Rachael Watson Photography Inc.

met Rachael in 2022 when I was a bridesmaid in a friend’s wedding, and I was immediately impressed. She quickly learned every member of the bridal party’s name, effortlessly brought out genuine smiles in everyone, and delivered some of the most stunning photos I had ever seen. What sets Rachael apart is that wedding photography is so much more than a job to her — it’s truly her passion. That passion shines through in every detail. From our very first meeting to the wedding day itself and all the way through the delivery of our gorgeous gallery, she was organized, thoughtful, and fully invested in making our day special. She even provided a detailed wedding-day timeline, which made everything feel seamless and stress-free. Her second shooter, Gina, was equally incredible. She went above and beyond — even helping our bridal party practice lining up for the ceremony. Because of their guidance and organization, we didn’t need to hire a separate day-of coordinator, which saved us money while still giving us complete peace of mind. If you’re looking for a wedding photographer who is talented, organized, personable, and genuinely passionate about what she does, look no further. Hiring Rachael will be one of the best decisions you make for your wedding day — I promise you won’t regret it!

rom our first call together, to the engagement photo session, then finally leading up to our big wedding day, Rachael worked magic! She knew how badly I  wanted a winter wedding with snow, and her pictures did not disappoint. Her team is so talented and kind. One of her associates moved snow out of the way for me, so my feet or dress didn’t get wet during pictures!! The quality of her pictures can not even compare. A winter wedding, snow, and Rachael’s talent = pure winter magic. The bridal party loved her crew, they were personal and made the day go by so smooth. Rachael was my go to girl, from a quick dress bustle to the sneak peek of photos during our reception, I couldn’t have asked for anything better. On top of it, the wedding album I’m going to get from her is going to be amazing. I recommend Rachael and her photo squad in a absolute heartbeat. Thank you for making our winter wonderland wedding come to life with your pictures! They truly told our love story!!!! Thank you Rachael and Team!!

ious personality! She brought so much fun and excitement into taking our engagement photos and our wedding photos! She made it so easy to keep genuine big smiles the entire time! Communication with Rachael was wonderful  and so easy. Leading up to our wedding day, she helped us to make sure all of our questions and photography needs were discussed and organized so they were easy to follow. On the wedding day, she played such a huge role in helping us stay on schedule and move throughout the day. She truly helped the day feel like such a breeze. During photos, the whole wedding party had so much fun with her and despite it being extremely hot and humid, she had everyone laughing and having a great time!! She really knows how to capture the love in relationships and you can see that through her photos. Her photos really do make our love story feel like it came to life. We would love to do our wedding day all over again so we can hangout and take more photos with Rachael😂 If you are looking for a wedding photographer, Rachael is one of the best out there and will help make your day feel so magical! Rachael cares so much about all of her clients and that is so apparent in every communication with her. We can’t thank her enough for all of her help, planning, communication, photos, albums, etc! 

our entire day, which was incredibly helpful during the planning process. Right away, we could tell how organized and thoughtful she was, and she really went above and beyond for us. Our engagement session with her was so much fun—we learned all the poses, got comfortable in front of the camera, and really got to know her. By the time our wedding day came, it genuinely felt like we had a friend behind the lens. On the wedding day itself, Rachael was an absolute rock star. She made everything enjoyable and seamless, knew exactly which family members we wanted photos with, kept the day running smoothly, and brought such a fun, positive energy. Our wedding party was blown away by her and kept saying she was the best wedding photographer they’d ever worked with. And of course, the photos turned out so beautiful. We couldn’t be happier with how everything came out. We recommend her wholeheartedly to any couple getting married!

photographers Cassie and Erik were so great. Super fun, creative and easy to work with. I couldn’t be happier with my photos and so glad I went with Rachael Watson Photography!! 

