Petula Pea Photography

Patty is the best! Even months later I still find myself going through our wedding album with a smile on my face! She has such amazing talent with photographing every special moment in the perfect light. I so appreciated how professional Patty was and easy to work with. Throughout the planning process, phone calls, and emails I could tell that she really cared about capturing the day in the best way possible for us.  She had a detailed timeline that ensured everything important was captured.  Then when the wedding day arrived she was such a calm force who clearly knew exactly how to get the right shot.  Her kindness and positivity are just another bonus. Thank you Patty for taking such good care of us!

I cannot say enough about how amazing Patty was throughout the entire wedding process. From our first chat on the phone I knew she was our photographer. Beyond the fact that her portfolio is amazing; she is kind, easy to talk to, and professional. From the very beginning she made me and my now husband feel at ease about the entire process. She asked about the kind of vibe we were going for, our story, and really made the process super personal. Once we got closer to the wedding, she helped to make a killer wedding photo timeline; making edits where she thought things could be done more efficiently, but was also so attentive to my wants/needs. The day of the wedding Patty was the BEST! She is truly so sweet and easy to work with. And the photos that we ended up with were amazing, I honestly can't stop looking at them. I also can't decide which ones to print because there are so many I am obsessed with (the best problem to have haha). In my opinion, picking a good photographer is one of the most important things you can do for your wedding day and I highly, highly recommend Patty for all your photographer needs.

One of the best in the business! I cannot speak highly enough of Patty and her incredible photography skills. She is not just a vendor who is there to make money, but she genuinely cares about you and fiance and capturing your most magical moments on your wedding day. I was so happy with how Patty directed my fiance and me for our photos (especially since we are not models). Except, we can't even decide which pictures we want to print and frame because we love them all. If you are still reading this, you need to hire Patty. Pictures are so important, and worth the investment. Lastly, I felt so comfortable in her hands, taking photos. She is truly the best.

Hiring a vendor that is responsible for capturing the precious moments of one of the biggest days of your life can be a hard thing to narrow down. But for my husband and I, there was no one else other than Patty with Petula Pea Photography. I came across her Instagram about 2 years prior to becoming engaged; I was so in love with her photography and enjoyed seeing her work. Petula Pea was the very first vendor we signed a contract with, and was one of the best decisions ever! We had our initial phone call to talk wedding vision, and all those fun details and I immediately felt like I’ve known her for years. She helped guide us to the best wedding coordinator (Cara: Luxe Events) and we quickly signed Cara shortly after booking Patty. We had walk throughs, emails and phone convos for the past year and then it all came to the Wedding Day!! It was better than I could have ever imagined!! The venue looked fantastic and everything fell into place. Knowing that we had the best photographer to capture all these details, looks, feelings and emotions was the icing on the cake! Throughout the day she would remind us to breathe, and to take it all in. The best reminder. Incredibly organized, works for “that” shot, caring, knows her craft and so so many other great praises can’t be said enough about this woman! Patty had several “teaser” photos ready a couple days later – WOW!! Just the few we’ve seen.. absolutely speechless! Can’t wait to see the rest!! My advice is, if she is available for your wedding date- book Petula Pea Photography, you’ll never regret it.

I first spoke with Patty about a year before our wedding day. Patty was the first vendor we booked and the best photographer to capture our San Diego wedding at the Prado in Balboa Park on January 5, 2019. We planned our destination wedding in SD all the way from Connecticut and it was completley stress free because of our awesome team of vendors like Patty. Patty is organized, reliable, efficient, sweet, funny, relaxed and beautiful. I fell in love with Patty's style and work after searching instagram, the knot, yelp, etc., and fell in love with the authenticity of her photos. Her photographs are clear, true, full of life, and her ability to capture the most beautiful moments so effortlessly makes her so talented. Patty met up with us a few months before our wedding for wine and cheese (always a good idea) where we went over details and got to know each other. She had already been to the Prado and scoped out her plans for our wedding day. Prior to the wedding she created a shot list of all of our must have photos and created a wonderful photo timeline for our wedding. Granted, we had a little rain on our wedding day and a few plans were adjusted. I was never once stressed on my wedding day and I owe that to Patty for going with the flow of our wedding day and keeping a relaxed vibe! We are absolutely in LOVE with our wedding photos!! I don't know how I'll be able to choose my favorites because I love them all SO much. We got ready at the Hilton Bayfront and did our first look at the Prado with multiple pictures of our families and wedding party to follow. It was all a fairytale and we will never forget the feelings we felt on our day because we have Patty's photos to look at forever. We love you Patty! Thank you so much for your fabulous work and being you!!! Love always, Katie and Al

Patty is outstanding. The real deal. If I could give her 10 stars, I would. Professional, super-talented, kind, an absolute joy to have as part of my wedding day. I truly can't say enough. Her second shooter was also outstanding. I was blown away by my photos. She captured every part of our wedding day that I could have hoped for and so much more. Total class act. Cannot recommend her highly enough. On top of all this, she's one of the warmest and most genuine individuals I've ever met.

Working with Patty on our wedding day was the best decision I could have made! From the first conversation we had I knew she would be ultra organized and so easy to work with, and that turned out to be even more true than I could have known. She was prepared and knew the property and the best shot locations before the day so that everything ran smoothly and easily for us. She got SO many shots done without being intrusive at all for the first couple hours which I appreciate so much. When it came to organizing our HUGE wedding party and our families Patty was so organized and clear and made it really easy to get literally all the shots we wanted and right on schedule so that there was no stress at all. My entire family made comments to me about how much they appreciated how well she handled everything and how they felt like the process was super easy and the shots all came out great. The pictures we got back are all beyond beautiful and really capture some of our favorite moments. I'm so grateful for the personal connection Patty made before and after the wedding so that the experience was even more fun!

