Photography!

If you’ve got a bunch of quotes then you can show him that’s the average cost overall so it’s not something you can avoid either

I agree with Melle - get multiple quotes from photographers, and he'll likely see that the cost isn't cheap, especially for a photographer with a great portfolio. If the cost is putting you over budget, and you really want to hire one of the two photography companies, maybe talk with your fiance to see if are you able to decrease costs in a different category and reallocate that money towards photography?

I agree with melle! I also had no idea how expensive photographers were until we started looking.

May I ask how much are the quotes and how many hours are you wanting the photographer to be there. I recommend seeing of you can hire one for two to four hours to cut down costs.

I think understanding the amount of work and time that goes into not only photographing the wedding, but the consultations & meetings, contracts, equipment and time editing the photos may help him understand a photographer’s worth. Plus are they paying assistants and/or second shooters? Do they have business & liability insurance? Think about the subscriptions they have to pay for online hosting of your photos and galleries, if there are additional products included such as flash drives, albums, and prints...

Plus if it’s a style you really love, I wouldn’t skimp and hire someone you’re not crazy about.