Last updated : 26th January 2026

What to look for and what to avoid when choosing and researching Wedding Photographers in the UK.

Things to look for with a Professional and Trusworthy Wedding Photographer:

• Check for reviews - remember that all review systems can be manipulated but Google reviews have always been a good base guide so look up the photographer on a google search and see their reviews

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• Check the contact details page on the photographers website make sure they show an actual photographers name and address / contact details, if not you may be dealing with a company that outsources the photography to other people

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• Check the age of the website itself using https://who.is/ , paste the photographers web address in there and see how old the site is and who owns it, compare this info to what they tell you.

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• Look at galleries and a range of different weddings and work across social media sites for the photographer - if your unsure of anything then investigate further using reverse image searches etc - remember fake wedding photographers often on social media will set up very convincing pages to scam people out of deposits - the photos they use will more often than not be stolen and this is easily spotted with a google lens or reverse image search.

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• When approaching the photographer ask if they are fully insured and if they have backup equipment

• If there is still uncertainly schedule a chat via phone or whatsapp to speak with them directly.

Things to AVOID with a wedding photography:

• Avoid any photographer who does not have an acutal name and a contact number on their site or just uses generic company area names like Teesside Wedding Photographers / Newcastle Wedding Photographers etc and forms for contact without giving out their own info.

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• Check that if your using a company they are not outsourcing the work to amateur photographers/students etc as they may not perform to the same standard and certainly wont have the same investment in making sure your do goes smoothly

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• Check the photographer has insurance personal idenmnity and public liability - without this some venues may refuse them access ( responsible venues now check this )

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• Avoid using a friend with a camera/phone unless your not really bothered if your day is captured properly! The camera is just a tool its the Photographer and their experience that make the photos.

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• Choose your own photographer - their are many unregulated practices in the wedding industry and whilst venues/fayres etc will all recommend photographers they dont actually vet them and wont be responsible if anything does go wrong. Most wedding fayres / directories and similar do no checks at all into the legality of the photographers they promote and these relationships are purely financial. There is nothing wrong with looking at suppliers recommended by venues ( some will be excellent ) but if they try to force them upon you be wary.

So how much does a good Wedding Photographer charge in the UK ?

The answer to this lies in many parts. Wedding Photographers Experience - A more experienced photographer will charge more than a new starter as they are charging for more than just operating a camera and the whole skill of helping orchestrating the day and making sure everything goes to plan - as well as considering the amount and cost of equipment the more experienced tog has to pay for.

Wedding Location - A photographer in the North East will be able to charge much less than a London Photographer simply to down to the cost of living and expenses - it can also be cheaper to get a photographer from the North to travel to a venue in the South.

Wedding Photography Package - More Hours , Albums and extras all add to the cost. typically a charge of £100-150 per hour is around the norm for the North of the country - adding in albums etc can add up to £500 plus depending on the quality. Remember to also consider the time of editing and admin/advertising/office costs etc in the cost - the Wedding Photographer does not make £100 per hour - a 10 hour wedding involves around 20 hours of editing and admin time so a £1000 wedding is for 30 hours and then factor in cost of equipment transport clothing etc and it comes in at closer to £25 per hour this is also then subject to tax.

Wedding Photography Costs at different Times of Year and Days - As can be found in many industries booking a wedding and all its suppliers can be cheaper off peak , in wedding terms this means winter and weekdays ( excluding friday ) will be cheaper.

So the answer to the above questions how much is a Wedding Photographer can be answered above but I would summise that as a ball park figure take the number of hours of coverage your expecting and multiply that by 100, Without adding any extras that will give you an idea. A full day wedding 10 hours at around £1000 can be standard across a lot of good photographers who are full time, insured and experienced. A newbie with no experience working for cash on a weekend can do it for half that price or less, they will have no business to protect, and wont always deliver results or even turn up but that is a chance you take.