When should you book your wedding photographer?
In and around Paris, Saturdays in June and September go twelve to eighteen months ahead. Here is the realistic timeline — and what to do if you are already late.
This is the question I am asked most often, and almost always too late. Here is the short answer, then the detail.
In the Paris region, for a Saturday between May and September: twelve to eighteen months ahead. For everything else — weekdays, winter, small guest lists — six to nine months is plenty.
Why so early
A wedding photographer works once a day. Unlike a caterer or a florist, they cannot double up a date. Across a year that means twenty to thirty weddings at most, a large share of which fall on about fifteen summer Saturdays.
In practice, on my own calendar, Saturdays in June and September fill first, often close to two years ahead. Fridays and Sundays stay open far longer.
The realistic timeline
| How far ahead you are | What is still available |
|---|---|
| 18 months | Everything, including peak-season Saturdays |
| 12 months | Most dates, bar a few Saturdays in June and September |
| 6 to 9 months | Weekdays, winter, off-season, and cancellations |
| 3 months | Whatever is left — contact several photographers in parallel |
The order to book in
- The venue. Until it is signed, the date does not really exist.
- The caterer, if the venue does not impose one.
- The photographer. Straight after, not three months later.
- Everything else: flowers, music, transport, outfits.
That order is not arbitrary convention. The venue and the photographer are the only two suppliers who genuinely cannot be duplicated on the same date.
If you are already late
It is not lost. Three things genuinely help:
- Contact five or six photographers on the same day, not one after another. Every round trip costs three days.
- Lead with the date, in the first line of the message. It is the only piece of information that decides whether the rest of the conversation means anything.
- Ask whether they know someone. Photographers recommend each other, and that list exists nowhere online.
What actually holds a date
A friendly email exchange reserves nothing. In France a date is held when two things exist: a signed contract and a deposit, usually 25–30% of the total. Until both are in place the date stays open to someone else — and I always warn you before letting it go.
Have a date in mind? Check whether it is free — I reply within 48 hours.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should you book a wedding photographer?
In the Paris region, allow twelve to eighteen months for a Saturday between May and September. For a weekday or off-season wedding, six to nine months is usually enough. The most in-demand photographers close their peak-season Saturdays almost two years ahead.
Should you book the photographer before or after the venue?
After the venue, but immediately after. The date only becomes real once the venue is confirmed, and it is the date that determines the photographer's availability. In practice the photographer is the third supplier to book, after the venue and the caterer.
Is three months before the wedding too late to book a photographer?
No, but the choice will be narrower. Availability regularly remains at three months for weekday weddings, winter dates, or after a cancellation. The key is to contact several photographers at once rather than one at a time.
How much deposit does a wedding photographer ask for?
In France the deposit is generally between 25% and 30% of the total, paid when the contract is signed. It is that payment, not a verbal agreement, that actually holds the date.