Do You Feel Alienated By The Wedding Industry?

Rebecca y las Otras are here to change that for everyone, everywhere

The wedding industry has a long history of making those of us who aren’t Barbie and Ken-doll white/blond/cis/het and have a “platinum budget” feel alienated in some way, and APW has a long history of doing our damndest to combat that, in part by collecting a crew of wedding vendors who sign our inclusivity pledge and promise to, you know, make all kinds of humans feel welcome and represented.

And when we set out to fill the inaugural class of The L.O.V.E. Club, we were on a particular mission to find you guys more of the exact type of vendor that y’all really want to work with. The kind who are:

  • Committed to making the wedding industry and the world a more inclusive and supportive place.
  • Damn good at their job, but still have fair and transparent pricing.
  • The kind of businesses you’ll be proud to support with your hard-earned dollars.
  • Good-hearted awesome humans that feel like having an APW Happy Hour bestie helping out at your wedding.

I was pretty convinced that there were in fact vendors like that out there, and we just needed to find them so we could connect you with them, but I mayyy have been holding my breath a little until Rebecca’s application crossed my desk…

WHO: Rebecca of Rebecca y las Otras

WHERE: Los Angeles, CA and beyond (more on that below)…

WHY YOU WANT TO WORK WITH THEM, tl;dr: Rebecca is a ridiculously talented LA-based queer non-binary Latinx photographer who works with a team of LGBT womxn-of-color associate photographers all around the country who are all also ridiculously talented. She is an APW reader herself, after having found the site when planning her own low-key DIY backyard wedding five years ago. Her key skills as a photographer involve turning fleeting moments of raw emotion into true art (want someone who can freeze the feeling of your wedding in time? That’s Rebecca), plus making folx who swear they “aren’t comfortable in front of a camera” look like this:

A person gently kisses another person's nose on their wedding day.A wedding couple stand in shadow and smile together.A wedding couple quietly stand in the woods as sunbeams shine down through the trees.A wedding couple stand mid pose while dancing.A bride's stands smiling while her parents look onward.

The long version, in Rebecca’s words:

When I got engaged several years ago, I was stumped. I wanted to plan a low-key DIY backyard wedding, but most of the websites and magazines I looked at were not geared towards that—everything was about luxury, and outrageous displays of wealth. Being a Latina from a low-income background, it was hard to find wedding content that reflected myself, my family, my community.

When I found A Practical Wedding, it was a breath of fresh air. I bookmarked it, got all kinds of fantastic ideas, and I’ve continued to read APW in the five (!) years since we threw our own special backyard wedding. And now, the majority of my clients have a similar perspective: Low-key people who want to bring together all the people in their lives and throw a kickass party.

Because of my and my associates’ LGBT and WOC perspective (that of “las otras,” or “the others”) we are uniquely suited to photographing other people who exist in liminal spaces. I think that everyone deserves to have beautiful pictures of themselves, especially on their wedding day. Because of that, I have been very flexible with my couples—every wedding is so unique. I have my posted rates (which are quite reasonable), and I often do custom quotes. On top of that, I pay my second shooters/associate photographers more than the industry standard rates, because they are all uniquely talented documentary photographers in their own right.

I don’t take photos with the end goal of getting published in a wedding magazine or booking a six-figure budget wedding. I take photos of weddings for one reason only: to offer people a visual narrative of a momentous event in their lives. This narrative is personal and unique to everyone. I want to capture joy and tears, not just lace and flowers. My clients almost always thank me for making the day very easy, making everyone comfortable, being friendly and warm. I have the kind of energy that attracts children and animals. I have a curious mind and an open heart. It sounds kinda woo-woo, but I hear this a lot! This is always a pleasant surprise for most people once they’re actually experiencing being on the other end of my camera. The big metal lens is a little intimidating on its own, but in my hands it’s enveloped by my aura of warmth and accessibility.

A woman kisses her mother's cheek.A wedding participant cries while vows are being read to them.An elder woman embraces her son.A wedding couple kiss in the daytime sun.

STREET CRED:

We were shocked by the amazing level of beauty and power that we found in our photos. When others look at our wedding photos, they literally gasp and are blown away. Some quotes from our friends include: “Omg that is the most beautiful picture I have ever seen,” “How is that picture even possible?,” “Your photos are insane,” and so on. Our family have voiced how touched they feel reliving the happiness of the special day, and have grabbed up any photos we have printed. The photographs are priceless, and as such, Rebecca is worth every penny, and so much more. —Katie

And because I know you want to see those photos for yourself—here you go.

Two women embrace in the kitchen.A woman tears up as she delivers a wedding speech.Children gather at a wedding reception.

HOW MUCH:
$420 per hour for just Rebecca and $500 per hour for her plus a second shooter. So for example, $2,520 would get you Rebecca for a 6-hour wedding, on up to $4,500 for a 7-hour wedding with two photographers… and once you hit the $4,800 mark, there is an all-inclusive package that includes a flexible timeline (all-day shooting), an engagement session, and two shooters. Physical products like prints, albums, and wall art are available at separate (very reasonable!) a la carte rates—Rebecca isn’t about the upsell.

PLUS! As a special TLC special for APW readers, Rebecca y las Otras are offering a free engagement session for the first four couples as part of their package for couples who mention this post when booking.

A wedding couple embrace on a balcony overlooking a marina.

WHAT NOW:
For more information on working with Rebecca: Click here to tell her about your wedding, or enter your email address and she’ll send over her pricing guide:

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