Wedding Photography Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Traditional Wedding Photography, Artistic Wedding Photography, Natural Wedding Photography, and Others), By Coverage (Full Coverage and Partial Coverage), By Format (Digital and Printed), and Regional Forecast, 2023-2030

The global wedding photography market size was valued at USD 20.44 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow from USD 21.83 billion in 2023 to USD 36.80 billion by 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 7.74% over the forecast period.

Recently, the demand for outdoor or destination weddings has also acquired attractiveness among every group of people, particularly among celebrities. Couples have been choosing scenic outdoor venues and destination weddings for a unique and picturesque backdrop. Couples have been adding personal touches to their weddings, such as custom decorations, unique favors, and personalized vows. These factors are expected to propel the market growth in the near future. Couples have been relying on technology in many ways throughout their entire wedding journey, from finding inspiration to connecting with vendors and guests. Wedding websites, mobile apps, and social media platforms play a significant role in planning and sharing wedding details and moments with long-distance friends and family members. Moreover, in response to travel restrictions and health concerns, virtual weddings and livestreaming services become more common for remote guests. As a result, the evolvements of virtual wedding podiums and social media channels have fostered the growth of the global market.

The wedding industry comprises several components, including venue selection & catering, decoration, event planning, and others. In 2022, the venue selection & catering clocked the highest share of nearly 30% owing to the high rent of wedding venues, along with the inclination of the consumers toward luxurious cuisines. Weddings increasingly celebrate diverse cultural backgrounds and traditions, reflecting the multi-cultural nature of many couples. Besides, brides and grooms have been experimenting with traditional and non-traditional wedding attires, including colored dresses, ethnic wear, and casual suits. Couples also incorporate interactive elements such as photo booths, games, and live entertainment to engage the guests in a fun and enjoyable environment. Therefore, the accelerating trend toward exchanging cultural and religious backgrounds with customized applications, in terms of dresses, rituals, food, and others, is propelling the market growth.

COVID-19 Impact

COVID-19 Led to Wedding Postponements or Cancellation Affecting the Market Growth

According to data by ABIA (Australian Beauty Industry Awards) Weddings, Australia's largest wedding review platform, wedding venues experienced the highest shortages of staffs (nearly 89%), while wedding vendors experienced nearly 33.30% staff shortages, during COVID-19 pandemic. The postponement of weddings, along with multiple lockdowns, severely affected the market in 2020.

Many weddings were canceled or postponed due to lockdowns, travel restrictions, and social distancing measures. This resulted in a sharp decline in demand for photography services. Therefore, photographers had to deal with a sudden loss of income and had to manage rescheduling or refunding clients. Besides, safety measures such as social distancing and mask-wearing were enforced when weddings got delayed during the pandemic. In this regard, photographers had to adapt their techniques to capture candid moments while maintaining a safe distance and ensuring everyone's safety. Furthermore, as large gatherings were restricted, many couples opted for smaller and more intimate weddings. Hence, several photographers faced financial hardships as their income plummeted and diversified their services by offering virtual photography sessions, online consultations, or selling prints to generate income during the downtime.

Destination weddings, which are a significant source of income for some wedding photographers, were harshly compressed due to travel restrictions. This resulted in lost bookings and revenue for photographers specializing in destination weddings. In addition, some wedding photographers had to pivot their business models to survive. This might include offering elopement packages, family photoshoots, or commercial photography work to compensate for the loss of wedding bookings.

LATEST TRENDS

Rapid Innovation of High-end Professional Cameras and Growing Inclination toward Destination Wedding

High-end cameras have seen continuous improvements in sensor technology, resulting in higher resolution, better low-light performance, and enhanced dynamic range. This enables photographers and videographers to capture more detail and achieve stunning image quality in every type of event, including wedding occasions. This is expected to provide a rewarding opportunity to the global wedding photography market growth. For instance, in July 2020, Canon Inc., a Japanese photography company, launched EOS R5 and EOS R6. These cameras feature two advanced full-frame mirrorless camera accessories for the revolutionary EOS R system built on an expandable RF Mount, perfect for wedding and wildlife photography.

