Pricing for Wedding Photography in New Orleans
My wedding photography pricing starts at $1,675, and on average my couples spend about $3,200. Weekday elopements start at $650, and intimate weddings / micro-weddings start at $1,175. For complete pricing details, please contact me using the form below, by email, or by calling or texting me at 504-453-8029.
I offer packages that include ample hours of coverage for larger events along with beautiful album options, as well as packages that are compatible with smaller budgets, including special options just for couples who wish to elope in the New Orleans area or who are having a very small event that only require a few hours of coverage time.
And although I have an assortment of packages that have been designed based on my experience with what works best for most weddings, custom packages can be created to accommodate the special needs of events that do not readily fit with my regular packages.
I photograph weddings throughout the New Orleans metro area, the northshore, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, the MS Gulf Coast, and other parts of Mississippi such as Hattiesburg, Jackson, and Picayune with no travel fees. I am also available for engagement and bridal portrait sessions, with or without a wedding booking, and I am also experienced with photographing marriage proposals.
All packages include the high-resolution JPEG images with a copyright release (for non-commercial use), which means you do not have to order your prints from me. Wedding day images for full packages are delivered on a USB flash drive.
Also included in most of my packages is special type of archival optical media called M-DISC, which has a much longer projected lifespan than standard writable optical media or flash drives. Though most people these days don't have an optical drive for their computer, this disc is still ideal for long-term "forget about it until you need it" off-site backup storage of wedding day images. For more information about properly storing and preserving your images, see this article.
Though on average I usually book about 8-10 months in advance, even if your wedding is just a few months (or a few weeks!) away it still doesn't hurt to inquire, as there's a possibility I may have the date open by chance.
Wedding Photography Package Details
The following is a list of the various services and products that are included in or can be added to my wedding photography packages, and a brief description of each.
Bridal Portrait Session
This is a portrait session that is typically done a month or two before the wedding, with the bride in her dress. Usually an image from this session is selected by the bride to have an enlargement printed and framed for display at the reception, but this is certainly not a rule... sometimes the bride just wishes to have a wider variety of portraits of herself in her dress than the wedding day typically allows. The session takes place at a location of the bride's choosing, such as a park or the couple's wedding venue. Occasionally, in the case of destination couples who aren't able to make it into town earlier or otherwise aren't able to do the portrait session a month or two before the wedding date, the bridal portrait will be done just a few days before the wedding.
Engagement Portrait Session
This portrait session typically takes place well in advance of the wedding, most often outdoors such as in a park or the French Quarter, with the couple in casual clothes. Most couples do their engagement portrait soon after booking their photographer, as one of the most popular uses of these images is for save-the-date cards. Again, as with the bridal portrait session, occasionally the engagement portrait will take place the week of the wedding.
Post-Wedding Portrait Session
Sometimes referred to as a "day-after session" (even though it's not necessarily done the day after the wedding), this portrait session features the couple dressed back up in their full wedding attire.
Although we can certainly do these kinds of portraits on the wedding day, in some cases the logistics and timing of your particular event might make it difficult or stressful to capture the variety of portraits that you'd like to have, so this session affords us the opportunity to do a greater variety of portraits in a more relaxed manner, and in a different area than the wedding venue if desired.
Wedding Day Coverage
This is the amount of time we'll spend photographing your wedding. The time runs continuously once coverage begins (including when traveling between locations, and grabbing a bite to eat during the reception). If a break in coverage of two hours or more is needed (for example, a morning or early afternoon ceremony, with an evening reception), the cost for this is $100/hr.
On average, you should expect about 100-200 images per hour of coverage to be captured (a bit more if you have a second photographer). Admittedly, this is a very broad range, as the number can vary significantly depending on the specific dynamics of an event. As examples of some of these variables, during a particularly action-packed portion of the day, such as a second line parade through the French Quarter, photographs will be taken at a higher rate, while a quieter time, such as a formal seated dinner, will yield significantly fewer photos. But there's never any predetermined limit as to how many pictures will be captured.
For coverage of just the ceremony and reception, four to five hours is typically needed. If "getting ready" coverage is included as well, five to seven hours will likely be about right. But of course this can vary depending on a number of factors, such as whether or not there are multiple locations that we'll need to travel between, if you are doing a first look, how long the ceremony and reception are, and if you are having a second line parade.
If you are not sure how much coverage you'll need, you can just estimate it for now just to get the date secured, and add time later if needed as the wedding day plans come into focus.
Two Photographers
Having two photographers will, in most cases, enable simultaneous coverage of both parties getting ready, help with detail shots, provide simultaneous multiple angles during the ceremony and key moments of the reception, and broader coverage of the party phase of the reception.
A second photographer is almost always useful to have, in some cases very much so, but isn't always essential, so if you are not sure as to whether or not your wedding needs two photographers, I'm happy to discuss this with you to help you decide.
Cloud Download of Image Files
I provide a direct link for you to download the high resolution print-ready JPEG files of these images.
Password-Protected Gallery
This is where your images can be viewed and professional-quality prints ordered. The gallery is password-protected so that only those friends and family with whom you share the password will have access. In addition, my gallery system includes a special feature that allows the couple to designate certain images as private (such as some of your "getting ready" shots), which hides them from view for other visitors.
You can also use this gallery for making your album selections. The gallery remains active for 6 months (though in most cases I can extend it upon request if more time is needed).
USB Flash Drive
For full wedding packages, wedding day high resolution print-ready JPEG files are supplied on a USB flash drive.
M-Disc
This is a special type of long-lasting archival DVD or BluRay Disc that is intended for use as an emergency "backup of last resort", and should be stashed away in a safety deposit box or at a relative's home.
Copyright Release
This is a document that allows for non-commercial use without restriction (printing, social media sharing, etc.). Some labs will require this when you are having prints made.
Coffee Table Book
The Coffee Table Book has thin (but laminated) pages and a fully printed cover. For more information, including photos of this album, see this page.
Flush Mount Album
The Flush Mount Album has thicker cardstock pages and a leather (or other material) cover. For more information, including photos of this album, see this page.
Duplicate Book or Album
This is an additional exact copy of your Coffee Table Book or Flush Mount Album.
Rehearsal Dinner Coverage
This coverage consists primarily of candids of the rehearsal dinner (or welcome reception) while guests mingle and talk, and photographs of the speeches and reactions.