experience

wedding

everything you need to know about our philosophy, process, and press, plus what it really means to be a #kjbride

1.

You’re engaged?! Well you’re in the right place! Make yourself at home!

2.

View my all-time favorites

3.

Hear from former KJ Brides first hand!

4.

Sweet stories from the KJ Bride alumni!

Welcome!

Either you’re here because you’re engaged to the love of your life or you’re here because you just love pretty pictures! Whatever category you may fall into, you won’t be disappointed! You’re in the right place and I’m so glad you’re here!!

After being a professional photographer for over a decade, you would think that I would grow weary of weddings, right?! The reality is, I have seen and photographed it all and the more that I shoot, the more that I fall in love with this job! The joy, the excitement, the details, the tears, the dances with daddy, the portraits that take your breath away.... I love it all. Even after 12+ years, I still can’t get over the fact that I have been trusted with preserving over 350 weddings!! I don’t take my job lightly.

Before every wedding day begins Michael and I sit in the car together and he reaches over my Sweet Cream Vanilla Cold Brew from Starbucks and takes my hand. We pray for our couple, their families and for the ability to capture our couple’s celebration with excellence and creativity! Besides raising our three children, (Evy, Graham and Rhett), photographing weddings is truly one of the most rewarding parts of our life! The friendships and experiences that we’ve created with our KJ Couples lasts far beyond the wedding day and we believe that’s how it should be! We’re excited for you to keep scrolling to learn more about how being a KJ Bride isn’t your typical photography experience... it’s so much more!

THE PROCESS

published

5.

6.

Ready to become a KJ Bride? Let the fun begin!

Magazines, books & blogs!

mouse over images to select a gallery

the portfolio

KATELYN JAMES

anna

Richmond, VA

wedding location:

The Branch House

venue:

Q. If someone was on the fence about being a KJ Bride, what would you tell them?

A. If someone was on the fence about being a KJ bride I would tell them that investing in Katelyn as my wedding photographer literally changed the course of my life and made me want to pursue photography as my own career so that I could love on people the way Katelyn loved on me! Katelyn became a trusted advisor and confidant during the process of planning my wedding, and I loved getting to share updates and special moments with her! There is no one more encouraging or caring! Ever since my wedding day Katelyn has been such a treasured friend and I will always be grateful for her!

Name:

MEET THE NEXT

KJ Bride

Anna inquired while she was still a college student at VT. I could tell I was going to love her from that one email alone and I was right! We’re still dear friends to this day and it’s been YEARS since her wedding!

a note from katelyn

kylene

Washington, DC

wedding location:

The Ritz Carlton

venue:

Q. What was your favorite part of your kj bride experience?

A. My favorite part was the overall client experience and being cared for every step of the way (even one year before the actual wedding). The communication was very good and I never felt nervous or like I wasn't being heard. I liked how we didn't just start taking pictures during the engagement shoot. Michael and Katelyn talk to you, want to get to know you, and capture your personality best. Being encouraged to laugh was great because looking back, our photos show the purest form of joy from the day! If you want natural, joyful, beautiful and timeless images for the rest of your life, you are a KJ bride!

Name:

MEET THE NEXT

KJ Bride

Kylene is so impressive! She’s probably one of the most fun and FIT brides we have have worked with! I love her big smile and her sweet relationship with her sister! They are such a dynamic duo!

a note from katelyn

megan

Lexington, VA

wedding location:

Big Spring Farm

venue:

Q. What would you say a KJ BRIDE IS LIKE?

A KJ Bride cares about the people she is going to be celebrating her wedding day with. She loves her soon-to-be husband more than any detail (yet those are bound to be beautiful because they naturally incorporate the sweetness of their romance). A KJ Bride is full of joy, excitement, and gratefulness for every second of her wedding day, and she values her future marriage above all else. The more time passes, the more I realize just how lucky I was to be a KJ Bride and to have such beautiful wedding memories and photos to remember the most special day of our lives by... I felt like the most loved bride in the world being a KJ Bride, and I know every KJ Bride always says the same!

Name:

MEET THE NEXT

KJ Bride

Megan feels like a beautiful younger sister to me! It was such a joy to encourage her as a friend AND as her photographer as she prepared for her wedding day!

a note from katelyn

emily

Middleburg, VA

wedding location:

Airlie

venue:

Q. If someone was on the fence about being a KJ Bride, what would you tell them?

It is absolutely worth the investment! At the end of the day, the food you serve or the decor you choose will be gone, and you might not even remember those parts. But you will remember spending golden hour with your new husband, having a moment nuzzling together and realizing that this is YOUR wedding day! Your photos will last a lifetime and hopefully longer than that. Our wedding album is going to be an heirloom piece one day and I'll forever be grateful for Katelyn and Michael being a part of our lives!

