5.0
Praised by couples for:
Photographer
Pristine quality
Seasoned with weddings
Complimentary Engagement Session with any booking!
BOOK NOW! STL, St Charles, Rolla, & More
Travel area: Within 300 miles See details
Videography services available
Laken was wonderful to work with! She took beautiful pictures and made everyone feel very comfortable. She was great at directing the group and portrait photos so that we finished on time. She captured all of the special moments we asked for and more. 10/10!!
Brandee W.
5.0
Laken was great to work with! She made us feel very comfortable and was very accommodating. She captured everything that we wanted in our wedding photos!
Julie E.
5.0
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Laken McDonald
OWNER
Typically responds within 24h
AWARD WINNER (5X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
We at McDonald Video & Photography are a premier Midwest Wedding Photography Company based in Rolla, MO. We cater to the St. Louis area and are available for travel throughout Missouri and Illinois with over a decade's worth of experience in the craft.
McDonald Video & Photography uniquely captures beautiful, detailed moments of your dream wedding day. We provide our clients with professional guidance, quality service, and an experience that can be cherished for years and years to come!
We offer comprehensive packages for engagement sessions as well as wedding day photography and videography coverage. Couples can expect extensive timeline coverage, an online gallery, prints, albums, and a beautiful keepsake box full of long-lasting memories. Wedding films include over eight hours worth of footage condensed into a 5-7 minute highlight film, as well as separate coverage of the full ceremony, dances, and speeches. Just read our reviews below! Please get in touch with us so we can get to know you better, show you our portfolio, and make you an MVP Couple today!
Details
Destination Weddings
Destination Wedding Packages
Photo Shoot Types
Bridal Portraits
Engagement
Photo & Video
Digital Files
Online Proofing
Photo
Printed Enlargements
Second Shooter Available
Social Media Sharing
Wedding Albums
Photo & Video Styles
Artistic
Classic
Lifestyle
Wedding Activities
Getting Engaged
Rehearsals & Parties
Wedding
Awards and Affiliations
5-Time 'Best of Weddings'
2026.2023.2022.+2 more.
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
Hall of Fame
Earned by winning 'Best of Weddings' four or more times.
Join couples who chose award-winning vendors for their wedding
Meet the team
Laken McDonald
Owner
I am Laken, the face behind MVP! I'm often asked about my name, and no it has not been passed down from a great grandmother or has a special meaning....it's from a soap opera. Thanks mom! However, I can assure you that your time with us will become a family heirloom. After shooting my very first wedding, I knew that's where I belonged. And 10+ years and almost 100 couples later, nothing is better than capturing the most important & happiest day of their lives. I'd love to give you peace of mind, from the engagement session, planning a wedding timeline, to the moment you say I do! Best, Laken M
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.060 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help
you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Reviewers praise Laken as a calm, professional, and friendly photographer who keeps the day running smoothly. Her photos and videos are described as stunning, true-to-color, and magazine-quality, with quick sneak-peek delivery. Clients commend her organization, adaptability (even in bad weather), and ability to capture every important moment.Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 9
Brandee W
5.0
10/09/2026
Laken was wonderful to work with! She took beautiful pictures and made everyone feel very comfortable. She was great at directing the group and portrait photos so that we finished ...
on time. She captured all of the special moments we asked for and more. 10/10!!
Julie E
5.0
9/15/2026
Laken was great to work with! She made us feel very comfortable and was very accommodating. She captured everything that we wanted in our wedding photos!
Any questions?
Alayna T
5.0
7/10/2026
Laken and her team were amazing! We are so happy with our choice in photography/videography team. We received over 100 sneak peak pictures within the first week after the wedding a...
nd are so happy with how they turned out. She is clearly very experienced and was a joy to have around on our wedding day. She helped me talk through the timeline in advance and offered her experience for what works best. The day flowed so smoothly and we were able to get all of the pictures we wanted! We can’t wait to see the rest of the pictures and videos!