The amplifying inclination of the consumers toward destination weddings is a notable market trend in the industry. Destination weddings allow couples to tie the knot in picturesque and often exotic locations. These settings create unique and unforgettable experiences for the couple and their guests, delivering lucrative opportunities for the market. For instance, in 2021, First Group, a hotel and resort management company, opened up ‘Swallow Cliff Hall,’ which includes a seven-suite villa based in the Drakensberg. This villa emerged as South Africa’s leading and classy wedding destination venue in 2021.

Request a Free sample to learn more about this report.

DRIVING FACTORS

Adoption of Photography as Hobby among Different Age Groups to Support the Market Growth

According to data published by the Australian Government in 2021, various age groups of people have been involved in the photography business, ranging from 19 years to 60 years of age. It has been estimated that people above 50 years usually opt for photography due to their interest in such fields, whereas people between 25-40 years adopt photography as their profession. Photography has gained popularity as a hobby among various age groups in recent times. Many individuals, regardless of age or background, enjoy photography as a creative outlet. The accessibility of smartphones with high-quality cameras has made it easier for people to experiment with photography. Moreover, platforms such as Facebook and Instagram also encourage people to share their photos, driving their interest in photography. The desire to capture and share moments with friends and followers has led to increased engagement with photography, fostering the market growth.

Besides, people who love exploring nature or traveling often find photography to be a natural companion. They use photography to document their life experiences and create lasting memories, which in turn would drive the product demand in the near future.

Growing Number of People Employed in Photography to Boost Product Demand

According to data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2022, California had the highest employment level in U.S. photography industry, followed by Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois. The growth in the photography industry in the U.S. is mainly attributed to several factors, such as improved technology of cameras, increased number of wedding events post-COVID situation, and consumers’ willingness to spend more on bridal shoots in recent times. These factors foster the global photography demand in wedding ceremonies. The number of people employed in photography has increased recently. Many photographers work as freelancers, taking on assignments for clients ranging from individuals to businesses. This freelance model has allowed for greater flexibility in employment, as photographers can pursue diverse projects, including wedding events, accelerating the market growth.

Besides, event photographers capture moments at weddings, corporate events, and festivals. Therefore, the demand for event photography remains steady, providing employment opportunities for a large number of people in every region. This is expected to supplement further market expansion.

RESTRAINING FACTORS

Rising Number of Technological Devices Owned by Consumers for Personal Use to Hinder Market Growth

According to data published by the World Bank, in 2021, mobile cellular subscription increased from 101 (per 100 people) in 2017 to 107 (per 100 people) in 2021. The increased penetration of internet in all regions has pushed the demand for smartphones with advanced features. This has in turn lowered the sales of the cameras used in wedding events, hampering the growth of the global market.

The increased use of smart devices, such as smartphones and tablets, significantly affects the demand for standalone digital cameras. Nowadays, smartphones are equipped with high-quality integrated cameras that are capable of taking excellent photos and videos. This convenience means that many people no longer feel the need to carry separate cameras with them. This, in turn, decreases the demand for cameras, affecting the growth of this market. Moreover, smartphones are always on hand, making it easy to capture moments spontaneously. This convenience has made digital cameras seem less necessary for quick photography. Besides, smart device camera technology has improved drastically in the last few years, with features such as multiple lenses, image stabilization, and advanced software processing. This has made smart device photography more appealing to the average user, upsetting this market in the long run.

SEGMENTATION

By Type Analysis

Traditional Wedding Photography Segment Recorded Major Share Due to Rising Trend of Traditional Style Photoshoots

On the basis of type, the market is fragmented into traditional, artistic, natural wedding photography, and others.

