Documentary Wedding Photography & Cinema Studio

Fine art driven storytellers capturing weddings worldwide.

 

We believe that your wedding day should be captured organically, each scene overflowing with joy and emotion.

Our process brings people closer together and encourages couples to revel in their love. With just enough art direction, and LOTS of laughter, you'll feel relaxed and comfortable, letting your true emotions shine through.

The benefits of working with us:

 

Peace of Mind

We calmly flow around you and your people as we anticipate & capture those sweet “in-between” moments.

 

Feel Photogenic

Be beautiful and confident in your photos. Have fun on your wedding day as we capture you at your best.

 

Create a Legacy

Relive your story for generations with an heirloom wedding album, custom designed and made just for you.

Modern fashion bride and groom holding hands at city hall san francisco

Tammy & Rainier, City Hall

"From our first consultation phone call, I knew I loved this awesome duo! Such an artistic, beautiful eye they have. Honestly, these two feel like long-time friends. I’m a firm believer that your photographer is THE most important vendor you’re going to hire for your big day."


Wedding Day

Portfolio Gallery

Additional galleries

machaela-joy-photography-wedding-engagement-couples-photographer-16.jpg

Engagements

Wine Country

michaela-joy-photography-oakland-california-san-franscisco-wedding-photographer-310.jpg

Elopements

michaela-joy-photography-oakland-california-san-franscisco-wedding-photographer-69.jpg

Small Weddings

Wedding-Cinema-Promo.jpg

Artistic Cinematography

Relive the story of your day by adding two talented filmmakers as an extension of our photography team. Hear your vows, rewatch toast highlights, and relive the dancing, with carefully curated Cinematic Highlight Film and documentary footage.

Ryan and Hannah, British Columbia

“Tim and Michaela fit right in with our friends and family who had traveled to Canada for this wedding. All of our guests adored them; and our guests have showered much praise for their work, gorgeous photos, and their great attitude and presence at the wedding. They truly captured the magic of that day, and we are forever grateful for the moments they captured in such gorgeous style.”

 

sonoma wedding photo of photo booth outside

Add a photo booth.

We'll set up our high quality photo booth in the perfect spot and let your guests instantly enjoy boomerang style photo keepsakes from your event! No touching of printouts or screen required. The images are delivered to their smartphone and can be easily shared on social media.

THE PROCESS

Let’s have fun on your wedding day.

Step 1

Contact Us

Book a consultation with us below to view the Investment Guide and get started.

Step 2

Engagement Session

Make sure you're fully prepared for your big day with an engagement session.

Step 3

Wedding Day

We'll document your wedding day as unobtrusively as possible, capturing every moment.

 Step 4

Album & Art

Enjoy your hand-designed wedding album and artwork that represents your love.

 
michaela-joy-photography-california-wedding-photographer-about-35.jpg

Meet Michaela & Tim

We never believed in marriage until we met each other. Our wedding made us realize how important it is to have our favorite people surrounding us as we made our leap of faith. We take a genuine interest in helping our couples breathe through the last-minute jitters, wedding debacles, and all the trials and tribulations of what it means to get married. Wedding celebrations create a beautiful rainbow of raw emotion, and we are addicted to this gorgeous and chaotic arc. Most of all, our greatest joy is being able to capture it all for you on camera.


san-francisco-wedding-photography-iconic-bridge-film-portrait.jpg

Natalie & Matt, Flood Mansion, San Francisco CA

"I never realized how important it is to actually want to spend time with your photographer until our wedding. They will be with you throughout the day, helping you stay on schedule and interacting with your family and guests. You will then probably wish they were also wedding guests because they are such great people. The ratio of amazing photos to price is insane. I never thought I’d have 100+ photos from our wedding that I loved!"

product highlight

Heirloom Album

To this day, our favorite thing to do is look at our parents wedding album. Our heirloom leather album embodies a traditional, classic look that stands the test of time and is included with every Wedding Collection.

Wedding Photography is an Investment.

All of our Full Wedding Day Collections include two photographers, a 10x10" Wedding Album, downloadable photos to share, and a complimentary engagement session.

Please inquire below to receive the full Investment Guide.  

At Michaela Joy Photography, we know you want to actually enjoy your wedding day.

We believe that anyone can have stunning artistic images of their wedding without sacrificing comfort, joy, and the magic of the day. We know you want to look confident, comfortable, and most of all, beautiful in your portraits, without having photography take over the whole event.


Kissing wedding couple with sunset. Artistic wedding portrait by Michaela Joy Photography near San Francisco California.

We understand that your wedding day experience should always take priority, which is why we don't interfere with the action. We anticipate the "magical moments" and make sure to capture them, so that nothing is missed. Most of all, we focus on the beauty and the feeling of the love you share. And because our clients feel relaxed, they can let their true emotions shine.

When you look back at your photos, we want you to remember every detail and every feeling of that day.

Here is how it works. First, we'll have a phone consultation to get to know you and your love story. We'll have an engagement photoshoot where we'll coach you through how to look gorgeous in front of the camera, so that you're fully prepared for your big day. On your wedding day, we'll be there to calm your nerves, encourage fun, and capture every moment. We'll look through every photo and edit them to make sure everyone looks their best. You'll receive a sneak peek within 24 hours so you can share the excitement right away, and the final gallery within 6 weeks. We take the best photos that tell your story and hand-design a wedding album for you, which we'll perfect together on a video call. We'll also curate every tangible art piece (from wall art to heirloom prints) so that you'll have the best representation of your day, with memories that will last for a lifetime, or more.

Work with us.

Please book your consultation with us so we can get to know you and your needs.

  • Pick a 30 min time block.

  • Then you receive our Investment Guide.

    Expect:

  • A friendly 20-30 min PHONE CALL.

  • To get to know us a little, and share details about your expectations for your wedding day, and learn how we can best serve you.

    After:

  • We’ll send you a custom proposal.

Looking forward to hearing your love story, M&T

 
Select a date below to book your Consultation: