$2,100 starting price
Videography services available
About this vendor
Beth
Owner/Lead Photographer
In business: 1+ years
Team: 1 member
Languages: English
Business: Woman-owned Business
Timeless, elegant images
Beth Ely Photography, based in Durham, NC, specializes in capturing the genuine, heartfelt moments of your wedding day. From the vows to the final dance, Beth is there to capture the essence of your love story, creating images that you'll treasure for a lifetime.
Beth offers a range of customizable packages designed to suit your specific needs. Whether you choose her standard package with eight hours of coverage or the deluxe package with a second photographer, Beth ensures that every significant moment is beautifully preserved. Additionally, she provides engagement and bridal sessions, allowing couples to create stunning images in a relaxed setting before the big day.
In addition to photography, Beth Ely Photography offers professional videography services. Her cinematic approach results in a beautifully edited film highlighting your wedding day's most emotional and memorable parts. Whether you're looking for gorgeous stills or a riveting wedding film, Beth ensures your big day is captured in stunning high definition.
Awards
Prices & packages
Wedding Photography Limited
$2,100 starting price
Wedding Photography Limited
$2,100 starting price
Contact for hours
Contact for hours
Online gallery ~500 Edited Images Included
Online gallery ~500 Edited Images Included
Wedding Photography Standard
$2,800 starting price
Wedding Photography Standard
$2,800 starting price
Contact for hours
Contact for hours
Online Gallery ~700 Edited Images Included
Online Gallery ~700 Edited Images Included
Wedding Photography Deluxe
$3,400 starting price
Wedding Photography Deluxe
$3,400 starting price
Contact for hours
Contact for hours
Online Gallery ~800 Edited Images Included
Online Gallery ~800 Edited Images Included
Small Sessions Engagement
$350 starting price
Small Sessions Engagement
$350 starting price
Contact for hours
Contact for hours
Online Gallery ~75 Edited Images Included
Online Gallery ~75 Edited Images Included
Small Sessions Bridal
$350 starting price
Small Sessions Bridal
$350 starting price
Contact for hours
Contact for hours
Online Gallery ~75 Edited Images Included
Online Gallery ~75 Edited Images Included
Wedding Video Mini-Coverage
$800 starting price
Wedding Video Mini-Coverage
$800 starting price
Contact for hours
Contact for hours
Real-Time Ceremony (Highlights within coverage)
Real-Time Ceremony (Highlights within coverage)
USB with Edited Files (Only Available in Off-Season or Last-Minute Booking)
USB with Edited Files (Only Available in Off-Season or Last-Minute Booking)
Showing slides 1 to 3 out of 6
- Wedding Photography Limited$2,100 starting priceWedding Photography Limited$2,100 starting priceContact for hoursContact for hoursOnline gallery ~500 Edited Images IncludedOnline gallery ~500 Edited Images Included
- Wedding Photography Standard$2,800 starting priceWedding Photography Standard$2,800 starting priceContact for hoursContact for hoursOnline Gallery ~700 Edited Images IncludedOnline Gallery ~700 Edited Images Included
- Wedding Photography Deluxe$3,400 starting priceWedding Photography Deluxe$3,400 starting priceContact for hoursContact for hoursOnline Gallery ~800 Edited Images IncludedOnline Gallery ~800 Edited Images Included
- Small Sessions Engagement$350 starting priceSmall Sessions Engagement$350 starting priceContact for hoursContact for hoursOnline Gallery ~75 Edited Images IncludedOnline Gallery ~75 Edited Images Included
- Small Sessions Bridal$350 starting priceSmall Sessions Bridal$350 starting priceContact for hoursContact for hoursOnline Gallery ~75 Edited Images IncludedOnline Gallery ~75 Edited Images Included
- Wedding Video Mini-Coverage$800 starting priceWedding Video Mini-Coverage$800 starting priceContact for hoursContact for hoursReal-Time Ceremony (Highlights within coverage)Real-Time Ceremony (Highlights within coverage)USB with Edited Files (Only Available in Off-Season or Last-Minute Booking)USB with Edited Files (Only Available in Off-Season or Last-Minute Booking)
Starting prices may not include all fees a vendor may charge. Contact the photographer for customized services and quotes.
