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Weddings

About

Based in Northern California, Intimate Wedding Studio specializes in luxury intimate weddings and refined elopements across Napa Valley, Carmel, Big Sur, and Santa Barbara. Led by photographer Kelly Gao, the studio is known for a boutique, highly intentional approach—designed for couples who value connection, artistry, and beautifully understated celebrations.

Kelly’s work is defined by natural light, an editorial sensibility, and a deep appreciation for intimate, emotional moments. Each wedding is photographed with care and restraint, allowing genuine interactions to unfold organically while preserving the elegance and atmosphere of the day. The result is imagery that feels effortless, elevated, and timeless.

Intimate Wedding Studio is especially suited for couples planning small, meaningful gatherings—those who prefer intimate affairs over grand productions, and who are drawn to storytelling that feels personal, soulful, and refined.

Services Offered

Every experience begins with a thoughtful consultation to ensure your celebration is documented in a way that feels true to you. Coverage is fully customized, whether you’re exchanging vows during a secluded elopement or hosting a carefully curated intimate wedding.

In addition to photography, Intimate Wedding Studio offers heirloom-quality wedding albums, featuring luxurious linen covers and custom embossed details—crafted to preserve your story in a tangible, lasting form.

  • Woman-owned
illustration popular

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Frequently asked questions

Which of the following are included in the starting price?

High-Res Images
Digital Files

Which of the following are included in the price of your most popular wedding package?

2nd Shooter
Engagement Shoot
High-Res Images
Multi. Locations
Digital Files
Prints

What primary photographic style do you identify with?

Film
Natural
Photojournalism
Traditional

What photography services do you offer?

Additional Hours
Boudoir Shoot
Destination / Travel
Engagement Shoot
High-Res Images
Second Shooter
Wedding Portraits

What photography items do you offer?

Albums
Canvas
Digital Files
Flush Mount
Matted Prints
Prints
Save the Date
Thank You Cards