Rachael & Natalie. Our day was long & Rachael brought so much positive energy and our bridal party loved it. We have already seen a sneak peek and can’t wait to see more. Rachael is incredibly talented and an incredible person. Thank you for making our day incredibly special and capturing it perfectly

ographer. I first met her when she photographed our surprise proposal. Even though we hadn’t met before, she captured that moment so beautifully and naturally that I knew right away I wanted her for everything else. She later photographed our engagement session and, of course, our wedding day—and each time she exceeded every expectation. Rachael isn’t just a photographer—she’s a cheerleader, coordinator, hype woman, and genuine support system all rolled into one. From the moment she arrived on our wedding day, she brought calm, positive energy and made sure we felt cared for and confident. She checked in with both of us throughout the day—not just to manage the timeline, but to make sure we were actually enjoying ourselves and soaking in each moment. It truly felt like she was invested in our experience, not just our photos. When it came to taking pictures, Rachael made everything feel natural and fun. She gave just the right amount of guidance to make sure everyone looked their best while still capturing the authentic joy of the day. Our photos are not only stunning but full of emotion and personality. They perfectly reflect how the day felt. We are forever grateful we had Rachael by our side to capture some of the most important moments of our lives. Her talent, heart, and presence made a lasting impression—and four years later, we’re still singing her praises. If you’re lucky enough to work with her, you’ll understand why.

hout our wedding. From our first phone call with her to the final photo gallery, our experience was excellent. Through the entire process, she was easy to communicate with and very thorough in capturing what we were looking for in our wedding photos. She was very flexible working with our desired timeline and stayed on schedule, which was something that was very important to me. The pictures she captured are gorgeous and we could not be happier! Thanks Rachael and team for a great experience and beautiful lasting memories.

recommendations, and thorough responses to all our preferences and comments. The preview posts are also such a sweet touch when you're antsy to see photos before the full deal comes out! We had the pleasure of working with Cassie for our photos, who was a burst of positive energy during our engagement photos and through our wedding, and such a sweet human all around. Cassie took command of lining up specific details and poses so that the photos came out looking stunning, something that is very important to me. Courtney was our second shooter and also did a great job capturing some behind-the-scenes photos and short clips. The entire RWP team is so personable and made us feel so cared-for, and of course so much love fo our absolutely stunning photos that our friends and family can't stop talking about. HIGHLY recommend!!!!

gy. At the beginning, she provided us with a rough timeline for the wedding day which was helpful when it came to planning with the rest of the vendors. Throughout the planning process, she was extremely responsive and kept us updated on what the next steps would be. Our engagement picture session was one of my favorite days ever, aside from our wedding day. My now-husband generally does not like taking pictures, but Rachael made us so comfortable in front of the camera which helped us practice for the actual wedding day. We also decided about 1 month prior to the wedding to take wedding party pictures at a venue that required a photography permit, Rachael communicated directly with the venue to get it all squared away. On our wedding day, Rachael and her 2nd photographer Gina arrived so full of energy. My family commented how great Rachael was with my nieces/flower girls who are ages 4 and 6, they literally listened to all of her directions and truly looked like they enjoyed themselves. Rachael directed us and the bridal party on how to pose and made it so easy, comfortable, fun, and kept things moving at a good pace. Not to mention, Rachael and Gina were troopers for taking pictures under the hot sun. Rachael is so talented and truly has passion for what she does! We LOVE our wedding photos and I know we will cherish these photos forever. Without any hesitation, we would choose Rachael and her team over and over again! Thank you so much Rachael!

st look and the ceremony — I barely even noticed they were there, yet they captured everything so beautifully. Rachael’s portfolio speaks for itself. You can see how talented she and her team are by browsing her website or following her on Instagram and Facebook. But what truly sets Rachael apart is her personality. From the very start of the day to the final moments, she was an absolute beam of light. One of the things that meant the most to me was how Rachael made it a priority to get to know not only my husband and me but also our entire wedding party. Both she and Erick, her second photographer that day, made a point to remember every member of our bridal party by name. It might seem like a small thing, but it made the whole experience feel so much more personal. It also made taking photos a breeze because they could easily call people by name to adjust a pose or move left or right without missing a beat. After the wedding, my entire bridal party raved about how wonderful Rachael and Erick were — not just for their talent, but for how fun, kind, and easy they made the whole day feel. Even in the year leading up to our wedding, Rachael was so available, communicative, and easy to work with. From scheduling our engagement session to helping us build our wedding day timeline, every interaction was seamless. She always made us feel supported, valued, and excited about the process. When I did my engagement session with Rachael, I’ll never forget what she told me about why she loves this business — because her job is to serve couples on their wedding day. And I can honestly say that’s exactly what she and her team did for us. With genuine joy, warmth, and care, they served us in every way, and we felt it. I couldn’t recommend Rachael and her team more.