Patty is the most incredible person and photographer there is! From start to finish, working with Patty was so much fun and she made the process so easy. She is very personable and genuinely cares so much about delivering the best photos she can. I feel like she became my best friend! Within the first minute of our conversion, I knew she was my girl! Her bubbly personality and passion for what she does, made me extremely confident that she was the perfect person to shoot our wedding day. We booked Patty a over a year and a half in advance (the good ones go fast!) so we had a lot of time between then and the wedding. However, Patty was the absolute sweetest and would check in with me to see how planning was going and it made me feel so special especially being a bride who planned the wedding from across the country. One of the MANY things I loved about Patty was how organized she was. When it came time to put my shot list together, she sent over a whole sheet for me to fill out, all the way down to listing the exact names of the people in the photo. She gave me advice when I needed it and was accommodating when it was a shot that I needed to have. She wanted to make sure my day was as perfect as possible! A week or so before my wedding she sent the finalized shot list that was broken down all the way down to the minute of what photo was being taken and when. After reading that, I knew everything was going to go smoothly. Now onto our wedding day. I remember Patty coming into my bridal suite and giving me the biggest hug and smile! We had talked on the phone many times before but never met in person. It was like I was hugging a life long friend of mine and any nerves I had just went away. The whole day, if she ever sensed my husband and I getting nervous she would remind us to take a deep breathe and relax. Often times when you are at weddings, the photographer takes forever to take pictures-not Patty! She stuck to her timeline and we were even ahead of schedule a few times. She was so efficient because she wanted to make sure that we got to enjoy our day as much as we could. My husband and I had so much fun with Patty when she was shooting us-we didn’t want it to end! You spend so much time with your photographer on your special day, that they really could make or break your day. Patty truly made our day and was our rock through it all. We were laughing and smiling the entire time. I can’t recommend her enough! We just got our photos back at the end of January and they are breathtaking! I look at Patty’s work all the time on Instagram but actually getting your own pictures back you see exactly how incredible, and talented Petula Pea really is :) She put so much love and energy into every single photo she edited. I absolutely love that she uses the natural light because she really catches the overall beauty of the day. Every time I look at each picture it allows me to relive the day all over again and remember the exact feelings I had in that moment. She told a story through her photos and perfectly captured who my husband and I are as a couple. I will be using Patty again in the future for all my life events because she really is the best! Love you Patty-thank you for making our day so incredibly special! We miss you already!

I don't know where to begin. Working with Patty for our engagement and wedding photos was one of the most critical decisions that we made, and simultaneously the easiest one. From our first meeting over a glass of wine and the cute gift she brought us, to the text messages, email support, outfit encouragement (for engagement photos), vendor referrals (wedding) -- Patty was our rock throughout it all. We were barrels of nerves before our photo sessions and what Patty does so incredibly well and naturally is helps you relax, enjoy the moments and feel beautiful inside and out! We found Patty through Yelp and Instagram, and immediately fell in love with the style of her work. Her style amplifies the natural beauty and emotions that she's capturing and we love every single photo she took, including the ones of our four-legged baby during our engagement sessions. Her editing process (individually editing each photo, which not all photographers will do) and diligence to providing a beyond perfection end result to her clients is telling - we love each and every moment and photo she has been able to capture throughout this journey. During our wedding planning process, Patty helped introduce us to our wedding coordinator (who was also a rockstar), our videographer (see rockstar comment), and shared invaluable perspective on the big things and little details alike. Even the assistant, John, that she brought to work with her on our big day gelled with the group like he'd been working with us the entire time. The ability for a photographer to manage a timeline and a crowd is critical, and that's what Patty does every single time. She had our timeline planned down to the minute, taking into consideration the sunlight and timeline for the rest of the event! We cannot wait to work with Patty again in the future to capture the big life moments yet to come!

When I saw Patty's work online in my large search for the right photographer, her photography stood out VERY strongly to me. I love her ability to work with light. You'll notice her pictures all have such a pretty, soft, glowy, bright look which I think is so beautiful especially for a wedding!!! Patty was such a sweet person to work with. She spent a good amount of time on the phone with me talking through what I wanted, how she works with wedding clients, etc. - and I ask a lot of questions so her patience was much appreciated. She is super organized when it comes to the day-of timeline as well. Having her bubbly and encouraging energy around you the day of your wedding is a huge plus! I am really happy with our wedding pictures - they are natural and not too "posey", which is exactly what we wanted! The process of working with her is really smooth and it feels like she is definitely on your team to make your wedding day all about you and the best day ever! Thank you Patty for such incredible talent and for working with us :). - Monica and John

Patty is darling and literally became our best friend by the end of the wedding day! She traveled with us to Maui for our special weekend and was an absolute joy to have around. She was well organized and kind to our bridal party. We appreciated her sweet spirit and passion for capturing our perfect day. Highly recommend Petula Pea Photography!

