Ernst & Co. Reviews
Reviews
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
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![Olivia]()
Olivia Sent on 06/18/2026Incredible Sam!
Words really do not do Sam or her work justice. We hired her as a destination wedding photographer, and she was with us all weekend. Thank goodness! Because we and our friends and family all fell in love with her. First, Sam is just incredibly sweet, warm, and helpful. She acted honestly as a planner and coordinator just as much as a photographer. She didn't hesitate to jump in and help wherever she could, which was so appreciated. Second, she has the best energy. She is funny, kind, and totally no judgment. This means that she gets incredible, natural photographs. Lastly, she's unbelievably talented. She captured our days so beautifully -- and so well, in fact, that we plan to have vow renewals just to have Sam capture all the moments of our life together. Thank you, Sam! -
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![Jennifer]()
Jennifer Sent on 06/11/2024More than a photographer!
I cannot put into words how grateful I am that we booked Ernst & Co. as our wedding photographer. Not only is her work amazing – but she was so much more than a photographer on our wedding day.
Let me paint the full picture for you and start by saying I was thee Type A Bride. I had everything planned out to the T. Sam and Santana showed up to the getting ready room and started taking the detail shots as I finished getting ready, when I was done I went over to them and I was like “oh did you see this, did you shoot that?” Sam knew my vision and had already taken pictures of all the things that I hoped she would.
Getting into my wedding dress was a task – internal corset and 1 million buttons going down the back. Sam helped me in and out of that sucker when my sister and my mom could not do it!
Now for the story/wedding events that left my entire wedding party in awe of Ernst & Co. Photography. Myself and my husband had just finished our first look and Sam looks at me straight face, no bullshit, and says “okay, I need to know what photos you want taken outside, because those photos need to happen now” (It had been overcast all day but it wasn’t supposed to rain until 7:30-8:00 that night.) I told her that realistically I didn’t want any indoor shots but if we had to pick, I wanted the bridal party photos outside. We got all of those done and just as we finished a giant drop of rain fell on my arm.
We rushed inside as the sky opened and a total downpour started 3 hours early and roughly an hour before our ceremony was set to start. It felt like everything I had been planning was for nothing. That’s when Sam stepped up and helped us come up with a plan. We were moving the ceremony up 45 mins and getting married in the rain. My ENTIRE wedding party said if they didn’t know Sam was the photographer they would’ve swore she was with the venue coordination team. She was a crucial part of why I didn’t crumble under the pressure of having to move our ceremony up 45 minutes and doing it in a total downpour. I am so glad we decided to move forward with the ceremony in the rain because man, those photos are EVERYTHING!!
Other important points to hit on;
• Sam and Santana are just a blast to work with. They were cracking jokes left and right and the vibes were not stuffy by any means.
• They came with everything the bridal party could need; someone asked for a bobby pin, Sam already had it ready to go. Body tape, yup. Safety pin, yup.
• Their work speaks for itself, see photos below!
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![Casey]()
Casey Sent on 09/26/2023Perfectly captured our love.
We worked with Santana for our engagement shoot and the day of our wedding. She instantly made us feel comfortable and worked with our goofy personalities. She had such a huge role in our special day and it really felt like we were working with a friend. We got our sneak peek 3 days after the wedding and the photos were absolutely breathtaking. We can't wait to get the whole lot and have a viewing party. We can't recommend this team enough. -
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Emily Sent on 10/26/2022
Sam is a GEM!
On top of being an incredible talent (the photos from our engagement shoot and wedding are more than I could ever imagine), she is down to earth, fun, and helps you feel incredible on your wedding day. She is also super knowledgeable about the upstate wedding industry and can offer great advice. Sam also does a fantastic job keeping the day going and making sure she captures everything. Couldn't have asked for anyone better to represent our day! Highly highly recommend. -
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![Stephanie]()
Stephanie Sent on 09/12/2022Truly Amazing !
