A couple books The Breakers in Palm Beach for a November wedding. The venue alone costs $45,000. They have $50,000 total to spend. After the venue, catering, florals, and band, they realize they’ve allocated $1,800 for photography. That’s not going to work.
The average South Florida wedding costs $36,284, and photography typically runs 10–13% of that total — around $3,600 to $4,700 if you’re including both photo and video. But those are averages, and averages hide the real story. What you’ll actually pay depends on where you’re getting married, how long you need a photographer, and what you’re expecting to walk away with.
Here’s what wedding photography actually costs in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties, broken down by what you’re really paying for.
Entry-level photographers charge $1,500 to $2,000. You’re getting shorter coverage — maybe four to six hours — a single shooter, and digital files delivered through an online gallery. No album, no engagement session, no second photographer. This works fine for small weddings, elopements, or couples who just need someone competent to document the day without frills.
Mid-range professionals run $2,500 to $4,500. This is where most South Florida couples land. You get eight hours of coverage, edited high-resolution images, an engagement session, and often the option to add a second shooter or an album. The photographer has experience with local venues, knows how to handle the humidity and sudden storms, and won’t panic when the reception at Ocean Manor Beach Resort (4040 Galt Ocean Dr, Fort Lauderdale) gets moved indoors because of lightning.
High-end and luxury photographers charge $5,000 to $10,000 or more. This tier includes multi-day coverage, multiple photographers, fine art albums, and the kind of polish that comes from shooting hundreds of weddings. If you’re getting married at Mar-a-Lago (1100 S Ocean Blvd, Palm Beach) or The Ritz-Carlton South Beach (1 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach), this is the bracket you’re shopping in. The photographer will already know the security protocols at Mar-a-Lago and won’t waste an hour of your day figuring out where they’re allowed to stand.
Base coverage means six to eight hours of photography. That’s getting ready, the ceremony, formal portraits, and the first few hours of the reception. Most photographers bill extra hours at $250 to $500 per hour depending on their experience level. If your reception runs late or you want coverage of the after-party, that’s additional.
A second photographer costs $400 to $1,000 depending on how many hours you need them. For large weddings — anything over 150 guests — or multi-cultural events with simultaneous activities, a second shooter isn’t a luxury. It’s the difference between getting one angle of the hora and getting both the couple lifted in chairs and the grandparents clapping from the sidelines.
Engagement sessions are either included in mid-tier packages or offered as an add-on for $350 to $800. Popular spots include sunrise at Hollywood Beach, the murals in Wynwood (though you’ll need to pay admission at Wynwood Walls if you want to shoot inside the main area — around $12 to $16 per person), or the riverwalk in downtown Fort Lauderdale. If your photographer has to apply for a commercial permit at a public beach, expect to add $50 to $250 to the cost. Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood both require permits for professional shoots with lighting gear or large groups.
Albums run $400 to $700 for basic designs and smaller sizes. Premium flush-mount albums with custom layouts and parent copies can hit $800 to $2,000 per set. Most couples ordering albums don’t realize how much design work goes into them. A good photographer will spend hours sequencing images, adjusting colors across spreads, and making sure the flow tells the story of the day. Cheap albums look cheap. If you’re spending $4,000 on photography, don’t cheap out on a $300 album.
Wall art and enlargements typically cost $150 to $600 depending on size and framing. A 16×20 canvas of your first dance or a framed print from your ceremony makes sense. Ordering 47 8x10s of random reception shots does not.
Photo booths are separate from photography. A basic open-air setup runs $400 to $800 for three to four hours. The trendy 360-degree video booths that every guest wants to post on Instagram cost $1,000 or more, especially at upscale venues in Miami Beach or Boca Raton.
If you’re getting married at Vista Lago Ballroom in Miami (12800 SW 128th St), your photographer will spend most of the day working indoors under mixed lighting — uplights, chandeliers, and ambient glow from the lakefront windows. That requires off-camera flash and fast lenses to handle low light without grainy images. It’s not harder than shooting a beach wedding, but it’s a different skill set.
A beach wedding at Ocean Manor Beach Resort means dealing with wind, salt air, sand, and the fact that the best light happens at sunrise (when the beach is empty and the light is soft) or during golden hour before sunset (when it’s beautiful but crowded with tourists). Your photographer needs weather-sealed gear and lens hoods unless they want to spend the next week cleaning salt spray out of their equipment.
The Breakers in Palm Beach (One South County Road) has preferred vendor lists, strict policies on where photographers can set up during the ceremony, and ballrooms so large you need a wide-angle lens just to fit the whole room in frame. Couples getting married there typically book longer coverage and add a second shooter because the scale of the venue demands it. You’re also paying for a photographer who’s worked there before and knows which coordinator to check in with, where the best portrait spots are, and how to navigate the logistics without slowing down your timeline.