Working with Patty as our Wedding Photographer was truly amazing, easy, and her work is spectacular! I spent so much time researching photographers for my wedding, but after my first conversation (and looking through all of her work online), I knew she was the one! Her style is classic, soft, and like fine-art that capture every formal and candid little moment and expression of your wedding day. She a professional! Her direct but gentle manner made me trust her to organize the photo- timeline, gather family for formal photos, work with other vendors, and helped me to stay calm and not worry about anything/one else (because she had everything under control!). Before my big day, she created a timeline, reached out to our vendors, and scoped out the venue to know where the best photograph locations were. We met a few times to talk about our day beforehand and she was open to my thoughts and desires for what I was hoping to capture on our wedding day. We recently received our album and her work is amazing, like magic. She & her assistant Jessica captured every detail of our wedding day, literally every emotion and expression is now ours to save forever. When you work with Patty, she not only becomes your photographer, but also a friend!

There are not enough words I can say to explain how totally and completely amazing Patty/Petula Pea Photography is. I planned a destination wedding in San Diego last fall, which was not easy to do from a distance. And, one of my highest priority parts of planning our wedding was the photography - I'm very picky about style, quality, personality, etc. I did a lot of research, read of a lot of reviews, and had a ton of phone conversations and email exchanges with photographers in the area. But, when I talked to Patty, something just clicked. I loved her style and she was very welcoming and made my story and my event feel so important. She was so organized with the details and making sure that she would be able to capture everything I wanted and envisioned. She spent a lot of time working directly with me on the schedule, understanding the venue and my other vendors, understanding what was important to me, getting to know our story, and getting to know my family and wedding party. She was amazing to work with before the wedding day and kept everything on track (and was patient with a rowdy wedding party) on the actual day. AND... the photos turned out to be EXTRAORDINARY. I still look at them and am amazed and so thankful that Patty (and John!) was able to capture our day so perfectly. I couldn't be more happy with the day and couldn't be more happy with the final images!

We are the parents of the bride, and this was our third wedding for our last child to be married. At our two prior weddings, we used different photographers, and used Patty at the recommendation of our wedding planner. We are glad we did. Patty was just wonderful and we cannot recommend her highly enough. So often at weddings we have found photographers to be pushy and overbearing. Patty is unobtrusive, polite, helpful and always professional. Patty thoughtfully pre planned the photos to minimize inconvenience to the wedding party and the families. In the oppressive heat in Rancho Santa Fe this past Labor Day weekend, that was most appreciated. My wife and I recommend "Petula Pea Photography" without hesitation.

Patty’s work is nothing short of extraordinary! Hiring her as our photographer was one of the best decisions we made during our wedding planning, and she played a very important role in helping our wedding day run as smoothly as it did. She was professional, easy, and fun to work with. She made my husband and me feel calm and comfortable the entire day. Within an hour of sending Patty my contact information via her website, Patty called me to get all the details of my husband and my relationship and our plans for our wedding celebration. She has great wedding packages available, and we opted for her to photograph a couple portraits and candids at our pre-wedding cocktail party instead of engagement photos. As the wedding weekend approached, Patty was consistently in touch with our coordinator to hash out the timeline, and she responded promptly to all the questions I sent her via text or email. When it came time to set the shot list, my ideas and lists were a little extravagant. Patty gently helped me come to my senses about timing and what ends up being possible to fit into one relatively short wedding day--her guidance was spot-on, and my husband, our families, and I got all the shots we wanted without busting the timeline! Throughout our wedding day, Patty and her awesome assistant Laura were efficient, kind, and encouraging. Each vendor who interacted with Patty or Laura let me know they were the best photography team they had ever worked with! And the best part about Patty’s work: the photos themselves. As I write this I've only seen a few photos she posted as “teasers” on Facebook or Instagram, and each one is STUNNING! My husband and I can only imagine how beautiful the rest will be!! Patty’s work is beautiful. I am so impressed with the way her photos capture the happiness and joy that radiated from our families, our friends, and us that weekend. My husband and I already agreed Patty will be our photographer for any and all maternity/family photography sessions in the future! Thank you, Patty, for everything you did to help Lucas and me enjoy the best weekend of our lives!

Patty is absolutely incredible. I was always impressed by her work but it was hard to picture what MY photos would really be like - but I was oh so pleasantly surprised and excited and shocked by the amazing outcome! I never thought I'd look so pretty or that my wedding would be captured like she captured it. Every detail and moment can be relived when you're looking at the album and I couldn't be happier that Patty shot our wedding. She completely goes above and beyond in so many ways. On top of the amazing photographic results, Patty is one of the kindest and sweetest people I've met in a long time! She instantly made us feel comfortable and it really shows naturally in the photos. A few other things to note is that I completely dropped the ball on the timeline and Patty saved the day with her quick thinking and got all of the photos I wanted. Patty is all business on the wedding day and this kind of personality and attitude is priceless! Patty has the best ideas for poses and I was so happy with our wedding portraits, family pics and of course, the party pics! Additionally, a few weeks after the wedding my mother in law asked for a few photos to print for her parents and Patty took time out of her weekend to send them to me - I think this shows how VERY dedicated Patty is to her clients. We couldn't have been happier that we found Patty to take the photos on our big day. I would recommend her to ANYONE looking to have the most incredible photos of their wedding day. If you pick Patty, you will be in the BEST hands!

Patty is truly the best of the best. From her communications skills to ensuring that all details are accounted for, Patty does not skip a beat. Patty has an ease and comfort about her, that help make situations feel relaxing, fun, and in control. Not to mention, her skills behind the camera are one that cannot be argued. Our wedding photos are something out of a magazine. We honestly could not have dreamt of more picture perfect images to look back on. Patty will be our photographer for all important future events and we truly cannot recommend her enough. She is the definition of amazing.