Such a great company to work with. Super nice and organized! Highly recommend :) -
Liz E. Sent on 02/02/2022
10/10 Would Recommend
I think that people may get sick of me raving about Sam from Ernst and Co. but I don't care. In the words of my husband, “She managed to make my stupid face look really good.” Anyone who can make my anti-photo husband relax and feel comfortable in front of a camera deserves everything.
Working with Sam is so easy. She talks to you honestly, gets you laughing, AND makes sure that your photos are something special! She’s the reason we went to the State Fair for photos and they were AMAZING. She’s the reason we have beautiful downtown photos from our wedding day. I have had the hardest time picking out which photos from our engagement shoot and our wedding to print and post. Which is a great problem to have!
If you are looking to have a friend with you on your big day, who will be concerned about you and only you, Sam is the person to book. She’s in your corner no matter what that day. She will make sure that your schedule, your shot lists, your wants, and maybe a bustle or two are done the way YOU want so you can have fun and enjoy it.
I don’t think we could’ve done the wedding without her. 10/10 would recommend booking Ernst and Co. The photos are out of this world but the experience with her made them even more special! -
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![Hannah]()
Hannah Sent on 11/18/2021Hire this women!
Oh Sam, we hired Sam for our wedding on 9/4/2021, after we lost our previous photographer due to a COVID rescheduled wedding, back in July of 2020. When we called her in November of 2020 and said “Hi, were eloping to the Adirondacks in January” she didn’t bat an eyelash. She strapped on her boots and puffy jacket and drove up to mountains with us where she witnessed our first marriage. Sam was GREAT that day she kept us alive in the 7 degree temperatures and knew all the best spots to get some amazing photos. Fast forward to September 2021, Sam came back to our actual wedding day and again same result. This time we said “Sam, there’s a creek out back and we really want to take photos in it…” Again cue amazing photographer, Sam kicked off her shoes rolled up her pants and practically dove into the creek to help us get some once in a lifetime shots. Even with some last minute schedule changes Sam was there with a helping hand. She provided advise, an extra set of hands, and overall a great friend to have around on a super stressful day. Not only is Sam’s work AMAZING but she is a wonderful person to be around on your wedding day. Anything you could ever need Sam will help with, I need more big life events to happen so I can hire her for all of them.
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![Jeff]()
Jeff Sent on 12/13/2020Best Photographer EVER
Even in the midst of a pandemic, Sam made both of our wedding days amazing! She was extremely flexible and easy to coordinate with while everything was changing minute to minute. Our first wedding day (6/6) was cancelled due to the the pandemic and instead, we had a small ceremony with just our families. Sam was down for whatever we wanted to do and travelled over an hour to capture our elopement. Just a few months later, Sam was with us again to capture the big wedding day. The pictures were so amazing that it was impossible to narrow down favorites -- we currently have 10+ canvases all over our house and, somehow, we still have more of our favorite shots that didn't make the cut! Sam is the best of the best who provides incredible photos to look back on, while also making the experience fun and free of awkwardness. HIRE HER! -
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![Jess]()
Jess Sent on 12/05/2020My favorite vendor
I honestly can’t say enough great things about Sam, she was hands down my favorite vendor of the wedding. From our engagement shoot, to our wedding, she blew our photos out of the park!! We are sooo in love with every. single. picture. She is so so so fun to work with and makes you so comfortable in front of a camera. As long as Sam is photographing, we’ll be clients for life!! -
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![Alexa]()
Alexa Sent on 11/21/2020Amazing, fun, & talented
I booked Sam for my wedding and she was nothing short of outstanding. She was so fun to work with, all we did was laugh during our sessions. She was so much fun on our wedding day and I didn’t have to worry about a thing - she had it covered. Between our engagement session and wedding day, I can’t pick a favorite picture.. because they’re all my favorite. I can’t wait to work with her in the future to continue capturing special moments in our lives! -
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![Kathryn]()
Kathryn Sent on 03/28/2020Book now! This woman knows exactly what shes doing.
