How to Price Your Wedding Photography Packages for Profit (Without Underselling Yourself)
- John Gates
- Aug 21
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 18
Pricing your wedding photography packages can be one of the most difficult parts of running your business — especially when you’re just starting out or trying to stay competitive. Many photographers undercharge, hoping to win more clients, only to find themselves working long hours for very little profit.
But the truth is: your pricing should reflect your skill, effort, and the full cost of doing business — not just what the market “seems” to charge.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to confidently price your wedding photography packages so you:
Cover all your costs
Pay yourself a fair wage
Prepare for tax and VAT
Build a sustainable and profitable business
Why Getting Your Pricing Right Is So Important
Pricing isn’t just about income — it affects:
Your cash flow (can you afford to reinvest?)
Your professional positioning (too cheap = perceived as low value)
Your tax and VAT obligations
Your ability to scale your business or outsource editing
Underselling yourself might fill your calendar, but it could leave you burnt out and broke.
Step 1: Know Your Costs
Before you set your pricing, you need to know exactly how much it costs to run your business.
Fixed Annual Costs:
These are expenses you’ll pay whether you shoot 5 weddings or 50:
Website hosting & SEO: £300–£1,000
Insurance: £200–£500
Software subscriptions (Lightroom, gallery delivery): £200–£500
Gear maintenance/replacement: £500–£1,500
Accountant/Bookkeeper: £300–£1,000
Training & CPD: £200–£500
Per-Wedding Variable Costs:
Travel: £50–£200
Accommodation (if needed): £100–£200
Album production (if included): £100–£400
Assistant or second shooter: £150–£500
Editing time (your time or outsourcing): £200–£500
Add these up and you’ll often find that each wedding costs you £500–£1,000 to deliver before you even pay yourself.
Step 2: Factor in Your Time
You’re not just there for the 10–12 hours on the wedding day. Here's a breakdown of your time commitment per wedding:
Initial enquiry & sales call: 1 hour
Admin & contracts: 1–2 hours
Engagement shoot (if included): 2–3 hours
Wedding day: 10–12 hours
Travel: 2–4 hours
Culling, editing, and delivery: 15–20 hours
Album design & revisions: 2–4 hours
That’s easily 30–40 hours per wedding, even if you don’t include marketing time.
Now ask: What is your hourly rate goal?
If you want to earn £35 per hour, and each wedding takes 35 hours, that’s £1,225 — just for your time. Add that to your delivery costs and overheads, and your minimum price per wedding could easily be £1,750+.
Step 3: Don’t Forget Tax and VAT
Many photographers forget that not all the money you earn is yours.
Example:
If you charge £2,000 per wedding and do 40 weddings per year:
Gross income: £80,000
Less expenses (est. £20,000): £60,000 profit
On this, you’ll need to pay:
Income Tax (or Corporation Tax if limited company)
National Insurance
Possibly VAT if your turnover exceeds £90,000
VAT Trap: If you charge £2,500 per wedding and shoot 40 weddings, that’s £100,000 in turnover. You’ll be over the VAT threshold and must start adding 20% VAT — or take a hit to your income if your pricing isn’t VAT-ready.
For more on this, read our article: VAT for Wedding Photographers
Step 4: Build Packages That Work for You (and Your Clients)
Instead of just offering “8 hours of coverage” and “full-day packages,” think in terms of value and outcome.
Example Package Structure:
📷 Classic Collection – £2,000
Full-day coverage (prep to first dance)
400+ edited images
Private online gallery
📷 Signature Collection – £2,500
All of the above, plus:
Engagement shoot
Premium 30-page album
£100 print credit
📷 Luxury Collection – £3,200
Two photographers
Pre-wedding shoot + full-day coverage
Deluxe album upgrade
Slideshow and USB keepsake box
Make sure your pricing clearly reflects increasing value — not just more hours.
Step 5: Price for Profit, Not Survival
Once you’ve built your packages, make sure they’re not just covering your costs — but also delivering the profit margin you need to reinvest, save, and grow your business.
A healthy target:
Aim for at least 40–50% gross profit after covering your per-wedding costs.
Real-World Example: Profit Breakdown
Let’s look at a wedding priced at £3,000.
Cost Element | Amount |
Travel & accommodation | £150 |
Editing & software | £250 |
Album production | £350 |
Second shooter | £250 |
Overheads allocation (website, insurance, etc.) | £200 |
VAT (if registered, absorbed) | £500 |
Your time (35 hrs @ £35/hr) | £1,225 |
Profit Left | £75 😬 |
If you’re absorbing VAT and haven’t priced correctly, your profit could vanish. Don't forget, the above example hasn't factored in personal tax (Income Tax or dividend tax if Ltd Company).
Final Tips
Don’t copy others blindly – what works for a hobbyist or part-time photographer won’t sustain a full-time career.
Review your pricing annually – especially after VAT registration, cost increases, or portfolio growth.
Communicate your value – if you’re charging premium rates, your website, brand, and client experience must reflect that.
Get financial help – work with an accountant to build a simple pricing & tax model that works for your goals.
Final Thoughts
Pricing is more than just picking a number. It’s about running a sustainable, profitable business — without burning out or undercharging. Once you understand your costs, time, and tax obligations, you’ll be able to price your wedding photography packages with confidence and clarity.
Need Help Running the Numbers?
At Duo Accountants, we specialise in helping wedding photographers and creative businesses price correctly, stay tax-compliant, and build profitable businesses that grow with them.
Book a free discovery call and let us help you build a pricing model that protects your income and your passion.
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