​"​Thank you Patty for ​my and Mark's amazing engagement photo shoot!! We are so lucky and thankful to have been introduced to you by our wedding planner. Patty is seriously so amazing so sweet and so fun to do pics with!!! Can't wait till our wedding day and our family photo shoot with her!!!! Highly recommend Patty."

Where do we even begin??? Patty (Petula Pea) was the very first vendor we booked because we just knew we had to have her! What we loved most about Patty's portfolio was the mix of brilliant artistic shots (the type you hang on the wall and all can appreciate because it's beautiful but not TOO lovey-dovey to make others uncomfortable), natural, candid moments, and the must-have portraits. We absolutely love both our engagement and wedding photos, and had the best time working with Patty! While we initially imagined it'd be quite awkward having someone accompany us and take our photos, Patty coached us though both the engagement session and wedding day--making us feel comfortable and translating that into natural, beautiful photos that really captured the day and our love. Weddings are stressful enough; call or email Patty and you won't regret it!

UPDATE: I had to update my review after Patty shot our wedding a month ago, and of course, she’s still amazing! She went so above and beyond since the first day we spoke, but somehow she upped it even more in the weeks before the wedding. She did her research and had gone out to my venue and my getting ready b&b for a tour and to scout picture locations. It was supposed to rain the day of and she spent so much time talking to me and the girls at my venue about back up plans, she even searched for umbrellas for pictures while we were on the phone! She also created my timeline for the day, and separate one for my husband and the groomsmen. She knows exactly what is going to happen the day of and just jumps right in, which is very calming and reassuring. I was able to enjoy my day completely knowing that she was in charge. She is the picture of professional but talking to her is like talking to a friend. (And she’s super patient when it comes to screaming children who don’t want to take pictures!) And OMG her pictures! I thought our engagements pictures were gorgeous, but the wedding pictures are stunning. I can’t believe how amazing and flawless they are. I honestly love each one (which never happens)! She captured the day perfectly and I could not be any happier. I am so thankful to have been able to work with her! Also, her assistant Laura was just as sweet and amazing! Hiring Patty was the best decision I made for my wedding (aside from my husband, of course). I cannot say enough good things about Patty and Petula Pea Photography! To me finding the right photographer sets the tone for you wedding and shapes your memories. The best advice I got from my sister-in-law was if you’re going to spend money, spend it on the photographer. Patty was one of the first people I booked for my wedding because once I saw her pictures I knew I had to have her photograph my wedding. I must’ve looked at 15 different photographers before I found Patty and once I did I couldn’t stop looking at her pictures, each one is mesmerizing. Aside from her picture taking talent, Patty is one of the sweetest and most patient people I have worked with. Leading up to my engagement shoot she indulged all of my million emails and wardrobe questions until finally we found the right combination. And she worked with me to find a location where we could do some town shots and some beach shots. She researched the tide and time of the sunset just to make sure everything was perfect and it absolutely was. Then we got to the engagement session and we were put right at ease. Patty already has an idea in her head of where you’re going to go and how you’re going to pose and walks you through the whole thing so it’s easy and comfortable and fun. My fiancé absolutely hates taking pictures and he even enjoyed the session, which amazingly comes out on film. He looks like he’s having fun! And I am blown away by how our pictures came out. They are so stunning. She was able to capture our personalities and let them shine on film. Each picture looks natural and not overly posed, the lighting and detail is just magical. I could not be any happier to be working with Patty and am beyond excited to have her shoot our wedding next year!

We’re so glad that we decided to work with Patty! She recently did our engagement photo shoot and we’re so happy with the results! She did an amazing job… the photos are absolutely stunning. She made the whole experience effortless and easy. She was relaxed and gave us directly but wasn’t overbearing. Working with Patty was so seamless and the results are incredible. We’ve gotten so many compliments on our photos and I can’t wait to see how our wedding photos turn out! SHE IS AMAZING!!!

AMAZING. We couldn't be happier with our decision to hire Patty. I did a ton of research before deciding on a photographer and she really is the whole package. Not only do Patty's photos have the most romantic, natural feel to them, it's her personal style that drew us in the most. I spent almost an hour with her on the phone during our first call and it felt like I was talking to a friend, but in the most professional and informative way possible. She is straightforward and upfront about her style and process which made me feel completely comfortable with everything. She is responsive to emails and texts and was incredibly patient when responding to my tons and tons of amateur questions. My fiance and I had never taken professional photos, and I was worried that we would seem awkward or unnatural due to nerves. Patty scheduled a time to meet us for wine and apps a couple months prior to our engagement shoot to answer all of our questions and just really get to know us. The weather was just not working with us on our engagement shoot and we had to reschedule not once, but TWICE! Patty was watching the weather days in advance and made sure to let me know as soon as she thought we should reschedule. She worked with me on scheduling both times and we ended up with perfect weather - third time's the charm! When we showed up on the day of the engagement photos it was like meeting up with a friend. We had SO MUCH FUN and it shows in the photos. Beyond excited for our wedding day. Patty has been great about coordinating with our wedding planner to make sure that everything is seamless. I am 100% confident that she will capture each moment exactly as we always envisioned them. Will update post after wedding in October 2017.

