Hey, I'm Andy, a Wellington wedding photographer. If you're trying to work out what a wedding photographer costs in New Zealand, here's a straight answer, including my own prices. My collections are $3,250 and $5,500, and everything they include is on my pricing page.
I've taken the questions couples actually type into Google and answered each one below, so you can compare quotes on the things that matter.
How much is a wedding photographer in NZ?
It depends mostly on how many hours you book and what comes with them. Bark, the quote-comparison site, lists Wellington wedding photographers at $1,200 to $2,800, with an average of $1,650 (checked October 2026).
Treat that as a rough guide. A quote only means something once you know how many hours it covers, how many edited photos you get and how long you wait for them.
My two collections sit above that range because they cover a full wedding day:
- Essential, $3,250: 8 hours of coverage and your full edited gallery within 72 hours.
- Complete, $5,500: 14+ hours of coverage, everything in Essential, and a sneak peek within 24 hours.
All my prices include GST.
What do the Essential and Complete collections include?
Essential ($3,250) covers most of a wedding day:
- 8 hours of coverage on the day
- Your full edited gallery within 72 hours
- AI-enhanced editing
- An online gallery with downloads
- A pre-wedding consultation
- An optional 30-minute pre-wedding shoot
Complete ($5,500) is for couples who want the whole day, from getting ready to the last dance:
- 14+ hours of coverage
- Everything in Essential
- An extended pre-wedding shoot
- A venue scouting session
- A sneak peek within 24 hours
The 72-hour gallery is the part couples tend to notice. You're sharing your photos while everyone is still talking about the day, rather than waiting weeks. You can see the two side by side on my pricing page, and what a day with me looks like on my Wellington wedding photography page.
How much do photographers charge per hour in NZ?
Wedding photographers usually price by package rather than by the hour, because the time behind the camera is only part of the job. Editing, gallery delivery, consultations and planning are all wrapped into the price.
If you want to compare on an hourly basis, divide the package price by the hours of coverage:
- Essential: $3,250 for 8 hours is about $406 an hour
- Complete: $5,500 for 14 hours is about $393 an hour
Those hourly figures include the editing and delivery, not just the shooting. When you line up hourly rates from different photographers, check they include the same things. Is there a minimum number of hours? Is editing included? Is travel extra? If you're not sure how many hours your day needs, my wedding photography timeline guide has sample 8-hour and 14-hour days.
What is a cheap price for a wedding photographer?
On Bark's figures, the lower end of the Wellington market is around $1,200. A lower price can be the right call, especially for a short ceremony or a very small wedding.
Before you book on price alone, ask every photographer the same questions:
- How many hours of coverage does the price include?
- Roughly how many edited photos will we get?
- How long until we have the full gallery?
- Is travel to our venue included?
- What happens if you're sick on the day?
That last one matters. If I can't make it, I have a network of trusted Wellington photographers who can step in, at no extra cost to you.
If your budget is tight, I'd rather you booked fewer hours with a photographer whose work you love than a full day with someone you're unsure about. If you're planning an elopement or a small wedding, have a look at my elopement photography page and tell me what you have in mind. I'll put together a quote that fits.
Is 300 photos enough for a wedding?
For a short ceremony, family photos and a few portraits, 300 well-edited photos can tell the whole story. For a full day, with getting ready, the ceremony, portraits, speeches and the dance floor, you'll usually want more. My full-day galleries are usually 400 to 800+ edited photos.
More isn't automatically better, though. A gallery of strong, varied photos beats a huge one full of near-duplicates. The best test is to ask any photographer for a full gallery from a recent wedding, not just their highlights. I'm happy to send you one.
What do wedding photography add-ons cost?
These are the add-ons I offer, and the prices are fixed:
- Second shooter, $650: worth it for 80+ guests, or when your ceremony and reception are in different places.
- Travel, $1,500: for weddings outside Wellington. Travel around greater Wellington, the Hutt Valley and Porirua is included. Send me your venue and I'll confirm what applies before you book.
- SpotMyPhotos, $500: guests scan a code and find every photo they appear in.
- Wedding video, $4,250: a full-day 4K cinematic highlight reel, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks. Added to Essential that's $7,500, or $9,750 with Complete. More on my wedding videography page.
Booking photo and video with one person means one plan and one point of contact on the day.
How do deposits and payments work?
A deposit, usually 30% of your collection, secures your date, and the balance is due before your wedding. I take bank transfer, credit or debit card, and Afterpay, which splits the cost into four interest-free instalments.
How much does a wedding cost in NZ?
Photography is one line in a much bigger budget. I've broken down the whole thing, from venue and catering to the cake, with three sample budgets, in my guide to the average wedding cost in NZ. If the venue is the big number, my guide to affordable Wellington wedding venues has some ideas.
How to compare wedding photographer quotes
Price matters, but so does fit. Look at full galleries, check the hours and delivery time, and make sure you like the person, because they'll be with you all day. My guide on how to choose your Wellington wedding photographer goes through the questions to ask.
I photograph weddings right across the region, from the city to the Kapiti Coast, the Hutt Valley and the Wairarapa. See the areas I cover.
Want a price for your date? Check the full details on my pricing page, then get in touch with your date and venue.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a wedding photographer cost in NZ?
- Bark, the quote-comparison site, lists Wellington wedding photographers at $1,200 to $2,800, with an average of $1,650. My own collections are $3,250 for 8 hours and $5,500 for 14+ hours, both including GST and your full edited gallery within 72 hours.
- How much do wedding photographers charge per hour in NZ?
- Wedding photographers usually price by package rather than by the hour, because editing and delivery are part of the job. Divide the package by the hours to compare: my Essential collection works out at about $406 an hour and Complete at about $393 an hour, editing included.
- What is a cheap price for a wedding photographer?
- On Bark's figures the lower end of the Wellington market is around $1,200. A lower price can suit a short ceremony, but check how many hours and edited photos it covers, how long the gallery takes, and whether travel is extra before you compare it with a full-day quote.
- Is 300 photos enough for a wedding?
- For a short ceremony or a small wedding, 300 well-edited photos can tell the whole story. For a full day I usually deliver 400 to 800+ edited photos. A tight gallery of strong, varied images is worth more than a big one full of near-duplicates.
- How much are wedding photography add-ons?
- My add-ons are a second shooter for $650, travel outside Wellington for $1,500, SpotMyPhotos guest photo matching for $500, and a full-day wedding video for $4,250. Travel around greater Wellington, the Hutt Valley and Porirua is included.
