Los Angeles Wedding Photography Tom Keene The Affordable Wedding Photographer
Wedding costs in Los Angeles can vary greatly depending on a variety of factors, including the time of year, the size of the wedding, and the location of the ceremony and reception. On average, however, a wedding in Los Angeles can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000 or more according to The Knot.
One of the biggest expenses for a wedding in Los Angeles is the venue. Popular venues such as beach clubs, hotels, and private estates can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 for a single day rental and may or may not include tables, linens, serving staff or event food. Additionally, many venues require that couples also purchase a certain amount of food and drink from their in-house catering teams, which can add thousands of dollars to the overall cost. Unused alcohol is probably one of the largest wasters of your budget. No, you don't want to run out, but you also don't need to open a liquor store after your wedding to try and pay for it.
Another significant expense for a wedding in Los Angeles is the cost of vendors. This can include everything from the photographer and videographer to the florist and DJ. The cost of vendors can vary greatly depending on their level of experience and the level of service they provide. On average, however, couples should expect to pay several thousand dollars for vendor services. Average costs for photo video and DJ services can easily be between $5000-$8000. Flowers are very commonly between $1000 to $2000 and we have seen weddings where floral designers had a cost of $12,000. View our pricing here.
The cost of the wedding attire, including the bride's dress, the groom's tuxedo, and the bridesmaids' and groomsmen's attire, can also add up quickly. A high-end bridal gown can cost several thousand dollars, and the cost of the groom's tuxedo and the attendants' attire can easily reach several hundred dollars per person. We know some amazing dress vendors that can save you hundreds if not more. Just ask us for a referral.
Finally, couples should also factor in the cost of invitations, favors, and other wedding stationery, as well as any transportation and lodging costs for out-of-town guests. All of these costs can add up quickly, making it important for couples to budget carefully and make smart financial decisions when planning their wedding in Los Angeles.
It's worth noting that there are ways to save money on your wedding, such as having a smaller wedding, opting for a more affordable venue, or choosing less expensive vendors. Keep in mind that lower pricing on vendors often results in lower quality, slower turn around times and simply amateur results. It's also possible to cut costs by planning your wedding during the off-season or on a weekday, and by taking advantage of discounts and deals offered by local vendors. We also highly recommend that you work with your vendors like your photographer to ensure you hire them for the time you need and that rarely includes being there all day. Read this very valuable blog entry about what we think is the perfect timeline for your wedding.
With a little bit of research and careful planning, it is possible to have a beautiful and memorable wedding in Los Angeles without breaking the bank. Just making your own bouquet by buying a dozen roses at Costco, can save you hundreds of dollars. Having a friend be the officiant by getting ordained can also save you a lot and often makes it more personal. Buying a used dress or one off the rack is also a great way to save if you are willing to cut a corner there. We have also seen many couples using million dollar Airbnb properties to save a ton but we still highly recommend you hire a coordinator when doing this in order to not find yourself setting your own tables etc on your wedding day. We can attest to seeing this and couples being left very frustrated in the end.
As being part of the wedding business now since 2003, I can attest to the increasing costs of services, venues and vendors. We have always strived to make the choice of hiring us as simple as possible by having an hourly cost based on the event, so you get what you want and not one that is padded with unneeded services with high margins/profit. We also know long term professionals in their field who would rather work and not just do this as a second job or side hustle. Our turnaround time for your photos is under 10 days. The industry average is 4-6 months because they cannot work on your wedding if they are working another 40 hr. a week job. Our videography turn around time is currently 2-3 months. This is a very timely part of your wedding. Every second of every camera needs to be rewatched, catalogued, and then spliced and edited while matching music and your unique vows. Every single wedding takes at least 2-3 hours to edit it for every hour it takes to shoot it. We do have the ability to outsource our work to other editors to speed this up if needed for an additional costs, usually around $500-$800 to get it done in a week to 10 days depending on the time of year and the length of the video requested.
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Something we like to remind our couples. You will remember your wedding day by your photos and video. Your guests will remember your wedding by your DJ/MC.
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