Reviews of Intimate Wedding Studio

D
Danielle Sent on 02/18/2015
5 out of 5 rating
We absolutely loved our experience working with Kelly! Our pictures came out amazing and she was so sweet and easy to work with. We had a small afternoon elopement style ceremony on the coast. Our plan was to get married up above on the cliffs and hike down the natural trails to the beach for our couple pictures. It was awesome how willing she was to hike all over with us to get the right shot. She had scouted out a bunch of beautiful spots before we arrived so we got so many pictures out of the little time we had before leaving for the reception. We also didn't know what were doing behind the camera so we expected it to feel awkward and posey but she had so many good ideas for shots and a great energy so it was just really fun and the photos came out so natural. The wedding was really laid back and intimate and the pictures perfectly reflect that. We were beyond impressed with the quality of pictures we ended up with and the amount she took. I would recommend her and her team for any special events you want to remember forever. We will definitely use them for all of our future photography needs. Amazing work!
E
Erin Sent on 05/11/2015
5 out of 5 rating
Kelly was a wonderful photographer to work with. She went above and beyond to make sure my engagement photos were done in time for my party, and looked amazing! She is such a sweet soul with true talent, and I would recommend her to anyone!
M
Marin Sent on 02/24/2015
5 out of 5 rating
Kelly was fantastic at our corporate holiday party. The guests enjoyed her work and the photos came out great! We plan on using Simply Inspired next year, many thanks!
M
Maricar Sent on 01/08/2015
5 out of 5 rating
Kelly absolutely exceeded all of our expectations! My husband and I were initially wary about including professional wedding photography in our budget, but we are so glad we did because the photos are our favorite keepsake from the wedding. My husband and I are not "picture people" at all, meaning we are shy in front of the camera. Kelly has a calm energy about her that immediately helped us to feel at ease. She was also able to give us clear direction for poses that didn't feel awkward or unnatural. She and her amazing assistant completely captured our request for candid photos of our guests. Kelly's wedding packages are all-inclusive and she sent us our edited photos within a month following our wedding. She also responded to all emails/inquiries in a timely manner and was able to collaborate with our videographer and wedding planner. Finally, the quality of the photos themselves were beyond anything I could have expected. They were absolutely beautiful and captured all the positive emotions of the day. I would definitely recommend Kelly to anyone looking for a photographer!
C
Catherine Sent on 12/04/2014
5 out of 5 rating
Kelly is amazing. She shot my children and our family for a few years while we lived in the Bay Area. She got terrific shots of my kids which is a true feat in itself. One of the things I loved is all of the candids she got. My favorites still. I so wish she would come to Colorado and continue to be our photographer. Have considered flying her out!
C
Christie Sent on 11/15/2014
5 out of 5 rating
Hi my name is Christie Du Bord, I hired Kelly as a photographer when my youngest daughter, Staci was pregnant with her first child, a daughter, Zoey. Staci wanted something outside and Kelly was so thoughtful, she took us to a couple of different places but Kelly was willing to take us to several places until we felt like it was perfect! Her photographs are excellent. They are beautiful and well thought out. They were exactly everything Staci and I were hoping for. We also hired Kelly again once Zoey was born. Staci wanted professional photographs of Zoey as a new born. I would hire Kelly for her photos, her candor and most of all her professionalism.
K
Kasey Sent on 11/12/2014
5 out of 5 rating
Kelly is great! We hired her as our wedding photographer because 1) she is great at shooting with natural light and doesn't go for cheesy poses and, 2) is insanely reasonable for a very inclusive package! Part of her package includes an engagement session (which we otherwise likely wouldn't do) so Kelly shot our engagement photographs in September. We got the foggiest day of the year, but she made it work and the photos came out great! I am excited to have her (and her assistant- did I mention she has an assistant) shoot our San Francisco wedding in May 2015!
K
Kirsten Sent on 10/28/2014
5 out of 5 rating
Kelly is an amazing photographer! I felt instantly at ease from the moment we met to discuss what I wanted for my wedding pictures. She is extremely creative and pays attention to all of the little details. I was so excited to get my pictures back and see that she captured little things I had missed throughout the day. As the bride you have so much to focus on and the day goes so fast, It was nice to have a photographer I could trust and did not make me feel stressed out. It was an amazing day and I am forever grateful that I have so many beautiful pictures to remember it by. Kelly also did some amazing engagement photos. I would highly recommend her to anyone.
U
User1920722 Sent on 11/13/2014
4.9 out of 5 rating
My engagement and wedding photos were gorgeous. Kelly has a great eye, and puts a lot of consideration into finding the right shot.
R
Rachael Sent on 11/13/2014
4.8 out of 5 rating
Simply Inspired Photography was the perfect pick for our wedding and engagement photos. I'm really glad we did the engagement photo session, because we got to meet Kelly before the wedding. We felt surprisingly comfortable during our engagement photos, being the first photo session either of us had going into it. Kelly is super easy to get along with and good at directing!

Kelly and her assistant photographer also did an amazing job accommodating our casual outdoor wedding, including our casual (vague) timeline on the big day! They did a great job of documenting every detail of our wedding day without getting in the way or asking for direction, and provided easy-to-use, curated online galleries in the end. I highly recommend Simply Inspired Photography!
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

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Intimate Wedding Studio frequently asked questions

Intimate Wedding Studio includes the following photography services in the starting price:
  • High-Res Images
  • Digital Files
Intimate Wedding Studio includes the following photography services in their most popular wedding package:
  • 2nd Shooter
  • Engagement Shoot
  • High-Res Images
  • Multi. Locations
  • Digital Files
  • Prints
Intimate Wedding Studio offers the following photography styles:
  • Film
  • Natural
  • Photojournalism
  • Traditional
Intimate Wedding Studio offers the following photography services for weddings:
  • Additional Hours
  • Boudoir Shoot
  • Destination / Travel
  • Engagement Shoot
  • High-Res Images
  • Second Shooter
  • Wedding Portraits
Intimate Wedding Studio offers the following photography materials for weddings:
  • Albums
  • Canvas
  • Digital Files
  • Flush Mount
  • Matted Prints
  • Prints
  • Save the Date
  • Thank You Cards
Intimate Wedding Studio 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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