Name:

MEET THE NEXT

KJ Bride

Emily showed up for her engagement session with a gift in hand. She’s one of the sweetest and most thoughtful KJ Bride that has ever existed and we love her so much!!

a note from katelyn

maggie

Charlottesville, VA

wedding location:

Pippin Hill

venue:

Q. WHAT WAS YOUR ABSOLUTE FAVORITE PART OF THE KJ BRIDAL EXPERIENCE?

My favorite part of my own KJ bride experience was how easy it was to trust Katelyn with one of the most important aspects of our wedding planning. I tend to be a worrier, and felt very confident that no matter what surprises came our way on our wedding day, we would have beautiful portraits! Our wedding photos bring us so much joy, and more than a year out from our wedding my husband and I still constantly look at them. I love that we have classic images to enjoy now, and look forward to showing them to our children and grandchildren years from now!!

Name:

MEET THE NEXT

KJ Bride

My favorite part of the day was photographing Maggie in her gorgeous gown in the bridal sweet at Pippin! Those are still some of my favorite getting shots to date!

a note from katelyn

lisa

New York City

wedding location:

Ethan Allen Hotel

venue:

Q. What would you say a KJ BRIDE IS LIKE?

Honestly, no KJ bride is the same. We share a desire for great photos, but I think we differ on personality, style, and faith, which is AMAZING. Katelyn makes you feel like a rockstar. She is genuinely happy and excited for you. My goals for my wedding, aside from marrying my incredible husband, were to feel beautiful and have unbelievable photos. Katelyn surpassed my dreams. I remember at our reception looking over at Katelyn showing photos of the wedding to my parents, and them tearing up. To this day my mom and dad say how warm and welcoming Katelyn was during the entire wedding. Hiring Katelyn James was the best decision I made (aside from marrying my husband).

Name:

MEET THE NEXT

KJ Bride

I have never met a family more fun or entertaining than Lisa’s! What a treat it was to celebrate with them!!!

a note from katelyn

kat

Middleburg, VA

wedding location:

Airlie

venue:

Q. If someone was on the fence about being a KJ Bride, what would you tell them?

You will regret NOT booking them (I know because friends who didn't book them told me) but you will NEVER regret BOOKING them! You'll be treated like a member of the family, receive exclamation-point-filled emails, and you'll also receive the best of the BEST when it comes to images. Just 5 minutes into our engagement session we were SO comfortable with them and our images SHOW that!! Plus, you'll receive your images in RECORD time so you can share almost immediately after the wedding!! ALL of that - the experience, the quality, the efficiency - that's something money can't buy.

Name:

MEET THE NEXT

KJ Bride

This girl can do it all! She planned her entire day and did it with such a grace and joy! Kat and Matt are still dear friends to this day and we’ll never forget their colorful summer wedding!

a note from katelyn

After over a decade in business & hundreds of weddings, our favorite part of our job is still the incredible couples that come into our life! We want you to meet a few of them!!!

Meet the

KJ BRIDES

350+

all-time KJ couples

4

weddings shot each year

all over the world

900+

images delivered

per wedding

350+

inquiries

7

times katelyn has stood

on her car roof to get the shot

per year

that we love

and

nik

lindy

WOW, wow, & WOW. Katelyn. THANK YOU. The pictures are STUNNING. Thank you SO SO much for capturing so perfectly how wonderful we felt the day was! Nik keeps talking about how wonderful you were and fun Michael was with all the guys. We both agree that you made us feel so comfortable & were the perfect mix of laid back while running the photo-show with authority. He keeps thanking me for "finding you" and being so set on having you as our photographer. I am glad to have felt like I already knew you through your blog, while being so in love with the work YOU produce!

"...You made us feel so comfortable and were the perfect mix of laid back while running the photo-show with authority.”

and

jeff

julia

I can't even begin to thank you for all you did for us on our wedding day. You not only were our fabulous photographer, but also a wedding coordinator and a good family friend to have around! From the moment you arrived at the house, I knew everything was all good! Thank you for making up so much lost time and just making Jeff and I feel so loved and cherished. We looked at all the pictures as we sat at the airport on our way home and were overjoyed to see such beautiful captures of the day!

"Thank you for making up so much lost time and just making Jeff and I feel so loved and cherished..."

and

ryan

alina

Thank you so much for capturing our special day! You were both not only awesome photographers but also amazing people. I remember when we were running short on time, how cool, calm, and collected you were. You work together as a team so well, and Ryan and I were both so impressed with how kindly you spoke to each other. I'm sure not every couple has photographers who model such a great marriage! We picked our wedding day around you, and now that it's all over I can honestly say we would do it all the same. We love our photos and loved our experience with you!