The traditional segment exhibited a major wedding photography market share in 2022. The growing trend of capturing the traditional style of wedding photoshoots among families while wearing designer outfits is mainly favoring the traditional wedding photography services demand globally. In addition, rising consumer preference for traditional bridal party photographs to express their candid, natural looks in the photos is supporting the segmental growth.  Furthermore, significant consumer demand for traditional wedding albums to preserve family photographs of wedding events results in the traditional photography segment generating considerable revenues. For instance, PlanetArt, a wedding photobook producer, reported a 28.16% jump in its photo printing products revenues, reaching USD 354.62 million in 2021 compared to 2020 revenues.

The natural wedding photography segment will grow faster due to the increasing modern couples' preference for photojournalistic wedding packages to capture authentic, un-posed moments of their wedding days. Photographers use wide-angled lenses to capture naturally looking candid photographs at wedding events. In addition, increasing photographers’ utilization of AI-based image generation technology to further convert naturally clicked images into more enhanced realistic wedding looks will likely influence married couples to prefer such wedding packages, supporting the segmental growth. Furthermore, increasing photographers' preference for candid wedding photography to capture wedding images revealing real love and emotions among married couples is accelerating the segmental revenues.

For instance, Julian Ribinik Photography, a New York, U.S.-based photographer, offers packages of capturing natural wedding photographs to produce wedding event-related images reflecting genuine, authentic, and creating expressions of people during the events.

To know how our report can help streamline your business, Speak to Analyst

By Coverage Analysis

Full Coverage Segment to Maintain its Largest Share and Highest CAGR due to Rising Consumer Preference

Based on coverage, the market is segmented into full coverage and partial coverage.  The full coverage segment dominates as well as exhibits the highest CAGR. Significant couples’ preference for full coverage packages covering full-day photography services during their wedding days mainly results in the full coverage segment generating considerable revenues during 2023-2030.

In addition, increasing demand for the deluxe and luxury wedding packages covering full day photography services with additional digital files, albums, and other photo printing products is accelerating the segmental growth.

Furthermore, rising demand for flush mount wedding albums preserving precious wedding moments is skyrocketing the full coverage segmental revenues. For instance, in 2020, Cewe, a wedding album producer, reported an 11.8% jump in its revenues from photo printing products and reached USD 758.87 million. As per a survey published by Professional Photographers of America (PPA), in 2022, most consumers prefer full-day photography packages covering wedding-related videography and customized product collections.

By Format Analysis

Digital Format Segment to Gain Momentum in the Years to Come Due to Rising Demand for Digital Wedding Images

Based on format, the market is segmented into printed and digital. 

The digital format segment is expected to register highest CAGR over the projected period. Increasing smartphone penetration and rising demand for digital wedding images among married couples to instantly published clicked images on the social media sites and applications is accelerating the digital segmental growth. According to the data published by GSM Association, in 2021, smartphone penetration in North American region reached 82% of the total population, followed by 79% in Europe and 77% in greater China.

Furthermore, continual photographers' utilization of drones and digital cameras to capture realistic wedding videos of the events is supporting the demand for digital wedding photography globally.

Besides, photographers provision of luxury wedding packages including creative wedding invitations and high-quality video content is influencing couples buy such packages, supporting the digital segmental growth.

REGIONAL INSIGHTS

To get more information on the regional analysis of this market, Request a Free sample

The market in Asia Pacific is dominating as it is vivacious and caters to various cultural and regional preferences. The market conditions for wedding photography are great and have huge potential in the region due to large population and cultural significance of weddings. Asia Pacific countries have a rich history of wedding ceremonies. Therefore, people tend to spend hefty amounts on every aspect of it including photography. The region has numerous renowned photographers and luxury brands that specialize in wedding photography. Furthermore, governmental efforts in promoting the Indian wedding tourism industry to foreign couples is set to increase the service demand in the country. For instance, in August 2023, the Ministry of Tourism, the government of India, launched ‘Developing Tourism in Mission Mode,’ an ambitious campaign to promote India as a wedding tourism destination.

