HOME OF THE $1,200 WEDDING!!!
San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, and all of Northern CA
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Ryan Michaels
OWNER
AWARD WINNER (3X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
On a budget? Ryan Michaels Photography is committed to creating priceless imagery at unbeatable rates! We believe you deserve a collection of artwork that is both memorable AND affordable! Our $1,200 WEDDING offer is unlike ANYTHING else in the industry!!!
With the advent of digital photography and low-cost equipment, the wedding photography market has become flooded with hobbyist and inexperienced newbies. You don't want to trust your WEDDING with that! Ryan Michaels has over twenty years of experience, received a Bachelor's Degree In Fine Art from one of the most elite Art Academies in the nation, as well as winning numerous awards, and being published in countless magazines and websites. Ryan Michaels Photography strives to commemorate a collection of artwork that will be unique and cherished for generations.
Are you experiencing sticker shock when you see other photographers charging three, four, even five thousand dollars!?! It's crazy! Ryan Michaels Photography believes that families deserve great service, beautiful photography, and all without breaking the bank! Our $1,200 WEDDING offer is simply the BEST DEAL you could possibly find- beautiful imagery you expect, at a price you can't believe!
Native American-owned Business
25+ years in business
Speaks English, Spanish
Details
Destination Weddings
Destination Wedding Packages
Photo Shoot Types
Bridal Portraits
Day After Session
Engagement
Trash The Dress
Photo & Video
Digital Files
Online Proofing
Photo
Printed Enlargements
Second Shooter Available
Social Media Sharing
Wedding Albums
Photo & Video Styles
Classic
Wedding Activities
Getting Engaged
Rehearsals & Parties
After Party
Wedding
After Party
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Meet the team
Showing slide number 1 out of 2
- Ryan MichaelsOwnerABOUT RYAN I am often asked what is it about wedding photography that I like so much. I consider it the highest honor and a tremendous blessing to be able to memorialize life’s most precious events through the medium of fine art photography. My aim is to craft a collection of art that families will treasure for generations. I am humbled that my fine art imagery has won National photography competitions, and have been published in many magazines. My work has been featured on websites such as The Knot, Wedding Wire, Zola, Wedding Bean. and more. Expertise.com ranked my work as #1 in the area!
- Certified ArtistsPhoto & VideoIn addition to Owner Ryan Michaels, we have a small team of exceptional artists that provide photo and video services. This allows us to offer second photographers and video services. All artists have years of wedding experience and have trained with Ryan Michaels personally.
Reviews
4.9
out of 5.047 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help
you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Reviewers rave that Ryan Michaels Photography is professional, friendly, and fun, capturing candid and posed moments beautifully. Clients praised clear communication, affordable photo+video packages, fast turnaround, and staff who go above and beyond on the day. A few noted occasional delivery delays, but overall the quality and value make them highly recommended.Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 9
Ashley R
5.0
5/18/2026
Since our first call Ryan Michaels was energetic and ready to help us capture our wedding the way we saw it envisioned, his team was great and personable and knew what they were do...
ing, Edmund and Joaquin were incredible and friendly and had great taste! We are beyond pleased with the effort, creativity, and commitment from the photographers and truly thank them for capturing our special day.
Aaron A
5.0
4/28/2026
Our Photographer Jenny did an amazing job, she was extremely flexible had many great ideas that lead to beautiful photos. We had an amazing time working with Jenny, and we’re able ...
to have a fun stress free time. Jenny went above and beyond for our budget. We’re very happy with how everything turned out and would hire again for future events
Any questions?
Natalie C
5.0
4/28/2026
Jenny was an amazing photographer from Ryan Michael’s team, who was incredibly kind and helpful. She was very creative with poses for our Wedding photos! If I have another big even...
t in the future, I’m requesting her!
Brenya L
5.0
4/18/2026
Thank you for such an easy experience and capturing our most important day!