Details
Business Attributes
- Woman-owned Business
Photo Shoot Types
- Bridal Portraits
- Engagement
- Trash The Dress
Photo & Video
- Digital Files
- Film Photography
- Online Proofing
- Photo
- Printed Enlargements
- Printed Proofs
Photo & Video Styles
- Artistic
- Classic
- Documentary
- Lifestyle
- Modern
- Vintage
Wedding Activities
- Getting Engaged
- Rehearsals & Parties
- After Party
- Wedding
- After Party
Reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
5
out of 5.057 reviews
Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 8
- Top reviews
- Newest first
- Oldest first
- Highest rated
- Lowest rated
Sort by
We cannot say enough good things about Beth and how wonderful she was as part of our wedding team! Leading up to the wedding she was easy to communicate with and really worked with us to figure out what we wanted. She is just the nicest person and on our wedding day she worked so hard to make sure everything was perfect. She is a lot of fun and really puts you at ease which means you get pictures that are so much more genuine than a lot of the stiff, stuffy wedding photos you usually see. The finalized wedding photos are stunning and we couldn't be happier! Thank you so much Beth, you really added something special to our day! - Rachel and Mitch
Beth is nothing short of amazing to work with. Professional, put me and my fiancé at ease, funny, sweet, and of course takes beautiful photos! We were actually childhood friends back in elementary and middle school, but as often happens, drifted apart in high school and beyond. Being connected on social media allowed me to creep on her budding photography business over the years, and I was constantly amazed by what I saw. I really loved how she seemed always able to capture the “behind the scenes” moments filled with emotion, not just pre-planned posed photos. When I got engaged she was the first vendor I called! I could not wait to work with her and was not disappointed. She was quick to respond to any questions I had, and patiently went over the day-of timeline and detailed list of all the family and bridal party pictures I wanted to take. She has a great eye and skillfully guided us through both our engagement and wedding photos. Her team on the wedding day seemed to capture every moment and be everywhere, yet were also unobtrusive. Photo ninjas! We moved efficiently through all of our family and bridal party photos, which I was afraid would take forever (big family), but not so – we were done in less than an hour and had some time to take a few extra “bride and groom only” photos that I wasn’t expecting. She really listened to what I wanted and worked to make that happen, chipping in her own suggestions or ideas that elevated my vision from “ok” to “excellent.” Our wedding day would not have been the same without her and her team. Thank you, Beth!
Beth did the photography for my Dad's wedding in 2015, and not only were her photos beautiful, but she was also just a really lovely presence. I'm always uncomfortable having my photo taken, but she put us all at ease and it showed in the photos. For my own wedding I didn't even consider anyone else, and I 100% stand by that decision. She effortlessly managed our large families during portraits, and got so many pictures during the event itself that really captured our joy and the overall atmosphere of the day. I've received so many compliments on her photography-- many along the lines of "I wish I could have had her photograph my wedding," from other recent brides. If that's not a ringing endorsement, I'm not sure what is!
Any questions?
As mother of the bride, I found Beth to be both a talented photographer and a joy to work with. She is consistently unflappable and upbeat, even in trying circumstances. She kept the bride smiling beautifully through her portraits on the hottest day of the year, and adroitly shuffled family/wedding party pictures to accommodate a very tardy best man. She makes everyone comfortable and has a knack for getting natural smiles that reflect the happiness of the occasion. With a tight budget, we booked only Beth without a second photographer for just 6 hours. I know this was a challenging assignment with three families’ worth of portraits and a 4 1/2 –hour event with 115 guests, but the resulting shots were wonderfully representative of the day and those who attended. Professionally and personally, I couldn’t be more pleased that we chose Beth as our photographer!
Beth is an amazing photographer! She got a variety of different shots, adhered to the list of portraits we asked for, and was flexible when some of our wedding party was late to the shoot. She also did a great job on my bridal portraits, despite the 96-degree heat, which was draining on everyone involved. We definitely recommend her!
I have been married now for 3 months and still remember working with Beth as one of my favorite things about wedding planning! She is so professional and prompt, her prices are very comptetitive (especially considering the quality) and she really listened to everything that I wanted. She was very helpful on the day of and made the photo portion of the day efficient and lovely so that my new husband and I could join our guests ASAP. The photos were ready sooner than expected and they are lovely! I couldn't have been happier with the process or the product.
Hello,
We used Beth Ely Photography and she was one of our favorite vendors from our wedding day!!! She was so professional and she is really gifted and talented with photography. I originally found Beth on The Knot after I searched for local photography. She truly has a unique style with being able to capture the raw and natural light and the couples' beauty on the day of. I requested many family photos more than I thought I had requested. She was worried about our timeline on the day of. However, she still managed to capture all photos and all family photos that we requested! Our wedding day went by so fast, and I am so happy we have her work to look back on! If you are looking for a wedding photographer, Beth is your gal!
~Alexandra
Talented. Professional. Fun. We could not have asked for a better photographer!!! She turned engagement photos for a semi-camera-shy groom in the most fun afternoon, and was beyond amazing at our wedding! She manages to capture the perfect moments with such ease, and her finished product is a dream. What I love most about Beth is her ability to make any situation so special and fun. Thank you so much letting us relive the best day of our lives over and over with your beautiful work!
I found Beth via the Knot after the photographer I originally booked found out she was pregnant and due the week of my wedding (so had to cancel). I was really anxious about planning my wedding from out state and finding the perfect photographer. My fears were immediately relieved after booking Beth and working with her to capture my wedding. I loved her candid and authentic style from her website and knew this was the feel I wanted for my pictures.
Every step during the planning process with Beth was so seamless and easy. She was always quick to respond, answered all of my questions, and was happy to jump on a call with me to go over my goals for the wedding and timing. I was already pleased with her service but was then blown away on our wedding day. We had a very large bridal party, large family, and also had my toddler nephews and niece to coordinate. Beth was excellent at getting everyone in order and getting through those pictures quick! The candid photos with my husband were so fun to do... we were so comfortable with her and she captured the sweetest moment of us just talking and laughing. Then during the reception she worked without even being noticed.