Choosing Patty as our wedding photographer was one of the best decisions we made! I reached out to Patty after reading her great reviews online, and after our first interaction I knew that I wanted to work with her. Patty is incredibly experienced, talented, and professional. We had a small wedding and were planning everything ourselves, so Patty helped us create a timeline for the day, connected us with other vendors, and even came over the day before the wedding to help us choose a ceremony backdrop and portrait locations. On top of that, her warmth and sincerity made us feel so comfortable and cared for. Even though we had only met once before the wedding, having Patty there felt like having an old friend at the wedding. We are so happy with the photos. She truly captured the essence of the day. The photos are beautiful, natural, and truly felt like us. Before our wedding, a few people had stressed the importance of hiring a great photographer, and I'm passing that advice along. We're so grateful that we have beautiful, high quality photos of the day, and we couldn't have had a better experience than working with Patty!

BRILLIANT!!! Patty is able to capture beauty from the inside and out! She is one of the most sincere and loving people we have met. My husband and I had an immediate connection with Patty and knew within just a few minutes she was golden. She has a creative eye and and piece of advice to any future bride reading this ---you should trust her vision, you cannot go wrong here. We are so glad that we decided to do an engagement session, as most guys do not like to do "photo shoots'' this gave us a chance to get comfortable in front of the camera before our big day. On our wedding day, we decided against a first look pre ceremony, and Patty knew how much it meant to us to have those photos of the 'first look' when the groom saw his bride down the aisle. We had plenty of time for photos after the ceremony, without feeling rushed or feeling like we were taken away for too long from the celebration - we were even able to make it to cocktail hour for a few minutes. Patty is organized, on time, and attentive. We caught the sun setting over the ocean during our first dance - these are tooo die for photos! Even my bridesmaids some of them married, some soon to be married fell in love with Patty and immediately could pick up on our connection. We were lucky to find her - everyone who has been able to see our photos think they all were taken from a magazine - makes me blush every time - that is the talent and quality Patty provides. Highly recommended!!! Thank you so very much Patty for all your kindness, brilliant eye, and our lifelong memories - 10.1.2016 - Much Love - Kristi & Drew

Patty is truly one of the most amazing and gifted photographers we get the opportunity to work with! Not only are her images flawless and beautiful but she is extremely kind, gracious, professional and so easy to work with. I am in the wedding profession as well, and as a potential client, you might be reading this and thinking that it's easy to give another vendor a 5 star review...trust me, it is not! Creating a great team of vendors for your wedding is one of the MOST important keys to a successful wedding and a good photographer is key in making that happen. They keep your timeline moving on track, work closely with your coordinator, spend almost your entire day with you and ultimately their work is a reflection of all the hard work and creativity the rest of us vendors have lovingly put into your wedding day. Patty is literally a dream to work with, she is flexible and fun and when I get her images back, I have been known to shed a few tears over the sheer beauty of what she captured. As a person who treasures photos and tells every single one of my own clients that photos are what I would consider spending a substantial amount of their budget on (Ummm...and I'm the wedding cake lady)...Patty's work and photos are absolutely something to be treasured. I get to see endless arrays of wedding photos and although I have several photographers that I love, sometimes each wedding tends to look very similar. This is not the case with Patty's work! She has a skill for making each couple's photos so unique and really capturing their personalities and their love for each other. Patty takes the time to get to know her clients, address all of their questions in detail and walks you though the process step by step. Most often her wedding clients also have her take engagement photos and this serves as a great time to get a feel for what it's like to spend time with her and feel comfortable. She takes the time to walk you through hair & makeup, clothing options and the perfect locations for photos. Her stunning family portraits are equally as stunning as her wedding and engagement photos! I can not wait for my next wedding with Patty and am so excited that I have made the choice to hire her to take lifestyle portraits of me in February. I already know I'm going to be thrilled with them!!!​

Patty is truly one of the most amazing and gifted photographers we get the opportunity to work with! Not only are her images flawless and beautiful but she is extremely kind, gracious, professional and so easy to work with. I am in the wedding profession as well, and as a potential client, you might be reading this and thinking that it's easy to give another vendor a 5 star review...trust me, it is not! Creating a great team of vendors for your wedding is one of the MOST important keys to a successful wedding and a good photographer is key in making that happen. They keep your timeline moving on track, work closely with your coordinator, spend almost your entire day with you and ultimately their work is a reflection of all the hard work and creativity the rest of us vendors have lovingly put into your wedding day. Patty is literally a dream to work with, she is flexible and fun and when I get her images back, I have been known to shed a few tears over the sheer beauty of what she captured. As a person who treasures photos and tells every single one of my own clients that photos are what I would consider spending a substantial amount of their budget on (Ummm...and I'm the wedding cake lady)...Patty's work and photos are absolutely something to be treasured. I get to see endless arrays of wedding photos and although I have several photographers that I love, sometimes each wedding tends to look very similar. This is not the case with Patty's work! She has a skill for making each couple's photos so unique and really capturing their personalities and their love for each other. Patty takes the time to get to know her clients, address all of their questions in detail and walks you though the process step by step. Most often her wedding clients also have her take engagement photos and this serves as a great time to get a feel for what it's like to spend time with her and feel comfortable. She takes the time to walk you through hair & makeup, clothing options and the perfect locations for photos. Her stunning family portraits are equally as stunning as her wedding and engagement photos! I can not wait for my next wedding with Patty and am so excited that I have made the choice to hire her to take lifestyle portraits of me in February. I already know I'm going to be thrilled with them!!!​

MAGIC!! I have had the pleasure of working with Patty both professionally as a wedding coordinator and personally for my family photos. While working with Patty for my couples, I so appreciate her attention to detail and her strong desire to ensure that the day runs smoothly. She thinks of every detail and works closely with me to create the perfect wedding day timeline. I don't have to worry when my couples are in her capable hands and I can't wait to see the wedding day galleries because they always take my breath away! Patty's eye for light and the little moments that might otherwise go unnoticed is second to none!! On a personal level, who knows how she manages to wrangle my two rambunctious toddler boys, but she does it and even makes them look...dare I say...angelic! THANK YOU Patty for finding a profession that so perfectly fits you and for sharing your gift with me!!

