3 Wedding Photographer Success Stories [2024]
Wedding photography is a highly sought-after service that involves capturing the special moments and memories of a couple’s big day. As a wedding photographer, you will be responsible for capturing the emotions and beauty of the wedding ceremony and reception through your camera's lens.
To start a successful wedding photography business, you must have a strong eye for detail, excellent customer service skills, and a passion for photography. You will also need to invest in high-quality camera equipment and editing software to produce professional-grade images.
In addition to having technical skills, it is important to have a strong marketing strategy to reach potential clients. This can include creating a professional website, utilizing social media, and networking with wedding coordinators and venues.
According to a recent survey, the average cost of a wedding photographer in the United States is $2,500. With the wedding industry expected to generate over $72 billion in revenue in 2021, there is a significant demand for wedding photographers.
To succeed in this business, having a strong portfolio and continuously improving your skills through education and training is essential. By offering top-notch service and beautiful images, you can establish a successful wedding photography business that captures the special moments of couples’ big day.
In this list, you'll find real-world wedding photographer success stories and very profitable examples of starting a wedding photographer that makes money.
1. Stephan & Adriana ($168K/year)
Stephan and Adriana, former professional ice skaters, discovered a passion for photography during their time touring the world. When Stephan missed his deadline to apply for college, he decided to give photography a chance, and the couple started shooting houses, landscapes, and weddings. The pandemic unexpectedly revealed a high demand for smaller, outdoorsy weddings, propelling their business to new heights as they focused on elopements and intimate weddings in breathtaking locations like Yosemite National Park. Their business now brings in an average of 12-18k per month, allowing them to spend quality time with their families in both California and Brazil.
How much money it makes: $168K/year
How much did it cost to start: $30K
How many people on the team: 2
How two ice-skating world travelers built a wedding photography business with a focus on intimate, outdoor weddings, working mainly in Yosemite National Park, where they managed to attract clients almost solely through content marketing and SEO, bringing in an average of 12-18k per month.
2. SvenStudios ($72K/year)
Steven, a wedding photographer based in Adelaide, Australia, started his business by combining his passion for photography with his teaching background. After gaining a following on DeviantArt and attending business conferences, he focused on online marketing and creating a strong brand. With an average of 30 weddings per year, Steven's business generates a six-figure income and stands out for his unique, genuine approach to capturing couples' special moments.
How much money it makes: $72K/year
How much did it cost to start: $60K
How many people on the team: 1
This case study is about a wedding photographer in Australia who earns over six figures annually by keeping things simple, offering transparent pricing, and focusing on online advertising with an effective website and SEO strategy.
3. PEWDOC ($14.4K/year)
Manthan Gajjar, the founder of pewdoc, came up with the idea for his business after realizing the potential to make money online through blogging. He used his passion for photography and his knowledge of SEO to create a photography blog that offers tips, tricks, and gear reviews for beginner photographers. Through consistent publishing, SEO optimization, and targeted ad campaigns, Gajjar has been able to attract and retain customers, earning $1.2k per month.
How much money it makes: $14.4K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 1
Founder Manthan Gajjar built his photography blogging platform, pewdoc, as a side hustle project and now generates $1.2K per month by publishing trending photography content for newbies. He shares his process of building a blog on a low budget, gaining traffic through consistency and SEO knowledge, and using social media advertising to attract customers and retain readers through newsletters.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