Once I saw Sams work, I knew she was who I wanted to be our wedding photographer! Our engagement and wedding photos came out AMAZING. We felt like she completely understood our personalities and knew exactly what we were looking for on our special day. We could not have asked for a better photographer to capture those moments for us. She had our complete trust the second we met her and I plan on using Sam again for any occasion we have in the future!
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![Samantha]()
Samantha Sent on 02/16/2020We looked Magical!!!!
Where do I even start with how great Sam is!? She did our engagement and wedding photos and they both came out fantastic and we look magical!!! Sam is down to earth and fun and easy to talk to, not the stuffy type at all. I’m very uncomfortable and kind of awkward in front of a camera so Sam cracked jokes to get a genuine smile out of me and the end results are perfection! On my wedding day she ended up being our photographer plus coordinator. She helped manage bumps in the timeline, coordinated with my other vendors, and even helped me into my dress when my sister couldn’t figure out the lace back! When it rained during golden hour and we missed out on those glorious sunset photos everyone’s after, she offered to do them the next week near her house! We got to get all dolled up and put our wedding dress/ suit back on to capture some of my favorite photos from the whole wedding. I don’t plan to use any other photographer to capture our life events! It was a pleasure to work with her! If you’re looking for moody, magical, gorgeous, lifestyle, candied photos of your ANYTHING... book Sam because she’s just wonderful! -
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![Bailey]()
Bailey Sent on 02/14/2020We loved partnering with Samantha on our confetti-tossing, love-filled day!
We virtually “interviewed” three photographers before talking with Samantha Ernst at Balsam and Honey Photography. As soon as Samantha popped up on the screen, we knew she would be our wedding photographer. Of course we had seen her photos before, but Samantha brought a contagious positive energy and a calming presence that we knew we needed to have by our side on our wedding day and during the planning process.
Samantha was the photographer for our engagement session and our wedding day. To be honest, I do not like typical engagement photos or wedding photos. My husband and I value our sincere love of life and love for each other. Our biggest goal was to have both of these values shine in all of our photos. We were able to partner with Samantha in the creative process. We had ideas and she has ideas and they all came together beautifully. For our engagement session, we played with sunflowers, headphones, and carousels. For our wedding, we played with (A LOT OF) confetti, smoke bombs, and champagne.
My husband had an absolute blast with Samantha’s second photographer, Derek, on the day of the wedding. Derek helped my husband capture what it means to be a groom and meaningfully highlighted (with humor) the getting ready process.
My husband and I were absolutely thrilled with all of the photos that Samantha of Balsam and Honey Photography shared with us and we hope to work with her again in the future to capture more of life’s important moments. -
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Brianna Sent on 02/06/2020
Professional, fun, and exceeded all of my expectations!
My husband and I got married this past August. Sam did our friends engagement photos and wedding. When we saw their photos we just knew we had to have her. I’m not someone who likes to be photographed or the center of attention and she made us feel so relaxed. Honestly, after seeing our photos for our engagement and wedding I’m surprised she didn’t charge more than she did. If you want photos that literally makes everyone look amazing, and have a photographer listen to what you actually want then Balsam and Honey is the only photographer for the job. We don’t have children yet but I will 100% be doing a maternity shoot with her! -
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![Chelsea]()
Chelsea Sent on 02/04/2020Highly recommend!!