Lynsie T
5.0
7/01/2026
Laken did such an amazing job photographing our day! The moment she showed up I could tell that she was the kindest and sweetest lady. She had the best ideas and helped things run ...
smoothly which kept me stress free! The pictures turned out stunning and better than I could have hoped for! I do not always love myself in pictures, but Laken was able to capture amazing moments that I can’t stop looking back at. Her photos truly look like they belong in a magazine! I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a sweet, cheerful, charismatic photographer!
Jackie M
5.0
1/29/2026
Absolutely loved working with Laken! She was professional, easygoing and accommodating to my couple for their wedding day! Her photos were beyond gorgeous and as a professional wed...
ding coordinator, I would not hesitate to book her for your big day!
Mandy T
5.0
12/31/2025
Laken and her team were one of the few vendors we inquired with who were able to provide us with video of our full ceremony, speeches, and dances, while also making a beautiful hig...
hlight video. At first, this was the driving factor for us booking with her. However, looking back, I should have known that she should have been the driving factor! On Wedding day, Laken and her team truly exceeded ALL of my expectations. Laken is extremely kind, calm, considerate and adaptable. Her presence calmed any nerves I had about the process. She went above and beyond to capture moments she knew were important to us, and I cannot recommend her and her team enough!
Stephanie E
5.0
12/31/2025
We are beyond happy with our wedding photos and truly cannot recommend Laken enough. From start to finish, she was an absolute joy to work with! She is so kind, professional, and i...
ncredibly talented. On a day that felt hectic and overwhelming at times, Laken was such a calming, reassuring presence, and her steady energy made a world of difference for us.
Our wedding day was VERY wet and rainy, and I was so stressed about how the photos would turn out. Looking back, I realize I never should have worried. Laken took the rain and less-than-ideal weather and turned it into something truly beautiful! The photos are absolutely phenomenal, and we are blown away by how perfectly she captured our day. These are memories we will treasure for a lifetime.
We would highly recommend Laken to anyone looking for a wedding photographer!
Heather H
5.0
12/05/2025
Laken was amazing during the whole process! We took our engagement photos in an area of the botanical garden she hadn’t been to before, and she still made it look effortless. On ou...
r wedding day she was so helpful, along with her second shooter Amber. They got all of the moments we wanted, and more! She returned our photos at the very beginning of our turn-around time period, which was unexpected for it being around the holidays. We love her true to color editing style, and it makes the phots look exactly as we remember the day. She was so kind and encouraging throughout it all, and we are so happy to have worked with her!
lanae K
5.0
8/22/2025
Laken was absolutely phenomenal! From the moment she arrived, she brought the sweetest, most calming energy to the day—and it made all the difference. She was so easy to work with,...
incredibly kind, and genuinely felt like a friend by the end of it all.
Not only is she a wonderful person, but her talent is next-level. She captured our wedding so beautifully—every emotion, every detail, every candid moment. The photos brought me to tears (in the best way!) and I know we’ll cherish them for the rest of our lives.
If you’re lucky enough to have Laken as your photographer, just know you’re in the best hands. She’s thoughtful, professional, and incredibly gifted. We couldn’t be more grateful!
Alison M
5.0
8/01/2025
Laken and her assistant were so wonderful to work with on our wedding day. They were both so sweet and genuinely excited for our big day. She was organized and helped keep the flow...
of the day. They were both even sweet enough to stay a few extra minutes when the sun finally came out for “golden hour” pics! Not to mention our photos from the engagement and wedding have turned out so beautiful! I would absolutely recommend her to anyone!
Ellery Y
5.0
6/21/2025
We had an amazing experience using Laken for our engagement and wedding photography! Her photography is not only stunning, but she is sweet, thoughtful and brought such a calming p...
resence to our wedding day. We loved the photos from our engagement session and are already obsessed with the sneak peeks she’s shared from our wedding! We couldn’t be more grateful for her quality of work and her attention to detail. We would absolutely recommend her to anyone looking for photography!
