Wedding photographer invoice template
A worked example for wedding photographers in the creative and media category, with 2026 prices and the VAT rules that apply.
A wedding photographer invoice should show a unique invoice number, your name and address, the client's details, the date, each item of work with its price, and the total due. Wedding photographers typically allow 30 days to pay and take a 30% deposit. VAT at 20% is added only if you are VAT registered.
Example wedding photographer invoice
Dated 1 October 2026 with 30 day terms and a 30% deposit already received. Names and prices are fictional.
Invoice
INV-0042
From
M. Fletcher
Wedding photographer
Unit 9, Orchard Business Park
Nottingham
NG7 5FG
Bill to
Brightwater Marketing Ltd
2nd Floor, 15 Queen Street
Manchester
M2 5HX
- Invoice date
- 1 October 2026
- Due date
- 31 October 2026
- Terms
- 30 days
- Reference
- Wedding photographer work, October 2026
| Description | Qty | Unit price | VAT | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full day wedding coverage, 10 hours, Saturday 24 October 2026, Ashford Barn | 1 package | £2,100.00 | 20% | £2,100.00 |
| Second photographer, 6 hours | 1 fixed | £450.00 | 20% | £450.00 |
| Fine art album, 30 x 30 cm, 20 spreads | 1 item | £690.00 | 20% | £690.00 |
| Engagement shoot (included in package) | 1 fixed | £0.00 | 20% | £0.00 |
- Subtotal
- £3,240.00
- VAT at 20%
- £648.00
- Total
- £3,888.00
- Less deposit received (30%)
- -£1,166.40
- Balance due
- £2,721.60
Typical rates for wedding photographers
Guide figures for 2026. Rates vary by region and experience; the VAT figures come from the 2026-27 tax year data.
| Item | Typical figure |
|---|---|
| Typical hourly rate | Not usually quoted |
| Typical day rate | £1,200 to £3,500 |
| Payment terms | 30 days |
| Deposit | 30% up front |
| VAT flat rate sector | Photography (11%) |
| VAT registration threshold | £90,000 taxable turnover in 12 months |
How do wedding photographers usually invoice?
Wedding photographers invoice in two or three parts: a non-refundable booking fee of around 30% when the date is reserved, often a year ahead, and the balance due 30 days before the wedding so there is no money to collect on the day. Albums, prints and second shooters are either in the package or invoiced after the wedding when the couple has chosen images. The invoice names the date and venue because the booking is for that specific day.
Wedding photographers in this example give the customer 30 days to pay, after a 30% deposit taken before the work starts. A full day is typically £1,200 to £3,500.
What should a wedding photographer put on an invoice?
Beyond the legal basics, wedding photographers should:
- Put the wedding date and venue on every invoice; it is what the booking fee secures.
- Make the balance due before the day, usually 30 days prior, and say so clearly.
- List what the package includes (hours, second shooter, engagement shoot) so there is no dispute later.
- Invoice albums and prints separately after image selection, with the album size and spread count.
Every UK invoice, whatever the trade, must also show:
- a unique, sequential invoice number
- your business name and address (and company number if you trade as a limited company)
- the client’s name and address
- the invoice date and, for VAT invoices, the date of supply if different
- a clear description of each item of work or goods
- the amount due and when it must be paid
- your VAT number, the VAT rate per line and the VAT total, if you are VAT registered
Do wedding photographers charge VAT?
You only charge VAT once registered, which is compulsory when taxable turnover passes £90,000 in any rolling 12 months. Below that, show no VAT line and no VAT number. Once registered, this work is standard rated at 20%, including work for clients outside the UK in some cases, so check the place of supply rules for overseas clients.
On the Flat Rate Scheme the sector for wedding photographers is usually “Photography” at 11% of VAT-inclusive turnover, with a 1% discount in the first year of registration. If you spend little on goods you may be a limited cost trader and have to use 16.5% instead. The scheme suits businesses with few VAT-able costs; check it against the standard method with the VAT calculator before joining.
Source: GOV.UK: Invoicing and taking payment from customers; GOV.UK: VAT Flat Rate Scheme, how much you pay. Last updated .
Frequently asked questions
- When should a wedding photographer ask for final payment?
- Thirty days before the wedding is standard, with some photographers asking at 60 days. It means the couple is not handling money on the day and you are not chasing after the honeymoon. State the due date on the booking fee invoice so it is known from the start.
- Is a wedding photography booking fee refundable?
- Usually not, because it compensates you for turning away other bookings for that date, and your contract should say so. Under consumer law it must be a genuine pre-estimate of loss rather than a penalty, so 20% to 30% is defensible while 100% is not. Call it a booking fee rather than a deposit on the invoice.
- Do wedding photographers charge VAT?
- Only if VAT registered, which happens once turnover passes £90,000, roughly 35 to 45 weddings a year at average prices. Once registered you charge 20% on the whole package, and couples cannot reclaim it, so many photographers price packages VAT inclusive. Below the threshold there is no VAT to show.
More creative and media templates
- Photographer invoice template
- Videographer invoice template
- Video editor invoice template
- Graphic designer invoice template
- Illustrator invoice template
- Animator invoice template
Other trades
Tools for wedding photographers
Read next
Cite this page: “Wedding photographer invoice template”, SoleKit, https://solekit.co.uk/invoice-template/wedding-photographer