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About

Rachel Havel is an internationally published wedding photographer who has earned her reputation through her uninhibited approach to storytelling. Her artful and discerning style allows her to create imagery that is deeply personal and authentic to each couple.

For the last 12 years, she has been documenting destination weddings in exclusive, one-of-a-kind locations throughout the country. Her adaptable and reliable nature works beautifully in high-touch events and she is known for collaborating with the creative teams involved.

Based in California, she has collaborated with celebrities and regularly works with the top planners in the nation. Her work has been recognized in Harpers Bazaar, Martha Stewart Weddings, Inside Weddings, Brides Magazine, The Knot, and more.

  • Woman-owned
illustration popular

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Frequently asked questions

What primary photographic style do you identify with?

Film
Natural
Photojournalism

What photography services do you offer?

Additional Hours
Destination / Travel
Engagement Shoot
High-Res Images
One Event / Day
Second Shooter
Wedding Portraits

What photography items do you offer?

Albums
Canvas
Digital Files
Flush Mount
Matted Prints
Prints
Proofs
Thank You Cards

Reviews of Rachel Havel

Jaclyn
Jaclyn Sent on 11/27/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Rachel and her team are the BEST

We loved working with Rachel on our wedding weekend. She made us feel at ease and joyful the entire time, and the photos are absolutely gorgeous.
H
Haley Sent on 04/01/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Rachel is extremely talented, down to Earth, easy to work with and goes above and beyond for her clients!

After "following" Rachel for many years prior to getting engaged and falling in love with her photos and talent, it was a no brainer when I got engaged to ask Rachel to be our wedding photographer. Rachel helped us find our wedding planner who was also amazing. Talent is one thing, but a wedding photographer's personality or ego can really make or break a situation regardless of how talented they are. Rachel was incredibly easy going and down to Earth. My husband and I are kind of awkward behind the camera and Rachel never made us feel uncomfortable or forced things on us. Additionally, Rachel went out of her way to accommodate us throughout the pandemic and during our experience working with her - truly out of her way. She flew from CA to Chicago and even came to our house in the suburbs to take engagement photos, then post wedding she met me at my parents' house in CA to help me create my wedding album which was not necessary whatsoever and an incredibly daunting task. She has absolutely no ego and fit right in. I consider her a friend now and would never hesitate to recommend her to anyone. I am sad that I no longer get to work with her after two years of delays due to COVID. She is simply the best!
T
Taylor Sent on 03/21/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Rachel Havel's -Associate Laura

Rachel was already booked for my wedding date so we had one of her associates, Laura. I don't like being the center of attention and Laura made me feel at ease during my wedding day. Not only did she make me feel comfortable and not awkward during my wedding day photos. Her photos were absolutely amazing! She got every photo I wanted and they were beautiful!
S
Sasha Sent on 09/02/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Thank you Rachel!

Picking a photographer was the hardest part of our wedding planning process, there are sooo many out there and we knew the importance of picking one that was perfect for us. We did phone interviews with over 30 photographers over the course of 4 months. From the moment we first spoke to Rachel we knew she was exactly what we were looking for. Not only is she incredibly gifted behind the camera she has an amazing ability to make everyone feel comfortable at the same time. My husband and I had two wedding ceremonies in one day. That meant two outfits, two sets of portraits, two sets of first looks - there were infinite opportunities for us to run late or not get a shot we were hoping to get and Rachel made sure we got every single photo on our wish list and then some. She hadn’t photographed an Indian wedding prior to ours and she blew us away, but that’s how Rachel works. She is so incredibly intentional with every decision, every photograph, every edit, and even every email. Rachel also went out of her way and submitted our wedding to Martha Stewart and ended up getting us published on their website which was way beyond our wildest dreams. Hiring Rachel was truly the single best decision we made on our wedding day. She is so patient and understanding and we are forever grateful to her for not only a part of the best day of our lives, but playing such a large role in ensuring it went perfectly. We just received our wedding album and in true Rachel fashion it blew us away. We cannot wait to have the opportunity to work with her again.
E
Elle Sent on 08/25/2020
5 out of 5 rating

The best photographer!

Rachel's images speak for themselves, STUNNING! How did we looks so good in every photo and how did she get SO many details in one day?! I'm still in awe! On top of her being a true talent, she is incredibly kind and fun to work with. She made my husband and I so comfortable in front of the camera. Rachel, thank you for capturing THE best day of our lives, theses photos will be treasured for many generations.
E
Ellie Sent on 12/03/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Fantastic and Professional

I could not speak more highly of Rachel. Her talent is undeniable - just look at her portfolio! What you can't tell from looking at the photos is how truly WONDERFUL she is as a person. There is no one closer to you throughout every moment of your wedding than your photographer, and Rachel brings an amazing sense of calm and positivity that is invaluable. I felt totally at ease all day and I attribute much of that to Rachel! She does an incredible job capturing the moments-in-between, the candid and emotional memories that we feel so lucky to cherish forever through her photos. I would also speak to her balance as a photographer. She does such a wonderful job capturing the full spectrum - from decor, to the uniqueness of whatever location you are in, to the portraits, and everything in between. I really felt like our personalities shown through in the photos and that is thanks to Rachel. On top of it all, she is incredibly professional, responsive and easy to work with - a dream!  Just need another excuse to work together! 
C
Claire Sent on 11/21/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Absolutely amazing!