Brooke S
5.0
6/19/2025
We had our May 2025 wedding & Laken helped make it so amazing! She is kind and so easy to work with. Very professional and reliable. Would definitely recommend her and her team!! P...
hotos were gorg with a bright and elegant edit
Madison P
5.0
12/31/2024
Laken was AMAZING to work with. She photographed both our engagement and wedding, along with videoing our wedding day. Laken was willing to answer any of our questions. Laken and h...
er team are friendly, professional, and timely. Her photos are timeless, while still being modern. We love them all! Highly recommend.
Danielle W
5.0
11/25/2024
We are so happy we decided to go with McDonald Video and Photography for our wedding! Laken was so great to work with! She made us feel so comfortable on our wedding day, and the p...
hotos and videos are just stunning. We are so grateful for the beautiful moments she captured that will let us relive our wedding day for years to come. I'd highly recommend MVP for both photography and videography - it was great having one team that worked really well together to capture our photos and videos. Thank you Laken!
Debbie D
5.0
10/24/2024
Laken McDonald is AMAZING! She and her associate, Amber, captured the essence of my daughter's wedding day in a way that words can’t even describe. The photos are breathtaking and ...
truly reflect all the emotions of the day. The team was unobtrusive but always in the right place at the right time to capture candid, heartfelt moments. They were incredibly patient taking hundreds of photos we requested, along with all the traditional photos. We’re so grateful for Laken's incredible work, which will allow all of us to relive this wedding for years to come.
Marie A
5.0
10/18/2024
Laken was AMAZING to work with! She made us feel very comfortable while capturing our photos and her results are unbelievable. We are so BEYOND thrilled with our wedding photos and...
would definitely recommend using Laken! A photographer is such an important decision for your big wedding day, and we have no regrets booking Laken!
Alyssa H
5.0
8/31/2024
I can’t say enough wonderful things about Laken!!! From start to finish, she was an absolute delight to work with. Her communication was flawless—always prompt, clear, and wonderfu...
lly open to every one of our ideas. She guided us through every step of the process with such ease, directing us on where to look, what to do, and where to go, making everything feel completely effortless.
Though we’re still eagerly awaiting our wedding photos, I have no doubt they will be perfect!! I’m confident that her edits will be as fantastic as the stunning work she did for our engagement shoot and throughout our wedding day. Each moment she captured was handled with such care and creativity.
What truly stood out was Laken’s genuine kindness and how delightful she was to be around. She has an incredible knack for making my husband, who typically avoids the camera, actually enjoy the photo process. Her attention to detail was impeccable and she ensured nothing was missed.
Laken masterfully balanced classic posed shots with those creative, spontaneous moments that made our day so unique. If you’re looking for a photographer who is not only exceptionally skilled but also sweet, patient, and talented, look no further. She made our wedding day even more memorable with her warmth and professionalism. We’re looking forward to working with her again for future photoshoots and portraits. Don’t hesitate to book her for your wedding or any event—you won’t be disappointed!
Taylor K
5.0
12/04/2023
We LOVED Laken. She is so sweet, professional, speedy, and talented. I seriously CANNOT say enough good things about her and her business. 10/10 would always recommend!
Mary H
5.0
11/20/2023
Laken was a dream to have as our photographer! She was clearly an expert in all her ideas. She made it easy for us to enjoy our day while she made sure she got all of the shots fro...
m our list. She was so sweet and clearly cared a lot about our family. Her photos are beautiful. We can't wait to hang up in our home!
Amelia H
5.0
7/18/2023
We've had the pleasure of having the McDonald Video & Photography team here at Emerson Fields wedding venue multiple times and EVERY SINGLE TIME they impress us with the images the...
y capture! The attention to detail and the purposeful intent to photograph the emotion of the wedding day are so apparent when we see the photo gallery of a couple's wedding. We were just given a wedding day gallery from a couple of weeks ago and every. single. image. was perfection!! You will not be disappointed by hiring Laken and her team to photograph your day, instead, you will be elated and you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing their professionalism and experience have it all under control! Book them today!!