Patty Brutlag is a GEM. I found Petula Pea on Instagram and immediately fell in love with her work. We live in Chicago and were planning our wedding remotely. I had introductory phone calls with several photographers and knew from the very first conversation that Patty was fantastic and who I wanted to have with me on the day of our wedding. Her work speaks for itself, but knowing that our photographer would be by our sides the day of the wedding meant that our personalities needed to click as well. Patty is sweet and exudes positivity in all that she does. What makes her so special, though, is that she maintains her positivity and sweetness while being an AMAZING photographer and partner in making the wedding day a success. She went way above and beyond my expectations by working very closely with our wedding planner to work through the timeline of the day. She handled the different personalities in our family beautifully and kept me calm when I briefly became frustrated during photos. She takes so much pride in every step of her work -- from our first call to planning our photography needs to doing everything in her power to make our day go smoothly, she was just amazing. Our photos are STUNNING thanks to her and we're so thankful for the dedication that she brought to our wedding. It would not have been the same without her!

SIMPLY THE BEST! One of the greatest decisions we made when planning our wedding was hiring Patty as our photographer. She has the style that I have always dreamed of and has a way of using light that makes every photo simply magical. I knew we had to have her the second we saw her work. From the first response back from Patty, you learn right away that she is as genuine as you can get. She has an innate ability to make you feel so special and so taken care of and can ease any of the jitters you may have in the wedding planning process! We were lucky enough to meet her 9 month before our wedding for our engagement photos. For those of us who are not models, the thought of taking these can cause a lot of anxiety and bring out a lot of insecurities. Right from the start Patty makes you feel extremely comfortable: constantly reminding us to breath and relax, making jokes, directing us on how to pose in an easy-going way and just allowed us to really embrace this once-in-a-lifetime experience. By the end of our shoot we truly felt like models! We were pros after all of her guidance and the pictures she delivered showed just how much fun and love we had that day! Leading up to the wedding she was in contact about what details you want shot, what group photos are a must, the names of everyone, and so much more! She is a true professional and her sincere goal is to make the day move as seamless as possible so the bride and groom don't have a care in the world! She was such a breath of fresh air on the day of our wedding and allowed for us to just have FUN while we got ready and she ran the entire process of when each picture needed to happen. Everyone felt so relaxed and comfortable that day and she had our schedule down to a science for that very reason! Our families and bridal party all fell in love with Patty on the day of our wedding and she made everyone feel so beautiful and special all day long. It was so fun to get some Facebook teasers the very next day and while we were on our honeymoon and when we got the final pictures back from our big day we were BLOWN AWAY! Every single picture was simply perfect and we could not have asked anyone better to capture every smile, tear and emotion that was felt that day. I have no doubt that I will stay in contact with Patty forever and any bride and groom will be LUCKY to have her! Thanks for everything Patty! We love you! Love, Trish & Brad Myers

We found Patty through our Pastor and we knew we had to have her immediately. We booked her over the phone because we didn't want to lose the date with her. Along the way, she was very helpful and attentive. Very organized and detailed, and for me, that was key! On our wedding day, she went above and beyond to ask us if we wanted any coffee or anything before she arrived. She was polite and kind to everyone at our black-tie celebration. When we got our photographs, we were blown away by the amount of photos and by the story she was able to tell with her camera. We can't wait for her to design our wedding album, and hopefully someday soon, we will have her for my wife's belly pics. Thank you Patty (Petula Pea!!)

I have had a chance to work with Patty both as a client and as an assistant and she has always been the paramount example of what a professional and thoughtful photographer should be. She's considerate of all the various factors that can affect a wedding day and talks through her concerns with her client, all while letting them know that their enjoyment of their session is what matters most! And she really listens and does everything she can to ensure that every session goes off as smoothly as possible. This thoroughness is the key to her success! She is always prepared and keeps calm and cool through every unknown scenario (as weddings and photo-sessions often have) and creates the most beautiful and timeless pieces. She took time out of her maternity leave to ensure that my now husband and I had engagement pictures, because at the time he was in the navy and there was no other time that would work with his deployment schedule. She is unbelievably kind and all around amazing person, who I am lucky to know! I do not hesitate, as a professional in the same industry and as a past client, in recommending her to anyone, bride or other client. She is of the highest quality and caliber in the industry and I strive to run my own business in her likeness.

The way I found Patty at Petula Pea is when I was looking online at photos of another wedding that took place at the venue I was considering for my wedding. The photos were exactly what I was envisioning for my wedding day, so I looked into who the photographer was, and reached out to Patty. After meeting Patty at a local restaurant I knew she was the right photographer for us! If you want to feel at ease and have your wedding planning process to go smoothly, work with Patty. She is very personable, professional, and experienced with weddings. She offered a lot of vendor recommendations which is how we found our wedding planner and DJ, which has been a huge plus. Our engagement photo sesh was so much fun at the beach. Having never taken professional photos together, my fiancé and I were concerned that we wouldn't know how to pose or what to do, but Patty knows exactly what to tell you to do to get amazing photos! I was so excited when I saw the photos, they turned out WAY better than I even expected! Her passion is photography and she has a gift for capturing the perfect moment, which only the best photographers are able to do. We can't wait for our wedding day with Patty!

