How Far In Advance Should I Book My Wedding Photographer?

After getting engaged, you’ll no doubt be getting lots of advice on when you should be booking your vendors and other tidbits of information from well-meaning friends and relatives. The conflicting advice you get can sometimes make your head spin! When it comes to wedding photography, how far in advance of your wedding date should you be booking a photographer?

Although it can vary for different locations and customs, the average engagement is about 14 months and the average engaged couple books their photographer nine months before the wedding date. Of course, engagements can be much shorter or longer, depending on the circumstances.

A good rule of thumb is that if your wedding is less than a year away, you should be actively searching for your photographer. If your wedding is less than nine months away, it should be your top priority in your wedding planning!

Why do you need to book your photographer so early? Unlike some other wedding vendors such as florists, tux rentals, caterers, etc., photographers can typically only book one wedding per day. So when the photographer books a popular date, that date is taken and becomes unavailable for other couples. And as you can imagine, the photographers with more experience and a better reputation get booked earlier than others, so if you have a preference for a photographer, don’t wait!

Prime Dates
Prime dates for weddings will vary by locations, but in general, Saturdays are the most popular day to get married. The time of the year can make dates more desirable as well, with most couples preferring the summer and fall months to marry. Make sure to research when the “busy season” is for wedding photographers in your area so you know what dates are likely to book up fastest.

Holidays
Holidays, especially those that are on a Friday or a Monday that afford people an extended weekend are very popular dates and will book quickly. You should also expect that those dates may come at a premium price and be booked extra early, for example, New Year’s Eve.

Vanity Dates
These are dates that have a series of numbers that are catchy, or easy to remember. For example, if you want to get married on February 20, 2020, that is a vanity date, and it may book very quickly. These dates are popular and will book out way in advance if they also happen to fall within the busy season.

Looking for a wedding photographer for your upcoming wedding? Check out our ISPWP directory to find experienced, qualified photographers in your area. Browse the galleries and get inspired!

Photo by Fabio Mirulla, Florence, Italy wedding photographer