We did an engagement shoot where we practiced a lot of the poses for the day of and she made sure we were always comfortable since I mentioned I’m not used to being in front of a camera. Before the wedding, she was very detailed in making a timeline for the whole day and was very responsive through emails and calls whenever we had questions. For our wedding day, Courtney joined us and both of them were truly a joy! The entire bridal party told me how fun and easy they made it when we did pre wedding photos. Rachael also taught us how to do a dip and we got the perfect exit ceremony photo. We’re so happy with how all the photos came out, the photos of a lifetime!!

g us plan our timeline to ensuring that we got every photo we envisioned. On the day of the wedding, Cassie and Erik came in with such amazing energy and brought such an incredible vibe to the whole day. It truly made the experience even more special. Our photos turned out absolutely perfect, and we will cherish them forever! I know as a bride, booking a photographer can be a bit anxiety-inducing, but we couldn't have been happier with Rachael Watson and her team. If you're planning a wedding, I wholeheartedly recommend them—they're truly fantastic!

completely at ease. The photos were stunning—each one perfectly reflected who we are as a couple and the excitement of the journey ahead. On our wedding day, Rachael and her assistant were nothing short of amazing. They didn’t just take beautiful pictures; they captured the true essence of every moment, from the quiet, intimate glances to the lively, joyful celebrations. Rachael went above and beyond for us…After the ceremony, I was struggling to bustle my dress, and without hesitation, she stepped in to help. It was such a thoughtful and kind gesture that made a potentially stressful moment so much easier. It's moments like these that show how much she truly cares about her clients. The photos are absolutely breathtaking—each one is a perfect representation of our special day. Rachael has such a talent and it’s clear she poured her heart into every shot she took! We are so grateful to have had Rachael as part of our wedding day. Her warmth, professionalism, and genuine care made the entire experience so memorable. We can’t recommend her enough—if you want a photographer who will capture the beauty of your day and go the extra mile to make it perfect, Rachael Watson Photography is the one!

nd the camera and captured our engagement photos and wedding day beautifully. On our wedding day, Rachael kept the day fun and up beat! We have received so many compliments on our photos and will treasure them for the rest of our lives. Highly recommend!!

ed the wedding planning process, I was pretty nervous and a bit intimidated by the photography (I don’t really like taking pictures). My husband and I both found the engagement photo session incredibly beneficial. Once the wedding day rolled around, I didn’t have any nerves about the photos because I felt so comfortable with Cassie. Cassie and Natalie helped to capture all the beautiful moments from our wedding day. They were both key in ensuring we were on track for the various photo opportunities throughout the day. I’m SO grateful for the Rachael Watson Team! Thank you for perfectly capturing our day!!

dible eye for detail and an uncanny ability to capture the most beautiful, candid moments. The photos from our wedding are absolutely stunning—each one a work of art that truly tells the story of our day. Rachael made us feel so comfortable in front of the camera, even those of us who are usually camera-shy! Her creativity, patience, and professionalism put us at ease and helped us enjoy every moment. She even captured the moments we missed, and we are so grateful to have those memories preserved. The final photos are beyond what we could have imagined—beautifully edited, vibrant, and filled with emotion. We’re so grateful to have these memories to look back on for a lifetime. If you're looking for a photographer who genuinely cares about capturing your event in the best way possible, I can't recommend Rachael highly enough!

thought of that we cherish to this day. Rachael goes above and beyond for her clients, is so professional, extremely patient, has the best turn around time, and is truly a joy to work with! We had so many people rave about how amazing she was !

leading up to our wedding day. She helped create the perfect timeline for our wedding day. The wedding day was seamless! She made the whole picture taking process fun and easy going! Best part is we got a sneak peek of photos during dinner!! Would highly recommend Rachael for your wedding photographer!!