Not only was Beth a rock star onsite, the final product was more than we could have imagined and came one week earlier than expected! I can't stop looking at all of our pictures - they are so fun and sweet and always bring a smile to my face. She was able to capture so many special moments during each part of the wedding - close-up detail shots, intimate moments of me and my husband, and awesome action pictures of guests dancing and having a blast. Beth is truly an artist in the way she is able to incorporate the lighting and also go unnoticed while she does her work.
I cannot say enough good things about her and would choose her for our wedding day a million times over! Thank you SO much Beth for saving these memories that we can cherish forever!
After searching through wedding websites, reading reviews, and doing our due diligence on pricing, photo quality, etc. we decided Beth Ely was the best choice to be the photographer for our wedding. That decision did not disappoint one bit.
Beth had multiple packages, services, and pricing options so it was easy to get the coverage we needed for our wedding at a more than fair price in comparison to other photographers in the region. What you get from Beth goes beyond what you may expect and certainly what we expected. We did a first look prior to the ceremony and Beth was extreme helpful in scouting the area and setting up this part of the day, after the initial spot we had planned on using wasn’t suitable due to the weather. Beth going above and beyond did not stop there and simply continued throughout the night.
We had large family photos to take with multiple children involved following the ceremony. What could have easily taken an hour, if not more, seemingly breezed by as she was organized with the lists provided of photos needed and getting everyone lined up in a quick and orderly fashion so we could go from one family to the next without losing quality in the process.
Moving to the reception, despite the fact that it was just Beth there taking photographs we would have thought there was 3-4 photographers based on all the different angles and shots were gathered of the same event. We got to see great shots from all around of our first dance, parents dance, cake cutting, and every other major event that occurred. On top of that, she was all around the reception gathering pictures of friends, family, and all the scenery. Since we couldn’t be all over the place it was great to see the photos of everyone else having such a great time on the dance floor and all over.
After the wedding we got a sneak peek of photos that were taken after about two weeks. It may have been even sooner, can’t remember for sure. Right at that point we wanted to go on and give Beth a great review, but figured we should make sure all the photos turned out just a good. Sure enough, the entire album was put up probably around a month after our event and the pictures were just as amazing as we had hoped for. We have heard nothing but compliments from friends and family in attendance that the photos were amazing and they couldn’t wait to buy some. We’ve also heard nothing but great things from friends and family that were unable to make it to the wedding but enjoyed scanning through the photos. Those complements would not be possible without the great effort that was put forth by Beth.
Beth went above and beyond what we expected of a photographer, provided us with amazing photos at a more than fair rate, and was timely in all of her services. We recommend her to anyone looking for a photographer for their wedding.
Beth is absolutely wonderful. I gave her a bit of a run-around regarding our wedding since I wanted a video but I just wasn't sure if it was in our budget. Unfortunately, I ended up stringing Beth along a little bit (I realize now the error of my ways and I am so sorry!), but Beth was so kind and so sweet throughout the entire process. She is truly one of my most kind people that you will ever meet. As it turns out, about three months before the wedding, my grandmother fell very ill and could not attend the wedding. I emailed Beth immediately and booked her officially, and it was one of the best decisions that we made.
To get footage for the video, Beth tromped down to the river with us and even climbed out into the middle of the river on rocks covered with poison oak to capture some really beautiful scenes (smiling, laughing, and being sweet the whole time!)... talk about dedication. She was so sweet to my husband, who thought that she was absolutely adorable and so professional. I was amazed by all of the footage she got by herself (she used a tripod with a video camera for part of the ceremony, and that worked wonderfully).
Now, aside from being understanding about budget, sweet, creative, AND a trooper, Beth's talents really came to light when we received our wedding video. I watched it back-to-back and then multiple more times. I am not much of a girly-girl, but this bad boy melted my tomboy heart. Get copies for both sets of your parents, and your grandparents--these babies are the real deal. It was like experiencing my wedding for the first time. Beth caught every lovely moment between my husband and I that I couldn't even remember in the flurry of events that night. She is an expert editor, with scene transitions that are touching and beautiful. Her combination of creativity while accurately capturing experiences was superb. I've gone on too long, but here's the short of it: if your budget allows, get Beth to make you a wedding video. If your budget doesn't allow, try to find a way to make it happen. I promise you that weeks/months/years from now, you won't regret it. And you might just make an amazing friend. We love you Beth, and sorry about the poison oak!! :)
From our very first sneak-peek at the photos Beth took, we knew we had selected the right person to document this very special day for us. Beth spent the day with us, but we hardly knew she was there. She managed to capture every detail and nuance of preparation, that would have been missed by many. The wedding pictures were so lovely - posed and spontaneous - and they perfectly represented the intimate and joyous occasion our son and new daughter-in-law hoped to achieve at their mountain wedding. We would highly recommend Beth Ely to anyone seeking a photographer for any important event in their life.
We hired Beth to take our engagement photos, wedding photos, and family portraits. She was amazing! She took the time to get to know us, and was able to let our personalities (and the personalities of our families) show in the photos that were taken. Thank you Beth!!
Beth did the engagement, wedding AND Family photos for our daughters wedding! She captured the true spirit of the occasions and the personalities of everyone! She offered to help with things other than actually taking photo's and we couldn't be happier with everything! I don't know the total cost of the wedding photo package because we also had family portraits taken but it was very reasonable and affordable!