Stephanie G
5.0
4/01/2026
We had such a great experience with our wedding photographer and his wife! He guided us through every pose, which made such a difference and helped us look and feel our best in eve...
ry photo.
They made the whole process feel easy and natural, and you can truly see the care they put into their work. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a photographer for their wedding!
Noelle D
5.0
3/19/2026
What a great team! I was worried about many things on my wedding day, but the photography was not one of them. Ryan has a great way of making everyone of all ages feel comfortable ...
to get the best shots. We had a really fun time with Ryan and his wife-they are great at posing and fixing clothing for the best/most flattering shots. I knew immediately it would be a great experience - both funny and friendly and comfortable to work with. You can tell Ryan is good at his craft-looking for best lighting and angles and structures to do photos. 10/10, 5 stars, absolutely recommend. If you are trying to decide on a photographer, do not look any further!
faith t
5.0
2/18/2026
professional, good communication, great price and easy to work with.
mark a
5.0
12/31/2025
We had a great experience! Everyone is friendly, kind and patient. Thank you so much for an amazing time and great photos!!
feliciano m
5.0
12/31/2025
Ryan and team were so much fun to work with. The photos came out beautiful, absolutely stunning. If you want amazing photos, you can totally relax knowing your shots will turn out ...
beyond exceptional with Ryan.
morgan c
5.0
12/30/2025
Ryan Michaels is hands down one of the best photographers ever. He did an amazing job capturing every single moment of our wedding day. Not only is he incredibly talented, but he w...
as also super fun to work with the entire day. He kept everyone relaxed, smiling, and laughing.
william a
5.0
12/30/2025
Great atmosphere! I love the positive energy throughout the entire experience. Great uplifting crew and the pictures turned out great!
Juan L
5.0
12/29/2025
He was professional, easy to work with, and delivered stunning photos that truly reflect the emotions of the day. Highly recommended!
MELISSA m
5.0
12/27/2025
Words are not enough to describe how amazing this experience was today. It goes beyond photography. Ryan Michaels Photography genuinely cares. The photos are priceless and the qual...
ity is outstanding! From the moment we arrived to the moment we left, we felt valued, cared for, and like family. Thank you to everyone at Ryan Michaels Photography!
Laura R
5.0
12/27/2025
Amazing, truly amazing, the work that Ryan Michaels Photography and the rest of the team did at our wedding! The photos, the comfort, everything the team brought to us just made ou...
r day even better. The pictures turned out like something out of a dream wedding and it really was a dream wedding!
Thank you so much to Ryan Michaels Photography and the team for being there, having fun with us, and still doing the incredible photography work you do!
Sonnia F
5.0
12/25/2025
Very good customer service, and friendly staff. From the first phone call all the way to our wedding day, we were greeted warmly and everything about the photo session was explaine...
d clearly.
Y T
5.0
12/24/2025
We booked Ryan Michaels Photography and honestly, at first we were a little skeptical because the price was so good it almost felt too good to be true. But on our wedding day, they...
completely proved us wrong.
The service was incredible from start to finish. The photographers were professional, friendly, and covered everything so well. The quality and attention we received went way beyond what we expected for the price. We’re so glad we chose them and would absolutely recommend them.
Naazil A
5.0
12/20/2025
Ryan Michaels Photography was an absolute pleasure to work with during our multi-day Indian wedding. Even though Ryan wasn't from our culture, he was a perfect fit—respectful, adap...
table, and clearly prepared to capture the traditions, emotions, and nonstop energy of each day.
What truly stood out was Ryan’s professionalism and stamina. Our wedding events spanned several long days, yet he brought the same high energy, focus, and positivity every single day. Nothing felt missed, rushed, or overlooked.
The value was exceptional for the level of quality and dedication we received. The photos are stunning, thoughtfully captured, and beautifully delivered.
Jennifer M
5.0
10/01/2025
Ryan and his team were amazing! Easy to work with, from the consultation to photo and video delivery he was great to work with. Would highly recommend!!
