About this vendor
The iconic vows and first kiss kind of moments, your family and friends gathered 'round the table, the raucous laughter on the dance floor.
It’s one thing to feel all that happiness on your wedding day.
It’s another to find a photographer who not only captures it, but helps you slow down, stay present and take it all in.
Hi, I'm Tara! A LUXURY DESTINATION WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER FOR HOPELESS ROMANTICS & FASHION-FORWARD COUPLES. I see photography as a beautiful privilege to connect and care for you — and to forever preserve your story.
I believe that quality outlasts quantity.
Cuddles are better than awkward posing. And those crinkled-nose giggles are better than a thousand contrived ones. But, more than anything, I believe this: You matter. Your story matters.
And the legacy of love you’re building has the potential to inspire the generations that come after you.
Seen often between Santa Barbara & Orange County, California, when not planning a trip to Tuscany. Available worldwide.
Inquire with Tara at:
www.pattengalephotography.com
hello@pattengalephotography.com
IG: @pattengalephoto
"ALL THE FEELS. I swear my heart skipped a beat. The photos Tara took were gorgeous. But I also felt all the feelings I was experiencing in the moments captured.” -katie k.t.
Details
Business Attributes
- Woman-owned Business
Destination Weddings
- Destination Wedding Packages
Photo Shoot Types
- Boudoir
- Bridal Portraits
- Day After Session
- Engagement
Photo & Video
- Digital Files
- Drone
- Photo
- Printed Enlargements
- Second Shooter Available
- Social Media Sharing
Photo & Video Styles
- Artistic
- Classic
- Lifestyle
- Modern
Wedding Activities
- Getting Engaged
- Rehearsals & Parties
- After Party
- Wedding
- After Party
Awards and Affiliations
Reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
4.9
out of 5.041 reviews
Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 4
After finishing up our wedding weekend, my partner and I both agreed thats hiring Tara to be our photographer was one of THE best decisions we made! Tara is the most thoughtful, ge...
nuine, and kind person you can work with. She is an incredible talented photographer who will bring your vision to LIFE. We had the pleasure of also doing an engagement session with Tara before out wedding, and she helped me pick out dresses and created a mood board to match out vision. She sent me countless emails with dress options because I was having a difficult time finding the right one- and it truly felt like I was talking to a friend. Fast forward to our wedding weekend.. Tara had the biggest impact with our families. They all couldn't stop raving about how professional and efficient she was, how she was able to direct everyone for the portraits, and she remembered all of their names which meant a lot because it shows just how much she cares. Tara already sent us some photo teaser from our weddings and I could look at them all day. Tara, you were such a joy to work with. Thank you a million times <3
Tara and Stephen of Pattengale Photography are nothing short of professional and exceeded all of our expectations. Tara and Stephen are invested in their clients and took the time ...
to truly understand us, our relationship, and what it was we were looking to capture on our wedding day. After seeing the photos from that special day all I can say is "Wow!" Tara and Stephen beautifully captured the love and happiness my wife and I both felt on that day and have given us photos that we will cherish together for the rest of our lives.
Tara and Stephen were absolutely amazing to work with! They shot our wedding earlier this year and were so helpful especially with our short (7 week) engagement. They have such go...
od eye for detail and made suggestions I wouldn't have even thought of. They made being the bride such an easy job. I didn't have to worry about missing any photos I wanted, or keeping the timeline of the day. We also loved that we got to do an engagement session with them and they coached us on how to be natural in front of the camera. This made a huge difference when it came to our wedding day and now those photos are some of my favorite memories. 100% one of my top favorite parts of my wedding day was having Stephen and Tara be our photographers!
Stephen and Tara shot our wedding in July 2020. We could've not been more pleased. They made the whole process so easy and painless! They were always available for us to talk to if...
we had questions or requests and they had a lot of great ideas on helping us make our day run as smoothly as possible. They made us feel very comfortable being in front of the camera even though we really haven't done that much with photo shoots before. Not to mention, the photos turned out perfectly. They got all the shots that were important to us and many more. They are very professional and we highly recommend them!
My twin sister hired Pattengale photography for her recent intimate wedding in California. As the maid of honor, I was so thoroughly impressed with how supportive and positive Tar...
a was as an artist towards my sister! She felt so beautiful that day and it shows in Tara's amazing work. At an 11 person wedding, Tara and her husband felt like family while also giving us an intimate day. They captured pictures together I didn't even know were possible that my family and I will cherish forever. The bride is so thrilled with how pictures turned out and I had to give a shout out as well! Will you do my wedding one day?!?