She makes you feel so comfortable while taking photos it is a breeze. When we talked to Rachael about the kinds of photos we liked and didn't like, she listened and there is not one photo we don't absolutely LOVE from our wedding day! I would recommend Rachael Watson & her AMAZING team for any event. I wanted to hire Rachael for my Bridal shower to take photos but she was already booked that date, she had her team member Cassie come and do it and she is equally just as amazing as Rachael! Rachael has a fantastic team and every one of them was so awesome to work with! Words can't express how much we LOVE our wedding photos <3 :)

in with a game plan, even if it was raining ALL DAY, made everyone feel comfortable in front of the camera, and captured our day perfectly! We were blown away with their ability to both create beautiful portraits and capture all the best candid moments throughout the day!! Our friends and family have commented on how INCREDIBLE the final images are as well as what a joy Rachael and her team were to work with on our wedding day! We would recommend Rachael Watson Photography to absolutely anyone looking for top-tier wedding photography! Rachael and her team really know how to take care of their Watson Brides!

for photos.

t AMAZING!! Rachael and crew do not disappoint!

ement her.

e sent us a wedding day timeline based on our discussion. It was SO helpful in planning out our day with other vendors. Leading up to our wedding, Rachael was fantastic at communicating. She reached out often, responded to emails quickly, answered all of our questions, and made sure everything was on track. Our engagement and wedding photographer was Rachael's Associate Photographer, Cassie. Cassie was AWESOME! She instantly made us feel comfortable during our engagement session, which helped on our wedding day. Our wedding day moved along so smoothly thanks to Cassie. She was even there to help buckle my shoes and fix my hair. Our families and wedding party are still talking about how wonderful Cassie was on our wedding day. All of the photos turned out BEAUTIFUL! There are so many to choose from and Rachael got them back to us extremely fast. We are so happy with our decision to work with Rachael and Cassie, cannot recommend them enough!

ingly does it with ease. Rachael’s incredible personality, positive energy, and mastery of her craft will quickly win over any nervous bride or skeptical groom. Rachael came up with creative and beautiful shots along the Mag Mile in Chicago for our engagement photos and the second we saw them we knew we were in great hands for our wedding day as well. As our wedding day approached, Rachael assisted us with every question we had quickly, professionally, and even provided some of her wedding knowledge to help us make decisions about timeline and shots to include. Finally when our wedding day arrived, Rachael was punctual, organized, and played a huge part in making our wedding day magical alongside her wonderful associate photographer Cassie! I can’t say enough positive things about both Cassie and Rachael. The quality of their photos, their personalities, their ability to get to know our wedding party and make the process fun during hours of photos impressed my wife and I immensely. In case I haven’t been clear enough yet, the best decision you can make for your wedding day is choosing Rachael as your photographer.

individuals first, before even asking questions about our wedding day vision. She was one of the first vendors we picked and from there I really felt like our vision started to come into focus. She was an absolute dream to work with! So professional, so fun, and incredibly beautiful photos!!! She made us feel like the most gorgeous people on our wedding day and made taking hundreds of photos insanely fun. Our wedding party loved working with her as well! We have nothing but great things to say about Rachael and I would 100% recommend her to anyone and everyone! Thank you for everything, Rachael!!!

that call, she even sent us an initial photography timeline for our wedding day, which was so helpful during the wedding planning process. Rachael also did our engagement photos, which turned out beautifully. On our wedding day, Rachael and her team made my entire bridal party feel comfortable and confident in front of the camera. She took time to get to know the names of each member of our bridal party, which was very sweet. My bridal party kept saying how wonderful the photography team was! During our reception, Rachael even showed us a few same-day photo edits, which was so cool! Our wedding photos turned out AMAZING, and we got them very fast. We’ve received so many compliments on the photos! I highly recommend Rachael for your engagement and wedding day photography!!