Kristy F
2.0
9/22/2025
The portraits are fantastic so I give a star for that and the price was cheap so 1 star for that. Missing 3 stars because the ceremony photos are terrible, I asked for photos of o...
ur 5 kids walking down aisle and he missed them all - side views and bathroom and DJ in background, it's now been over 2 months and no sign of our videos. The gallery wasn't culled and he just downloaded all he had. I'm very sad as this was a special day and in hindsight we should have paid more for higher quality ceremony photography. :(.
Response from Ryan Michaels Photography on 09/29/2025
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. I’m truly glad to hear that you love...
d your portraits and that you felt our pricing was fair. I put a lot of care into capturing your wedding day (and we did give you an AMAZING deal by charging for a City Hall wedding at $1,500 instead of the normal $3,600 photo and video option). I’m sorry to hear you were disappointed in certain parts of your experience.
To clarify a few points: I did photograph the ceremony from an angle that allowed me to capture both the processional and your husband’s reactions, which you specifically emphasized beforehand. Every child was photographed during the aisle walk (without bathrooms?). I understand that artistic angles can sometimes differ than what couples envision. I also strongly believe friends and family come to see your wedding not my backside so I tend to position myself out of the way.
As for your gallery, it was fully culled and edited. I also sorted all of your high resolution images into folders to make it easier to navigate. My approach has always been to deliver a complete story of the day, which means couples receive many images rather than a restricted selection — most of my clients see this as a bonus! I’m sorry if it felt overwhelming in your case. The beauty of the admin controls is that you are welcome to use the HIDE feature if you feel there are any photos you don't want to be included in the gallery.
Regarding video delivery, turnaround is typically 90 days. Your 4K films are still in the editing process, and I want to assure you they will be delivered within that timeframe, with beauty and professional cinematic artwork.
I’m grateful you acknowledged the value of your package and quality of our portraits. After receiving your amazing wedding video, and thinking about the value and quality of all the work, I'm certain you'll revisit this review and allow us to earn those other three stars back.
Emma T
5.0
7/11/2025
Ryan did a fantastic job on our wedding day! He was punctual, took fantastic photos and meshed well with the family. He captured what was important to me and helped us determine wh...
ere to shoot photos on the property. He knew how much my fiancé hates pictures and tried making it easier for him which I really appreciated. You can't go wrong by booking Ryan! I would absolutely hire him to be our family photographer in the future if I could.
Marissa A
5.0
6/04/2025
We feel incredibly lucky to have found Ryan Michaels Photography for our wedding. From the very beginning, the experience was seamless — Ryan is so personable and warm. The email a...
nd phone call exchanges feel more like talking with a friend rather than a vendor.
Ryan provided both a photographer and a videographer, which was something we didn’t think we could afford until we saw his pricing. Because of his fair and thoughtful packages, we didn’t have to choose between photos or video — we got both.
The team Ryan sent out was not only professional but truly passionate about their work. You could feel that they cared about capturing every important moment, not just for the job, but because they knew how much it meant to us.
Thanks to Ryan Michaels Photography, we’ll be able to show our future kids not just the photos of our special day, but also relive the moments — my dad walking me down the aisle, our first dance, and everything in between — through video. That means the world to us.
We’re so grateful for the care, quality, and heart that Ryan and his team put into documenting our wedding. Highly recommend!
Jordan L
5.0
11/18/2024
We couldn't be more thrilled with our experience with Ryan Michaels Photography! From start to finish, they made our wedding day truly special. Here are just a few highlights of wh...
at made them stand out:
Fun & Natural: Right from our engagement shoot to the big day, Ryan made us feel at ease. He has an incredible ability to capture those candid moments without being intrusive. The result? A stunning collection of photos that genuinely reflect our personalities and the joy of the day.
