What should we budget for drone footage at our wedding?
Would really love to add this element to our video as we are getting married on a beautiful private property, it's stunning. What should we budget for drone footage?
Jasmine
Question Asked: 22/05/2023
Wedding Date: 3/11/2024
Most Helpful Response
(12) · Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, servicing all of South East Queensland.
Posted: 26/06/2026
Answered by: 18 Experts
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We charge a flat fee of $400 for drone use and this usually allows up to 4 instances of use throughout the day. These might include shots of the church/ceremony location, parts of the couple photoshoot and exteriors of reception.
If you're getting married on a stunning private property—drone is a no-brainer.
?? Budget around $250–$600
This depends on your videographer, flight restrictions, and how much you want captured.
Drone shots bring the wow factor—think sweeping landscapes, golden hour glows, and epic aerial vibes. Just make sure your vendor is CASA-certified and checks the weather.
Totally worth it if the location’s a stunner.
I kind of think that, in 2025, it's part of the package now and shouldn't be charged for separately.
As some of the wedding vidography professional already mentioned that these days this is something that is pretty much expectd. We however recommend asking the videography company that you are going ahead with to run pre-checks to see if there are any restrictions in place by the government due to an airport nearby or other reasons. And one other factor on the day could be the weather.
But it is best not to assume and definitly should be asked during the selection process.
All the best.
Meagan & Sumit
www,mettamemories.com.au
(0) · Perth, South West, Swan Valley, Geraldton and Surrounding Areas
Posted: 18/10/2023
Drone footage shouldn't be an additional extra. In 2023 & 2024 i would expect a professional to own one and want the footage themselves to level up the video. Most videographers will use it even if you don't pay for it. Find someone that includes it :)
(4) · Sydney | Hunter | Central Coast | Sutherland Shire
Posted: 7/08/2023
Drone footage is included in all our packages. As long as the weather and location allows then we'll definitely be grabbing those shots!!
At Vortex Production, the drone is included in every wedding videography package, provided that the venue allows flying and the weather conditions are suitable.
(0) · Rockhampton, Gladstone, Hervey Bay, Bundaberg, Mackay, Airlie Beach
Posted: 21/06/2023
Cre8tve Moments includes drone footage in some of its packge as an inclusion. Others charge it as an add on. It really comes back to time and having everything planned out for the day. If drone footage is a must have in your final film it is sometimes best allowing the budget for the second videographer to capture this and to capture other different anglees of your day whilst being there on site.
Firstly, congrats on your upcoming wedding!
Adding drone footage to your video can truly capture the beauty of your private property.
While many videographers, including myself, offer drone footage as part of our packages, its feasibility depends on the location.
I'd check if your property is near any arifields or restricted areas. Discuss with your chosen videogrpaher to determine if the drone footage is inclluded or availalbe as an add-on.
They can provide more specific information and any associated costs.
Best wishes for a beatuiful wedding day!
Johnathan
www.jp-media.com.au
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The honest answer is that pricing varies a lot, so the budget question is less useful than asking how drone is included. Plenty of us build it into our videography packages at no extra cost, while others treat it as an add on or bring in a dedicated pilot. When you enquire, ask the videographer straight out: do you fly your own drone, is it in the package, and roughly how much time do you set aside for it on the day. That tells you far more than a dollar figure.
The one thing worth budgeting that nobody mentions is time, not money. Drone shots are slow to set up because we have to walk well out of frame to get those big sweeping views, so a couple of nice aerials can eat ten or fifteen minutes. On a private property that is absolutely worth it, since the whole point is showing the scale and beauty of the land in a way you simply cannot capture from the ground. Just make sure your run sheet leaves a little breathing room so it does not come at the cost of your couple portraits.
Two practical things for a private property in particular. First, check whether your location sits in controlled airspace or near anything that restricts flying, because some spots need approvals and a few are no go zones, and a CASA licensed pilot will know how to check that for your address. Second, the best aerials usually happen in soft morning or golden hour light rather than harsh midday sun, so flag your start time and ceremony timing early.
For what it is worth, everything we capture, drone footage included, is edited in house by our own team here in South East Queensland, never outsourced offshore, so the aerials are graded to match the rest of your film rather than looking like a separate clip dropped in. Happy to talk through how it would work for your property if you want to chat.