Top 10 Photographers in East Coast, USA
The East Coast doesn't offer photographers just one type of wedding to photograph; it offers dozens. A wedding at a Newport mansion looks nothing like an elopement in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and a rooftop reception in Brooklyn has almost nothing in common visually with a wedding at a magnolia-lined estate in the Carolinas. The ten photographers on this list have built their careers on this diversity, moving seamlessly between New England's shingled coastlines, the marble ballrooms of the Mid-Atlantic, and the sprawling lawns of the Southeast. Their backgrounds range from acting and skateboarding culture to design and music, and from portrait studios to spending two decades almost entirely behind a camera. What unites this group is not so much geography as an instinct: to stay true to the day and let editorial polish serve the story rather than replace it. Here are ten photographers shaping some of the region's most talked-about wedding photography.
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Carly Michelle Photography
Carly Bentsen has spent sixteen years building up her business, Carly Michelle Photography, which specialises in film photography. She describes herself as "an East Coast and destination photographer focusing on refined imagery through film photography." Her style blends documentary, candid and editorial, and she shoots on a rotating mix of film cameras, including Super 8, alongside Canon digital bodies.
She stays close to the source material in her post-processing, working to "match the photos to the film scans" rather than layering on heavy digital effects. What she enjoys most about the job is simple: "witnessing a couple's happiest day thus far." Her advice to aspiring photographers is equally straightforward: "network, ask to shadow, don't be afraid to put yourself out there." Wyoming is her favourite destination so far, though she says she is "open to travel all over."
Kate Thompson
Over sixteen years, Kate Thompson has photographed more than 400 weddings, building a reputation based on "empathy, a fine-tuned artistic eye, a quiet thoughtfulness, and a focus on family." She describes her style in three words: "in the moment."
She deliberately keeps her editing light, usually emulating her film tones, and her process with couples relies on honest and open conversations to get to know one another. What she enjoys most about the job comes down to people: "the people I meet and the memories I help capture for families." Her advice to couples preparing for their big day is straightforward: "choose the vendors who make you feel supported and relaxed - trust is everything." She says her favourite weddings are the ones "in locations that feel very personal to the couple and their families."
Grace Torres Photo
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Grace Torres began her career in portrait photography before moving into wedding photography during her time at university. She then expanded her business from Florida up the entire East Coast of the USA. She has been recognised as one of the top 40 wedding photographers in the USA by WedVibes and one of the top 15 on the East Coast by TheWed. Her work has been published in British Vogue, Vanity Fair and The New York Times.
"My style documents candid moments as they naturally unfold while creating editorial portraits that are intentional and sophisticated," she says, describing an approach that blends "warmth with intentionality." She is especially drawn to "stories rooted in family, legacy, and thoughtful design," treating every gallery as something greater than just one day. Her advice to her younger self is simple: "lead with a heart for service and remember that people will always remember the way you made them feel." Her favourite places to shoot are Italy and Spain, alongside "mansions in New England and villas in California."
Trenholm Photo
Austin Trenholm picked up a camera at fourteen and has spent more than two decades photographing weddings across the East Coast and beyond. "My style is effortless," he says. "It feels real and natural. I want my clients to feel completely at ease and look back on their real memories as art."
He skips formality entirely when dealing with clients: "I'm a friend first and a photographer second. By the end of the day we feel like we've been friends our whole lives." The best part of the job for him is witnessing emotion unfold in real time: "excitement, nervousness, love. It's the greatest privilege." His advice to anyone starting out is straightforward: "practice practice practice. Inspiration finds you when you are working, when your heart rate is elevated." Jackson Hole and Charleston remain two of his favourite places to shoot, though he adds that he enjoys shooting anywhere with the right clients.
Brittany Boote
Hailing from Northeast Pennsylvania, Brittany Boote was drawn to on-camera work in New York City from an early age. She was also influenced by the local art, skateboarding and music scenes. "What began as a childhood dream of acting and a love for American cinema evolved into something unexpected, a genuine passion for people, decoding human emotion and story telling," she says.
She describes her style as "emotionally intuitive, cinematic, and editorial all with a strong sense of humanity underneath it all." What has kept her inspired for fifteen years is the trust that couples give her: "being invited into people's lives, the vulnerability and trust they give us to really see them. It's pretty remarkable and endlessly fascinating to me." Her advice to her younger self is simple: "cancel the noise, stay true to your voice and create from the heart."