Stefanie B
5.0
2/22/2023
Laken was amazing! Her very calm demeanor made everyone feel so comfortable and relaxed while taking pictures. She kept great communication throughout the whole wedding planning ...
and was very helpful keeping the wedding party on track with scheduled photo times throughout the day. The photos we received were amazing, we are very happy with them. Book her already, you won't be disappointed :)
Valerie S
5.0
12/30/2022
Laken was highly recommended by our venue and we were not disappointed! She was flexible in meeting us where we wanted to do engagement pictures and delivered the pictures very ti...
mely (within a couple weeks). Laken made us feel very comfortable in front of the camera by giving us natural poses.
Leslie S
5.0
12/13/2022
Laken is a gifted and talented photographer! Not only are her photos gorgeous, but she is wonderful at putting everyone at ease, creating beautiful moments, capturing split-second ...
glances, coaxing smiles from the little ones, and doing it all with such grace and sweetness. Your event and treasured moments are in masterful hands with McDonald Video & Photography.
Eleanor M
5.0
10/14/2022
Laken was an absolute DREAM to work with. HER PICTURES ARE INCREDIBLE. She made us feel beyond comfortable throughout the whole experience. She was so kind and calm and really got ...
to know us as a couple. She was very timely and knowledgeable. She made sure we got any and every picture that we wanted. Her photography is STUNNING. I have received so many compliments. She was very timely in getting us pictures and stayed in contact throughout the process.
Emily P
5.0
8/20/2022
We hired Laken as the videographer for our wedding and let me just say BOOK HER!!! Laken not only is super talented at what she does, but she also has such a kind and compassionate...
heart. Being a bride on a wedding day can be super stressful, but Laken was able to take this stress off of me and help me relax. She will not only deliver amazing videos to you, but she will also help you fix your hair in pictures, help you take breathers, etc. This speaks to how Laken goes above and beyond. Thank you SO SO much for everything, Laken!
Alexis H
5.0
8/10/2022
Laken was AMAZING to work with! She communicated well before the wedding and was so sweet and had such a calming presence on the wedding day. Her pictures turned out so great - wou...
ld definitely recommend her to any future brides out there!
Katyann L
4.0
12/31/2021
Laken did a wonderful job capturing our outdoor wedding ceremony and indoor reception. Her edits are gorgeous. The pictures and videos are bright, crisp, and top quality. She is al...
so a sweet person and was very professional throughout the process. Our only complaint was receiving our wedding photos six months after the wedding (contract said 3-4 months) and not being able to use them for our Christmas cards. Overall we highly recommend her to other couples.
Jenna H
5.0
12/31/2021
Laken is lovely to work with! The pictures turned out great and I can’t wait to have her shoot out wedding!
Lizzy R
5.0
12/22/2021
Laken was soooo wonderful throughout the entire process. I live in Texas and was getting married in Illinois and knew I was going to have to pick a photographer without doing any e...
ngagement shoots or anything beforehand, but Laken did not disappoint! We get so many compliments on our pictures! 10/10 recommend!!
Fraya C
5.0
12/14/2021
Laken did a beautiful job on our wedding photos! The colors are absolutely stunning and what I was hoping for. She confidently directed our wedding party to get them in place and l...
ooking natural. I loved that she was able to capture all of the elements of our wedding without being intrusive.
Elizabeth H
5.0
12/10/2020
Laken was amazing! Her attention to detail and photography skills are superb! Book her now for your event, you won't regret it!
Shelby H
5.0
11/02/2020
If you are looking for a comfortable and flawless experience with a very friendly and professional photographer, look no further! Laken was perfect for us and was so accommodating ...
to whatever was thrown her way. She communicated with our other vendors to ensure wedding day smoothness and has been easy to communicate with through the wedding planning process. Do not hesitate to contact her for your special day!!!
