The wedding photography industry has always been shaped by trends, technology, and cultural shifts, but nothing quite compares to the upheaval brought on by COVID-19. When the world shut down in March 2020, weddings were postponed, downsized, or completely reimagined, forcing photographers to adapt in real-time. Micro-weddings and elopements became the norm, candid moments mattered more than ever, and businesses had to adapt fast. Even now, the industry is still feeling the ripple effects. Client expectations have changed, storytelling has evolved, and wedding photographers are redefining their roles in a post-pandemic world. Here, we look at how the industry has transformed—and what it means for wedding photographers today.
The State of Wedding Photography After COVID
If you’re a wedding photographer who managed to keep your business afloat through the chaos of COVID, you know it wasn’t easy. However, according to The Zenfolio 2024 State of the Photography Industry Report—which surveyed over 7,600 photographers across 100+ countries—both full-time and part-time self-employed wedding photographers ranked among the highest earners in 2023. Inflation has been a factor in recent years, but the demand for wedding photography today hasn’t disappeared; it has simply evolved.
In 2024, the wedding industry experienced what was being called “the wedding gap”—a decline in the number of weddings being booked, which impacted wedding vendors like photographers, caterers, and venue owners. Does that mean the wedding photography market is shrinking overall? Wedding photographers comprised roughly 16.3% of all photographers in 2024, while portrait photographers accounted for 20.7%—a trend that has been rising for several years. Also rising has been the influx of micro weddings as many couples continue to opt for smaller, more intimate gatherings.
Is Wedding Photography a Top Priority Moving Forward?
According to The Knot Worldwide’s 2024 Global Wedding Report, wedding photography remains a top priority for couples, but the way they approach it is evolving. Here are some key trends that continue to shape wedding photography today:
- Photography is a must-have. For most couples, wedding photography remains an essential part of the day and is still on their list of priorities.
- Style matters – Couples want classic portraits, candid moments, and documentary-style storytelling to capture the day.
- Storytelling rules – Unposed, natural shots are still trending, as couples want their wedding photos to feel authentic and spontaneous.
- Technology plays a role – Digital communication has taken over, with Zoom meetings and platforms like WhatsApp making it easier for couples and photographers to “meet” and coordinate details.
- Budget-conscious decisions – While couples value photography, they’re also keeping a close eye on pricing and comparing options before booking a photographer.
So, how much of their wedding budget are couples really setting aside for photography these days? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but in 2020, surveys showed couples allocating around 15% of their total wedding spend to photography and videography. By 2024, that number had dropped to about 10%. But it still depends on what’s ultimately important to the couple.
Take New York City bride Allyson Chaiken, for example. When she and her fiancé Ben searched for a wedding photographer in early 2024, they set aside just 5% of their total wedding budget for still photography—skipping videography altogether. For them, the top priority wasn’t a flashy package but finding a photographer they clicked with (done entirely over Zoom, no in-person meetings) and ensuring they’d have beautifully printed albums to look back on.
The Wedding Photographer’s Mantra: Adapt and Pivot
Portland, Oregon-based wedding photographers Jos and Tree Woodsmith, whose brand is known simply as Jos & Tree, acknowledge how crucial it is to be adaptable in today’s industry. During COVID, they adjusted their pricing models to be more flexible, working within clients’ budgets while ensuring they met their bottom line. That meant helping couples reimagine their wedding experience by splitting it into two parts: an outdoor adventure elopement followed by a future reception.
“By satisfying an immediate need with an adventure elopement, couples found excitement in focusing exclusively on each other, reducing the stress of a larger wedding and having quality time for photography,” they explain. “Then, a year later, the couple could host a reception and relive their wedding day through a ‘wedding premiere’ slideshow for their guests.” This approach, they explain, not only helped couples spread out costs but also provided a meaningful way to involve loved ones who couldn’t attend the ceremony.
The Best of Both Worlds
Currently, the pair are shifting their services to highlight elopements more than they have in the past, and encouraging the second part is such a great concept. “The combination of having an intimate elopement experience is very attractive to many new couples, but there is also that feeling of wanting to have all your family and friends share an experience during this special time of life. Not everyone has the budget to do this, but if well planned, the experience can be spread out over time, making it possible and very exciting. Everyone loves looking forward to something so meaningful. This is why we also encourage our couples to plan ‘honeymoons’ for the rest of their lives every year. Impossible? Well… no… not if properly prioritized and planned.”