Quick Turnaround: One of the most impressive aspects was how quickly we received our photos. We were expecting to wait weeks, but Ryan had our beautifully edited images ready shortly after the wedding. It was a delightful surprise that allowed us to relive our special moments almost immediately!
Great Communication: Leading up to the wedding, Ryan was incredibly communicative and organized. He took the time to understand our vision and preferences, which made the entire process smooth and stress-free. Any questions or concerns we had were always promptly addressed.
Overall, we are so grateful to have had Ryan Michaels Photography capture our wedding. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a fun, professional, and talented photographer. Thank you for creating memories we'll cherish for a lifetime!
Nick and Lisa D
5.0
10/18/2024
Ryan is the best! He captured all of the amazing moments of our special day. The pictures were great quality. We also.used his video services and we are thrilled with the it! Ryan...
's prices are the best and we couldn't have asked for better service or a nicer guy. He made our day super fun. I highly recommend him!
Stephanie S
5.0
10/09/2024
Ryan is a great photographer with years of experience and great customer service that is so hard to find these days. It’s a breath of fresh air to find someone who not only does an...
amazing job, but is passionate about their work and treats their clients with the upmost respect. He will always be my first contact when I’m in need of a photographer! 😊
Jay H
5.0
5/21/2024
Ryan and Ximena are amazing!! Thank you for a picture perfect day! You taught us how to “wedding” as we went— from the dances to the cake cutting to the candid photos, you made us ...
feel completely at ease and kept us on schedule! Do not hesitate to book Ryan.
Julie B
5.0
1/14/2024
We tied the knot in November 2023 at the Brazilian Room in Berkeley, CA, and our journey with Ryan Michaels Photography and Moha Nad Films began at a wedding fair. Our quest for a ...
duo offering both photo and video services led us to Ryan and Moha Nad, who have been a dynamic team for many years. They presented an enticing bundle package for booking both services together and offered us an additional unique "Love Story" package, which served as our engagement shoot.
During our Love Story shoot, we spent quality time with Ryan and Moha Nad exploring beautiful locations. Ryan expertly captured stunning photos that we used for our save-the-dates, wedding website, and a custom-printed album that we used as a guestbook at our wedding.
Meanwhile, Moha Nad filmed the moments and created a short cinematic video that played during our reception dinner. Opting not to view it beforehand, the surprise factor made it even more beautiful and special. Working with Ryan and Moha Nad was not only professional but also incredibly fun and easy. Despite initial nerves in front of the camera, they provided excellent direction, making us feel at ease throughout the process.
A unique touch was getting Ryan and Moha Nad to join us on the dance floor along with their assistants – an unforgettable moment that elevated our connection beyond a client-vendor relationship. Their genuine enthusiasm and personalized approach made our wedding day even more memorable.
While we eagerly await our wedding photos and video, based on our Love Story results, we have full confidence that the final product will be nothing short of stunning. We wholeheartedly recommend Ryan Michaels Photography and Moha Nad Films to anyone seeking exceptional photography and videography services. Attached are some glimpses from our Love Story shoot, showcasing the talent and creativity of this incredible duo.
Albert P
5.0
12/20/2023
Ryan Michaels Photography were professional, friendly, and extremely organized! Our photographer made sure to ask all the right questions to capture our vision for the day.
The qua...
lity of the images we received was outstanding and the turnaround time was impressive! It was actually much faster than expected.
Overall, I highly recommend Ryan Michaels Photography
Mario C
5.0
11/02/2023
Ryan Michaels Photography was absolutely amazing at my mother-in-law's wedding. His professionalism, talent, and ability to capture genuine moments left us in awe. The photos are s...
tunning and truly encapsulate the joy of the day. Ryan made everyone feel at ease, and his dedication and adaptability were top-notch. We highly recommend him for any special occasion!
Brooke T
5.0
10/22/2023
Ryan was absolutely amazing. We had never had professional photos done and were nervous that we would look awkward and posed. We met Ryan for our engagement photos and we went fr...
om feeling awkward to comfortable very shortly. Ryan not only has an eye for photography but also is great with people.