Patty has a passion and heart for her profession and the people she photographs. From the very beginning she made us feel that we could trust her to capture beautiful moments and provide us with amazing pictures. Our engagement session was so much fun and Patty took such spectacular pictures. We are already looking forward to seeing the work she will do for our wedding in March! Thanks Patty!

From the moment we met her, Patty was so enthusiastic about us and her profession. She is personable and made us feel so comfortable from our initial meeting all the way to the engagement photos. We both had doubts that anyone could make us look and feel so natural in front of a camera, but Patty eliminated those uncertainties. The photo session was so enjoyable and the photos turned out amazing! We are so excited to have Patty shoot out wedding in March as well, and we have no doubt she will do an exceptional job yet again!

UPDATE: LOVE LOVE LOVEEEE! I just don’t even know where to begin with Patty. She was the first vendor I booked for our wedding (before I even picked the venue). She was an absolute saving grace in the weeks leading up to my wedding. She handled everything the day of like a rock star, even though it rained and turned our plans upside down. I don’t know how the day would have gone without her and I am SO grateful that I had her there. She made me feel at ease and we were even able to get a few shot outside before it really started to rain. She even brought me an umbrella because she is a doll. She was so on top of everything – I just really can’t imagine how the day would have functioned without her. The timeline she had sent me a few days before was SO detailed and perfect. She made sure everything worked out with my groom being on the other side of the hotel too. She is so professional but still warm and her sweet self. I had gotten so many compliments from my guests in the weeks after my wedding about her as well. We had to move our pictures/ceremony/reception inside, and I honestly probably would have cried about it if I had used another photographer. I just got our wedding photos last night and they are more amazing than I could have ever imagined. They’re soft and intimate, yet she was able to catch all of the fun everyone had at the reception. I wish a review could do her the justice she deserves!!! If you are looking for the best photographer in southern California, Patty is your girl. I found Patty on Yelp after weeks of searching for photographers for our engagement photos and for our wedding. From the very first phone call I had with her I KNEW I had to have her as my photographer. She is hands down the sweetest lady I have ever had the pleasure of speaking with. She actually listened to what I wanted and made sure we were on the same page with everything going forward. She even took the time to speak with my fiancé so he could get on board. My fiancé and I were so nervous about the engagement photos, but she made us feel so comfortable, and took all of the awkwardness out of the whole process. She was so encouraging and funny throughout the entire photo shoot and she made us feel comfortable (as comfortable as you can be taking pictures in public!). All of the awkwardness and nerves were so worth it though after I saw the pictures! Oh-my-goodness. Our pictures came out AMAZING! I was already excited for our wedding next year, but I’m even more excited to know that she’s going to be there to capture our special day. I can not thank her enough for our perfect engagement pictures. I can’t speak highly enough of her – her work really speaks for itself. I was completely blown away ☺

I was looking for a photographer who would take natural-looking, honest and true photos of us. I immediately fell in love with Patty's photos after looking through website! She is very organized, thorough, fun to talk to, and is on top of her game. We had 2 specific requests which were to take photos at the beach (photos turned out great) and take a family photo that consisted of about 40 people (my husband comes from a large family). Patty was able to organize everything and all of the photos came out beautifully. She also gave me pointers on how to cut the wedding cake which was a big help since I didn't know what to do :) We are so glad that Patty was a part of our special day!

Patty has an artistic vision that makes every picture a special moment. Her ability to find the lighting and beauty of the atmosphere makes your photos pop in every way! You feel emotion in her pictures and she is amazing to work with. Years of experience and easy to get in contact with about any questions. I would not pick any other person for my special day. Thank you Patty, we love you!

Patty was an absolute pleasure to work with from start to finish. It was a joy to have her with us on our wedding day. She is so kind and expresses a true interest in getting to know her clients. Beyond this she is unbelievably talented. Her use of light and ability to capture beautiful photos that appear so natural and cohesive in/with multiple settings is amazing. I am so happy to have worked with Patty and would hire her again in a heartbeat.

Patty was amazing! I couldn't have asked for a more pleasant, down to earth, talented person to photograph our wedding! Since we had a beach destination wedding, most of my communication with Patty was done via email or phone. Patty was quick and willing to respond to my multiple emails and developed a photography schedule so everything ran smoothly on the day of. Even though I was unable to meet Patty until the day of our wedding, it was apparent that photography is not a job for Patty, it is her art and passion! Have I mentioned our wedding photographs came out beautifully?! Having photos taken can often be awkward and staged, but most of Patty's photos were un-planned and, "in the moment." I feel extremely lucky to have found Patty, and to have these beautiful photos of a day I will always remember!

I had the pleasure of having Patty as my photographer for my wedding in September. She is the best!!! Besides her warm, sweet and friendly personality she is extremely creative. She has an amazing eye for capturing all the special details. Her professionalism, communication and thoroughness made the day so smooth and stress-free. I'm beyond in love with my photos from one of the best days of my life. Thank you Patty!! Xoxo

Patty's talented eye for capturing a moment is incredible. Mix that with her down-to-earth nature and sweet, warm personality - you have the best photographer one could ever dream! We chose Patty to photograph our wedding after my first meeting with her... She was so focused, sincere and friendly that I could tell she would be the perfect person to capture our special day. We decided to do an engagement photo session with her to warm up for our big day as neither my fiance or I are comfortable in front of the camera. She put us at ease right from the beginning and as the session continued, it felt as if my fiance and I were enjoying a day on the beach with a good friend who was capturing our every movement. What resulted were photos that brought tears to my mom's eyes, photos that helped create our Save the Date, and photos that truly captured our story that we will cherish forever. We are very blessed to work with Patty and know that we are in such good, caring hands due to her dedication to us and of course, her immense talent. If you are looking for a wedding photographer in San Diego that will help capture the essence of you and your loved one in a beautiful way - Patty is your girl.