Couldn’t have picked a better partner for our wedding. They were very receptive to what we were looking for and delivered it exactly. They helped guide us through the whole day, an...
d were so helped. We would recommend them to everyone. The pictures we got are amazing and something we’ll cherish forever.
Fabulous! Amazing! Gorgeous! Attention to Details! A few of the words that describe this wife and husband team! After canceling their big 2020 wedding and planning a very small i...
mmediate family only day, my daughter and I had a conversation about what parts of the original plan were still important to her. The first thing she said was Pattengale! Other than her groom, it was the very best wedding day decision she made! The pictures capture every special intimate moment! Having a husband and wife team was such a bonus! They both took the pictures they would want to have as memories! Their view point and artistic details make each picture so very special! They are the wedding photographers everyone wishes they had! I will forever be grateful for the very special memories they captured in photos! I am a very pleased mother of the bride!
Besides marrying each other, working with Pattengale Photography was the best decision my husband & I made on our wedding day. Although, there were certainly times where I thought ...
"I can plan this wedding without my husband, but I can't plan it without Tara!" I would highly recommend Pattengale Photography!
When my now-husband & I first sat down to start wedding planning, we both wrote “photography” down as a top priority. At the time, we thought that meant just “pretty pictures.” Tara & Stephen gave us SO much more than that.
We ended up connecting with Tara when she was in California for a conference (side note: she's a #BOSSBABE and seriously so inspiring). Tara instantly made us feel so comfortable, which we didn’t realize would be so important to the “pretty pictures” we had initially written down. There was also so much we didn’t think about that she did, such as when high tide would be & how we were going to do outfit changes - ya know, important things for engagement photos ON THE BEACH. We thought we would be okay, but when the waves came in higher than expected, Tara helped us make lemonade out of lemons! Tara quickly changed up her initial ideas after doing SO much research on the location (I’m telling ya, she’s a boss babe!), & her natural talent, artistry, quick thinking, & professionalism show in our amazing engagement photos of us playing in the waves that we didn’t think would be so high. Throughout the whole evening, my husband & I laughed, played, & felt so in love, & we are able to cherish that evening forever because we have gorgeous photos that captured those moments & memories perfectly!
When it came time to decide our wedding photographer, there was no question - it would be Tara & Stephen. Now, I am even MORE thankful that we had Tara & Stephen on our team because we had to cancel & replan our wedding due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From the beginning of the pandemic, Tara & Stephen communicated with us consistently about what they were doing, including staying up-to-date on safety regulations, to make sure they could still photograph our wedding in the safest way possible, which helped me feel more at ease & helped answer questions I didn't even know I had yet (they are ON it!). When my husband & I decided to change our 100+ wedding to 9 people & at a new location, Tara was incredibly supportive & helpful - not only as our photographer but also as our friend! With her artistic eye & wedding industry expertise, she helped me to replan a whole new day with a new timeline & all those little details that I didn’t think about but she knows make the day so special!
While it wasn’t the wedding we had originally planned, it was more than we had expected our wedding to feel like & so much of that was Tara & Stephen! We just received our wedding gallery today, and - OH MY GOD - we definitely got the gorgeous photos we had written down on day one of planning. We only got those photos, though, because of everything that Tara & Stephen did off-camera & behind-the-camera to help us have authentic moments of love & joy on our wedding day (like having the "romantics" on the beach during sunset?! That was all Tara!), which were captured so beautifully because of the natural talent & artistry of Tara & Stephen. Plus, they are just GENUINELY amazing people who have so much love for each other that it’s contagious. Who doesn’t want to be surrounded by that much love on their wedding day?!
A review
Unfortunately, we were very upset with this couple. We are going to have a wedding of about 200 people at a gorgeous outdoor farm. We shared this information with them bu...
t they wanted to speak on the phone before providing anymore information. Once on the phone, Tara was polite and pleasant. However, she made us feel like we were auditioning for them. She made us feel like our wedding didn’t make the cut for them. She then learned about a trip we were going on, and would consider our wedding if she could come and do pictures of that adventure (almost feeling like she was inviting herself on the trip and that was how we could make the cut for their business). She did offer to refer but we would not want to work with anyone who makes our day not seem good enough for them. Every bride should feel like their vision is perfect and have people surrounding them that feel the same way. If you want to be interviewed to fit someone else’s idea of good, they are the people for you. If you would like to have a conversation and be told your idea is perfect, I would look else where.
