Planning a wedding in Toronto? One of the biggest decisions you’ll make is choosing your wedding photographer, and figuring out what you should actually budget for photography can be surprisingly difficult. Prices vary considerably between photographers depending on their experience, style, hours of coverage, number of photographers, albums, and other inclusions.
I’ve put together this Toronto wedding photography price comparison to give you a starting point when researching photographers. I spent more than a decade working as a wedding photographer myself, so I know firsthand how much goes into photographing a wedding beyond simply showing up with a camera. I’ve also worked in wedding florals and planning, which has given me a pretty good understanding of how photography fits into the larger wedding budget and timeline.
The prices below are based on the information available from each photographer’s website and are meant as a starting point. Packages and pricing can change, so I recommend checking the photographer’s current pricing page before making any decisions.
Here’s the lineup, starting with some of the more budget-friendly options and moving toward higher-investment photographers:
1. Honey Photography — $2,400 (8 hrs)
Honey Photography offers one of the more accessible full-day options on this list. For couples looking for solid coverage while keeping photography from taking up a large portion of the overall wedding budget, this is a price point worth considering.
2. Focus Photography — $2,800 (up to 12 hrs)
With up to 12 hours of coverage, Focus Photography offers a long coverage window at a relatively accessible price. This could be particularly useful if you want photography to cover everything from getting ready through the reception without paying a premium for additional hours.
3. Ten2Ten Photography — $2,999 (8 hrs)
Ten2Ten Photography is an established Toronto option with eight-hour coverage at just under $3,000. This falls around the middle of the more accessible pricing range in this comparison.
4. By Calin — $2,999 (8 hrs)
By Calin offers eight hours of wedding photography at the same $2,999 starting point as Ten2Ten. Couples comparing photographers at this price level will want to look closely at editing style, portfolio consistency, and exactly what is included in each package.
5. Olive Photography — $3,000 (6 hrs)
Olive Photography offers six hours of coverage for around $3,000. A shorter package can work well if you don't need photography for the entire wedding day and instead want to prioritize the parts that matter most to you.
6. Shelley Smith — $3,200 (6 hrs)
Shelley Smith offers six hours of wedding photography at approximately $3,200. This type of package can be a good fit for couples planning a more intimate wedding or those who are comfortable prioritizing certain portions of the day rather than having continuous coverage.
7. Eighty Fifth Street — $3,200 (6 hrs)
Eighty Fifth Street is another option around the $3,200 mark for six hours of coverage. When comparing photographers at similar price points, the biggest differences may come down to their visual style, approach to posing and direction, and the overall experience they provide.
8. Carly Frohlich — $3,250 (8 hrs)
Carly Frohlich offers eight hours of wedding coverage for approximately $3,250. This puts the photographer in a similar range to several other established Toronto photographers while providing a longer coverage window than some six-hour packages.
9. Lilac Studios — from $3,600
Lilac Studios starts around $3,600, putting it into the higher end of the pricing range in this comparison. As with any photographer, it's worth looking beyond the starting price to see what coverage and products are included in the package you're actually considering.
10. Evo Lyl la Photography — $3,600 (6 hrs)
Evo Lyl la Photography offers six hours of coverage at approximately $3,600. The portfolio has a fine-art-inspired approach, so couples who place a high priority on the artistic look of their photographs may find the investment particularly relevant.
11. April & Joseph — from $3,750
April & Joseph start at approximately $3,750. Their approach focuses heavily on storytelling and documenting the connections and moments throughout the wedding day.
12. Samantha Ong — from $3,750
Samantha Ong's wedding photography packages start around $3,750. Couples considering photographers in this range should compare not only the galleries but also the overall experience, package inclusions, and amount of coverage they're looking for.
13. Copper & Red Photography — from $3,850
Copper & Red Photography starts around $3,850 and offers a more premium photography experience. Their work has a warm, rich look, making their editing style an important consideration for couples who have a particular vision for their wedding photographs.
14. Frances Morency — $3,890 (7 hrs)
Frances Morency offers seven hours of wedding coverage for approximately $3,890. Her work has a creative and emotive quality, with an emphasis on natural light and genuine moments.
15. JDPhoto — $4,000 (6 hrs)
JDPhoto offers six hours of coverage at approximately $4,000. This puts the photographer firmly into the higher-investment category, where couples are often paying not just for hours of coverage but for experience, consistency, editing, and the overall client experience.
16. Cara Chapman — $6,000 (8 hrs)
At approximately $6,000 for eight hours, Cara Chapman represents the premium end of this particular comparison. Couples considering a photographer at this price point are generally making a significant investment in a specific artistic style, experience, and level of service.
