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Zoe Larkin Photography blog

Helping Bay Area couples plan smarter weddings and better photos.

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Are you looking for a photographer for your San Francisco Bay Area micro wedding? You’re in the right place! My name is Zoe Larkin, and I’ve been specializing in micro weddings and intimate weddings since 2016.  In this article, I want to answer some questions you may have about the micro wedding trend,. I’ll share […]

San Francisco Bay Area micro wedding photographer

micro weddings in the bay area - photography, information and more

May 6, 2021

planning

first look on wedding day

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There’s something powerful about seeing the person you’re about to marry for the first time on your wedding day. Whether that moment happens at the altar or during a first look, it’s emotional every single time. A first look is a private, pre-ceremony moment where you see each other before the walk down the aisle. […]

First look on your wedding day: the true pros and cons

April 19, 2021

planning

Wondering how to write a positive review or testimonial for your awesome wedding photographer ; ) with a ton of sample templates you can use? If you’ve landed here it means either a) I sent you this link and you’re being very nice by humoring me, and opening it up.  And b) you’re also very […]

How to write the perfect review for your wedding photographer

how-and-why-to-write-a-review-for-wedding-photographer

March 29, 2021

planning

what you need to know about wedding photographers and photo retouching by a wedding photographer

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I’m going to dive deep into the topic of photo retouching when it comes to your wedding photos. Each photographer will have their own way of addressing this issue, so I can only speak to what works in my business at the current time and is applicable to the clients of Zoe Larkin Photography. What […]

Do wedding photographers retouch photos?

February 15, 2021

planning

If you’re looking for an LGBTQ+ friendly photographer in San Francisco and around the Bay Area, I would love to tell you a little about my approach to photographing LGBTQ+ weddings and engagements. I’m Zoe Larkin and I photograph weddings and engagements in Northern California with an emphasis on candid, natural moments. We favor an […]

LGBTQ+ friendly photographer San Francisco Bay Area

how Zoe Larkin Photography photographs LGBTQ+ couples in the san francisco bay area

January 14, 2021

planning

Bohemian style affordable wedding dresses on Amazon in 2021

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Are you searching for an affordable boho wedding dress? My list of 20 bohemian-style wedding dresses may be right up your street! ALL of my curated selections are available on Amazon! This means you can read the reviews, check out previous customers’ photos and in most cases return the dress in case it isn’t quite […]

20 boho wedding dresses under $200 – on Amazon in 2026

November 16, 2020

planning

Hey friends! Phew, I’ve been blogging like crazy for a minute, and I thought it would be fun (and a good idea) to create one centralized resource page with all of my favorite FREE blog posts for couples who are planning their weddings. Organization, yay! I’ve been blogging about wedding planning and wedding photography for […]

Wedding planning resources from Zoe Larkin Photography

ultimate wedding planning resources from Zoe Larkin Photography Bay Area wedding expert

November 12, 2020

planning

Understanding the reality of why wedding photographers charge a lot of money for their services is not something most people have considered. In this article I break down the exact costs associate with being a wedding photography and why we have to charge the high prices we do for wedding photography services

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I’m going to enlighten you on a topic that gets wedding photographers’ hackles up! And that is the topic of why photographers are so expensive. First off, it’s worth pointing out that this is quite a misunderstood topic. I’m going to clear up some of those misconceptions here. When people ask why photography costs ‘so […]

Why do wedding photographers charge so much?

November 9, 2020

planning

In this personal opinion piece, I’m going to share whether I believe tipping is necessary for wedding photographers. The to-tip-or-not-to-tip debate is generally split about 80 / 20 according to sources I’ve found around the web. The majority say that tipping your wedding photographer is not required. Remaining voices say that yes, you should tip. […]

Do you tip your wedding photographer?

Understanding whether it is appropriate or expected to tip your wedding photographer and how much to tip?

October 29, 2020

planning

can you negotiate with your wedding photographer? That's the complex issue we're tackling in this blog post by an established Bay Area wedding phtotographer, Zoe Larkin

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Learn the ins and out of negotiating with your wedding photographer – from a wedding photographer who’s seen it all! Ask any wedding photographer what the biggest bane of their job is, and chances are, ‘clients asking for discounts’ is in the top three. The subject of negotiation is a little tricky to bring up.  […]

How to negotiate with wedding photographers more effectively

October 9, 2020

planning

A lot of wedding photography businesses use so-called ‘associate photographers’ as an available option for their clients. An associate photographer is also known as a ‘partner’, ‘ambassador’, ‘lead’, or ‘mutant clone’. OK, I made up that last one, but the idea is spot on. Having associates enables the business to shoot multiple weddings at the […]

What is an associate photographer in wedding photography?

Associate photographer in wedding photographer - what does it mean and should you book one?

September 21, 2020

planning

Tips for being the most awesome wedding client ever - 17 things wedding photographers wish they could tell you but can't!