Here’s what most couples don’t think about until it’s too late — if you book an outside photographer at a venue like The Breakers or Mar-a-Lago, they’ll need liability insurance and may face restrictions on drones or certain equipment. Some venues charge outside vendors a fee just to work there. Ask your photographer if they’ve shot at your venue before. If they haven’t, they’re going to be learning on your wedding day.
Multi-day events cost more. Period. If you’re planning a traditional Indian wedding with mehndi, sangeet, and the ceremony over three days, you’re looking at $7,000 to $15,000 for full coverage with multiple photographers. Same goes for Latin and Caribbean weddings with welcome parties, the ceremony, and a post-wedding brunch. Photographers don’t just show up and click the shutter. They’re managing timelines, coordinating with other vendors, and editing thousands of images afterward.
Cultural and fast-moving ceremonies. Jewish weddings with traditional elements — ketubah signing, badeken, the chuppah ceremony, and the hora — move fast. A photographer who’s never shot a Jewish wedding will miss half the important moments because they don’t know what’s coming next. That experience costs more, and it’s worth it. Many synagogues in Broward and Miami also restrict flash during the ceremony and limit where photographers can stand. An experienced pro already knows the rules at Temple Solel or Temple Beth Am and won’t waste time asking.
Season and weather. Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, with the worst storms hitting August through October. If you’re getting married during that window, you need a photographer with backup plans for sudden downpours, indoor portrait options, and the flexibility to shift timelines when a thunderstorm rolls in at 3 p.m. Most South Florida photographers build weather contingencies into summer and fall contracts. If yours doesn’t, ask why.
Peak season demand. Peak wedding season in South Florida is November through April — cooler, drier, and no hurricanes. Photographers book up 12 to 18 months in advance for November and December Saturdays. If you’re getting married during peak season at a popular venue, expect to pay peak prices. Summer weddings are cheaper, but you’re gambling on weather and dealing with afternoon storms.
Start with 10–15% of your total wedding budget for photography alone. If you’re adding video, expect another 8–12% or look for a combined photo-and-video package that runs $4,500 to $8,000 for full-day coverage with separate teams.
Say you’re spending $40,000 on your wedding. That puts photography at $4,000 to $6,000 if you follow the 10–15% rule. For that budget, you should get eight to ten hours of coverage, a second photographer, an engagement session, and high-resolution digital files. Albums and prints are extra unless they’re specifically included in the package.
If your budget is tighter, you have options:
But don’t hire a cheap photographer just because they’re cheap. Bad wedding photos don’t get better with time. You can’t reshoot your wedding.
Drone footage. If you want drone footage, your photographer needs an FAA Part 107 license for commercial use. Many South Florida venues — especially resorts and city beaches — restrict drones entirely due to airspace rules, privacy concerns, or safety policies. Ask your photographer if they’re licensed and if your venue allows drones before you pay extra for aerial shots you’ll never get.
Travel fees. Travel fees apply if your photographer is based in Broward and your wedding is in Palm Beach or the Keys. Some photographers include travel within a certain radius; others charge mileage or a flat fee. Clarify this upfront.
Permits. Permits for engagement sessions on public beaches can run $50 to $250 depending on the city. Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, and Miami Beach all have different rules. Your photographer should know this and factor it into the quote, but not all of them do.
Rush editing. If you need photos back in two weeks instead of the standard six to eight, expect to pay $300 to $800 depending on how many images you’re getting. Most photographers are already working through a backlog — asking them to jump the line costs money.
How many South Florida weddings have you shot in the past year? If the answer is less than ten, they’re either new, part-time, or based somewhere else and flying in for your wedding. None of those are dealbreakers, but you should know what you’re getting.
Have you worked at our specific venue? If they haven’t, ask how they plan to scout it and whether they’ll visit beforehand. A photographer who’s never shot at The Breakers will spend the first hour figuring out logistics instead of taking photos.
What happens if you get sick or injured the week of our wedding? Professional photographers have backup shooters lined up. Hobbyists often do not.
How long does editing take and what’s included? Some photographers deliver 500 edited images. Some deliver 1,500. Some include basic color correction and exposure adjustments. Others do heavy retouching on every single frame. Know what you’re paying for.
Do you carry liability insurance? Most venues require it. If your photographer doesn’t have it, you’ll be scrambling to find someone else a month before your wedding.
I’ve been photographing South Florida weddings for over 35 years. I’ve shot at The Breakers, Mar-a-Lago, Ocean Manor, and every temple, church, and ballroom in Broward and Miami-Dade. I know which venues require permits, which ones have challenging lighting, and which coordinators will make your day run smoothly. I know how to shoot in 95-degree heat, how to handle a sudden downpour, and how to work fast during a hora without missing a single lift.
If you’re planning a wedding in South Florida and want a photographer who knows the territory, call me at 954-986-4455. Let’s talk about your wedding, your venue, and what you actually need. No sales pitch. Just straight answers from someone who’s been doing this since film was the only option.
Your South Florida Family Photographer
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