The basic charges of a wedding photographer can run from $250 on up to $10,000 or more. Some of this difference involves the package the bride and groom have requested, the location of the shoot and the reputation of the photographer him or herself.

The first portion of packages has to do with the number of prints you would like. The basic packages cover the most important and traditional portions of the wedding, but there are also the option of engagement sets and on location photo sets, which run $250 per event or location extra from the base price usually. Some upgraded packages also feature photo albums for the parents, these usually run an extra $150.

The most basic price of $250 with a new photographer will not cover the cost of insurance, lighting or a back-up camera. These are all considered an upgrade from the very lowest base price. The typical customer is going to want to have the extra camera and back-up equipment as well as professionally edited prints. The most basic package with these options should not be sold for less than $600 per wedding in the beginning. In addition to this, you should charge $300 extra per additional photographer that is requested. This is where a partner or assistant will come in handy.

Some photographers shoot by the hour, at say $100 per hour, while others include a set number of hours within their different packages. Most couples are going to want more than two hours of coverage in most situations, so be weary of these requests, as the two hours may turn into six and you will have to let them know that they will be charged extra for this. You may even want to include the option of staying past your designated time for a reasonable per hour rate.

Another trick of the trade that some established photographers use is split time wedding shoots. This refers to shooting the most important parts of the wedding yourself and then leaving the duties of the reception shots to your assistant. This opens up the main photographer to do several weddings in one day. With this type of arrangement you can give your clients a slight price break of $300 to $600. They will still be getting the highest quality shots where it counts most. The reception is vastly easier to shoot as it is mostly freehand open shots with little set-up or preparation involved.

Another package option you may want to include is color and developing options. These include sets in black & white, sepia, or the technique of black & white with various painted touch-ups. These are generally considered options and you can charge a small fee for the extra black & white and sepia prints, The paint touch-up photos is a technique that actually takes a bit of time to accomplish, as some photographers literally go in with a paintbrush and do the work themselves.

Read more about this in our Breaking Into and Succeeding as A Wedding Videographer and Photographer eGuide.