dding day, Rachael was so thorough and organized with her planning, and she truly cared to make sure that every single detail my husband and I felt was important was something she captured. Your vision is super important to her, and we felt that throughout the entire planning process. Plus she really cares to get to know you as a couple, which made spending wedding day together so much more fun! She also has so many wonderful resources for you to use throughout your planning process, like her blog and website which I found to be so helpful! We had such a great time at our engagement session and it really helped to ease our nerves. Rachael taught us all the best poses and made it feel so natural to be in front of the camera. On wedding day, Rachael knew the perfect poses for bride and groom, family, and the bridal party. She made it fun to take photos for hours on end, and the end results are better than anything I could have hoped for :). She also helped keep us on schedule all day which we were so grateful for. I also loved the variety of photos she took of me and my husband - she took us exploring around the venue and I was stunned by some of the shots she got in places I never would have thought to take photos in front of! She has such an incredible vision and it made for the BEST photos. All our friends and family complimented how incredible Rachael and her team were on wedding day - they were professional and kind and were able to quickly and efficiently get our large family photos done. We also had Rachael photograph our rehearsal dinner, and she stayed late to make sure she captured some of the best moments. I will never be able to thank her enough for her kindness and her thoughtfulness. Some of my favorite photos of the weekend were captured at our rehearsal. Rachael - you captured our day so beautifully. We love every single photo and can’t wait to cherish these memories for the rest of our lives. Thank you for your passion and your kindness, we had so much fun working with you! I can’t wait to work with you again for anniversary photos, family photos or just any excuse to work with you again :)

eryone. She cares about what your vision is for your wedding day. She knew all the best pictures for portraits, couples pictures, and group pictures. She did our engagement pictures as well and they looked great on our save the dates. On the day of the wedding, she took control of all the people involved and we were right on schedule for the whole day. After receiving our pictures back, we were amazed at how beautiful they were. She is truly professional and kind. Plus, she has a great website to view and order your pictures from. I wish her nothing but success.

She did both our engagement and wedding day. Racheal’s business is definitely a must select! From the time we met her, she made us feel like we were close friends—-very welcoming and asks the perfect questions to ensure we get what we wanted! I appreciated all the work she did up front because it set our wedding timeline and ensured on the wedding day we did not miss anything—-like taking a family photo!

with us leading up to us choosing her for our wedding photographer. She truly got to know us as people which made it a lot more comfortable to work with her and get in front of the camera. My husband is more camera shy than me, and Rachael managed to make him feel comfortable and have natural, genuine smiles both in our engagement session and our wedding day! We received SO many compliments about Rachael and her team on our wedding day. So many people were impressed by her positive attitude and the effort she was putting into her work to make sure the photos were turning out well and having an artistic and flattering appeal to them as well. She also worked QUICK, in a good way! She managed to snap multiple family photos in a short matter of time, and they turned out wonderfully! Her team made sure to get photos of nearly EVERY single guest in a flattering fashion, in groups of people or couples! It was so nice to see afterwards! She also worked so hard by climbing into the grass/plants on the venue property in the rain to get photos of us on our wedding day, so that we were covered by an archway. We had completely other plans for locations for photos, and she made different locations look absolutely incredible with our weather! I totally trust her to make decisions for photos, especially if you are in a pinch due to weather and need someone to think outside the box and be inspired by their surroundings! Not only that, Rachael stayed over her time to make sure we got a few more shots that we wanted! We are truly grateful that we chose Rachael for our engagement and wedding photographer and hope to use her in the future as we grow our family and have other fun events. Photos are something that were of very high importance for me, and she did not disappoint! :) If you want someone that will work hard and make you feel comfortable to enjoy the process, pick Rachael!

positivity and excitement for our vision. She asked us amazing questions and was beyond organized. She made us feel so special and excited to work with her from the start and truly went above and beyond. There are not enough words to express how appreciative we are to have had the opportunity to work with Rachael for such an important moment in our lives. Her photos are absolutely STUNNING. Our engagement session was so easy and we loved every single photo and she set the bar high. At our wedding, Rachael surprised us with some same day edits during dinner and a full sneak peak just a few days later. Our wedding photos are an absolutely dream come true. Also, she is the best hype woman!! She worked seamlessly with everyone and our bridal party also enjoyed the opportunity with to work with her. If you are looking for a photographer, seriously look no further!! Rachael is absolutely amazing and a true professional! I can’t wait for the opportunity to work with Rachael again in the future!!

