How Much Does Wedding Photography Cost in Ireland?
If you’ve started looking for a wedding photographer, you’ve probably noticed that prices can vary quite a bit. It can be difficult to work out what’s a realistic budget, especially when every package includes something slightly different.
Some cover a few hours, others stay until the first dance. Some include an album, while others offer digital photographs only. And photography with full wedding film coverage is a different comparison again.
Here’s a straightforward guide to understanding the prices and finding the right fit for your day.
What should you budget for wedding photography?
As a starting point, One Fab Day’s Irish wedding budget guide lists €2,000–€4,000 for photography. It’s a useful planning range, rather than a fixed price or a guarantee of what every collection includes. Read One Fab Day’s budget guide.
For comparison, it helps to think about three broad budget levels. These are a guide to organising your search, rather than official industry categories.
Lower budgets and shorter coverage: around €700–€1,500
At this budget, check the number of hours carefully. A ceremony and portrait collection can be a lovely fit for a small wedding, but it won’t necessarily cover the morning preparations or evening celebrations.
For context, some Irish photographers advertise short wedding coverage starting at €700. That illustrates why a starting price shouldn’t automatically be compared with a full-day collection. Example of published coverage options.
Price alone doesn’t tell you how experienced someone is. Look through complete wedding galleries and ask exactly what’s included.
Mid-range budgets: around €2,000–€4,000
This is the range identified in One Fab Day’s budget guide and a useful starting point when planning for full-day photography.
Within it, compare the details. Does coverage finish when you sit down for dinner, or continue to your first dance? Is an album included? Will there be one photographer or more?
Two similarly priced collections can offer quite different things.
Premium budgets: €4,000 and above
Above that planning range, look closely at what the additional investment gives you. A proposal might include extended coverage, additional photographers, bespoke albums or a particular photographer whose work you especially love.
Check whether film is included too. A combined photography and film collection should be compared with other combined services.
Whatever your budget, choose work you connect with and someone you feel comfortable having around you throughout the day.
Why do wedding photography prices vary?
The time covered on the day
“Full day” can mean different things. Ask for a clear start and finish point so you know which parts of your wedding will be photographed.
The work before and afterwards
Your photographer’s work includes planning, selecting photographs, editing and preparing your finished gallery. If an album is included, there’s a design process too.
The people involved
A collection with one photographer has a different scope from one with two photographers or a photography and film team. Consider what your plans need, particularly if you’re getting ready in separate locations.
Albums and other finished pieces
Check whether the price includes digital photographs only, a wedding album or additional albums for your parents. If you want an album, including it in your comparison from the beginning makes the overall cost clearer.
Where does McGlade Photography & Film fit?
Our Photography Collection is €2,800, placing it within the €2,000–€4,000 planning range above.
We’ve built it around telling the full story of your wedding, with time for the people and moments that matter, and an album to enjoy afterwards.
It includes:
• Photography from morning preparations through to the first dance
• Ceremony coverage, drinks reception and candid guest photographs
• Family photographs and relaxed couple portraits
• Approximately 500–700 individually edited photographs
• A private online gallery to view, download and share
• A First Look selection within around 48 hours
• A short cinematic Vertical Wedding Film, created for your phone and social media
• A customisable 12 × 8 inch Italian Storybook Wedding Album, designed using your favourite photographs
Our approach is relaxed. We’ll give you guidance when you need it, but we don’t want you disappearing from your guests for hours. There’s room for beautiful, creative photographs and time to enjoy the wedding you’ve planned.
The album matters to us too. Handmade for us in Italy, it gives your photographs a place in your home where you can return to them together.
What if we want photography and wedding film?
Our Photography & Film Collection is €4,200.
It includes everything in the Photography Collection, alongside full cinematic film coverage:
• A cinematic wedding highlights film
• Full ceremony film
• Full speeches
• A wedding film teaser
• Drone coverage where conditions and venue permissions allow
The short Vertical Wedding Film included with photography gives you a moving snapshot of the day. The combined collection adds the fuller film coverage, including your ceremony and speeches.
One small team creates the photographs and films together, with a shared approach to the day.
You can book photography first and enquire about upgrading later, subject to the film team still being available for your date.
What should we ask before booking?
Before deciding, make sure you know:
• When coverage begins and ends
• Who will be there on the day
• What photographs, films and albums you’ll receive
• Whether travel or any other charges apply
• The delivery times and payment schedule
Ask to see a complete wedding gallery too. It will help you understand how the photographer captures the whole day, alongside the portraits that first caught your eye.
Let’s hear about your wedding
If you like natural photographs, a little creativity and an approach that lets you enjoy being with your favourite people, we’d love to hear your plans.
Send us your date, venue and a little about the day you’re imagining. We’ll check availability and talk you through the collections.