The chaos of the last several years has also taught them that having a backup plan helps. Their second brand, WOOD & SMITH, focuses on commercial branding photography. “Wedding season comes and goes, but commercial photography is consistent year-round. The skills we’ve honed in wedding photography—lighting, composition, capturing authentic emotions—translate seamlessly into commercial work.”
Style Trends vs. Timelessness in Wedding Photography
According to The Knot, the top 2025 wedding photography trends include blurred action shots, messy detail shots, lifestyle engagement and wedding photos, moody nighttime portraits, and documentary-style photography, among other preferred looks. But photographers like Jos & Tree say that as wedding photography styles evolve, they continue to emphasize that things like great composition and mastery of light and shadow will never go out of style. “For us, what has proven to stand the test of time roots back to the classical artists. Our goal is to direct the viewer’s eye, create drama, and evoke emotion while capturing the most authentic expressions. Defining our ideal client and fulfilling their needs is a better business strategy than trying to please everyone. We prioritize a timeless style over trend-chasing because that’s what resonates most with our clients.”
Kim Bamberg of La Vie Photography, based on San Juan Island in Washington State, says she sees a shift toward authenticity. “For my clients, it’s less about trends and more about capturing the true colors of their day. They want the sky to be as blue as it was, the flowers to be their real colors, and classic black and white—none of that muddy or gray-toned look that was trendy a few years ago. They want to look back in 20 years and say, ‘Yes, that’s exactly how my wedding day looked.’ While some of her and husband Adam’s clients enjoy a bit of blurry or creative framing, Bamberg notes they don’t want too much of it. “They’re more interested in understanding the photography process overall and why it’s important.”
Finding Leads in a Changing Market
Finding leads that result in bookings remains a major concern after the pandemic, something reinforced during my time working World’s Best Wedding Photos (WBWP) global directory (which has roughly 250-300 members at any given time) from April 2023 to September 2024. One of the strongest sources of new bookings, members told me, has been word-of-mouth referrals.
“Our ideal clients aren’t searching around; they’re asking around,” WBWP members Jos & Tree explain. “At weddings, guests often approach us at the end of the night, saying, ‘I’ve never seen photographers work so hard!’ Before they even see our photos, they already want to hire us.”
Building a referral-based business takes time, but Jos & Tree emphasize its value over relying solely on social media. “Social media algorithms change daily, making it unpredictable. Instead, we focus on deepening relationships with past clients, their families, and their inner circles. Pairing this approach with strong SEO and evergreen content on our website has been a much smarter long-term strategy.”
The Rise of Proposal Photography
La Vie Photography’s Kim Bamberg says one big change she’s experienced since the pandemic is the request for proposal shoots. “Proposals are bigger now than they’ve ever been,” she says. Since moving to San Juan Island, she has seen a surge in couples traveling to scenic locations for proposals, which has opened new opportunities for her business.
“We used to shoot about 20 weddings a year with no proposals. Now, we do around 12 large weddings, a significant number of micro-weddings, and about 10-15 proposals annually. Proposals for us are a stand-alone event, often booked separately from the wedding itself.”
She continues: “People want to tell their story more than ever, and capturing other parts of their story has become a key part of their photo requests,” Bamberg explains.
Embracing the Shift
During COVID, celebrated wedding and portrait photographer Elizabeth Messina, once named “one of the most influential photographers of our decade” by PDN, began focusing more on portraiture—boudoir, maternity, newborn, and divorce—imagery celebrating women’s milestones. “It was a natural evolution,” she explains. Plus, a serious leg injury forced her to work more in the studio, which led her to showcase different types of work she was passionate about on Instagram. Over time, this shift helped her diversify, launch an education platform—The Arte of Boudoir—and expand her business overall. While she still takes on wedding jobs, her overall focus has evolved. “One of the powerful aspects of being a self-employed photographer is the ability to redefine your artistic path as you grow,” she says.
The industry, she adds, has changed a lot in recent years, but one thing hasn’t—adaptability. The photographers who keep growing, fine-tuning their style, and balancing classic artistry with new technology are the ones who will succeed. Whether it’s through storytelling, smart business moves, or embracing innovation, the future of wedding photography belongs to those who evolve with it.