We could not have asked for a better photographer for our wedding! Rachel and her team are so kind, personable, laid back and professional. They directed our very large families and bridal party with ease and patience which really helped everyone to feel comfortable and just enjoy our day. My husband and I, and our families, are not the best at posing for photos but somehow Rachel made it fun and everyone felt relaxed and happy - and it shows in all of our photos! We also could not be happier with our photos, they are stunning! She captured every detail and the best moments so beautifully and in a way that felt very in line with our personal style. Rachel also photographed our rehearsal dinner & welcome party, which was her idea because we didn’t want to do formal engagement photos. It was a great way to get some early couple pics before we sat down for dinner (instead of engagement photos), and it helped us and our guests to get to know Rachel before the wedding day. Even after our wedding, we received many compliments from our guests about Rachel and how awesome she was! I would 100% recommend her for any occasion – she has true talent and we were so lucky to have her as our wedding photographer!
J
Jennifer Sent on 11/19/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Most thoughtful, calming photographer!

We absolutely lucked out when Rachel had our wedding date available, and looking back, I'd probably arrange my wedding date around her availability-she is THAT good! She is so kind, caring, and thoughtful with an incredibly calming presence! It feels like she's part of your family. From day one, Rachel makes you a priority, and as crazy as the day can get, she will calm you down, make sure you stay focused on what's important and what matters throughout the day, and she makes sure you and your partner capture as many intimate moments together as you can. Not to mention her photos are beyond stunning! My family members have all thought they are the best wedding photos they've ever seen. We couldn't be happier with the story she's told through our photos and the moments she captured for us! Thank you, Rachel!
C
Colleen Sent on 08/16/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Best Photographer

Rachel captured our wedding perfectly! She was so professional leading up to the wedding and we listened to her advice and did an engagement shoot first. She was 100% right and we both felt so much more comfortable doing the day of photos after having met her and gone through the engagement shoot first. She was not only great with capturing our moments, but captured our venue, decor, and guests so beautifully. She has an incredible eye and is able to do it all with such a calm demeanor. I couldn't imagine a better photographer, and am so happy with all of our photos.
Sarah
Sarah Sent on 06/25/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Perfectly captured our wedding day and rehearsal dinner!

From the moment I first had contact with Rachel, I knew she would be perfect photographer for our Wedding. We had researched her work online and after seeing her Instagram and website pictures, we completely fell in love with her style of photography and ability to capture the beauty in a moment.

There were so many incredible and special moments that she managed to capture so perfectly, and so naturally, which is just what we were looking for.

Rachel photographed our rehearsal dinner and wedding day. We lost count of all the guests who commented on how amazing she was. Rachel was able to direct the group photos without being intrusive or overbearing and throughout the day blended in to the scene perfectly. She used every lighting opportunity she could find to capture a range of photos, and was constantly on the look out to use the scenery and grounds of the venue to the fullest. Rachel’s passion and enthusiasm shone all throughout and absolutely blew us away. I recommend her 100 times over! Thank you Rachel!

-Sarah & Alan
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

23
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2020 Winner

Professional Network & Endorsements

4 Endorsements
A Love Tale A Love Tale Wedding Decor & Lighting

Rachel shot my daughters wedding and I'm sooo grateful we chose her! Rachel was able to capture the love and sweetness of the day. Rachel didn't miss a detail, every bit of the day was memorialized. I really appreciate that she captured the unposed, natural interaction of the family and guests, they are some of the sweetest picture and things I missed, but she didn't. Hire Rachel, you won't regret it.

Masterful Musicians Masterful Musicians Wedding Musicians

Rachel's images are exquisite. She captures the heart of the moment. You will cherish these images for a lifetime and then some! Recording an event takes talent, recording the emotions takes passion. Rachel's work shows both, in abundance!

Lisa O'Dwyer Photography Lisa O'Dwyer Photography Wedding Photographers

Rachel is an amazing photographer and kind and trustworthy professional. She for sure is one of Colorado's top wedding photographers!

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Rachel Havel frequently asked questions

Rachel Havel offers the following photography styles:
  • Film
  • Natural
  • Photojournalism
Rachel Havel offers the following photography services for weddings:
  • Additional Hours
  • Destination / Travel
  • Engagement Shoot
  • High-Res Images
  • One Event / Day
  • Second Shooter
  • Wedding Portraits
Rachel Havel offers the following photography materials for weddings:
  • Albums
  • Canvas
  • Digital Files
  • Flush Mount
  • Matted Prints
  • Prints
  • Proofs
  • Thank You Cards
Rachel Havel is recommended by 100% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 5.0, with the same score awarded for quality of service, flexibility, value, professionalism and average response time.

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