Maine & New Hampshire Wedding Photographer // How to Prioritize Your Wedding Budget Without Losing Your Mind (or Your Photographer)

Let’s talk about wedding budgets for a hot sec. You’ve got a set number in your head (or maybe your bank account cried and gave you one), and now you’ve gotta figure out how to slice that beautiful but tiny pie. It’s no joke—you can spend what a starter home costs on a wedding. But just because you can doesn’t mean you should. The big question is: what actually matters to YOU?

Spoiler alert: everyone’s answer is different—and that’s totally okay. The trick is getting really honest with yourself about what’s most important before you start throwing money at things that Instagram told you are “must-haves.”

Step One: The Real Talk

Before you lock in anything, sit down with your partner (and maybe a strong cup of coffee or a stiff drink—whatever helps you think clearly) and ask:
“What are the top 2-3 things that matter the most to us?”
Is it the food? The vibe? The epic party? The music? The aesthetics? The photos? The fact that your Aunt Carol doesn’t make a scene during the ceremony? Prioritize accordingly.

Photography: Let’s Be Real—It’s Not Optional

Okay, you knew this was coming. I’m a photographer, so obviously I’m gonna scream from the rooftops about the importance of prioritizing photography. But hear me out—this isn’t just job security talking.

After your wedding day, most of the stuff you dropped cash on will disappear:

• The food? Eaten.

• The flowers? Wilted.

• The dress? Packed away.

• The DJ? Ghosted.

• The napkins you stress-ordered in the perfect shade of dusty mauve? Trashed.

But your photos? Those stick around.
They're the time machine that brings you back to your first look, your partner ugly crying as you walk down the aisle, your grandma on the dance floor busting moves from the '50s, and that one groomsman who definitely should not have attempted a backflip. You never get that day back—but you can relive it over and over through your images.

Good photography captures not just what the day looked like, but what it felt like. You’re investing in your memories—every squishy, hilarious, tearjerking moment of them.

Real Talk from the Field

I had this super sweet couple once—foodies to the core. For them, the food wasn’t just about feeding people—it was about giving their guests an experience. They were obsessed with a specific caterer, but that caterer had closed their books for the year. Did they give up? Hell no. They had me call the caterer and vouch for them because I’d worked with them before. And guess what? It worked. The caterer was so moved by how much it mattered to them, they made an exception.

Moral of the story? If it’s important to you, go after it like it’s a seat at a sold-out concert.

I’ve had other couples who were alllll about the florals. They wanted that drop-dead, gasp-worthy moment when guests walked into the ceremony and just froze because the space looked like a dream exploded. That was their priority—and they owned it.

Set Your Budget Based on What Matters

Once you’ve figured out your top priorities, budget accordingly. Maybe you don’t need custom cocktails named after your cats or a 12-piece string quartet. If the vibe you want is chill backyard hangout, then go for it—and spend where it counts for you.

And please, I’m begging you—don’t book a photographer based solely on price. I get it, budgets are real, but this is not the place to cut corners. You can’t redo your wedding photos. You only get one shot (cue Eminem). So book someone whose work makes your heart stop a little, and who actually gives a damn about telling your story the way it deserves.

Your wedding is YOURS. If that means prioritizing that insane sushi spread or hiring a DJ who turns your reception into a dance floor rave, then do it. But don’t forget—after all the cake is eaten, your hair is taken down, and the guests have gone home—the photos are what live on.

So choose your photographer like your memories depend on it. Because they kinda do.