How Much Does Hawaii Wedding Photography Cost?

Wedding photography is a way for couples to be able to remember their wedding day and the events that happened through photographs taken by their chosen Hawaii wedding photographer.

Planning a wedding takes research, time, and thorough planning. While it’s important to plan your wedding expenses, you can sometimes find yourself at a loss as to how much you should exactly set aside for certain aspects of your wedding. Many couples especially wonder what a realistic cost is for Hawaii wedding photography. As Hawaii is a popular wedding destination and one of the top wedding locations in the world, planning a wedding in Hawaii can come at a premium. Our guide explains the aspects of wedding photography you need to plan for, and provides you with benchmark values to work with.

1. How much does a wedding photographer cost?

Wedding photography prices in Hawaii vary from $3,000 to $16,000, so allocating within that range with a bit of wiggle room is safe. This allows you to shop for photographers of different styles, locations, and experiences. Hawaii is one of the top worldwide destinations for weddings and a popular vacation spot, so wedding photography, hotels, transportation, and other wedding vendors do come at a higher price compared to other locations in the US. Effective wedding planning and research can help slightly reduce these costs.

2. Does photography style affect pricing?

Hawaii wedding photographer pricing can be influenced by a lot of things, but photography style usually isn’t one of those factors. Wedding photography pricing is commonly affected by demand, experience, and location. Keep in mind that more experienced and in-demand photographers will come with a higher price tag. With careful planning and research, you will be able to find a Hawaii wedding photographer that can deliver your desired style, whether it be bright and airy, or a dramatic photojournalistic style.

3. Are prints included with wedding photography?

Wedding albums and wall art prints are critical as it truly what makes your wedding day memories last forever. Digital files on a hard-drive somwhere do nothing but create anxiety. It is unfortunately to say, many low-end or unprofessional photographs do not provide this for their couples or produce poor quality products due to their lack of experience.

Many experienced weddings photographers will include a wedding album or wall-art in their wedding collections or packages. Sometimes it’s one or the other, while some offer wedding albums and art as an add-on option and not included in their base package.

We strongly recommend setting aside an amount for prints to be able to maximize your wedding photography investment, as you don’t want your wedding images to sit forgotten in your computer or a social media album. Having a tangible wedding album or wall art displayed in your home allows you to recall precious memories and share them with your family friends, and helps make your wedding photography investment all the more worth it. You can ask your wedding photographer about print add-ons as well as it is more than likely that they work with labs who produce high quality prints.

Hawaii Wedding Photography FAQs

When should we book our Hawaii wedding photographer?

Typically you want to start looking for wedding vendors when you have finalized your date and have a venue reserved. Your wedding photographer should be one of the first vendors to start researching, especially if you have a specific style you like or feel connected to. Earlier is always better, especially if you have a specific wedding photographer in mind.

If you plan to use your engagement images for wedding invitations or save the dates, booking your wedding photographer at least 10 months before the wedding is a good idea. Waiting longer increases the risk of your favorite wedding photographers getting booked up, leaving you with your least favorite wedding photographers left. As a rule of thumb, you should look into your wedding photography as soon as you book your date with your chosen Hawaii wedding venue.

Where do we find the right Hawaii wedding photographer and wedding vendors?

If you have friends who have gotten married in Hawaii, you can ask them who they worked with and what their experience was like. Alternatively, wedding photographers with online reviews provide you with plenty of feedback to sift through. Hawaii wedding vendor listings and directories can also point you to the direction of reliable wedding vendors on the island, including wedding photographers in Hawaii. What matters most is being able to see what style a photographer has and to see if it matches what you are looking for.

What is typically included in the wedding photography package?

The wedding photography package will typically contain a number of hours of wedding coverage suited for your wedding, a set number of photographers, and an online gallery. Other inclusions will vary among wedding photographers. Some will offer albums or engagement sessions in the collection, while other wedding photographers will offer them separately as add-ons.

Can we negotiate the package price?

Wedding photographers usually create their wedding collections and packages to take negotiating out of the equation. Wedding photography packages are value packages that allow wedding photographers to provide couples with complete services yet still meet important overhead costs like editing software, insurance, and other unseen business essentials. This is why most wedding photography packages have prices that probably can only be adjusted during certain circumstances.

Wedding portraits at Cafe Julia in Honolulu Hawaii.
Wedding Photography, Videography. DJ and Photobooth by HNL Studios

Do Hawaii wedding photographers offer a payment schedule?

Definitely! Wedding photographers understand that it can get costly, which is why an initial deposit and not a full payment is required to secure your wedding date. After the initial deposit, some Hawaii wedding photographers divide the remaining balance into two or three payments, with the final balance due before the wedding.

Are you looking for a Hawaii wedding photographer for your special day? See how HNL Studios can give you peace of mind knowing your most important memories won't be missed.