We selected Beth after interviewing several photographers and couldn't be more satisfied! She has the most amazing personality and was both calming and instructional during our engagement session and our wedding portraits. She helped my husband (yay!) feel at home posing for portraits and they came our stunning! Beth kept my entire family calm and happy while our officiant was 45 minutes late to the ceremony! She captured some amazing candid shots and exceeded all of our expectations! The photos are gorgeous and she got them back to us in under a month! I recommend Beth without reservation- worth every penny and more!
I was so relived when I hung up the phone after my first call with Beth. I had felt like I was groping in the dark for most of the wedding planning process, just making stuff up as I went. Beth brought so much experience and creative vision to our conversation that I finally felt like I could see the day happening. She was invaluable in helping me plan the down-to-the-minute schedule of the wedding day and gave me such a feeling of security on the day of. She was always thinking ahead and ready for the next turn of events. Oh, and of course the pictures came out GREAT!
From start to finish, Beth Ely was a professional. She was organized from the beginning and helped us think through the portraits we wanted at the wedding. Her candids were incredible....she captured so many special moments between the bride and groom as well as among the guests that we never would have known about. I cannot recommend Beth highly enough and would absolutely use her again.
We absolutely loved working with Beth for our engagement and wedding photography! She was prompt, accommodating, friendly, and great to work with. I tend to get up-tight about having my photo taken, but Beth managed to put me at ease and get some really amazing shots! She also made sure if there were any shots or things we'd seen and liked that they were included. She got a lot of really great photos with very little definition from me on what I was looking for, and I couldn't be happier with the results. I would definitely recommend Beth to anyone looking for a great photographer!
Beth and her crew are the best ever, so quit looking for anyone else now and retain her immediately for your event, if you're fortunate enough to find her available. She has done two weddings for our family and is an AMAZING PROFESSIONAL! Not only that, she's really fun to be with!! You will not do better. :)
I recently got married this past July and used Beth Ely Photography for both the rehearsal/rehearsal dinner and for the wedding day events. Leading up to the wedding, Beth was extremely easy to communicate with and was able to work in to the wedding day timeline any pictures my family or I specifically requested. She proved to be very efficient throughout the weekend to ensure some of the larger family pictures were taken in a timely manner while still maintaining quality. I found Beth to be very personable and thoughtful towards my vision of our wedding photos. I even remember her pulling me aside before leaving the rehearsal dinner to ask if there were any other pictures I wanted to be taken! We have received MANY compliments on how our wedding photos turned out from guests and from other vendors who were interested in using the pictures to exhibit their work. My brother and I have both used Beth for our weddings and I would highly recommend her to anyone!
Photography is one of those things you don't want to get wrong with your wedding- there are no do-overs. Luckily, my husband and I had Beth who is both a wonderful human being and a gifted photographer! Throughout the whole process she answered all of our questions, got our pictures back to us quickly. What we liked about her style is that they never looked over-edited the way some photographers work can. She also really captured the goofy relationship my husband and I have with one another. If you want to simplify a piece of the wedding puzzle, go to Beth. We used her for our engagement pictures, my bridal portraits, and for our actual wedding. We were thrilled with the pictures from all three events!
We absolutely loved working with Beth! She has an amazing talent for capturing beautiful photos, and she made my husband and me feel so comfortable throughout all of our photo sessions. She is a pleasure to work with - incredibly professional, friendly, and able to get along with even the most difficult wedding guests. I cannot imagine that our wedding day could have gone so smoothly without Beth (and Liz)! Including her in our big day was one of the best decisions we made during our wedding planning process.
Beth was amazing! She met with us multiple times to ensure we all agreed on the photographs needed, logistics, and our schedule for the day.
She captured those moments that the bride and groom don't always see - our children (all young adults) peeking to see us, the look of love on my daughter's face as she watched our first dance, etc.
Beth was engaging and professional. She made everyone feel at ease and captured beautiful, intimate moments while remaining unobtrusive.
She provided a sneak peek album within a few days and the final images - over 500 of them - were provided before her 30 day estimate.
We loved her, her philosophy, and her work. I would absolutely invite Beth to photograph my events again.
I had no idea what I was doing when I searched for a wedding photographer. I chose Beth without knowing anyone who had used her before. As my wedding planning continued, I realized how important your wedding photographer was to the entire event and also how I had absolutely made the right choice. She exceeded any and all expectations we had! Thank you so much for not only making our wedding weekend a smoother process, but for perfectly capturing every moment of it! Cant say enough great things about not only her photography skills but also her genuine and kind personality.
I found Beth on The Knot and we had a great phone chat because I was planning my wedding out of state. She is so smart, professional, and relaxed. We decided to meet before the wedding and we almost spent half the day in that Starbucks chatting and giggling. She is truly a remarkable woman and photographer. I left feeling like I had more than a photographer, I had a new friend. When she arrived on the day of the wedding we all screamed and hugged, and she was even the one to drive me to the venue for my first look with the groom. She is quick, smart, and has such a good eye. Big family, posed pictures can be time consuming and miserable, but she had us through them and headed to the cocktail hour within minutes. We had so much fun adventuring all over Historic Downtown Salisbury taking creative fun pictures with her! She was essential to our day and captured it beautifully. The pictures are stunning, natural, and so much fun. They look like stills from a movie. Beth is beautiful, smart, funny, professional, and talented! She's simply the best!