eat support in the months leading up to the wedding. She made us super comfortable in front of the camera during our engagement session and taught us simple poses that can be used anytime. Then, in the months of planning, Rachael's wedding expertise was super helpful as we built our day-of schedule and decided on the little details of the day. The photos all turned out beautifully and she thought on her feet when the weather was not on our side on our day. Our sneak peak and gallery were finished so fast after our wedding, we were barely home from our honeymoon when we got all of our photos back wonderfully edited. We would highly recommend Rachael to any bride in the Chicagoland area!

eferred vendors along with on the Knot. If you are recently engaged and in need of a photographer for engagement photos and your wedding do yourself a favor and hire Rachael!! She is so organized, detailed and takes the best photos I have ever seen. I love that she helped us along the entire way, told us how to pose and everything in between. Our wedding photos turned out AMAZING, and we are so happy to have worked with Rachael for this very special day. We're already wanting to use her again in the future for any special events. :)

r we hired (the day after we got engaged!) and I can't recommend her enough for your future wedding or any photos you are having taken. Not only is Rachael incredibly talented, but she is an amazing person. She makes you feel so comfortable and confident being in front of the camera. Our engagement shoot with her was in 100+ degree weather and the photos came out so beautiful. We received our wedding photos so quickly and were blown away by how well she captured the day, our love, and memories that will last us a lifetime. We truly could not find a picture we didn't love. Rachael also includes a custom timeline for your wedding day which is so helpful to you, your vendors, and your bridal party. She takes the time to get to know you and it truly translates in her work. Please do not look any further as hiring Rachael will be the best decision you make for your wedding day!

ael is so creative and was very flexible! The photos we received from our sneak peak are absolutely gorgeous!! We would hire them again and again!

in popularity over the years has been so fun to watch and I’m so glad she was able to be a part of my wedding. Rachael and her team absolutely knocked it out of the park! I couldn’t be happier with how our day went. You can tell how good their preparation and efficiency is on the wedding day. Everything went so smooth and she got all of our photos we requested. She helped us develop our itinerary and this helped our day greatly. 1000% will be recommending her to all my friends and family!

tastic! Rachael is so personable and makes you feel so comfortable in front of the camera. She made it a point to really get to know us as a couple through the whole process and honestly feels like a friend. Because of how personable she was to everyone on our wedding day, a number of friends in our wedding have decided to work with her. The pictures from our engagement and wedding are beautiful! We could not have asked for anything better. My husband and I recently gave birth to our son and knew there was no one else we would want to photograph our family. The photographs she took are going to always help us remember this special time with our son. In a short amount of time Rachael has become a staple in our families life milestones. We know we will continue to work with Rachael in the future.

questions that arise. Not to mention her photography skills are AMAZING. From the engagement session to wedding day she made my husband and I feel special and beautiful. She even got our not-so-photogenic groomsman to smile and open-up to the camera, a true skill! We got access to all our final images (over 1500) and the quality is amazing! Would recommend RWP to everyone!!

sed all our expectations, leaving us with amazing photographs that perfectly encapsulated the essence of the day. Rachael took the time to get to know us as a couple along with our vision and style, ensuring that every detail was accounted for. She even went the extra mile to create a detailed timeline for the day, which kept everything running smoothly and allowed for ample time to capture the most important moments including our expressions during our special vows. Being in late October, fall colors were a vital aspect of our wedding vision and Rachael truly brought them to life in the photographs. Even after the wedding, she helped us create a special photo gallery to include on our thank you cards for our guests to view. If you are searching for a wedding photographer who will go above and beyond, capturing your special day with expertise and creativity, I highly recommend Rachael Watson Photography! She did not only capture all of our special moments but her great personality made everything so fun and carefree even when a groomsmen was MIA. Thank you Rachael, for capturing our wedding! You truly exceeded our expectations!

e to make sure the day ran smoothly. She quickly learned the names of all family members and bridal party. It was really special to have her be apart of our day. Not to mention the photos are BEAUTIFUL and we had them all within less than a week of our wedding date. Thank you RWP for being the best!