What Affects Wedding Photography Prices in Toronto?
Looking at a list of prices can be helpful, but it doesn't tell the whole story. Two photographers can charge very different amounts for what appears to be the same number of hours. When you're comparing Toronto wedding photographers, it's important to understand what you're actually paying for.
Hours of Coverage
The number of hours you book has a direct impact on the price. More coverage means more time photographing your wedding, but it also means more images to sort through, edit, back up, and deliver afterward. An eight-hour wedding can require significantly more work than the eight hours you see on the package description.
One thing I learned very quickly as a wedding photographer is that couples don't necessarily need photography coverage from the moment they wake up until the last person leaves the dance floor. Your timeline and priorities matter. If your budget is limited, it can be worth figuring out which parts of the day you actually want photographed before automatically booking the longest package.
Number of Photographers
A second photographer can provide additional coverage throughout the day, particularly during getting ready, the ceremony, and larger weddings where one photographer can't physically be everywhere at once. It does add to the cost, but for some weddings the extra coverage is well worth it.
Engagement Sessions
Some wedding photography packages include an engagement session, while others offer it as an add-on. Beyond giving you another set of photographs, an engagement session can be a great opportunity to learn how your photographer works and become more comfortable being photographed before your wedding day.
Albums and Prints
Physical products such as albums and prints can increase the cost of a photography package considerably. If you're trying to keep your wedding budget under control, a digital-only package may be worth considering, especially if having a physical album isn't a priority for you.
Editing Style and Turnaround
Editing is a significant part of a wedding photographer's workload. Different photographers have very different editing styles, from bright and true-to-colour to dark and moody or fine-art-inspired. More involved editing and faster turnaround times can also affect pricing, so make sure you're comparing photographers based on the finished images you actually love rather than simply the number of hours included.
Photographer Experience
Experience matters, particularly with weddings because there is only one chance to photograph the day. An experienced wedding photographer knows how to work quickly when the timeline changes, handle difficult lighting, organize family photographs, anticipate important moments, and keep things moving without making the couple feel rushed. You're paying for the photographs, but you're also paying for someone who knows what to do when things don't go exactly according to plan.
How to Save Money on Your Toronto Wedding Photographer
Photography can be one of the larger expenses in a wedding budget, but there are ways to reduce the cost without necessarily sacrificing the photographs that matter most to you.
Consider an Off-Peak Date
Saturday weddings during the busiest wedding months tend to be the most in-demand. If you're flexible, consider a Friday, Sunday, or off-season wedding. Some photographers offer different pricing depending on the date.
Choose Fewer Hours of Coverage
Rather than automatically booking ten or twelve hours, build your photography coverage around your priorities. You might decide that getting-ready photographs, the ceremony, family photos, couple portraits, and the beginning of the reception are the most important parts of your day. A shorter package could save you hundreds of dollars while still documenting everything you care about.
Skip the Add-Ons You Don't Need
Albums, engagement sessions, extra photographers, prints, and other add-ons can all increase the total cost. None of them are inherently necessary, so decide which products and experiences are genuinely important to you before adding them to your package.
Look at the Whole Package, Not Just the Price
When you're comparing Toronto wedding photographers, the cheapest option isn't necessarily the best value, and the most expensive photographer isn't automatically the best choice for you either. Look at the photographer's complete galleries, editing style, experience, personality, coverage, turnaround time, and contract before comparing the numbers. You want to make sure you're comfortable with both the photographs and the person who will be beside you for a large portion of your wedding day.
How Much Should You Budget for Wedding Photography in Toronto?
Based on the photographers included in this comparison, wedding photography in Toronto can range from around $2,400 to $6,000 or more. That's a pretty significant range, but it's also a good reminder that there isn't one "correct" amount to spend on wedding photography. Your budget should reflect how important photography is to you, the style you're looking for, how much of your wedding day you want documented, and what else you need to pay for.
As someone who has worked on both sides of the wedding budget—as a photographer and florist and now as a virtual wedding planning resource—I always encourage couples to start with their priorities rather than simply working from a standard percentage. If photography is one of the most important parts of your wedding, it may make sense to allocate more of your budget there. If you're happy with shorter coverage and mainly want beautiful photographs of the ceremony and portraits, you may be able to spend considerably less.
Most importantly, don't feel like you have to figure all of this out alone. Sometimes the hardest part of wedding planning isn't making the decision; it's knowing whether you're making the right one. That's exactly where getting an experienced second opinion can help. Whether you need help reviewing your wedding budget, deciding how many hours of photography you actually need, or figuring out how photography fits into your overall timeline, those are all things you can work through without hiring a full-service wedding planner.