Beth was nothing short of a blessing! She was wonderful to work with- very professional and helpful with suggestions! We absolutely loved her and are in love with our photos! The only regret I have is not hiring a videographer through her as well!
I contacted Beth about 10 months before the wedding date. From between then and the wedding date, she was prompt in her responses and was extremely professional.
On the wedding day itself, I feel like she did a great job corralling people who needed pictures. She had a set list of requested pictures (provided by the groom and myself) and a tentative schedule in which to abide. She also could tell when a picture wasn't the most flattering and would retake it. My favorite part!
I just got back the wedding picture - less than 3 weeks from the wedding! Typical turn around time is 1 month. I am definitely loving Beth's photographs. Two things I noticed. 1) I had completely forgotten that I had wanted "silly/fun" pictures, and those were, unfortunately, missing. If I had realized it earlier, I would have totally reminded Beth that day. This topic was only briefly covered, and I should have heavily emphasized how much I wanted these. 2) I wish there had been more pictures of me and the groom! Unfortunately, a lot of time was wasted when doing our rounds of greeting people (Southern hospitality, y'all). In retrospect, I should have told everyone "Sorry, the groom and I need to take pictures of just us now."
Bottom line, Beth is extremely accommodating. If you emphasize the importance of whatever you want, she will 100% make sure it happens. You won't regret hiring her!
Beth did a fantastic job with our wedding photography, we couldn't be happier with her services!!! Beth is both professional and a delight to work with very informative and willing to help with any and all of your wedding questions. Awesome experience!!!
Beth was so kind and helpful the day of the wedding. We could not have done it without her! She was easy and fun to work with and her pictures are absolutely beautiful. She was super flexible and made our wedding day great. Overall, she was super organized and even stepped in to help with bobby pin issues for the bride!
Grooms don't always have much to say (or the opportunity to say much), but I personally was very invested in deciding on a photographer. The pictures/memories of our wedding were my top priority (after making sure my bride was happy, of course). After a lot of research and portfolio viewing, we hired Beth, and she did not let us down.
She was very professional and returned images to us a few weeks later that were absolutely wonderful.
I would definitely recommend using her services.
Beth's photos are so beautiful and she is quick enough to capture even the most spontaneous and crazy of moments. I know my memories of my wedding day will not fade. She provided us with hundreds of images of everything from the smallest details to shots capturing the feel of the whole reception. Every image was beautiful and meant something.
I highly recommend Beth. She's a great value too. Book her immediately!
When we first sat down with Beth to meet and greet I was instantly impressed. Not only her heart warming personality but her drive to make us happy with everything! She did a bridal portraits, and it was absolutely freezing outside, she assured I stayed warm, that my dress stayed clean and she took the most amazing images! I couldn't have been happier! Our wedding was a very windy, wash out! Did phase her at all she took amazing photographs, and kept us all laughing despite the weather! She timed everything perfectly and knew the perfect time to take the bride and groom portraits so we didn't have to be pulled away from family and friends too much! The images she took from our wedding are so natural and captured every ounce of the best day of our lives! Highly recommend Beth Ely photography!
Beth was an absolute pleasure to work with for the most challenging event I have ever planned!! Her enthusiasm was infectious and her professionalism was to be commended!! She always returned call in a timely fashion, was quick to respond to request and the end product was superb!!
Her organizational skills helped the flow of the wedding day stay on schedule!! Her creativity is apparent in all her photos and I could not be more pleased!
The only trouble I will have now is choosing from all the fabulous photos!,
Love her and will use her for all my important events!
Beth was one of our favorite persons that we worked with for our wedding. She put us right at ease, even (importantly) the groom, who is an introvert and was really dreading being the center of attention for a whole day. But Beth was incredibly down-to-earth and professional and made us both feel very comfortable. And the photos came out beautiful! My whole family was raving about how gorgeous the setting looked - our wedding took place on a rainy day in a garden in the "early spring" before anything had bloomed because the winter had been so terrible. But wow! It looked beautiful! And we loved that not only did she manage to capture all of our moments (seemingly without being seen), she seemed to make it to every table, too, and get photos of almost all of our 140 guests. AND she sent me the photos 2 weeks AHEAD of schedule. I really can't say enough about her - highly recommend!
Beth Ely is a true gem of a wedding photographer. She was a complete sweetheart from day one, yet still all about business at the same time. Beth genuinely cares for her brides. She met with me in an informal setting to simply discuss her services, her suggestions, and any ideas I was thinking one evening. Then, she went with me to my reception and wedding location to observe the lighting and make sure she was fully prepared for the big day (at no extra cost), since she had never done a job at this location - wow, what an extra step to take to ensure you can deliver what the bride wants - this blew me away! On the day of, she was prompt, prepared, and got the job done flawlessly. She knew all of the little tricks of the trade (ever wonder how they get those rings to stand up in a bible??). She got our pictures back to us in about 3 weeks, which was amazing. I think of the some 500 pictures there were maybe 5-10 I didn't like. Seriously, it was amazing. All of the pictures were in great lighting, angles, views, etc and made everyone look stunning. On top of that, she got some amazing angles, close-ups, etc, that would make you think she was all up in your business and in the way, when in fact it was exactly the opposite - I barely noticed her for most of the wedding, yet she got every shot I asked for and so much more. Seriously, I couldn't recommend Beth any more highly. Her pricing was WAY more than fair, no surprises, and you get full access to every picture she takes to download and do with as you please. If you are in the Raleigh area, just stop looking for a photographer and call up Beth! I know I would do it again in a heartbeat!! :)
Where to I begin?!