Patty was absolutely wonderful! She was calm, organized, and our pictures are sheer perfection! I couldn't be happier with them, and would recommend her to anyone in the Socal area. She captured every important moment of our special day, as well as the unplanned emotional shots. Love her!

I am in love with Patty!!! Simple as that. She is as good as it gets!!! I searched high and low for the perfect e-sesh/wedding photographer... call me crazy but I inquired to over 20+ photographers before I found Petula Pea Photography, I honestly could not be happier. I am honored and so thankful to have her capture our wedding day in November. My fiancé and I shot with Patty few weeks ago for our engagement shoot and we had a blast! Shooting with her was like hanging out with a friend you have known for many years. She made the entire process so enjoyable and kept us laughing non-stop. Patty was so well-prepared and incredibly creative. She even did research on the tides, sunset time and even brought us a blanket for the beach part of our shoot. My fiancé is not much of a "photograph-taking" kind-of guy but we had so much fun that we ended our session, drinking wine with her, and watching the sunset on the beach. Our pictures turned out incredibly amazing!!!! We cannot WAIT to get married just so we can have more great pictures and get to play with her - her vision is of a true artist. Whatever the reason is that you are looking to hire Patty - you won't regret it! This woman is going far in the industry with the passion, vision, and spirit she encompasses; she’s unstoppable! Most importantly, after years of looking for someone to capture the most special & intimate moments in my life, the search is over! Patty will be my families' photographer for life. She’s simply the BEST! Thank you Patty!!! xoxo Asha & Ben

Patty is a one-of-a kind photographer who can truly capture the beauty in every and any setting. I'm a Wedding Coordinator at Pala Mesa Resort in Fallbrook, CA and we had the lovely opportunity of working with Patty at Pala Mesa in March. As a coordinator, you don't always hope to make the day absolutely flawless for the amazing couple getting married, but you hope to build new relationships with vendors assisting you in making the wedding day as amazing as possible and were so lucky to have Patty there to capture all the beauty and memories made that night. You would be doing yourself a huge favor by taking a look at Patty's albums and booking her for your upcoming wedding as every single photo she takes are the photos that brides and grooms dream of taking on their wedding day. Patty, thank you so much for being an amazing vendor to Pala Mesa! We can't wait to have you back at your next wedding. Love, Cara Benthal - Wedding Coordinator at Pala Mesa Resort

Patty is amazing! She just did our engagement shoot and will be shooting our wedding next year and we could not be more excited. She is extremely talented and she has the best personality as a person and as photographer to make you feel comfortable and enjoy these beautiful moments in your life. She has such creativity and really gets to know her clients so that her artistic abilities reflect your individual style.The photos are amazing and I would recommend her to anyone who is looking!! Thank you Patty for everything and we are honored that you will be capturing our special day!

Patty has an eye for style, color, texture, and love. She captured details that made my wedding look like a magical dream. She is professional and easy to work with. My husband and I were so comfortable, she made something I was nervous about super easy and fun. Can't wait to take photos with her again!

What an amazing human being with an incredible talent. I have to be honest, I don't consider myself to be photogenic whatsoever and the idea of hundreds of photos of me was terrifying. Patty has shared a few of our wedding day photos and I am just stunned. Despite being a bit of a stick in the mud and overwhelmed, Patty kept encouraging me and stayed professional. She is so genuine and kind to the core. The time frame we had to work with to capture our special moments was limited. Patty was organized and yet creative. She accomplished all that we asked and more. She was also open to my husband's suggestions, even though it might not have been her style. The only regret I have is falling in love with the best photographer in California because we live in Michigan! I promise you will not be disappointed with Patty, she is world class, professional, polite, sweet, and just a gem in the industry. What a blessing you are Patty! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Muah!

I was a member of a wedding party in November and I have to say that Patty from Petula Pea Photography was outstanding! She was sweet, charming, talented and genuine. I felt like her whole heart was in the shots she took of us that day. She has a artistic eye to capture all of the most emotional moments in a way that was natural and truly magical. Patty took care of every shot and made sure everyone felt comfortable and beautiful. One of the best decisions of the wedding planning process by the bride was hiring Patty to capture her big day. I will whole heartedly recommend Patty to my other friends and hope to use Patty is my own wedding in the future.

As a guy I wasn't overly concerned about who we chose for a photographer and we initially went with someone else based on price. However, we were dissapointed with the lack of creativity and personal touch with our engagement photos. I don't I think really understood how much difference having a good connection with your photographer can make. So we asked around and reviewed some social media sites and found Patty. My wife (now) instantly had a connection with her and when we did our engagement photos we just felt differently. They turned out great! The wedding has come and gone and those photos are amazing too. I would definitely recommend Patty as she made us feel great during the shoots. The fact that my bride had the utmost confidence in her really made the day great.

Patty worked quickly and efficiently and we could not be happier with the end product. Timeless and classic pictures !My husband got me a canvas for Christmas that brought me to tears. Lovely!