Manuel Ayala Photography

we didn't expect to book him for our wedding because he lived out of state, so we assumed that flying him out would be too expensive. However, when we were looking for DC-based photographers, we weren't finding anyone who had the bright, joyful style that we saw in Manny's photos, and all the local photographers were SO expensive anyway. So, we decided to reach out to Manny to see if we could work something out, and thank goodness we did!! Manny helped create a custom package that worked within our budget, and then he exceeded all of his promises anyway. He delivered more photos than promised, faster than promised. The night of our wedding, he had posted a cute informal video compilation on his Instagram (we hadn't purchased videography). He had sneak peeks ready ahead of schedule, and there were so many! He surprised us with a second shooter (a friend of his who is also a wedding photographer), polaroids, and even some drone photography of our venue. Best of all, the photos were absolutely beautiful. They captured every important moment, and everything looked just as beautiful and joyful as they felt on that day. The editing was flattering without being overdone. For example, my wife and I both had slightly different shades of white outfits--mine being ivory and hers being pure white--and I can tell from the guest photos that that didn't photograph well, with the bright August sun creating a blue light effect on the pure white outfit. But, Manny obviously took the time to edit every photo painstakingly, because his photos still look perfect. We cherish every one of them and have looked at them again and again. My wife's parents (who are very particular) were so impressed with the photos that they've also considered booking him for future anniversary shoots. I think the most important thing I can say about Manny is that he obviously loves his job. With the kind of happiness that he radiates and the way he goes above and beyond without being asked, you can just see that this is more than work to him. He loves to celebrate love. If you've taken the time to read this review, please go ahead and book with Manny. I promise you won't regret it!