Triangle brides will not be able to find a photographer with more attention to detail, family, and venue. Beth not only made everyone feel comfortable with her great attitude, but she was extremely efficient and direct. We had to have her become our master of ceremonies with our wedding coordinator left our venue sick! She completely directed my reception and captured every special moment along the way. I have HUNDREDS of pictures from Beth, so no person, moment, or rock was left unturned.
Beth also captured my portraits. We had a separate shooting prior the wedding for this. I was thrilled with how beautiful she made me look. It wasn't just her editing and filters, she knew how to direct my posing and stances so that she could capture the best version of me in my dress!
It's impossible to go through my pictures now without joyful tears every time! She captured ALL OF IT! Her artistic ability it impressive- and for such a great rate, you can't be Beth Ely!
Beth was great for our wedding day. She was always quick to respond to emails to help me and my wife plan before the wedding, and extremely easy to work with.
When we mapped out our day-of timeline with Beth, she realized that there was plenty of extra time, so she showed up early to take photos of my wife preparing, a great bonus to her service that we hadn't expected when we mapped our big day, given our timeline.
Before, during and after the wedding it was raining, but Beth was able to work around it and take amazing photos of us, friends and family. We've only seen the previews so far on Facebook (we just got married two weeks ago as of this post), but we're already ecstatic about the emotions and special moments that Beth was able to capture for us so perfectly.
On top of all that, she was able to get great photos despite the best attempts of some of my friends to hit on her as she worked. Sorry about that Beth!
Beth was amazing! She was well organized and kept our crazy crew in line. Our pictures turn out beautifully and they were ready by the time we got home from our honeymoon. I love looking at our pictures and every time I do I find a new favorite. She captured every moment perfectly. When I look at the pictures I can even see the amount of love that was in the room. I know hiring Beth to be my wedding photographers was one of my best decisions.
I found Beth Ely on the Knot and am SO happy that I chose her to shoot my wedding day! Her and a team of two associates photographed and videoed my big day and I could not have been happier! My husband (then-fiance) and I met up with Beth on a chilly day in February and Beth managed to keep us in good spirits as we shot in some pretty-chilly temperatures. We were very pleased with how the engagement shoot turned out and had Beth design our Save-the-Dates. Needless to say we recieved plentyyy of compliments on those beauties!
I cannot begin to list all of the compliments I recieved on behalf of Beth and her team from the actual wedding day; "they were so calm!" "they were so cool!" "they were very unobtrusive" were just a few reocurring compliments I've been hearing. I had anticipated the cocktail hour portrait session to be a little stressful and hectic but boy was I wrong. Beth was very organized and made it so I was able to sip on a refreshing glass of wine throughout all of the portraits =)
I chose not to hire a day-of coordinator after meeting Beth and a few of our other vendors. I am not at all dissappointed that I didn't hire one as Beth and her associates stepped in to help whenever need be (for ex. timing of the cake cutting/bouquet & garder toss timing/exit organizing).
We have seen a sneak peek from our wedding (as it was only 2 weeks ago) and I cannot wait to see all of the final photos! From what I have seen so far, Beth and team were able to capture lots of candid pictures were everyone actually looks good! I was so very pleased with Beth Ely photography and would recommend them to any future brides!
Beth Ely did a wonderful job in photographing both my bridal portraits and our wedding day! She is very friendly and pleasant to work with, and she took her time getting many shots during my bridal shoot. Her pictures are very good- she really captures special moments and details. A really great feature of her services is that she is willing to do an hourly rate for the wedding day, so I didn't have to pay extra for hours I didn't need. I would definitely recommend Beth Ely photography!
As the mother of the bride, I was thrilled with Beth's
easy -going manner. She was always polite, soft
spoken and made us all feel at ease during the
bridal session, as well as the wedding day. She is
just a joy to be around, while also being very professional
and good at what she does. She is organized, getting
all the wedding day shots as efficiently as possible to
avoid having guests wait too long at the reception.
Both Beth and her interns took imaginative, creative,
high quality shots. She captured the tiny details
of the day that we had worked so hard for a year on.
She also focused on wonderful family shots as well
as action shots (dancing, guests, etc.)
Overall my daughter and I feel lucky to have found
her through The Knot magazine and feel that she is
quite gifted in her profession. Her prices are reasonable
considering the high quality of her work.
You could not go wrong entrusting Beth Ely with the
most important day of your daughter's life!
