The first thing I always think when I see Oakland-based Lucille Lawrence’s wedding photography is, “Damn, who are all these badass people and how do I get to be friends with them?” Lucille is an absolute genius at capturing what make each of her couples unique. It’s impossible to scroll through these photos without dying to know the stories behind them.
I mean, if you’ve ever secretly wished for friends of friends to see your wedding on Facebook and say, “Omg, whose wedding was that?” then you’ve just found your secret weapon. Lucille is based in the Bay Area, shoots weddings throughout California with no travel fees (with rates starting at $4,000), and charges just a flat rate $1,000 for travel to all weddings outside California.
how does lucille work her magic? She gets to know her couples.
Here’s why:
- The more comfortable y’all feel around each other, the more she can capture your real personalities and the dynamics of your relationship, and the less anything will feel awkward or posed.
- The more Lucille is in on all the details from the planning stage, the better she can capture all the action. And you guys, from your infectious joy and energy to the rich details of your surroundings, she doesn’t miss a thing.
- She genuinely cares about every couple she works with.
As she told us:
I really care about your wedding! I’m sure lots of photographers do, but I know I definitely throw myself into the day. I love the collaboration with couples, the brainstorming, the excitement, and feeling like I’m in on their secret. I always make sure there’s plenty of consulting beforehand to nail down your priorities (i.e., extra couple portraits, less posed family shots, film versus digital) and a clear timeline. APW readers are often some of the most creatively involved couples I work with. They care deeply about the details of their day and are very interested in my process, but also give me plenty of artistic liberty and trust.
And it’s a total privilege to be able to spend so much one-on-one time with a couple on their wedding day. I don’t take that for granted. I have also been told numerous times that I’m a particularly chill wedding photographer. (Which is a pretty important skill when you find yourself in the same room as a crying bridesmaid.) I can’t really imagine being otherwise. My goal is to be a neutral, observing, loving, enthusiastic, and supportive presence on the wedding day, never a distraction or a director.
SHE JUST MAKES EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE LOOK SO DAMN GOOD.
Leigh, an APW bride, shared her story of working with Lucille, and it’s like a wedding photographer fairytale:
From the first time we looked through Lucille’s portfolio, we fell in love with her style and her ability to make every photo seem like a work of art with a story behind it. She has an amazing knack for capturing real, small moments between people and elevating them to something awe-inspiring and important. The only thing better than perusing Lucille’s pictures on her website is receiving hundreds of photos from her, expertly edited, where you yourself and your loved ones star in picture after picture, documenting one of the biggest days in your life. The getting ready pictures and portraits were everything we had dreamed they would be, and we were delightfully surprised to find that Lucille had also captured a large number of hilarious candid shots of friends and family from the reception where everyone’s personality was on full display.
Lucille is also an amazingly sweet, genuine person. From the beginning, we felt like she honestly cared about us and our wedding, and she treated us like old friends that she could not be happier for. On the day of the wedding, Lucille made us feel calm and special and like ourselves, and our ease with her is definitely reflected in the photographs. We were really happy to have her there to share our special moments, and the photos she captured are out of this world. In short, Lucille is an amazing artist and person, and we will cherish our engagement and wedding photos for the rest of our lives.
LOVE YOUR wedding LOCATION? BRING LUCILLE TO CAPTURE IT.
Lucille’s photos have seriously got me like “Where are these places and when can I visit?” Not only is she ace at capturing the natural beauty of Northern California, but that skill translates worldwide (just check out this gorgeous wedding in Sayulita, Mexico). And she’ll follow you wherever you are going for a flat $1,000 travel fee.
Lucille’s wedding packages range from $4,000 to $5,500, with most of her couples spending $4,500, which gets you:
- An engagement session
- 8 hours of day-of coverage
- A sneak peek within two days of the wedding
- A private online gallery with 600 to 800 images and the ability to order prints
- A flash drive of high-resolution JPGs to use as you wish
And since we all love a treat, Lucille likes to gift her couples a little something from Artifact Uprising.
Lucille also loves working with film and is able to add that into your customized package. And she has special rates for intimate weddings and elopements, so hit her up for more info if you’re having one of those.
So if you’re searching for photographer with an eye for capturing the magic inherent in all people and places (“love + sunsets” is her mantra), who might just become your new BFF, don’t miss your chance to work with the super sweet, chill human that is Lucille Lawrence. Check out more of her stellar weddings and engagements here and here. Get to know her more and peep her detail-rich lifestyle photography while you’re at it. And don’t forget to stop scrolling through her galleries long enough to email her.
Lucille LAWRENCE is booking up fast for 2017—contact her today!
