and vibe together? You’ll be spending 8+ hours with your photographer on one of the most important days of your lives. Pick one that you love, not just on paper, but in person too!
Full Body Of Work and Style: Look for full galleries of their previous work. You want to make sure their style of shooting and Photography styles matches what you want. It’s not enough to go off of just one picture or an Instagram profile! Think about the different styles out there, and look for some good combos. What you usually want is a mix of editorial and photojournalistic. Look out for a good spread of effortlessly posed portraits and emotional, candid in-between moments.
Cross-Industry Skills: During your searching, look to see what other industries/mediums photographers work in. At Luxury Moment Photography, our photographers are all well rounded and have unique artistic expertise to bring to the table. And we are also an international award-winning wedding photographer, check out some of our accolades here.
Level of Experience and years in business: At Luxury Moment Photography, we are in the wedding photography and videography business for almost 5 years and we have recently voted the top 10 best wedding photographers in Montreal.
And that is! All of the details discussed above will decide what your package will cost. It’s important to note, however, that every photographer works differently and that a photographer’s pricing is always changing depending on their unique situation and the cost of running their business. If you want a photographer whose talents are average or better than average, it’s reasonable to also assume that you need to be prepared to pay roughly the average rate or more. While there certainly can be some deals to be found when it comes to new talent offering their services at a lower price point in order to build their portfolio, we strongly urge couples to be a wise consumer and consider certain factors when they see a “great deal”..We have to stress though that cheaper does not always mean better. In fact, it’s usually quite the opposite! As mentioned before, your wedding photography is an investment. You get what you put in. At Luxury Moment Photography, we love working with couples who value photography and to create individual packages based on the details, wants, and needs of your day.
If you’re interested in getting a professional, personalized Luxury Moment Photography quote for your wedding photography cost, drop us an email here. We can’t wait to meet and work with you!
Welcome to our Montreal wedding photography blog. Please visit our wedding portfolio here and my engagement portfolio here. We are an international award-winning, published Montreal wedding photographer also specializing in portrait, corporate, maternity and boudoir photography and deeply passionate about destination weddings. We shoot primarily in the Greater Montreal and Toronto area but also love traveling for work! Some destinations we have shot in are Quebec and colorful Mexico as well as California, Las Vegas/Nevada, New Orleans, and Asia. Since 2016, we have shot over 100 weddings and continue to love what we do so very much. When you’re always surrounded by love, happiness, and contagious, happy energy, what’s not to love? We are currently booking for 2021 weddings, so message us soon with any inquiries you may have about your portrait or wedding photography. Contact us here or email us info@Luxurymomentphotography.com.
Much Love,
Luxury Moment Photography