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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

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!
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!
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
Christine Sent on 01/20/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Rachel is the best!

Rachel is such an incredible photographer. She is easy to work with on the pre-planning details, is so great to be around on the wedding day (my husband and I aren't the most comfortable around cameras) and delivered beautiful photos. I would highly recommend her to anyone.
M
Michaela Sent on 07/16/2015
5 out of 5 rating
A picture is worth a thousand words, and Rachel holds to that truth. To me, one of the most important services in a wedding is the photographer. Photographs last a lifetime, so selecting the right photographer to capture my special moments was crucial. I lucked out though because my engagement session photographer was literally dropped in my lap! By the grace of God, Rachel was that person! My fiancé and I could not have asked for a more genuine, heart-felt person to shoot one of the defining moments in our journey towards our wedding day. Everything that came out of the session, we liked! Rachel has a very creative way of capturing the beauty of a single moment. From the start, Rachel was great to work with - very personable and easy going! Not to mention, so smooth in her surprise to tell me, along with my bridesmaids and owners of Emma and Grace Bridal, I had been the winner of a GIFT OF A LIFETIME. The day we were scheduled to shoot our engagement photos, it poured and poured! Rachel reached out to me first thing and assured me everything was going to be ok - we could reschedule, which made me feel way less stressed. When planning a wedding, you know how precious everyone’s time is and you would hate to take that for granted. The shoot was just a breeze and she makes it so effortless. Working with Rachel was great! And now with all of the photos in front of me, I am so thankful we were given the experience to capture all of those moments!! Memories that will last a lifetime!
Andi
Andi Sent on 03/21/2019
5 out of 5 rating

The Ninja of Wedding Photography and Perfect Images!

We had the best experience with Rachel. She not only captured incredible portrait and candid images from our ceremony and reception (beautiful light and airy photos that make everyone look good), but she also got the greatest shots from our welcome party and a day spent at the local farmers' market with our family and friends. She also spent time getting to know us as a couple, and the photos reflect that. Most importantly, Rachel is like a ninja of wedding photography! My biggest pet peeve at weddings, particularly ceremonies, is when the wedding photographer is blocking the view or otherwise distracting from the service. Rachel was exactly the opposite- you don't even see her, yet somehow she captures the most incredible moments on film. We could not be happier with Rachel's photos and have already recommended to her to several family and friends.
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.
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.
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.
M
Madeline Sent on 11/04/2016
5 out of 5 rating
There are not enough words to describe how happy we are we chose Rachel as our photographer. She is so responsive to emails and questions, provides guidance on other areas of your wedding if you ask as well, and makes you feel so at ease and comfortable knowing she will capture all the best moments of your day. Not only all of these things, but Rachel's photos are also so amazing and beautiful and capture such special moments as bride and groom; we have received a few teaser photos so far and I know the rest of them will be just as amazing. We picked Rachel after seeing the photos from another wedding we attended and are so happy we did! Now, we have beautiful photos to remember this special day and to share with our family and having those are truly priceless because the day goes by so quickly that memory isn't enough. One of her best talents is making you feel at ease when she is taking photos; she knows just how to tell you to pose and she tells you if your hand looks weird or hair is out of place, so you know she is really thinking about the whole photo and making sure you are happy with the way it turns out. It can also be awkward sometimes to have someone taking so many photos, but we felt none of that with Rachel and just felt as though we were spending special time together while also having those moments captured.
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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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