I have known Beth practically my whole life, so I was beyond thrilled to have her as the photographer for our wedding. But what I didn't realize at the time is just how amazing she actually is. We had a destination wedding in Isla Mujeres, Mexico with about 60 guests. Beth captured some really fun, candid moments throughout the preparations, ceremony and reception. She also took some BEAUTIFUL beach and sunset portraits. My friends and family are totally raving about her pictures. Beth also kept us on schedule, which was MUCH appreciated so that we could enjoy our reception. Additionally, Beth was super quick with her turn-around time - I had our pictures in less than a month - amazing!! I've had friends that had to wait 6 months or longer for their pictures - not the case with this photographer. If you have the opportunity, hire Beth to capture your great moments in life - you won't regret it!
Beth Ely was the perfect photographer for our wedding. We had a New Year's Eve midnight ceremony and with dinner and dancing prior to saying our vows. She captured all our special moments throughout the night. Beth met with us several times to ensure that she knew exactly what we wanted. We were thrilled with the results. I look at our wedding photos frequently and due to Beth's wonderful work I am able to relive that incredible night over and over!
We had Beth do both our engagement session as well as the wedding and one word sums it up... Perfect. We were thrilled with how the pictures turned out. Beth is easy and quite fun to work with. We couldn't believe how many pictures she shot with both the engagement session and the wedding. She never stopped! We really appreciated how hard-working she was. Her pricing was very reasonable and all the pictures were given to us digitally. We had done a previous engagement session with a different photographer who added numerous, additional hidden costs. We were so lucky to have found Beth after this and really appreciated the simplicity and upfront nature of the costs. Thanks again Beth for giving us pictures that we will cherish forever!
Hiring Beth Ely as my wedding photographer/videographer was the best decision I made when it came to wedding vendors. My only regret was that I couldn't clone her so she could actually do the photography and video. Beth had a colleague do the photography and she did our video. We got married 6 months ago and have had our wedding video for 3 months, but every time I watch it I feel like I am reliving the day. She did such an amazing job capturing the excitement and anticipation and love and emotion of the day. The video she created is thirty minutes long, with clips of us getting ready, the ceremony, special moments like toasts and first dances, and then an awesome montage of the dancing. I was so stressed out at the wedding that I couldn't really enjoy it but when I watch the video and see how much fun everyone was having, it makes all the planning and stress worth it. Beth made me laugh and relax during the portrait shots, and she is always so upbeat and positive. She was absolutely a delight to work with. She is also the most talented photographer and videographer you will find at her price point. If you are still debating whether to have a videographer, you absolutely must!! And if Beth Ely is an option, hire her! You won't regret it!
Beth was such a great find! It's hard to find great photographers at an affordable price. I just moved to North Carolina and Beth was referred to me by a co-worker. I am SO happy she referred Beth Ely Photography because our engagement pictures turned out so great! She had our pictures to me within 2 weeks and I was so please with the number (250) and the quality of the pictures! Beth has the ability to capture every moment from candid to romantic. She was flexible with our schedule and travel arrangements as well. She made my fiancee and I feel so comfortable during our engagement shoot! We used Beth for our wedding photos as well, and again she exceeded our expectations. She got our photos back to us within 2 weeks of our wedding date and was so professional and personal! She blended into the crowd during all the festivities and I couldn't be any happier with how our pictures turned out. I would recommend anyone to use Beth Ely Photography for their big day!
Beth did an amazing job as my wedding photographer! I can't even begin to describe how wonderful the pictures turned out. She has a true talent! She captured all the moments that I didn't want to ever forget. I look at the pictures over and over again! I could not have asked for a better photographer. Beth truly did an amazing job, and I am recommending everyone to her.
Beth took my engagement and wedding photographs. She was great to work with, very organized and took great pictures. We had a lot of kids in our wedding pictures and she was very patient with them as well.
My brother-in-law even commented that she was the most organized photographer he has ever worked with at a wedding. He has been in many, and said that other photographers would have easily taken over an hour to complete what she did in 30 minutes, and considering it was 102 degrees on our wedding day, this was important.
I would happily recommend Beth to anyone else getting married.
When planning my wedding the most important part was the photography. I wanted someone to capture the memories of the day so that I could have them for years to come. Beth did an excellent job of doing so. She made my family and I feel very comfortable in front of the camera and I just felt so confident the entire day that she was getting everything that I would want captured. But I knew Beth was great even before the wedding day. Throughout the time before the wedding, she answered phone calls and e-mails promptly. She was also very reasonably priced which was a huge plus for us. Also, about a month before our wedding my fiance and I met her in person to plan out the timeline for the day and what shots we wanted. This was absolutely great for a person like me who likes to plan. The day of the wedding she and her assistant, Carolyn, had our timeline and efficiently went through each picture so we were able to get to the reception at a good time. And even though she captured the pictures I for sure wanted, I also felt confident she captured pictures of the little details that I didn't notice in the midst of such a busy day.
First off, I had high expectations while looking for a wedding photographer, as my sister is a photographer in Portland. She actually found Beth's website and sent it to me to review. I was very pleased with my initial contact with Beth, her prices are VERY resonable and she was great to work with. On the day of the wedding, it was like having another family member present! She fit right in and did a wonderful job of capturing our special day. I was very specific about wanting alot of candid, natural shots and wanted her to capture the "details". Beth delivered. When the proofs came out, I was astonished and in love with all of the pictures she took. Thank you so much for making our day even more memorable!