Our wedding day. Best decision ever using Ryan. I was very nervous to be in front of so many people sharing such a personal and intimate moment in our lives. Ryan and his wife took my mind off it all and put my anxiety at ease just talking to me and teaching me how to stand and hold my body to take the best possibly pictures throughout the day.
Honestly I did not see them throughout the ceremony as there was so much to take in. After we took our photos on the property with me and my husband, kids and family we went to leave and I realized I needed my dress bustled and no one to help. My husband had a blank look on his face not knowing what to do. Ryan heard this and quickly said I heard bustle she needs help and they jumped out of their car and started bustling my dress. Ryan and his wife playfully engaged competing to bustle my dress and were absolute life savers.
At the reception Ryan checked in to see if there were specific pictures we wanted to take or people to capture and checked in prior to leaving. We are honestly soooo very excited to see the pictures from our ceremony and reception.
Without a doubt Ryan is amazing and for the price seems unreal. Ryan’s concept and what he is doing makes wedding photos affordable and professional and in an so great full for him and his concept.
I recommend Ryan for your engagement and wedding hands down. We thank you so much Ryan.
Brooke & Andres
Sean & Erica S
5.0
10/04/2023
Ryan Michaels Photography provided the most amazing photos from our special day. All of the artists were professional and fun to work with. They made our wedding party and family e...
njoy the entire day.
We hired Ryan Michaels Photography because we really liked that they stayed for our entire event ( the images from our sparker exit turned out amazing)!
Lastly, communication was easy and delivery of our photos, videos, and album were actually earlier than expected.
Hannah B
5.0
9/30/2023
I HIGHLY recommend Ryan as a wedding photographer. On the day of the wedding Ryan was fantastic! He was friendly, patient, stayed the entire time, and gave us a great deal. The ph...
otos themselves are stunning! He did a good job of taking candid and staged shots. He worked with us when we made changes to our plans day-of. We received photos without watermarks and every photo he took with editing. The portal to share photos with friends and family was easy to use and convenient.
We did have one issue with communication and timing of photo delivery. Ryan would give us a date for photos and then delay delivery by a week, doing this a couple of times. We eventually got photos after 2 months, which really is a reasonable amount of time, but we had been told it would take less time than it did.
Overall, we received high quality and beautiful photos for a great price!
Juan a
5.0
9/09/2023
Every wedding should be perfect and it includes having the perfect photographer for this special day. That is exactly what we had! Ryan Michaels Photography and the certified photo...
graphers are all highly professional at their job. Our pictures turned out to be fabulous! Moreover, personal qualities, such as friendliness, good sense of humor and patience, made us feel very relaxed and comfortable. We are so happy to have chosen Ryan Michaels Photography to preserve the most valuable moments of our lives!
Jade M
5.0
6/22/2023
We're so happy with our beautiful wedding and engagement photos from Ryan and his team! Ryan was always very helpful and a great communicator throughout planning too.
Curtis Y
5.0
2/04/2023
We are SO happy with our photos and album. We are an older couple but the photographers made us look and feel so beautiful. We also ordered a canvas print and it looks like a paint...
ing! It truly is a work of art and the centerpiece in our room.
Natalia E
5.0
1/12/2023
Ryan did an excellent job capturing our big day! Very talented. Definitely has an eye for taking good pictures. Was also very attentive and helpful throughout the entire process an...
d the day off. If you are looking for someone to take amazing pictures of your special moment, we would recommend you consider Ryan.
Derek L
5.0
1/03/2023
We couldn't have been more happy with our photographs! Ryan is truly a wonderful person that genuinely cares about your special day and about capturing all the moments that mean th...
e most. He is professional and delivers above and beyond work. We hope to work with Ryan Michaels Photography again!