Choosing Tara & Stephen as our photographers is/will be by far, the best wedding planning decision we've made. Unfortunately, our wedding had to be postponed 7 weeks before our big...
day due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tara & Stephen have been one of the BEST support systems we've had through this process. They've been incredibly professional, making sure we're aware of our options moving forward but always emphasizing that their number one priority is making sure we have the most memorable day imaginable, regardless of the date. They provide numerous resources to help you plan your timeline and logistics, have so many references throughout the wedding planning industry and their creativity overflows in the work they produce.
So far, we can only gush over how incredible our engagement photos turned out, but based on hospitality and genuine care for your big day ALONE, Pattengale Photography is worth it. Thank you, Tara & Stephen!
Choosing Tara and Stephen as our photographers was BY FAR the BEST decision we made while planning our wedding. Their attention to detail, quality, sentimentality and your goals fo...
r the day was unlike any other photographers we have encountered. You aren't only hiring a photographer, you are gaining friends, receiving wedding coordination assistance, design help and emotional support. Their day of professionalism, excitement and execution was flawless. Every picture was stunning, and brought us right back, helping us relive each moment of our day. One of our goals was to be present throughout our entire day, and Tara and Stephen were a major part of helping us see that goal become reality. Love these two!
Oh my goodness. Talk about amazing photos! I am a donut wall wedding vendor and so I see many wedding pictures. But Pattengale Photography skills are incredible! You won’t find a b...
etter photographer. They’re very easy to work with and very creative as well. 5 stars for sure! I absolutely am in love with their work!
Tara & Stephen were fantastic to work with! Their creative process is thoughtful, holistic, and fun, and the pictures turned out beautifully. Thanks for the amazing photos of our b...
ig day!!!
If I could give 5 HUNDRED stars for Pattengale Photography, it still would not be enough!!! Through having nearly every vendor cancel 6 weeks before the wedding (which was one of t...
he top 5 dates of the year), completely fail at communication, and provide such stress, Tara and Stephen were our one constant. When everything else was a whirlwind, they were there not only communicating, keeping in touch, making sure on the details we could have easily forgotten, and providing the most incredibly romance-inspired photos, they were there as FRIENDS to share our joys and worries with, and they stayed by us every step of the way! They say that there will always be something that goes wrong in wedding planning (for some, lots more than others ;) ), rest assured that you are in only the most professional, kind, and talented of hands with Tara and Stephen!!! We literally cannot thank you enough!!!!
If I could give this couple 50 stars I would!! Who wouldn’t want a couple that loves love so much sharing and capturing their magical day!? Stephen and Tara are such special people...
and couldn’t be more perfect for this avenue of photography. Beyond taking stunning images, they truly understand what all a wedding entails and they do all they can to take any stress away from the day. I couldn’t believe how well they helped me prepare for the day by running us through all details, making me a timeline and helping everyone stick to it day of, basically they were also my wedding coordinators. I knew from our initial meeting I could trust them and let that worry go for the big day and I was blown away with all they delivered. We even hope to stay in touch after because they really are just cool people!
Pattengale Photography is seriously the best! From the start not only have they been very responsive, but also detailed with their responses to make sure no question goes unanswere...
d. Our engagement session could not have gone better and their artistic eye is amazing. They really know how to make a couple feel comfortable while being photographed and the time and energy that is taken to edit each shot really shows...this being one of the many factors that drew us to them when we were searching for a photographer. 5 star rating for sure!
Tara and Stephen are not only amazing photographers but amazing people! They truly care about YOU and want to get to know you to ensure your wedding is perfect. They will go above ...
and beyond to make you feel special and comfortable. Plus, there photos are absolutely gorgeous. We are so lucky to have them photograph all of our special moments.
Tara and Stephen are more than wedding photographers. They helped with the timeline of our wedding to ensure every moment was captured perfectly. They became the friends we needed ...
when handling a stressful time. They taught us how to photograph as a couple so both of us looked and felt flawless. I cant give enough stars or gratitude for these two individuals. Truly incredible people who take their passion for photography to a new level.
