How to Start a Wedding Photography Business in 2025 – From Zero to Booked
Learn how to start your wedding photography business in 2025 with this step-by-step guide - from building your portfolio to booking paying clients.
So you want to become a wedding photographer? Or maybe you're already knee-deep in camera gear, wondering how to grow your wedding photography business without burning out - or going broke.
Either way - you’re in the right place.
After 15 years of shooting weddings and building a six-figure photography business, I’ve got thoughts. Opinions. Plenty of scars. And a bunch of practical steps to help you go from zero to booked.
No fluff - I don’t want to ramble on and talk each point to death. Just real advice - to the point. But remember, you’re the one who has to do the work. To get your reps in. Simply reading this is NOT going to help. You gotta do the do.
1. Stop Waiting. Start Shooting.
Let me guess - you’re waiting for someone to book you so you can get experience?
Flip that. Start by shooting now - even for free.
Ask your friends, your sister, your dog - your friend’s sister’s dog. Just get people in front of your camera. Offer to shoot local events, charity fundraisers or even mock weddings with other vendors (styled shoots = pure gold). You get practice working with people, directing people and the one all amateurs dread, posing.
This is how you build a portfolio and gather real-world experience without the pressure of someone paying you. It takes reps - lots of reps - to build confidence and a portfolio you’re proud of.
2. Define Your Dream Client
Trying to attract everyone? You’ll end up working with the wrong people - guaranteed.
You know the ones. The clients who micromanage every shot, stress you out, want to make changes to your contract/payment schedule and think your rate is “a bit much” ie. they want a champagne wedding on a tap water budget.
Here’s the trick: attract the right people by being unapologetically you. Show your style, your tone, your vibe - the real you. And make it clear who you’re not for. That’s how you create what’s called “brand clarity” - and that’s how you find clients who actually energize you.
Spend as much time repelling the clients you don’t want to work with - as you spend trying to attract the ones you do. This one takes courage - but you’ll thank me later.
3. Your Website Isn’t just for show - It’s a Workhorse
Yes, your photos need to be strong. But your website also needs to do stuff too.
Show your best work, this is an ongoing thing. Audit your portfolio regularly.
Include helpful info (FAQ, wedding tips, pricing, what to expect etc.)
Claim your Google Business Profile
Post behind-the-scenes content on social media
Get a professional email through Google - Save 10% for the 1st year HERE
People are Googling things like “wedding photographer near me” or “affordable wedding photographer in your city” - and Google needs a reason to show them YOU. Give it plenty of reasons.
SEO Tip: Local optimization + valuable website content = ranking gold.
4. Let’s Talk Pricing
My first wedding? I made $300. Canadian. And it was worth every penny… to me.
Here’s where to start - your bottom line. Calculate your time first: travel, editing hours, preparation time, gear costs, softare costs (Lightroom, Photoshop, CRM etc) and add a little profit for you. That’s a basic start.
Then set up three packages:
Basic (5–6 hours): Ceremony, portraits a bit of speeches
Standard (8–9 hours): Most clients choose this middle package as it’s a good balance of coverage and dollars.
Premium (10–12 hours): Plenty of coverage with add-ons like engagement session, albums, prints. This is your premium package.
Oh and one more thing - price your packages high-to-low on your website. It’s called price anchoring and there’s psychology behind it. Make that top-tier package look over-the-top - with your goal being for clients to land on the middle package.
I base everything on that middle package because I know that’s psychologically where they’re going to land.
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5. Use a CRM
A good client management system (CRM) is the difference between running a business and scrambling with sticky notes. In the beginning a spreadsheet and wall calendar will do - but once you get any kind of volume, you need a CRM.
I use Sprout Studio (not sponsored). It handles:
Contracts (always have a contract). You can purchase contracts from places like The Law Tog, but the best place to start is with a local lawyer that knows the local laws.
Invoices & payments (automatic payment reminders, credit card payments etc.)
Client galleries (engagements, weddings etc.)
Lab-fulfillment (make money while you sleep)
Album design (clients can review and request specific edits)
Scheduling (meetings, shoots etc.)
Client communication (emails, questionnaires etc.)
The more you grow, the more this matters. No professional wants to look disorganized or be chasing clients for payments. Super cringe.
This is not a sponsored post but in my opinion, Sprout Studio is the best CRM for wedding photographers. Learn more about Sprout Studio here.
6. Deliver Photos Like a Pro
Let’s say you’ve shot the wedding. Now what?
Don’t just toss the photos in a folder and call it a day. Use a gallery service like Pixieset, Pic-Time or Sprout Studio. These platforms create beautiful online galleries your clients can easily share - and that’s powerful marketing for you!
Many of these gallery services offer automatic lab fulfillment. Orders from clients skip over you and go straight to the lab. You don’t have to be the print-shop middleman - the lab handles everything and drop-ships directly to your client.
Passive income for the win.
7. Gear Talk: Start Simple. grow Smart.
I shot my first 6 weddings on a Nikon D5000 with a kit lens. It had a crop-sensor with just one card slot. It was humble and it did the job.
Here’s the deal: don’t blow your budget on fancy gear before you’ve shot enough to know what you like and actually need. Instead, invest in your education… practice… get your reps in.
And if you absolutely need to buy something? Buy a great lens (fast-glass as we say in the biz) - a great lens will improve your images more than a great camera will.
8. Build Trust. Build Confidence. Build a Business.
Here’s your mindset reset: you’re not just taking pictures for people. You’re building a real business.
That means showing up, learning from each wedding and applying what you learned to the next. Share that journey with potential clients. They don’t just want pretty pictures - they want someone they can trust with their once-in-a-lifetime day.
Share your knowledge and you’ll go far. I often refer to myself as a part-time wedding planner. In reality, it’s sort of true. I help clients with their timelines on nearly every wedding I shoot. They always appreciate the input - when I help with the timeline I’m intentionally building in enough time to get the photos they’re hiring me to get.
Confidence isn’t something you wait for. It’s something you build with each rep.
Final Thought: Keep Showing Up
Whether you’re just starting out or trying to find traction, don’t overthink it.
You’re not behind. You’re just beginning - and every pro you admire was exactly where you are now. They just kept going.
Ready to Get Started? Have Questions?
