Images of Queer Joy
LGBTQ+ Wedding Photographer
She believes that beautiful, artful images don’t require fancy decorations or a perfect timeline. Every love story deserves to be told with honesty and heart.
This portfolio is all about queer love, queer joy, and queer presence,
photographed on 35mm and medium format film in Detroit, New York City, Grand Rapids, Traverse City, Ann Arbor, and beyond.
As an LGBTQ+ wedding photographer, I light up when other queer folks reach out for weddings, elopements, or chosen family celebrations. These images are imperfect, emotional, and real. Some moments are loud and overflowing with laughter. Others are quiet, tender, or a little heavy.
Underneath it all is the steady reminder that being queer is joy in itself. Every photo is a reflection of that truth.
My approach to LGBTQ+ weddings
As an LGBTQ+ wedding photographer, I am not just here to make pretty pictures.
I am here to witness you, honor your identity, and make sure the way you are photographed feels true to who you are. Here is what that looks like in practice:
A Practice Session, Not a Photoshoot
Taking photos can feel foreign, so I offer engagement sessions (which I call practice sessions) so we can build trust, shake off the pressure, and let you just be yourselves.
Think of it as a no-pressure hangout where you get to be yourselves and I get to learn how you move, connect, and show up together. It helps me photograph you in a way that respects your body and your unique experience of gender.
Honest Feedback & Image Reflection
After our session, we’ll review the photos together and talk about what it felt like to be seen and photographed.
As a Michigan LGBTQ wedding photographer, this reflection helps me understand how you want to be represented — it’s part feedback, part image therapy, and totally centered on making sure you feel safe and seen on your wedding day.
Pronoun Awareness & Gender Affirmation
I always check in on pronouns before we meet and I never assume anyone’s, whether it’s guests, vendors, or family.
I’ll follow your lead if you use different pronouns in different spaces. And if misgendering or microaggressions happen, I am ready to step in and gently advocate for you on your special day.
LGBTQ+ Vendor Recommendations
Need a queer DJ, florist, planner, or officiant?
I have a running list of amazing LGBTQ+ and allied vendors who know how to show up with respect and joy for queer celebrations. Just ask and I will send you my favorites.
Booking
Booking Your LGBTQ Wedding Photographer
Contact me
Reach out using my contact form with your names, pronouns, dates, and vision for the day.
Consult call
If I’m available, we’ll hop on a call to meet one another and see if it’s a good fit. I’ll send you a custom proposal based on your needs.
Lock it down
If the vibes feel good and you want to move forward, I’ll send you a contract and invoice for the deposit. Wahoo!
Kari is passionate about photographing non-traditional weddings
—the ones that break the mold and reflect the couple’s real personalities.
She believes that beautiful, artful images don’t require fancy decorations or a perfect timeline. Every love story deserves to be told with honesty and heart.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
for Your LGBTQ Wedding Photographer
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Yes, always. I photograph LGBTQ+, queer, poly, offbeat, non-traditional weddings. These are my favorite kinds of celebrations. Past couples have told me how meaningful it was to have a LGBTQ friendly photographer who just “gets it.” I am here to support you, celebrate you, and document your day with love and joy.
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The wedding industry was not built with queer couples in mind. Having a photographer who identifies as queer means you do not have to explain yourself or brace for judgment. I have been in this industry long enough to see it all: microaggressions from family, vendors getting pronouns wrong, and DJs introducing couples incorrectly. You will be busy living your day, so I am here to anticipate, advocate, and have your back while also making sure you get incredible photos. You will be busy and distracted on your wedding day; an LGBTQ wedding photographer can help see and anticipate things you won’t, so they can block and tackle for you.
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I focus on your connection as it naturally exists. No awkward gendered poses and no forcing you into heteronormative roles that do not fit. I will guide you when needed, but mostly I step back and let things unfold. The messy dance moves, the belly laughs, the quiet moments between you. All of it matters.
Every wedding package includes a complimentary engagement session, which I call a practice session. It gives us space to hang out, shake off nerves, and for me to learn how to photograph you in a way that respects your body and gender identity.
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Yes. I photograph elopements, micro weddings, city hall ceremonies, backyard dinners, and sunset escapes. Whatever your day looks like, I am here for the whole ride.
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Film is my love language. I shoot on 35mm and medium format film because of the color, texture, and life it brings to a photo. Most couples come to me specifically for that look. I also shoot digital when it makes sense, such as during darker receptions, but film is at the heart of my work. It is not a filter you can fake. Film has depth, meaning, and artistry that digital can’t replicate!
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Absolutely! I photograph LGBTQ weddings across Michigan, throughout the US, and beyond. Have a destination in mind? Let me know. Just reach out with the details and we’ll make it happen.
My dream is to photograph a wedding at the Madonna Inn! -
Colorful, emotional, funky, and full of movement. I work in a documentary style, which means candid storytelling over stiff posing. Think artful chaos captured on film. If you want photos that look like how your day actually felt, we will get along great.
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From our first email to your final gallery, my priority is that you feel safe, affirmed, and celebrated. That means inclusive language, checking in on pronouns, avoiding gendered posing, and making sure your love is documented with care and joy. This is your space to be fully yourselves.