Cate Barry Photography

We are so happy that we stumbled upon Cate and her work. She was the first vendor we booked and she set the bar SO high. We did our engagement photos as well as our wedding photos with her. From the very first video call through our wedding, she made us feel at ease and was a steadying, joyful presence. As people who never felt really comfortable being photographed, we were so grateful for her reassurance, professionalism, excellent instruction and enthusiasm. That's not to even mention the final results! Our photos are STUNNING and we could not be happier. If you have any doubts, book Cate. You will be so happy you did.

Where to start. My now wife and I had Cate as our photographer for our 09/23/23 wedding in Madison, CT. We were introduced by Regina, our wonderful wedding planner who runs Weddings by Regina Marie. After one meeting with us, Regina said "even if we don't end up working together, I think Cate would be the perfect photographer for you." Boy oh boy - was she right! Meeting Cate online was like talking to an old friend - one who sees you and helps you feel seen (even virtually, as we live in Denver and not CT). During our first conversation, I shared with Cate my hesitation around having my photo taken in general. We both wanted the day captured in an honest, candid, and warm way, but my mental health challenges associated with body image made it less than simple. Cate received this with open ears and arms. We felt overwhelmingly confident in our choice to book even before we had met Cate and even before we had seen the photos she would take. Fast forward to the week of our wedding. Since we do not live on the east coast, we ended up having our "engagement shoot" a few days before the actual wedding. The experience was an extension of the first meeting - like spending time with an old friend who happened to have a camera. We laughed and told stories and left feeling calm and happy. In the days that followed, first off - Cate somehow managed to take these photos for us on Wednesday and have the final gallery to us on FRIDAY so that we could have them before our wedding. And even more importantly and as I told Cate, I had never felt more confident or beautiful than I did looking at those photos. The day of our wedding, Cate and her second photographer were timely, flexible, and clearly so happy to be around while we got ready -- and of course, for the big event! It rained throughout the day and Cate managed to not only adjust plans on the spot to get us some beautiful outdoor photos, but also somehow became part of what kept us calm when we were feeling overwhelmed by the unpredictable changes of the day. During the ceremony and reception, she was somehow everywhere and nowhere at the same time. They fit seamlessly into the event and we were very sad to say goodbye. Cate sent the sneak peak within weeks of the wedding and the full gallery only shortly thereafter. When I tell you that my wife and I sobbed our way through the galleries, I am not exaggerating. Cate and her team are absolutely spectacular at what they do. They captured the essence of the day, the love, the joy, the debauchery, and the connective moments with such clarity -- it feels like we are able to watch our wedding in stills. We will never not be grateful.

Cate is incredible! She photographed our wedding in June of 2023 as well as our engagement shoot in May of 2022. Two of the main reasons we hired her were because of her intense inclusivity of the LGBTQ+ community and her candid photography style. She was not uncomfortable at all with us as an LGBTQ+ couple in front of the camera, which made us more comfortable too, and she was able to capture such special moments throughout the day that photographers who focus on posed and “traditional” wedding shots wouldn’t have. Our engagement shoot was the first formal photoshoot we had ever done together as a couple, and once we told Cate this, she did such a good job at giving us direction on how to pose and where to look. She even has certain prompts of things that, for example, she had one of us whisper into the others’ ear to elicit certain emotions. Our top priority in our engagement shoot was variety, since we wanted to use the photos for our save the dates, our website, etc., and Cate took that priority very seriously. We shot at a park with a ton of different backgrounds/vibes and even did an outfit change mid-way through. The day of our wedding, Cate came prepared with notes and a plan. She arrived on time and stayed on time throughout the day. She captured all the shots we asked her for specifically, plus a lot of special ones we weren’t expecting. She did an especially good job taking the large family photos we asked for, even with a whole bunch of people running in different directions! She also brought on a second shooter who had an incredibly similar style to hers, which was great for consistency across our photos from the day. If you’re looking for a calm, passionate, detail-oriented photographer with a knack for catching the small, intimate moments throughout your wedding day (in addition to the big, exciting ones of course), Cate is your person!