Planning a Twin Cities wedding and trying to pin down photography prices?
I'm Belal, the photographer behind Bespoken Dreams Photography, and I've put together the 2025 Minneapolis Photography Cost Guide to show you exactly what couples in the Twin Cities area are paying, plus smart ways to stretch your budget so you receive the best service for how much you are paying.
Below is the average cost for Minneapolis photographers of the three main budget groups and what they offer. This was averaged from a sample of 14 live Minneapolis/St Paul listings on The Knot and Zola, captured 17 May 2025. Cross-checked against The Knot Real Weddings Study 2024 national average.
Budget
- Solo photographer.
- 6 hours of coverage.
- 400-600 edited images.
$1,800 - $2,400
Best for micro weddings.
Mid-range
- Lead + Second shooter
- 8-10 hours of coverage.
- 600-900 edited images.
$2,500 - $4,000
Best for full-day timelines
Premium
- 2 photographers all day.
- Full-day/12 hours of coverage.
- 900-1,200 edited images.
$4,000 - $6,000
Best for full large guest counts
I go into depth on why photographers cost so much below, and explain how you can save money on your photographer by compromising certain aspects of your big day.
Why do weddings cost so much? 3 major factors
The pricing of wedding photographers is based on several factors. I compiled 3 of the most important and relevant ones for you.
- Professional expertise & years in the game
- Time put into the wedding, the day of the shoot, and after.
- Gear and equipment used by the photographer.
Professional expertise & years in the game
When it comes to hiring a photographer for a wedding, you want to have the most professional person possible who knows what they are doing and can navigate problems, as well as help you pose for photos and create an unforgettable experience for you and your significant other. When considering this, the concept of experience doing weddings is essential. Photographers with more experience and more years doing photography will be better at navigating problems as well as fixing them, so your perfect wedding can happen without any issues.
Photographers who have more experience will also be better at taking precautions like having a backup camera, memory card, and backups of your photos, so it is less likely for these photographers to lose your photos after a wedding. When it comes to the comfort you will have at your wedding, hiring a professional photographer versus a more amateur one will also be felt by you as the couple and the guests due to how they present themselves and how confident they are in their skills.
When it comes to the actual photos, as a photographer, I know that the more pictures I shoot, the better I get at composition, lighting, and the ability to capture moments that occur quickly. Understanding this, more professional photographers have learned how to take professional-grade photos in any lighting conditions, and know how to manipulate the light in any condition to make the photos the best they can be. As someone who has been a photographer for 2 years, I have shot many events, and my ability to capture moments from being on the lookout for them at all times has improved exponentially since my first event, as well as my ability to capture photos with the best lighting possible. I still have a lot of room to grow, but don't we all?
Editing is also another important aspect of the cost of wedding photography that we will get back to, but when it comes to editing photos, professional photographers are better at keeping your gallery concise, which will make the photos look more aesthetically pleasing when you receive them. Amateur photographers also tend to overdo the editing on photos, which makes the photos look very bold and not as soft to the eyes of the viewer, this can be a good thing in some instances but when editing is overdone the photos tend to be less timeless feelings and more harsh on the eyes of the viewer.
AMateur
Professional
Here's an example of photos edited in a more bold, strong way that is seen with more amateur photographers compared to a more light wedding way that is seen by professionals.
The photo on the left is bolder, while the one on the right is more tame and calm, which gives it a more timeless vibe that most wedding photos strive for.
Taking all of this into account, paying for a more experienced photographer to have the comfort that the photos will turn out good, safely, and the experience you receive at your special day is why Twin Cities photographers with over 100+ weddings charge 40-60% more for their services.
Understanding this is also important because if you find a photographer that has experience shooting events, backup equipment and experience editing, but not as much experience shooting weddings as you would like; it could be worth it for you to invest in that photographer rather then paying someone 40% - 60% more for the service.
Time put into the wedding, the day of the shoot, and after.
This is very important to understand, and the process of editing photos is extremely important. When taking photos for a wedding or any other service on a professional level, the photos are taken in a format called RAW. In this format, the photos are more "flat", which is the term most photographers use, meaning the photo does not seem to have depth, and the colors seem bland in a way. According to Wedissimo’s 2023 industry survey, pros spend ≈ 14 hours editing for one wedding. During this process, the photo is edited to look more realistic and is changed to have the artistic vibe that the photographer chooses. When the edits are done, the photo is then exported as JPEGs, which is the normal way most photos in your phone are.
Overall, the editing process is extremely important and is needed by professionals to give you the best-looking photos. To better show the difference between an edited and an unedited photo, I inserted two photos here. The top photo seen on the right is a RAW photo that is unedited. It is very clear to see that the photo is very flat and not as vibrant or attractive when compared to the bottom photo. The bottom photo is also warmer-toned and brighter than the top photo, which are all aspects that editing photos gives you control over. This shows how important the editing process is and how it's important for a photographer to know how to edit photos correctly and in a consistent way.
Understanding the importance of editing and the time it takes to complete an edit of an entire wedding is another major factor in why wedding photographers cost so much. Finding a photographer who can edit photos efficiently and consistently without the premium cost that is found with most professional photographers can be crucial to fitting your budget for your wedding.
RAW File
Edited Photo
Gear and equipment used by the photographer.
The gear and equipment used by photographers are another huge factor in why photographers charge so much for a wedding. I have personally spent over $5,000 on photography equipment, which includes everything from a camera backpack to the editing software used. Understanding that the photographer uses professional equipment that will give you some of the best photos you can take is important to understanding why they cost so much.
Bottom Line: Where Your Wedding-Photography Dollars Really Go
Understanding where your money is going when you hire a photographer for your wedding is important. Knowing the three major factors that vary the prices of wedding photographers is important because you can decide where you would like to compromise or what you would like to pay more for. When it comes to finding a photographer, their professional expertise and experience are very important. It will keep your big day going smoothly as well as keep your photos safe. The next aspect that is important and is needed by your wedding photographer is skills in editing to make sure your photos turn out the best that they can, and to ensure that they keep their timeless look. The final aspect needed from a professional photographer is the professional gear and equipment they must use to again, ensure your photos are safe, as well as keep your big day going smoothly.
If you are looking for a wedding photographer who offers professional–level coverage without the premium price tag?
- I bring years of event-shooting experience and the same attention to detail to weddings.
- Dual cameras, duplicate SD cards, and triple backups guarantee your photos are never at risk.
- I’ve edited more than 10,000 images, so every shot you receive has a timeless, polished look.
I would be happy to shoot your wedding for you for a more budget-friendly price and promise you you will get professional-grade photos.