Joyful Moments. Creative Portraits
Looking for the WOW and the AWW?
Creative portraits that stop you mid scroll and unscripted moments that are equal parts hilarious and heartfelt.
GAUPERphoto has been doing both across Michigan for nearly 20 years. All 5 star reviews. Experience you can see in every photo.
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We're a team of passionate thinkers and doers, dedicated to building with purpose and clarity. Collaboration and curiosity drive everything we do.
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We believe in keeping things simple, smart, and human. Every project starts with listening and ends with something we're proud to share.
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From startups to seasoned brands, we partner with people who care about doing things right—and doing them well.
Portfolio
You'll laugh. You'll cry. We'll be there for both.
Candid moments. Our favorite photos to take and our couples favorite photos to keep.
This is the heart of a wedding. The parents barely holding it together. The friends who dropped everything to be here. The belly laughs, the soft moments, the look on everyone's face when they see the bride for the first time.
The grandparent who made it there no matter what. Sometimes these are the last photos families will ever have with them and we don’t take that lightly.
Everyone who showed up that day showed up for you.We never lose sight of that.
We love our portrait work but candid moments have always been at the heart of what we do.
The best moments don't announce themselves.
They just happen. And we're already there.
We think our candid images deserve their own separate gallery which you can view below ⬇️
Candid Portfolio
What To Expect
You show up. You be present. You enjoy every single moment. We handle everything else.
We have shot in every venue, every lighting situation, every kind of weather Michigan can throw at us. We come prepared with the best gear and the experience to use it. Whatever the day brings, we are ready for it.
The energy we bring is relaxed, fun and genuine. Couples feel it immediately. So do their families, their wedding parties, their guests.
At the end of the night the thing we hear most is how much fun the whole experience was. That means everything to us!
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1. Let's Talk
A quick Zoom call to get to know each other and talk about your wedding.
No pressure, just a real conversation to make sure we are the right fit. -
2. Book Online
Simple contract, easy online payment. Done in minutes. You will also receive our preferred vendor list. Years of trusted relationships with the best vendors across Michigan, all in one place.
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3. Three Months Out
We sit down together and help you build your day timeline from scratch. Thoughtful, detailed and designed so your day flows beautifully.
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4. Your Wedding Day. And Everything After
Show up. Be present. We handle the rest. Previews before your honeymoon ends. Your full gallery follows online where you and your guests can download and order prints.
We are GAUPERphoto.
Nearly 20 years of Michigan weddings, all 5 star reviews, and a genuine love for the people we work with. We are not just here to do a job. We are here to be a part of your day.
Ryan
Team Leader of emails and dry humor
It has always been my goal to find something to love in everyone I meet.
To get past the small talk and connect with the real person. Weddings are the perfect place for that, everyone has their guard down, everyone is full of love, and the moments that happen in that space are unlike anything else.
My work is soft, timeless and full of those real human moments.
People ask me at weddings how I have so much energy. I tell them I save it all week for this.
I lead with enthusiasm and I work hard at everything I do. Not just the technical side but the experience you have matters just as much to me as the photos we make together.
I love portraits. I love movement. My favorite thing to shoot is a twirling dress. It is fun to do, fun to look at, and something about it just makes people let go of their self consciousness and be completely themselves. That is the sweet spot I am always chasing.
Manager of laughs and twirling
Holly
Weddings & Engagements Blogs
Frequently Asked Questions
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Our wedding packages start at $3,995 and include eight hours of coverage, fully edited high resolution images and an online gallery where you and your guests can download and order prints. Most couples invest around $5,000. Reach out and we can talk through what works best for your day.
We are also offering custom shorter coverage packages for select non-Saturday dates in 2026, so if your budget is more limited it is always worth reaching out. -
We are based in Grand Haven and shoot weddings all across Michigan. You will find us everywhere from Grand Rapids, Holland, Saugatuck and South Haven to Traverse City, Charlevoix, Glen Arbor, Ludington and up and down the lakeshore. We also serve the Ann Arbor, Lansing, Grosse Pointe and Detroit areas. If your wedding is in Michigan chances are we have shot there before.
There may be a small travel fee for weddings outside of a 2 hour driving radius from Grand Haven. -
Honestly? The experience. Nearly 20 years of shooting weddings across Michigan means we have seen everything and know how to handle it. We bring a relaxed, fun energy to every wedding that puts couples, families and guests completely at ease. Our portrait sessions are creative and enjoyable, even the grooms who swore they hated photos leave saying it was their favorite part of the day! And our candid work is always a priority, we never stop watching, never stop looking, never miss a moment that matters. The reviews say it better than we ever could.
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We do and we are really proud of them! Every single one is five stars. Head over to our reviews page to read what our couples have to say we think they tell our story better than we ever could.
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You would not believe how often we hear this and how often those same couples end up absolutely obsessed with their photos. Making people feel comfortable in front of a camera is one of the things we are most proud of. We give gentle direction so you never feel lost, we keep things fun and moving so there is no awkward dead time, and we have a way of making people forget there is a camera pointed at them at all. Some of our favorite photos have come from couples who swore they were the most unphotogenic people alive. You are in good hands!
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We do and we are really proud of them! Every single one is five stars. Head over to our reviews page to read what our couples have to say we think they tell our story better than we ever could.
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Most couples book their wedding photographer six to eighteen months in advance, especially for popular summer and fall dates in Michigan. Because we have two photographers on our team we can occasionally accommodate more than one wedding per date, so it is always worth reaching out even if you think we might be booked. The best way to find out if your date is available is to send us a message — it only takes a minute and we will get back to you quickly.
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Easy. Just reach out through our contact page and tell us a little about your wedding date and venue. We will get back to you quickly to chat about your day, whether that is over Zoom, email or whatever works best for you. If you are already ready to book, everything can be done completely online.
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We do and honestly we think every couple should do one. Not because you have to but because it is genuinely fun and it makes a huge difference on your wedding day.
By the time we show up to shoot your wedding you already know us, you are already comfortable in front of our camera and that shows in every single photo.
Plus you get a beautiful set of images in your everyday clothes which are more casual and relaxed. -
Absolutely. We believe in showing you everything, not just the highlights. Head over to our featured weddings page to see full galleries from real GAUPERphoto weddings so you know exactly what to expect when you open yours.
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We do and it is a huge part of what we love. Ryan specializes in family sessions including large extended family gatherings which is a real skill all on its own. Visit GAUPERfamilies.com to see that work and get in touch over there.