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I’ve got to tell you, I’ve got to scream it from the rooftops. I have THE BEST CLIENTS of any wedding photographer ever.  More than once, I’ve been asked by brides and grooms: It’s super humbling to receive questions like this! It makes me certain that my clients have my back, as much as I […]

17 ways to be an absolutely AWESOME wedding photography client

September 10, 2020

planning

This is a crazy time we’re living through, not least for couples trying to plan a lockdown wedding! I’m here today to bring you some inspiration for your Bay Area COVID wedding. Not getting married in the Bay Area? You’ll still get some awesome ideas here! I’ll leave all the health advice to the experts, I’m […]

Bay Area COVID wedding ideas – 5 real weddings

August 27, 2020

planning

everything you need to know about how to plan a timeline for a small wedding in 2020 - with examples!

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In this detailed article, I’ll guide you through how to plan your wedding day timeline yourself, with realistic estimates for every part of the day. When you want your wedding to be simple and intimate, it can be tough to plan out a wedding day timeline that really makes sense, and isn’t going to lag […]

How to create your intimate wedding timeline

August 10, 2020

planning

Planning a quarantine wedding? Don’t know where to begin with all the things you need to make the big day go smoothly? Well, the good news is you can purchase a TON of your décor, attire, food and drink service items from Amazon! That’s what makes this curated inspiration list so special. I’m a wedding […]

50 affordable Amazon finds for DIY downsized weddings

Ideas for weddings purchases for your Downsized pandemic wedding! These items for décor, clothing, tech and food/drink accessories are available on Amazon! Budget-friendly wedding, shop now from our curated collection of 50 affordable Amazon wedding items! | Zoe Larkin Photography

July 31, 2020

planning

whether to hire a wedding planner when having small wedding

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Planning a small intimate wedding? Perhaps you’re wondering if you even need a wedding planner – after all, isn’t a professional wedding planner a bit of a luxury? And isn’t the whole point of having a small wedding to save money? Well, yes and no. And it depends. Of course, a small wedding doesn’t have […]

11 Reasons Why Your Small Wedding Needs a Wedding Planner

July 8, 2020

planning

Welcome friends! Today I’m sharing the best places in the Mission District of San Francisco for your engagement photos! As far as engagement photography goes, I have a few fave Mission District spots. As a wedding photographer, I’ve found myself shooting here on many occasions. Great because it’s also my home, ha! For a more casual […]

Top 10 Mission District locations for engagement photos

Complete guide to Mission District's best places for wedding or engagement photography | Zoe Larkin Photography

June 12, 2020

engagements, planning

How to deal with wedding photography reschedules during covid-19

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Hey all you wonderful clients and prospective clients of Zoe Larkin Photography! As you all are all too aware, this is an unprecedented time in the world. There is much confusion and heartbreak – and having your wedding plans disrupted is a big deal. I don’t take any of this lightly. As a responsible and […]

COVID weddings – How Zoe Larkin Photography deals with unprecedented times

June 1, 2020

planning

Weddings are expensive and everyone wants to save money wherever possible. I’ve seen a lot of wedding photographer opinion pieces in which they argue that you should definitely spend a lot of money on your wedding photographer if you want even halfway decent pictures.  But let’s take a moment to pause and look at both […]

Should you hire a cheap wedding photographer? Let’s look at both sides

What you should know before hiring a cheap wedding photographer | Zoe Larkin Photography

April 29, 2020

planning

If you're planning a wedding you've probably wondered why wedding vendors charge so much for their products and services. Why do wedding-related items have such a huge markup? Are unwitting brides and grooms being taken advantage of by unscrupulous wedding vendors? We take a deep dive into wedding economics. This article lists 13 reasons why weddings can, and should cost more than non-wedding events. The answers may surprise you. #weddingeconomics #weddingplanning | Zoe Larkin Photography

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We all know what weddings are expensive. Add the word ‘wedding’ into any service or product and the price suddenly shoots up. You’ve probably seen the undercover research, as this Huffpost article dives into. A reporter gets a quote for an anniversary party or family gathering. They call back and make the same inquiry except […]

Why are weddings so expensive? [The WEDDING TAX explained]

March 6, 2020

planning

I'm Zoe and I lead a team of Bay Area wedding photographers. I still personally help you plan your wedding timeline so you can relax and savor your wedding day.

We blend an unobtrusive approach to capturing images with a directive way of capturing the posed shots of you and your guests.

With over 500 weddings personally photographed by Zoe, hundreds of reviews on Yelp and Google, and over

San Francisco wedding photographers

MOMENT CATCHERS, LIGHT CHASERS, photojournalists

As a seasoned professional and true artist, I transform wedding moments into timeless memories, captured photojournalistically. 

In short, our images make memories last forever.

Looking for a wedding photographer that will honor your unique, beautiful story?

470,000 words of inspiration and and advice on the blog, we're the leading wedding photographers in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Since 2016, I've poured my heart into Bay Area weddings, specializing in San Francisco City Hall ceremonies and shooting all love. Our goal is to create personal images with an intimate feel - images that evoke emotion and transport you back to the moment. 

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