Love Bears
Fran and Mils, the married couple behind Love Bears, both have creative backgrounds in design and music, and this foundation still shapes how they perceive images and visual language today. Splitting their time between New York City and Puerto Rico, they describe their style as "a blend of observation and intention," letting "the couple, the wedding design and the venue's architecture" guide every shoot.
"What I enjoy most about being a wedding photographer is being able to witness and create, through our perspective, one of the most important memories in a person's life," they say. Their process starts with building a real connection: "understanding who they are, how they relate to each other, and what they value allows us to photograph them in a way that feels personal. The kind of outcome that comes from that place can't be forced or replicated, it naturally unfolds." Their advice to their younger selves is grounded: "the best opportunities don't come overnight. Whether progress is slow or fast, if you are consistent and disciplined, you will achieve each of your goals." They say that Italy "definitely has our hearts."
Sincerely Sini
Sini Choi, who runs her studio as Sincerely Sini, divides her time between New York City and California, frequently travelling to photograph weddings around the world. She describes her work as "documentary and artful, rooted in observation and feeling, while leaving room for moments to unfold naturally," adding that she is "curious of the nuances of human interaction, delighted by artful fantasy and pulled by moments of honesty."
She blends digital with 35mm and medium format film, which is developed through New York film labs, and she hand-edits every digital image herself. Starting out, her advice to herself reads almost like a mantra: "build slowly, make work that feels honest, and let your style evolve naturally... remember that it's going to be a long game, keep showing up and make photographs that bring you joy." So far, Bali and the Italian countryside remain her favourite places to shoot.
Julia Wade Photography
Julia Wade has spent seventeen years photographing weddings in the Raleigh area of North Carolina. She has developed a philosophy that prioritises people over pictures: "relationships and client experience first. The photographs follow." She has used Canon cameras since 2008.
She takes a practical approach to post-processing: "exceptional in camera shooting is most important. Post-processing is then for consistent colors and white balance and exposures. We want these photos to last." She believes that good client relationships start from the very first conversation: "the values and goals have to align, and then that work together becomes really easy." What she enjoys most about the work is simple: "adding to a family's legacy." Nantucket, Cape Town and Lake Como have all been favourites so far.
Kristin Piteo
Kristin Piteo has spent more than thirteen years photographing weddings across the United States, Europe, South Africa, Asia and South America. She describes her work as being about more than just taking pretty pictures: "it's about preserving a feeling, the way someone looked at their partner, the energy of a room, the landscape surrounding a celebration, or a fleeting moment that might otherwise be forgotten."
Her style blends editorial, cinematic and deeply natural instincts, built around soft, earthy and mineral tones inspired by the natural world. On the wedding day itself, her approach remains consistent: "my goal is never to manufacture an image, but to create an environment where something real can happen, and then be there to capture it." The advice she would give to her younger self is clear: "trust your intuition and don't be afraid to let your work evolve... focus less on following what's trending and more on creating work that feels honest to you." She is especially drawn to destinations connected to nature, from the European coastline to the South African landscape.
Liron Erel & Co
Liron Erel has spent two decades building a career around what he calls a "documentary-editorial blend," shooting weddings and editorial work with a mix of film and digital photography. He says his photographs aim to feel "lived-in and effortless, but also artful enough to reflect the intentionality behind every part of the weekend."
What he enjoys most about the job is simple: "being present on my clients' happiest celebration, and creating images that will serve as a family heirloom they can always look back at." His advice to his younger self reads like a personal code: "trust the process, keep your head down, do the work, be nice, focus on consistency, and always provide the best client experience."
From New England's shingled coastlines to the marble ballrooms of the Mid-Atlantic, not to mention the rooftops of Brooklyn and the magnolia-lined lawns of the South, the East Coast is a diverse place, and so are the ten photographers on this list. Some came up through acting and skateboarding culture, some through design studios and portrait work, and one photographer built a career by splitting time between two countries. What unites them is not so much a shared aesthetic as a shared discipline: get close enough to a couple that the pictures stop feeling staged, then step back. Whether the day unfolds in a Newport mansion, a Blue Ridge barn or somewhere entirely unexpected, these ten photographers know how to capture the essence of a wedding. You can get to know wedding photographers from across the East Coast on Wezoree and contact them directly to start the conversation.
