The average cost of an STL wedding and how to find your perfect photographer

You and your significant other have found some photographers you would like to shoot your wedding, but you don’t know if you can trust their prices. Maybe their photos look good, but they have a questionable high price. Well, it’s actually pretty simple to determine if they’re the right photographer for you and your wallet.

In 2020, a two-hour wedding photoshoot in St. Louis will be expected to make you pay on average around $1,256. On average a one-hour wedding shoot will cost $785 and a four-hour shoot will cost $2,199. So set your budget and get to picking your perfect photographer, because it may take a while.

You need to figure out what style of photos you want, and how much you are willing to pay for that certain style or extra benefits offered.

Figure out whether you only need the photographer for a limited time or the entire day. Last but not least, figure out when you need to book them. 9-10 months in advance is a good number, but if you are paying a premium price for a true professional, you may want to book at least a year in advance.

So with all that taken into account, you have your final price. Reflect on who you have chosen. Will you have to book very far in advance? Will they take photos for the entire day, or a few hours? Are you getting extras and the style you want in your photos? Are you happy with their price? Once you find a photographer that fits these areas, you found your perfect photographer!

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Next comes the harder part, fitting your photographer budget with the budget of the rest of your wedding.

Food, alcohol, dj, venue, pastor, these all come to concern when you budget your wedding. In STL, you have so many good venues to choose from and it can be hard to find one that you think is the perfect location. Depending on the style of photos you want, you might want a place with lots of natural light. You should also pick somewhere you think fits you, your partner, and your wedding.

Next, food and drinks, most likely alcohol for the adults and virgin drinks for the kids if there are any. And food can be somewhat complicated as this includes your cake, which can cost a lot of money. Food is also a touchy topic, especially if there are kids at the wedding. If there are no kids, you can go for something more fancy or something you think most adults will like. If there are kids, something like barbecue is actually good at a wedding, and most will cater to weddings.

A DJ can also be a great part of a wedding, and you need to find a DJ that will come to your wedding for a good price and has good taste. If you and your significant other have a certain song you bonded over, it’s a very good idea to recommend that song to your DJ during the dance or throughout the day.

A priest, rabbi, or minister is also a very concerning topic, as you need someone who follows your religion. Your religion can also influence the food, drinks, and venue, as your wedding may be held in a place of worship.

Once you have all this figured out and planned, you are well on your way to your perfect wedding!