Wedding and event photography

Photographs of your day as it actually happened.

I photograph weddings and events in a way that doesn't feel like being photographed. The people, the light, the mess, the moments nobody staged.

Tell me what you’re planning View the photos

A bride and groom standing under a clear umbrella in the rain

what I’m looking for

real reactions, good light, small details, and people being themselves

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ceremony moments quiet portraits dinner tables weather dance floors small details location photos ceremony moments quiet portraits dinner tables weather dance floors small details location photos

A quick note

You hired a photographer, not a director.

I don't want your wedding to feel like a photo shoot. Honestly, neither do you.

What I care about is making photos that still feel true five years from now. Not just the polished portraits, but the texture of the day. The room. The people. The things you actually set up and chose.

I'll step in when it helps. Fix a collar, move you somewhere the light is doing something interesting, tell you what to do with your hands. Then I step back and let the day keep going.

Some of my favorite photos are the ones no one was ready for. Someone laughing before the speech begins. Your parents catching each other's eye. The table before anyone's touched it. The walk back from portraits when everyone thinks I've stopped shooting. The last ten minutes of light outside.

An emotional black and white first look moment

A couple kissing under a wedding veil at sunset — quiet portraits outside

A wedding speech during dinner — speeches and reactions

Golden light on a forest path — good light, simple scene

The work

Weddings, events, details, and the places in between.

A gallery should feel like the whole day, not a highlight reel. The portraits matter. So does the room before the doors open, rain against the venue windows, the dance floor when it stops being polite, the flowers you picked out, the place you chose to do this in. I want your gallery to look like your day, not every wedding.

Warm golden hour portrait of a bride and groom — PeopleA quiet minute after the ceremony.

Bride walking down the aisle — PeopleThe walk in, with everyone watching.

Elegant candlelit wedding table — PlacesThe room before dinner starts.

Wedding details with rings, flowers and paper — DetailsRings, flowers, paper, and small things.

Bride getting ready in a mirror — PeopleGetting ready before everything starts.

Bride and groom dancing under string lights — PartyThe first dance, once it feels less formal.

Couple kissing under a veil at sunset — PeopleA quick portrait in the last light.

Sparkler wedding exit — PartyThe exit, with everyone around you.

Black and white first look moment — PeopleA first look that works best in black and white.

Wedding reception dance floor — PartyA real dance floor, not a staged one.

Rainy wedding portrait under umbrella — PeopleRain outside the venue.

Wedding speech at a reception — PartyA speech, and the reactions around it.

Couple in a mountain meadow — PlacesA wide view of the place.

Wedding couple on a coastal cliff — PlacesA portrait by the coast.

Bride in a forest path — PlacesA quiet walk through the trees.

Couple by a lake at sunset — PlacesA few minutes outside before the party.

Golden sunlight on a forest path — NatureMorning light through the trees.

Alpine mountain lake reflection — NatureStill water and mountain reflections.

Golden coastal cliffs at sunset — NatureGolden light on the coast.

Wildflower hills at dusk — NatureWildflowers at dusk.

How I work

Calm, simple, easy to be around.

I give you something to do.

Nobody naturally knows what to do when a camera is pointed at them. I'll give you enough direction to feel comfortable: where to stand, where to look, what to do with your arms. Then I leave the rest alone.

Your people matter too.

Your gallery should feel like everyone who was there, not just the two of you. The loud laughs, the quiet tears, the person fixing your dress in the corner. I'm watching for all of it.

The place is part of the story.

The venue, the weather, the table settings, the view out the window. These are the things that make your gallery look like your day and not someone else's.

The editing stays honest.

Nothing heavy-handed. No orange skin, no filters that age badly. Just clean, warm color that still looks like the day actually looked.

A few things people usually ask

No, and most people aren't. I'll give you enough to work with so you feel like yourself, not like you're trying to be a model.

Yes. Rehearsal dinners, birthdays, proposals, brand dinners, family gatherings. If it matters to you, I'm interested.

Yes, always. The location, the weather, the light, the table settings. I think of these as part of the story. They're what makes a gallery feel complete.

Send me the date, where you're getting married, a rough guest count if you know it, and a few lines about what you're planning. That's genuinely all I need to start.

Coverage

Simple options, built around what you're actually planning.

For smaller days

Small Ceremony

from $850

Courthouse weddings, elopements, garden vows, a dinner after. Any smaller day with the people closest to you.

Up to 3 hours
Edited online gallery
Planning by email or video

Most requested

Wedding Day

from $1,950

For most weddings, from getting ready through the ceremony, portraits, dinner, speeches, and the first part of the dance floor.

Up to 8 hours
Preview gallery within one week
Full edited gallery

For events and dinners

Event Story

from $650

Rehearsal dinners, proposals, birthdays, creative events, private dinners, and small celebrations.

Up to 2 hours
Candid coverage
Edited online gallery

Start here

Tell me what you’re planning.

You don't need a mood board or a finished timeline. Just send what you know: the date, the place, a little about the day. I read every message myself and I'll write back properly.

Email
hello@elaramaephoto.com

Based in
Portland, available for travel

Instagram
@elaramaephoto