I was immediately drawn to Pattengale Photography from clicking on their photos featured on our venue's website. When I reached out, Tara and Stephen set up a Skype meet & greet wi...
th my fiance and I, and afterward I knew I wanted them to be our wedding photographers! While many photographers show up on your wedding day without getting a true feel for the bride and groom or their vision beforehand, Tara and Stephen go above and beyond to get to know their couples on a deeper level. Our wedding is next year and I already feel so comfortable with Tara and Stephen, and I know that our wedding photos are going to be incredible. They are so professional, talented, and dedicated to their work, and they have a knack for making you feel like you've known them your whole life! I would definitely recommend them to any bride and groom! <3
As a bride there are so many choices to make, from location to hair and make-up, some of them are easy and some harder. For me, it was no question who I wanted my photographer to b...
e, Pattengale. I have been following Tara’s and Stephens journey through their photography since about 2015 and always knew I wanted them to do my wedding. So when my husband and I did get engaged they were one of our first calls. From that moment till now (well after our wedding) their attention to detail, care, and joy have been nothing short of outstanding. Not only are they good at the logistics, but they are masters at their craft of storytelling through images and their work has garnered many many compliments from friends and family. We have moments that we will treasure for years and years to come thanks to them and cannot recommend them enough!
Tara and Stephen treat us like friends not clients. It’s so fun working with them! They’re both always there to ask advice about clothing options, photography or anything wedding r...
elated they can help with. We’ve only done our engagement shoot with them so far, but can’t wait for them to take our wedding photos next year! Their work is absolutely beautiful!
Beyond happy that we picked Pattengale to be a part of our big day. Tara and Stephan were great to work with. They were very professional and help us feel comfortable while we took...
our photo because let me tell ya it feels very weird posing with your partner if you're not used to doing it all the time. Our photos came out amazing!! They capture every detial and they brought our photos to life.
Tara and Stephen with Pattengale Photography are the “A” team, and this husband and wife duo are such a pleasure to work with. Tara is super organized and really has it down when i...
t comes to developing a photography timeline, thinking through all the details, and coordinating with the other vendors to ensure she knows the flow of the day. Tara tells you exactly what to expect from the day and genuinely cares about how the bride and groom are doing amidst the pressures of planning a wedding. When we did the engagement session with Tara and Stephen, we began to really feel comfortable around the camera, and their instructions helped us to relax and look our best. They coached us along the way and worked with the session location (which took us from Forest Park to the proposal spot in an airfield!) to deliver amazing, magazine cover-like photos. They made the wedding day a blast as well, as they worked intimately with us to capture every exciting and joyful moment of the day. We were sad to say good bye at the end of the night, because after all of the planning and coordinating and sessions, we feel like we’ve gained new friends. Tara and Stephen are precious and so talented and we couldn’t be happier with our choice in photography teams!
We received our album a week ago and all the "feels" came back when we first looked through it. The Pattengale team goes the extra mile to ensure that their clients are beyond thrilled with the photos and albums they receive as a keepsake for their wedding. We are so thankful for the hard and meticulous work that Tara and Stephen poured into our photos and album!
Tara and Stephen were (and still are!) incredible to work with. We got such great vibes from our first emails and Skype session that sealed the deal for us! We think it was the be...
st choice we made on any vendor (all of whom were fantastic) in our wedding!! They really helped pull our vision together - with their advice on stylistic touches - and then documented exactly as we imagined!!! It looked even better in photos than it did in person ;) They captured so many sweet moments that bring a tear to my eye each time I see the photos. They are such a sweet, personable, and professional husband and wife team that I will recommend to anyone and everyone!!!!!
Tara and Stephen did a bridal session for us, and it made us feel even more in love (and let me tell you, the photos show it)! They kept us so comfortable and helped our session fe...
el like it was about celebrating our relationship, and now I'm just drooling over the timeless photos we have to enjoy. Thank you, Pattengale Photography! <3
Tara is a fantastic photographer. She paid attention to my thoughts and ideas and made sure that I had photos that surpassed my dreamed of vision. She made me and my husband feel c...
omfortable in front of the camera (something not easily done) and filled out day with joy and humor. She is kind and thoughtful and I would wholeheartedly reccomend her photography.
Tara does an exceptional job of telling the story and capturing the emotions of the wedding day. For her it is more than a mere collection of pictures. You feel of the emotions o...
f the day again when you see the pictures. Tara helps the bride and groom plan the day's schedule ahead of time so important pictures are included and everyone is in the right place at the right time. That is very helpful! Both photographers enjoy celebrating the special day with the bride and groom.
I am impressed with how well Tara is in the right place at the right time. At a recent wedding, when the groom surprised us by flipping the bride in their "first dance" Tara caugh...
t the flip with a face shot of the bride half-way through the flip.
Pattengale photography did an amazing job capturing our wedding. They were extremely organized and made us and our family feel very comfortable during the wedding photos. The photo...
s allowed family and friends who were not at our ceremony to feel like they were there.
