Prices and budget
An Arizona wedding cost $27,000 on average in 2025, according to The Knot's 2026 Real Weddings Study (opens in a new tab) (checked November 7, 2026). Photo and video together with IAZ Photo Studio cost $2,150, $3,250 or $4,995, which is between 8% and 18.5% of that average.
For context, the median Arizona household earns $79,964 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (opens in a new tab) (2020 to 2024, checked November 7, 2026), so an average wedding equals about a third of that income. An average isn't your budget: some weddings have 40 guests in a backyard and others have 300 in a ballroom. This guide gives you the figure with its source, what pushes the total up or down, and how much to set aside for photo and video from your own number. IAZ Photo Studio has covered Arizona weddings since 2004, when it started as Mi Foto Evento, and has more than 500 events behind it.
No government office publishes what a wedding costs: the Census Bureau tracks marital status and the age people marry, not wedding spending. That's why the most recent figure comes from The Knot's yearly study; The Knot is a U.S. wedding platform that surveyed 10,474 couples married in 2025. Here are its numbers, checked November 7, 2026:
| The Knot 2026 study figure | Amount |
|---|---|
| Average wedding cost in Arizona | $27,000 |
| Average wedding cost in Phoenix | $27,000 |
| Wedding photographer, national average | $3,000 |
| Videographer, national average | $2,300 |
Treat these numbers as a reference point, not a target: they are survey averages, and your wedding can cost less or more. The useful part is the proportion.
The total depends mostly on four decisions. Make them in this order and the rest of the budget falls into place.
This weighs the most, because almost everything is multiplied per person: food, drinks, chairs, linens, cake and favors. Photo and video don't change with the guest count; they change with the hours.
A hall that already provides tables, food and staff is priced differently from an empty space where you rent everything. Ask for the list of what the price covers and what costs extra, just as you would with a photographer.
Many venues charge differently by day and month. In Arizona, summer heat changes when photos happen and how you plan anything outdoors; we cover it in our Arizona heat and monsoon guide.
A wedding that starts with getting ready at noon and ends at 10 at night needs more hours of music, staff and photo and video. To count yours, read how many hours of wedding photography and video you need.
A marriage license costs $98 in Maricopa County, and you can get it at two kinds of offices for the same price. Pick the one closest to you or call before you go. Details come from the Clerk of the Superior Court (opens in a new tab), its fee schedule (opens in a new tab) and the Justice Courts wedding page (opens in a new tab), checked November 7, 2026:
| Where | Cost | How to pay | Offices | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clerk of the Superior Court | $98 | Cash, money order or credit card | Downtown Phoenix (601 W. Jackson St.), North Phoenix (18380 N. 40th St.), Surprise (14264 W. Tierra Buena Ln.) and Mesa (222 E. Javelina Ave.) | (602) 372-5375 |
| Justice courts that issue licenses | $98 | Money order only, payable to "Clerk of Superior Court" | Gila Bend (209 E. Pima St.), Avondale (10420 W. Van Buren St.) and Chandler (201 E. Chicago St.) | (602) 506-8530, administrative office |
The $98 fee applies statewide since December 28, 2024, according to the Arizona Judicial Branch superior court fees (opens in a new tab). It used to be $83, so if you see that figure on another page, it's the old fee.
What to know before you go, according to the Maricopa County Clerk and the Pima County marriage license page (opens in a new tab):
This table shows what share of the Arizona average each IAZ package represents.
| Package | Price | Share of the Arizona average | Main items included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential Package | $2,150 | About 8% | 8 hours, photographer and videographer, 75 photos, Pre-Event Photo Session, edited video |
| Complete Package | $3,250 | About 12% | 10 hours, every photo, 30-page album, 5- and 1-minute Event Highlight Videos |
| Deluxe Package | $4,995 | About 18.5% | 12 hours, 40-page album, Drone Footage, Personalized Event Website |
All three packages include a photographer and a videographer, a 1-hour Pre-Event Photo Session and the edited video. Each item is explained in what a wedding photo and video package includes.
$2,150
Most chosen
$3,250
$4,995
A $500 deposit holds your date; the rest is paid in installments, in full one month before the event.
Our budget calculator is built for quinceañeras, but the photo and video part works the same for a wedding, because the packages cost the same. Enter your total, adjust the split and see which package fits, without giving your email. Its categories (venue, food, dress, decor, music, cake) work almost as they are; add the license, the rings and your officiant separately.
Photo only or video only starts at $1,250 (4 hours), $1,550 (6 hours) or $1,895 (8 hours). We recommend the combined packages first, because they include the Pre-Event Photo Session and the 20×30 framed print. If you choose just one, read wedding photography or videography: which to choose.
Set these aside too, so the budget doesn't come up short:
A $500 deposit holds your date and goes toward your total; you pay the rest in installments, in full one month before the wedding. If you cancel 4 months or more ahead, you lose only the deposit; with less notice, everything paid is lost. Before you pay any studio, go through our questions to ask before hiring.
According to The Knot's 2026 study, the Arizona average was $27,000 in 2025. Your cost depends mostly on the guest count, the venue and the date.
With IAZ Photo Studio, photo and video together start at $2,150, about 8% of the Arizona average. Photo only or video only starts at $1,250.
It costs $98 anywhere in Arizona since December 28, 2024. In Maricopa County, it's issued by the Clerk of the Superior Court, which takes cash, money order or card, and by three justice courts, which take money orders only.
Yes. You hold the date with $500 and pay the rest in installments, in full one month before the wedding.
Pick the city of your wedding and check your date with the team that works there. We reply within 24 to 48 hours with availability and the package that fits your budget.
With your total in hand, the next step is knowing whether your date is free. We reply within 24 to 48 hours, with prices and the contract in writing.