Erika I
5.0
12/05/2022
As a photographer myself, I had extremely high expectations for my big day! We looked all over Northern Ca for the best artist for my wedding and SO happy we chose Ryan Michaels Ph...
otography! Ryan was such a great photographer to work with, was energetic, engaging, and a lot of fun! We absolutely love our wedding pictures!
Cecily W
5.0
11/14/2022
Our experience with Ryan before, during, and after our wedding day was excellent. He understood our wants and needs for the big day. The photos were absolutely gorgeous and the can...
did photos are awesome! He even went above and beyond and created a beautiful video of our photos for us.
Simone O
5.0
10/13/2022
I absolutely LOVED having Ryan photograph my wedding. It was like having a close friend there. He was professional, friendly, funny and did SUCH a great job getting all the photos ...
I wanted plus more. He has such a kind heart and I can tell he loves what he does. I feel like getting married again just to have him capture more special moments. I definitely recommend Ryan for any special occasion that you want to capture all the memories forever.
Makenna H
5.0
8/04/2022
From the first time I spoke with Ryan on the phone, I knew he was going to be the perfect match for our day. We had fun all day and laughed a lot during our getting ready pictures....
He is incredibly friendly and personable. Not to mention how amazing our pictures turned out! I got butterflies all over again looking at them. He perfectly captured my husband and I, our families, and the day! I highly recommend working with Ryan! There couldn’t possibly be an easier choice when it comes to the hundreds you are making when planning your wedding! If I had to do it all over again, I would pick Ryan without any hesitation!
Veronica S
5.0
3/24/2022
Ryan was amazing from beginning to end. I love his work and just the good vibes her brings. Hands down best photographer I have ever worked with and on a budget is just unheard of....
10/10 I will recommend him to anyone on their big day.
Alicia G
5.0
11/23/2021
I cannot recommend Ryan enough. Ryan was the photographer for my wedding on October 2nd,2021. He is so easy to work with and is hilarious. He made sure we ran on time and that we g...
ot the best opportunities for amazing photos! He made sure I felt beautiful and actively tried to made the day amazing! On to his photos, THEY ARE AMAZING. I cannot say enough things about how happy I am with the photos he took. We got beautiful sunset photos, amazing ceremony shots, and the absolute best reception moments. I would hire him in an instant again!
Anna V
5.0
11/12/2021
Ryan was my photographer for my wedding and I couldn’t be more pleased with the service he provided. I had the pleasure of working with him to make our wedding vision exactly how w...
e wanted and thanks to him, he made it possible! Ryan was very professional, and funny all our guests loved him. He planned out our day and kept us on schedule which was extremely helpful. His prices are very affordable especially after you see the quality of work he does is far greater than he charges. He offers flexible packages and really just wants to help your event whatever it may be go as seamless, trouble free and enjoyable as possible. Thanks Ryan for being there to capture such precious moments in our lives!
Ben S
5.0
11/08/2021
We are so happy that Ryan Michaels took our wedding photos. He worked really well with us and all of our guests. Ryan made us laugh a lot and made the picture taking so much fun! T...
he photos came out super good and all of our friends and family LOVE them! We are so happy Ryan Michaels photographed our wedding. He has a gift that makes a lot of people happy and makes them cry as well (but those are happy tears). Thank you Ryan!
Akicia J
5.0
11/01/2021
Ryan Michaels did an outstanding job. He came prepared with the notes I had given him and he made sure he checked everything off his list that we requested. His pictures came out g...
orgeous too.
Donna L
5.0
10/05/2021
Ryan Michaels Photography photographed my family's wedding as well as the wedding of a friend of mine. They did an amazing job and were so fun to work with. The images surpassed ou...
r expectations and we were very pleased.
Ross L
5.0
10/05/2021
If a leprachaun got it on with a unicorn and had a baby... it would be Ryan Michaels because he's magic. He was funny, creative, and our photos were better than we imagined.
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Ryan Michaels Photography
Ryan Michaels
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