Tara Pattengale of Pattengale Photography is an outstanding wedding photographer who's artistic eye and exceptional attention to detail left us speechless at the stunning pictures ...
she captured of our wedding! Her talent just keeps developing and she's worth the investment you'll make in hiring her to capture the most important day of your life!!
My wife and I had a wonderful experience working with Tara and her team. I don't have a tone of experience with wedding photographers, but I couldn't image having a better one for...
our wedding day. Tara made sure to keep in touch with us and sent friendly reminders to keep us in track for our wedding. She made sure we included all of the pictures we wanted, and the ones we didn't know we wanted. Tara also went above any beyond helping us setup our timeline before the wedding. Our wedding planner got off track from our timeline once during our wedding day and Tara was quick to fix the hiccup. I can't say enough about Tara, Stephen and their team. We have recommended them to friends and everyone has had glowing reviews.
Tara was the best photographer I could have ever hoped for. She made the least photogenic guy look awesome and was there when my soon to be wife had a million questions. She has a ...
knack for capturing the moments you never want to forget while also making you feel comfortable. She also worked wonders photographing our dog.
There are not enough kind words to express how amazing Tara Pattengle is!! She was our photographer for our December 2016 wedding and with her, our wedding was a dream come true! S...
he is easy to talk to, understands a bride’s vision, gives excellent expertise, loves to tell your love story, generally cares, and loves what she does. Her vison for photography is truly a gift and I am so happy we picked her to be our photographer! Our engagement shoot was so fun, with ease Tara had us laughing and comfortable in front of the camera…she made ‘being us’ so easy! Throughout wedding planning she was there for all the crazyyyy random bridal questions! On our wedding day, Tara got all the special and beautiful moments…and beyond…more than I ever could have imagined! Our wedding pictures are the bomb.com and we owe it all to Tara!!
EPICALLY B-E-A-UTIFUL! Couldn’t ask for a more personable, kind, hardworking photographer who knows how to capture natural beauty in everything from the surroundings to the expre...
ssion on grandma’s face. Love how everyone turned out on the photos, especially my beautiful wife. Much love...
Tara did an amazing job as the photographer at my wedding. I don't think my wife and I would have been able to plan things out and have a perfect night without Tara and her husband...
's help and guidance. Everything from the planning, engagement, and of course to the wedding photos, Tara and Stephen were there doing a phenomenal job. Their skills go way beyond the camera and the photos they take, they're just all around amazing people. I wouldn't think twice about hiring them again if I had to do it all over again.
Tara and Stephen have a creative eye and helped me feel relaxed and enjoy the day. Tara's blog helped me relive the day and share special memories with friends as though they had b...
een there.
Pattengale Photography is the BEST! What a godsend Tara was. My now husband and I have said it time and time again, Pattengle Photography was by far the best money we spent on o...
ur wedding and the most wonderful vendor to work with. So organized, friendly, professional and beyond talented. I would have been lost without Pattengale Photography founder/photographer Tara. She and her husband, Stephen, were a DREAM to work with throughout the process and especially on our big day. If you're looking for a fantastic photographer you've found it in Pattengale Photography!
Tara is the absolute best! Besides the fact that she is an amazing photographer she is also an amazing person. Tara was Able to capture our love story through the proposal, engagem...
ent, and wedding day. She was a a great vendor because of her calming presence but also confidence in her work. Being in front of the camera with her came naturally because she captured you as you and not a portrayal of something. Lastly but also just as important her deadlines are reasonable and she is on time always which is so nice when you're waiting on pictures of the best day ever!
Hands down the best!! From the start she was sweet, organized and attentive. THEN to top it off her style is on point! She makes you feel comfortable in front of the camera and tak...
es the most amazing shots. Her pictures and way with words makes her blog post breathtaking. Worth every penny spent!! It’s been 6 months and I am constantly being complemented on my wedding photos. Those people make a point to say, “ who was your photographer? Her work is great!”
I am especially thankful for the Pattengale Photography for their help in our wedding. Tara and Stephen's hard work, attention to detail, perspective, and contributions to the orga...
nization of the wedding allowed the whole process to go smoothly, without any stress for my wife and I. I am also thankful for how diligent they have been to partner with us, especially towards the legacy that our wedding will bring to our family and future children. This dynamic duo is top notch, and I couldn't imagine anyone else taking such good care of us.
Tara, and her husband Stephen, we're wonderful! They really got to know my (now) husband and I, and understood what exactly we wanted in our photos on our big day, and they turned ...
out even better we ever could've imagined! They have such talent, and take pride in there work, and they are also the nicest people ever! Thank you Tara for capturing the most beautiful day of our lives!
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Southern California & Destination
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