Lorri G
5.0
11/01/2020
Laken was absolutely amazing to work with!! Her kind and patient personality immediately put my daughter at ease. Laken was always there to answer questions or concerns we had. Fle...
xibility was key with the last minute changes we had involving COVID. Didn't even phase, her. Laken's professionalism kept us calm. All the special touches Laken takes time with the day of the wedding show how much she loves what she does. She wants to make sure each couple she photographs feels like they are the only one she has ever photographed. If you are looking for a wedding photographer, look no further. Choose Laken McDonald!! The smile on my daughter's face is proof that Laken is a blessing to wedding couples. Thank you, Laken, for all the wonderful memories you have captured for us.
Dylan D
5.0
10/31/2020
We highly recommend working with Laken! She has been a pleasure to work with! She traveled to Chicago for our engagement photos which helped us out a ton! We even got the photos ba...
ck within 4 days! We highly recommend McDonald Video & Photography and can’t wait to continue working with them!
Tori F
5.0
10/29/2020
Laken was amazing to work with on my wedding day. From group shots to small details, she captured my wedding perfectly. I have gotten so many compliments on how beautiful my photos...
turned out! If you want to work with an awesome photographer and get amazing photos, McDonald Video & Photography is the way to go!
Paige R
5.0
10/29/2020
We booked Laken for our wedding next fall, October 2021! She has been amazing to work with thus far. She has been very responsive with all communication, very organized and has bee...
n a pleasure to work with. We live in Chicago and she offered to come to the city for our engagement photos which was SOOO helpful. They are also beautiful! We can't wait to continue working with Laken! We HIGHLY recommend McDonald Video & Photography!!
Sarah B
5.0
10/29/2020
Stop looking for a wedding photographer. Seriously! I POURED over this decision and went back and forth and was SO WORRIED about the photos being perfect. Laken literally BLEW us a...
way with how gorgeous the photos were and I have literally nothing but good things to say! She is incredibly sweet and fun to be around (important cause the photographer is literally with you every second of your big day!) and she takes the most stunning photos! I can not recommend her enough if you like the bright, romantic wedding photo look!
Lauren D
5.0
8/12/2020
Laken did my engagement and wedding photos and she is absolutely amazing! We planned a wedding and had to change everything last minute due to COVID and Laken didn't skip a beat. S...
he found the best spots for beautiful pictures at a location she had never photographed before and she was so kind about all of the changes that were made less than a month before our wedding took place. Couldn't have asked for a better photographer.
Kayla D
5.0
5/07/2020
Laken was hands down my FAVORITE vendor. She was kind, organized, and communicative. My husband and I are introverts and not typically comfortable in front of the camera, but Laken...
put us at ease immediately. She has an uncanny ability to capture the small details of the day along with the big moments beautifully. She has given us the gift of stunning, precious images from our day and I would HIGHLY recommend her. :)
Jessica C
5.0
4/03/2020
Laken was so great and easy to work with! I knew a couple shots I wanted, but I pretty much let her do her thing the whole day and I’m very happy with the turnout. The quality is r...
eally good- it’s clear, bright, and has a lot of color. Even my husband was impressed with her and he liked the way she did things. She also helped keep me calm when an oops happened, so just having her smile and gentle personality was great. Highly recommend!
Laura M
5.0
2/02/2020
Laken and her team did such a great job with our wedding photos. We will treasure them forever! They look so natural and she really captured the love we had. She was so easy to wor...
k with and flexible. I think it was such a great value for having our special moments captured so beautifully forever.
Michelle R
5.0
1/12/2020
I highly highly recommend McDonald Video!! Laken did an amazing job capturing our wedding day in a style that matched our wedding. It was awesome after the wedding to see shots of ...
our day that we might have missed since the day flew by! She and her assistant were all over our venue, from getting ready, to the ceremony, to the reception, capturing everything beautifully. Our highlight film was perfect to post on facebook afterwards, especially to share with our family/friends that weren't able to make it to our big day!