"We picked our wedding day around you, and now that it's all over I can honestly say we would do it all the same."

and

mike

jessica

Thank you two so so much for capturing our wedding day so beautifully! I have known for over two years that you would shoot my wedding, and even despite that, our beautiful photos still surpassed our expectations! The photos are stunning, and on top of that, we felt so at ease around you, and truly loved spending our wedding day with you. You two exude love and warmth, and we feel so blessed to have been able to get to know you and to share our day with you!

"....The photos are stunning, and on top of that, we felt so at ease around you, and truly loved spending our wedding day with you.”

and

jared

courtney

The day went by so quickly and we didn't get to see everything in person or remember every detail, but thanks to the two of you we can relive all of those moments for the rest of our lives. On top of being amazing photographers, you were both equally amazing individuals. Your joy is infectious and we loved getting to know you two!

"...Your joy is infectious and we loved getting to know you two!”

and

ben

caryln

WE LOVE LOVE LOVE the photos!!!! It was such a special day and when I look at these photos I can exactly remember the emotion and love and excitement we felt! We will cherish these forever, and we can’t thank you and Michael enough. It felt so nice to let go of the camera and trust you guys 100% and know that the results would be even better than I could have imagined. Ben kept saying how comfortable you guys made him feel - your personalities are just as awesome as your talents. I am so happy we have all these wonderful memories of moments from the day that we didn’t even get to see!

"...Ben kept saying how comfortable you guys made him feel - your personalities are just as awesome as your talents."

LOVE NOTES

We don’t believe that wedding photography is one-size-fits-all! We know that KJ Brides are unique and we work VERY hard to find them! We serve a very specific type of bride who recognizes that if she wants joyful, genuine portraits of herself & her new groom, then she needs more than just pretty pictures. She needs an incredible EXPERIENCE! The first step towards working with us is determining if we are the perfect fit for you! After getting to know you online, we’ll determine if we’re a match made in heaven and then we’ll move on to the booking process! ...

01. step ONe:
Let's be friends

Up Next: Save the Date

THE PROCESS

The Process

Yay!! You were made to be a KJ Couple! Now let’s make sure your date is safe and secure so that we can make this dream a reality!!! We’ll send you a custom online booking proposal where you can review your package and pay your deposit to make everything officially official! Now that you’re an official KJ Bride & Groom, it’s time to get started!! ....

02. Step two:
Save the date

Up Next: Engagements

THE PROCESS

The Process

Once we’re 8 weeks out from your big day, we’ll start making sure that we’re completely prepared and ready for your wedding! We love creating custom timelines for our couples to ensure that you don’t miss out on your dream wedding photos! You know all of those dreamy portraits, fun friend shots, and detail images that look like they are straight out of a magazine??? We work with our KJ Couples to plan their day so that they can actually have images like that of their OWN! After 9 years of photographing weddings in a magazine-quality manner, we know how to create the perfect timeline for a photography-friendly wedding day!

04. Step four:
Timeline talk

Up Next: Your Wedding!

THE PROCESS

The Process

Let the fun begin! After you book, we’ll schedule your engagement session. And don’t worry... we’ll teach you EVERYTHING! We thrive at helping our couples get comfortable and feel like themselves. After the first 20 minutes of your session, you will be pros. GUARANTEED. I’ve NEVER had a couple not feel at ease! Even if you think you’re not photogenic or if your fiancé “hates having pictures taken”, you will be killing it after 20 minutes have gone by! That’s all the time we need to get rid of nerves and start capturing the joy of this new season of your life together! After your engagement session you’ll be featured on the KJ Blog and will also be sent your online gallery of images to download and share however you wish.

03. Step three:
Engagements

Up Next: Timeline Talk

THE PROCESS

The Process

It’s here! It’s time to celebrate, relax and let us get to work! We believe in telling the full story of our couples' wedding days and so we never shoot less than 8 hours. This day is going to be a blur to you and so we make it a priority to capture the traditional shots that every bride needs while also capturing the moments in between in a creative & unique way. One of our favorite parts of the wedding day is our portrait time with the newlyweds and getting to meet our couple’s families and best friends!! After the wedding day, you’ll be featured on the KJ Blog the following TUESDAY! We like to share our weddings while everyone is still on cloud nine from the big day instead of keeping our couples waiting!

05. Step five:
your wedding day!

Up Next: Design!

THE PROCESS

The Process

After your wedding day is over, you will receive an online gallery full of all of your wedding memories! HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of them! We encourage our KJ Couples to sit down with a glass of wine the night that their gallery goes live and enjoy reliving their wedding day through their images! Soon after your gallery is delivered, you will receive your album design (if you ordered an album!) and you can begin the customization process!