District of Columbia
Wedding photography · Washington, DC
In short
Wedding photography in Washington, DC starts at $3,500: 8 hours on location with a photographer who works in Washington, DC, and 600 edited photos delivered to a private gallery within 6 weeks.
Why choose Wedding photography in Washington, DC?
Wedding photography in Washington, DC is eight hours of coverage from preparation to the reception, with 600 edited photographs, priced from $3,500. The DC wedding day usually has a portrait leg that most cities do not: a drive from a hotel ballroom or a church to a monument, a cathedral close or a Georgetown street for the couple and the wedding party. That leg needs its own permits and its own clock, because the places couples want are run by three different owners — the National Park Service, the Washington National Cathedral and private estates — each with its own rule.
Worth knowing about Washington, DC
Wedding portraits at Washington National Cathedral run on its Photo Location Permit: the Basic permit allows eight people including the photographer for $250 ($350 in April, May and October), and the Plus permit allows twelve for $500 ($600 in peak months). A full wedding party rarely fits under twelve, and the Cathedral interior is reserved for couples married inside by Cathedral clergy.
What does the session in Washington, DC look like?
- Washington National Cathedral exterior and the Bishop’s Garden
- Gothic stone and a walled garden for the couple’s portraits, under a Cathedral Photo Location Permit booked at least two weeks ahead.
- The Lincoln Memorial steps at golden hour
- The couple alone, between the ceremony and the reception, while the wedding party waits on the bus.
- The reception venue’s own grounds
- Where the full wedding party and family groups are photographed, because no permit caps the headcount there.
What does wedding photography in Washington, DC include?
- 600+ retouched photographs
- Eight hours of continuous coverage
- Pre-wedding venue walk-through and timeline planning
- Second photographer for ceremony and reception
- Private online gallery within 6 weeks
- Print release for personal use
FAQ — Wedding photography in Washington, DC
Can a Washington, DC wedding party be photographed at the National Cathedral?
Only in part. Washington National Cathedral’s Photo Location Permit caps a session at twelve people including the photographer, lasts up to two hours, and must be requested at least two weeks ahead and no more than six months ahead. A larger Washington, DC wedding party is photographed in full at the reception venue, with the couple alone at the Cathedral.
How long does the monument leg of a Washington, DC wedding day take?
About 75 to 90 minutes door to door for a Washington, DC wedding, counting the drive from a downtown hotel or church to the Lincoln Memorial, 30 minutes of portraits and the drive to the reception. It is scheduled inside the eight hours of coverage, and it is the part of the day that slips first when a ceremony runs late.