Our wedding DVDs were beautiful! Customized front & back images from our day. I can't wait to go back and watch our video on anniversaries and to show our kids one day. Our wedding day was such an amazing, beautiful day and I'm thrilled with how beautifully Laken captured it!
Haley K
5.0
6/30/2019
Laken was absolutely amazing. She has the perfect personality - down to earth, easy-going, calm, leader, professional. She was easy to communicate with both before the wedding and...
throughout the day. Her prices were completely reasonable, and she was willing to travel all the way to Minnesota to be at our wedding. I would give her the highest recommendation to anyone looking to book her as their photographer.
Lauren B
5.0
12/12/2018
Laken is the best of the best. I'm speechless! She is so kind, genuine, and patient yet punctual and keeps everybody on track throughout the day. She has wonderful ideas and puts a...
lot of thought and effort into creating the most beautiful pictures for her clients. She gets to know the couples that she works with on a personal level despite meeting countless new people every day. Not only is she an amazing photographer, but she is an incredible person as well.
Laken originally shot our engagement photos in the fall of 2017 and recently she spent the day photographing our wedding. The pictures are absolutely flawless and stunning, despite running into some tricky weather. I will truly cherish our wedding photos and engagement photos for the rest of my life. My husband and I are so thankful we chose Laken to be part of our big day. We will highly recommend her to everyone we know! I have nothing but positive things to say about her. THANK YOU Laken!
Hannah G
5.0
11/29/2018
Laken was amazing!! I always think taking photos is awkward but Laken made it seem perfectly normal. She made sure that we got all the different photos we wanted with family and th...
e wedding party. Her candid photos during the reception really captured the evening! We loved working with her and would definitely recommend to anyone wanting engagement photos or wedding photos!!!
Emma D
5.0
11/22/2018
Laken was an absolute dream to work with! She did a wonderful job on our engagement pictures and wedding pictures. The colors in her photos are uncomparable to any other photograph...
ers in our area, and our picture literally look like they could be out of a magazine! As far as the day of the wedding, Laken was exactly where she needed to be any time there was a picture to be taken. She came in ready to go to work, and her hard work definitely paid off. We ended up with a gorgeous wedding portfolio and may even use her services again down the road! 10/10 would recommend!
Stephanie S
5.0
11/16/2018
Laken did such a great job on our engagements pictures and wedding day! She arrived right on time and was so organized. She had a timeline for the pictures she wanted to take, whic...
h helped keep the day moving along nicely. Laken knows what she is doing, and doesn't hesitate to let you know what poses would look good. She has a great eye and captured the day perfectly. Super professional and extremely kind! I can't recommend her enough!
Becky S
5.0
10/24/2018
I can't say enough on how awesome Laken did on our daughter and son-in-law's wedding. Courtney & Levi couldn't have chosen a better photographer to capture the perfect wedding the...
y had. Laken did both their engagement and wedding pictures. Her experience and professionalism shows with the time she spent and the stunning, gorgeous pictures she has shared. Laken loves what she does and it shows. She did an amazing job. If you need a photographer for your wedding contact McDonald Video & Photography. Laken will capture memories to cherish forever!!!
Amy D
5.0
10/24/2018
Laken is such an amazing photographer with a great personality! Her photography is gorgeous, her smile is sweet and can set anyone at ease in front of the camera. I'm excited to ...
see where her photography takes her in the next year!
Loren G
5.0
10/24/2018
We just had our engagement shoot with Laken and we had such a fun time. It was very important to us that we include our dog, and she was all for it! The photos turned out amazing. ...
I never thought I'd want to have an engagement photo shoot, but now I'm so glad we did. We can't wait for our wedding - the photos are sure to be amazing!
Service area & Contact info
BOOK NOW! STL, St Charles, Rolla, & More
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Travel area: Within 300 miles
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McDonald Video & Photography
Laken McDonald
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