The increasing number of married couples preferring affordable wedding photoshoots in various Australian states, such as Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and others, is mainly driving the services demand in the country. According to data published by the government of Queensland, Australia, the number of marriages in Queensland, Australia increased to 25,046 in 2022 compared to 21,648 and 15,923 in 2021 and 2020, respectively. As per the data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), in 2020, there were 78,989 marriages registered across Australia, 30% down over the previous year. However, in 2021, the number of registered marriages increased to 89,164 due to the postponement of the wedding plans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, increasing demand for theme-based wedding photography services and handcrafted photo printing products such as wedding albums, wall prints, and books is accelerating the photography services’ business revenues in the region.

To know how our report can help streamline your business, Speak to Analyst

The market in North America held the second position following the Asia Pacific. One of the prime factors is the increasing disposable income of consumers, allowing them to invest more in their wedding. Moreover, the trend of personalized weddings has created a demand for unique and custom-designed theme based photography sessions, further boosting the industry growth. Social media platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest have also played a significant role in shaping wedding photography trends, making couples more aware of the latest styles and themes. Moreover, light has been shed on the influence of celebrity weddings that sets the tone for the entire industry, with couples seeking to imitate the styles of their favorite celebrities. These factors in turn are positively favoring the growth of the market in the region.

KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS

Key Players are Focusing on Strengthening their Social Media Visibility and Global Presence to have Strong Foothold in the Market

Big market players in the wedding industry play a crucial role in providing a distinctive shape to the business. The evolution of the wedding scenario and its trends have drastically changed over the years and so has consumer demands. For instance, emergence of social media has led to this swift change- an estimated 1 billion users on Instagram are inspired by other peoples’ wedding photos. Wedding photography companies have to keep up with the trending themes and styles that people frequently demand and to meet ever-changing consumer demands players are undertaking various growth strategies. For instance, In June 2022, Shutterturf, a Singapore-based photography marketplace, launched an online platform for consumers, which would bridge the gap between preference and accessibility in the global photography market. This online marketplace would help consumers contact and book photographers for any type of event, including wedding occasions within a short period. Another major player, Kevin Mullins Photography, a U.K.-based photographer, has a strong social media presence on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest, which is likely to strengthen brand awareness in the global market and increase the consumer base.

In February 2023, Wedding Diaries, a renowned Jaipur-based wedding photography company, opened a new office to strengthen the company's efforts to preserve special memories for couples. The move would help enhance its client base and promote its brand image.

LIST OF KEY COMPANIES PROFILED:

• Michael Anthony Studios Inc. (U.S.)


• Lin & Jirsa Photography (U.S.)


• Matt Mason Photography (U.S.)


• Kevin Mullins Photography (U.K.)


• Kellie Jane Creative (U.S.)


• Emma- Jane Photography (U.S.)


• Gideon Photography (U.S.)


• De La Teja Studio (U.S.)


• Ramit Batra (India)


• KnotsbyAMP (India)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS:

• January 2023: Fölscher Photography, a South Africa-based wedding photography company, entered the market with its diverse offers for wedding photography services in South Africa.


• September 2018: WeddingWire, a U.S.-based wedding vendor, merged with The Knot, a renowned wedding planning company, to expand its brand visibility in the U.S. wedding market. This has also helped the company to connect with various customers from different parts of the world.

REPORT COVERAGE

An Infographic Representation of Wedding Photography Market

View Full Infographic

To get information on various segments, share your queries with us

The market research report provides a detailed analysis of the market and focuses on key aspects such as competitive landscape, services, and leading product types. Besides this, the report offers market insights and highlights key industry developments. In addition to the aforementioned factors, the market report encompasses several factors that have contributed to the growth of the market in recent years.

Report Scope & Segmentation