Beth was the photographer at our wedding at Lake Lure. She did such a great job both before, during, and after the wedding! In the planning stage, she was available, organized, and flexible as far as talking about the photos that we wanted taken at our wedding. She arrived on time the day of our wedding, and was so friendly and personable with us and our guests. Something that was important to us was that our photographer blend in but still get perfect shots, and that's exactly what Beth did. Looking at our photos now and the moments she captured, I am amazed because I didn't even notice her when she was taking the shots. After the wedding, she was quick to get our online proofs to us (about 1-1.5 months), which is so much faster than lots of other photographers. The pictures turned out great! You can't beat the price Beth offers for the quality of her photos. I would recommend Beth to anyone looking for a wedding photographer.
I had 6 months to plan my wedding, and was so worried that I would be unable to find a photographer of my liking, at the budget that I had set, and for the date I needed them. I happened upon Beth through The Knot website and contacted her immediately. She was prompt in contacting me and very helpful over the phone. She spent as much time answering my questions as I needed. I was very pleased with her pricing and decided to use her as my photographer. I am sooo glad that I did! All of my pictures (engagements, bridals, & wedding) turned out well above my expectations! Beth has a great talent and knack for getting just the right shot. She is a joy to work with - no hassle whatsoever! I would highly recommend her for weddings and portraits of any kind! Thank you Beth for all of your hard work!
We used Beth for our engagement pics in June 2011 and immediately after receiving them we knew that we needed her to be our wedding photog too! She did SUCH an amazing job capturing our wedding day in June 2012 at the Outer Banks. Not only is her style awesome and exactly what we wanted, but she is just such an easy, down to earth person to work with. She made sure to get all of the shots that we had discusssed and then some. One of my favorite memories was of Beth actually driving my new husband and I from the church to the beach to take some post-wedding shots of just us (this was not previously planned!) & then driving to the reception. She just made everything so easy and stress free. She also stayed until the end of our reception to capture all of the crazy moments...and the pictures were HILARIOUS! I couldn't recommend Beth enough!!!
Having Beth as our photographer was one of the best decision we made for our wedding. Not only is she incredibly talented, she was willing to work with our requests and deal with my large and sometimes crazy family. She put everyone at ease and blended so well with family and friends, even our most photo-conscious guests were glad to have her take their pictures.
The pictures themselves are gorgeous. She captured the best moments of the ceremony and reception so beautifully, I cried all over again just looking through them. There isn't a single picture we didn't love. Now the only problem is deciding which one to hang above the mantle!
I had the pleasure of working with Beth and her assistant, Carolyn, for both my engagement photos and wedding in Chapel HIll in April. Beth was so professional, cheerful, and really a delight. Most importantly, her photographs are amazing! She knows just the right moment and location to shoot. She was great at making my husband and I feel very relaxed for the portraits so that our smiles looked natural for a change. I would recommend Beth to anyone for their wedding photos!
We couldn't have been happier with Beth as our photographer from the first meeting to the day itself. She was professional, sweet, patient with our large families, and otherwise not really noticable to our guests which I think is the best! The photo proofs we have seen so far are lovely and we are anxiously awaiting the rest! Highest marks!
Beth did an amazing job at our wedding! We were married in Charlotte, NC on May 22, 2010. The weather was beautiful and we had our ceremony and reception outside in a garden. Beth captured all of the traditional family shots in record time, with minimum hassle and the uncanny ability to keep everyone smiling and happy. Our favorite photos by far were during the session with just my new husband and myself. She had scouted out the garden and found several cozy little locations that made amazing backdrops, and we were only away from our guests for a very short time. Her candid photos were fantastic, from people rocking out on the dance floor to a quick intimate conversation between the flower girl and myself. She seemed to always be on hand to capture a moment while easily blending in with the rest of the guests. We would recommend her to anyone!
Contact
Durham, NC | NC and worldwide
Interested?
Meet the team
Beth
Owner/Lead Photographer
I'm Beth Ely (EEE-LEE)! I'm a full-time photographer and cinematographer based out of Durham, NC. Not many people can say they have their dream job, so I know just how lucky I am. My amazing clients allow me to capture intimate, honest, joyful images of their lives, and I love knowing that the pictures I'm making will be cherished for generations. I stumbled upon photography in college and fell in LOVE. I took every photography class that was offered (even temporarily switching majors to learn about fine art photography). I was hooked. After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill’s photojournalism department in 2007, I did some globetrotting and circled back to the North Carolina triangle to grow some roots. I have been capturing weddings and families for the past twelve years, and I absolutely love what I do. When I’m not taking pictures, I’m trying to keep up with my wild toddler and marathoner husband, working in my garden, tasting new beers, or cuddling with our pup, Dax.
Start the convo
Use this secure form to reach out to Beth Ely Photography and share your wedding vision.
Beth
OWNER/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
Typically responds within 24h
- Messaging our verified vendors on The Knot is free, safe and secure.
- Conveniently track vendor messages and planning details all in one place.
- Our mobile apps make it easy to stay in touch with vendors while you're on‑the‑go.
- For personalized pricing and package details, sending the vendor a message is the fastest way to get info.
Beth Ely Photography's photos