Wedding + Elopement

Photographer

Ann Arbor, Michigan and Beyond!

Documentary lifestyle photography that focuses on real emotions, real people, and real candid moments - so you can experience those moments as they were meant to be.

hi, I’m Karly :

lifestyle photographer + future friend

I can’t wait to see and capture what’s unique and lovely about you. I love what I do. I will never not feel grateful when people trust me with a lens into their life’s intimate and special moments. I’ve been photographing friends since high school, had a camera in my hand for over two decadesβ€”photographing weddings, couples and families for the past 8, and I wouldn’t change a single picture or a single moment. With my camera(s), I’m here to capture YOUR story, emotions, scowls, laughs, and silly faces–especially the ones that remain unapologetically themselves.

Hear me out: Instead of thinking about what you want your wedding to look like,

Think about what you want your wedding to

feel like.

My goal as a photographer is to truly let you be yourself and live the most important moments to the fullest, without worry that the pictures will somehow suffer for it. When you put your trust in me, you will find that completely abandoning all expectations of perfectly curated wedding photos will produce ones that are even better than you could imagine; photos that will stand the test of time and make you feel exactly the way you did in that moment, even years later.

a frien of the bride helps grandma with her makeup before the wedding day
bridesmaid helps bride put shows on before wedding ceremony
gclose up of girls toasting with rose filled wine glasses

What if instead of spending an hour after your ceremony taking pictures, you got to go to cocktail hour, hug all of your favorite people, smile, laugh + cry with a drink in your hand?

groom shares an emotional hug with a wedding guest after the ceremony

What if instead of having a rigid timeline with a checklist of shots to get, you prioritized having fun, feeling relaxed and having meaningful connections with your partner + guests?

When you prioritize things that feel like you on your wedding day (and throw out anything that doesn’t!) your pictures will be true, real, and beautiful frozen pockets of time.

bride and groom kiss at helmer castle dinner
bride and groom ascend staircase in UMMA museum
bride and groom stand in front of cloud sculpture in museum
bride walks up the steps toward castle wedding venue
bride and groom share a moment on the rocky shore of lake superior in marquette michigan
bride looks back at groom during portraits on wedding day in arboretum in ann arbor
close up of bride and groom holding hands and showing wedding rings
close up of bridal hair and makeup on wedding day
Bride sits still as a makeup artist applies mascara
bridesmaids wipe brides eyes in intimate moment post-ceremony

Kind Words

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Reviews

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Testimonials

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Kind Words * Reviews * Testimonials *

β€œShe’s amazing to work with!”

β€œKarly is amazing! We were privileged enough to have Karly photograph our wedding in Colorado, AND our reception in Michigan. She's amazing to work with! Her talent and eye for a great shot is beyond what we could've imagined. We absolutely LOVE looking back at the wonderful pictures and reminiscing about the greatest day of our lives! I wish I could give her MORE STARS! 10/10 Would highly recommend!”

β€” Chelsea + Michael, 2023

β€œβ€¦we were blown away by

each photograph she took.”

β€œWe were fortunate enough and extremely honored to have Karly be our wedding photographer. We wanted the perfect, fairy tale wedding and it was a blessing to have Karly capture the entire experience. She had great attention to detail and captured scenes that went above and beyond what we could've imagined. One of Karly’s other strengths is that she was able to scout out a beautiful location for our "first look" pictures. A location that I had no idea even existed, and what she captured were some of the most amazing and favorite photos from the entire day. She was professional, approachable, patient, and very creative. She also did our engagement photos as well, and we were blown away by each photograph she took. We 1000% recommend Red Herron Art and will always wholeheartedly appreciate her outstanding work to capture our memories and bring them alive in the photos.”

β€” Tiffany + Julie, 2021

I love taking photos. I love how the images you allow me to create tell a story of your day/your relationship in such a beautiful way. I love the big moments but I am obsessed with the small, understated ones that happen throughout the day. I feel so lucky when you let me into your life, into your home, and into your most special of moments so I can help you remember them forever. The thrill and the joy is unmatched! Plus, I get to hang out with people who are living the happiest day of their lives and I’m telling yaβ€” that stuff is contagious.

bride and groom smile at each other on wedding day

Wedding & Elopement

Photography

I take limited amounts of weddings and elopements each year so I can focus on you and making your day as special as it should be. Contact me to see if I’m available on your day!

*Now Booking 2025 + 2026 weddings!

Typical wedding cost is $4500, typical elopement is $2000

  • All photo sessions (basically anything that isn’t a wedding!) range from $450-800, depending on session type. Please see the Sessions tab for more info!

  • Elopements start at $1900 Average cost is $2400

  • Weddings start at $2900 (half day) and $4500 (full day). Average cost is $5300.

  • Destination Weddings start at $5500. Average cost is $7500.

Pricing

Average wedding cost is $4000

Engagement & Couples

Photography

You don’t have to book a wedding with me to do engagement photos (but there is a deal in it for you if you do!) Whatever the occasion, let’s get you in front of the camera and make magic happen!

Average Cost is $750

My ideal clients want a different kind of wedding day experience; to abandon expectation + shotlists, embrace + trust that the unexpected will produce the BEST photos that will be cherished forever, and know that the purpose of this day is not create photos, but to live your day fully presentβ€”the photos are just the reminder that comes later.

My job is not to take photographs that make it look like you are having the best day of your life β€” but if you’re having the best day of your life, your photographs will be proof that you did, and you’ll have them forever.

Wedding photography on film:

As a wedding and elopement photographer based in Michigan

I believe that your entire wedding experienceβ€”from the proposal to the glitter on the floor after the partyβ€” should be fun and authentic! Let me explain what I mean by that:

Everyone who has planned a wedding will tell you how stressful it is, and I’m here to tell you that they felt that way because, basically, they were all trying to plan the same wedding, and they were all trying too hard to think about how to create the perfect instagrammable day, like all the wedding days they’ve seen before. And when you do that, it’s really hard not to compare yours to others and have it in your mind that everything needs to be perfect. How often have you heard someone stressing out about seating charts for people they didn’t even want to invite to their wedding, or trying to decide on a list of drinks from a bunch of cocktails they don’t actually like, or worrying about having enough time to talk to all the people they love while trying to also fit in all the bridal photos they want. And the obvious truth is: everyone is different, and weddings don’t need to be one-size-fits-all. If you can find out what you truly want for your wedding day, you’ll feel less like you’re planning another version of a production that you’ve seen multiple times, and more like you are creating a day that was made especially for you to enjoy and feel present with your best friend and the people you love the most. And THAT’s when your photos are going to be fantastic.

If you’re looking to have an exceptional experience on your wedding day, by building a day that is unique and inspired and off the beaten pathβ€” I’m the perfect person to help plan, attend and capture the magic of your day, so you can relive it again and again for years to come.

For more information on how to build a wedding day that looks and feels like you, click the button below

little boy sitting in the gravel outside of a wedding venue
portrait of bride from behind with hair blowing in the wind
bride and groom embrace in front of  the ocean
wedding guest holds bridal bouquet during ceremony
bride and groom look at art in a museum
bride sits and enjoys a moment on the porch before her wedding
couple embraces in front of an old double decker bus in london

Travel dates for 2024

If you’re interested in any of these locations and want a wedding or a session without travel fees, here are some of my travel dates below!

May 2-13 | London + Wales UK

June 5-9 | Milwaukee + The Dells WI

August 27- Sept 3 | Jackson Hole + Tetons

October 17-21 | Tybee Island + Savannah, GA

say hi on Instagram :)