Sam went above an beyond with everything she did. From meeting with her to plan our engagement pictures to planning the style of photos we wanted to offering advice and suggestions for other vendors for hair, makeup, etc she was amazing!! If I had to do it all over again I would choose her 100 times over! I love looking back at our photos and reliving the day all over again! -
Steph Sent on 02/04/2020
Outstanding
She IS who should be taking photos of your wedding. Highly recommend Sam to be the one to capture you and your special someone on your MOST Important day. She is so down to earth and helps you feel extremely comfortable in front of the camera. I am so happy I booked with her, my engagement photos came out amazing- better than I could imagine. Not sure what to wear? She’ll even give you outfit suggestions to go with her vision. -
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![Kellie]()
Kellie Sent on 09/25/2019Best Choice- hands down
Samantha was an absolute pleasure to work with, especially for someone like me who is definitely not comfortable in front of a camera. She is great with giving direction and getting a truly genuine smile out of you. She is also just a really great and fun person to work with. From the moment we met her she had us cracking up with her stories. We even got to meet her cute little family, who were just adorable. Our engagement pictures came out fantastic and the little sneak peeks shes shared with us are absolutely GORGEOUS. I can't wait to see the rest. -
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Emily Sent on 09/18/2019
Phenomenal
Amazing experience! Sam did everything we needed and more to perfectly capture our special day. -
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Nicole Sent on 09/17/2019
Sam is the Best!!
Choosing Balsam and Honey for our wedding was the best decision we made during the wedding planning process!! Sam is so down to earth and easy to get along with, it felt like working with a friend. She made us feel confident and comfortable, from the first meeting to our wedding day. She was very easy to contact, very flexible to work with, and was always there to lend an ear during wedding planning. Her and Derek got so many amazing shots of our special day, and we will cherish the photos for years to come! We were beyond happy with our finished product, and can't wait to work with her in the future! -
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Laura Sent on 07/29/2019
Some of our favorite memories..
AMAZING! I can not recommend Balsam & Honey Photography & Weddings enough!!!! Samantha has been & continues to be a joy to work with from our engagement photos to post-wedding! It is hard to know where to begin. As a couple we were nervous & hesitant to get in front of the camera, she made us feel so much at ease. We have some of the best engagement & wedding photos. Samantha was professional, responsive & reliable. She not only is skilled behind the camera but has a way of making you feel completely comfortable while having a great time. Derek (the 2nd shooter) took the time to get some amazing detailed shots, we will cherish. They are a great team. Looking back, some of our favorite wedding memories are getting our engagement & wedding photos taken. We can't wait to continue to work with Samantha throughout our life together! -
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Brianna Sent on 03/17/2019
Simply amazing! ❤️
If you are looking for a photographer to capture those moments of the best day of your life- look no further!! Sam and Derek did a phenomenal job with both our engagement and wedding photos! She went above and beyond to make sure everything went smoothly. She was very quick to reply to my many messages with multiple questions (my wedding planning brain went wild) and she was very open and honest when it came to asking questions or for opinions. Sam was easily became a part of my wedding planning process! Her humor made wedding party group shots super easy (especially when it comes to those who hardly ever crack a smile.)
I highly recommend Sam for any photography job whether it be wedding, engagement, family shoots or even just a cute couples photo shoot! -
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![Katharyn]()
Katharyn Sent on 03/13/2019Best photographer EVER
If you're reading this, hire Sam. You won't regret it. From the very beginning she was friendly and easy going. We met her at Dunkin Donuts, looked at some of her pictures, and hired her that day. I was nervous going into engagement pictures because I thought it would be awkward. Definitely wrong. Sam made it so easy to relax and just pretend she wasn't there while adding little anecdotes to make us laugh out loud. I was beyond happy with how the photos turned out. Leading up to our wedding day Sam was great at responding and answering any questions I had. The day of the wedding she showed up while all of us girls were getting ready while Derek met up with the guys. She fit right in like we had all been friends forever. I am definitely glad we decided to have both Sam and Derek there because I wanted pictures of the girls as well as the guys and was wanted tons of pictures (and boy did I get a lot of pictures). The whole day was magical and now I can look back at it with the AMAZING pictures. I have so many favorites it's impossible to pick one let alone 20 to hang up in our house. Sam and Derek were super personable and made this whole experience relaxing and perfect. I highly suggest her to anyone looking for a photographer and can't wait to plan more sessions in the future! -
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![Olivia]()
Olivia Sent on 03/02/2019Absolutely amazing and stunning photos !
My experience with balsam and honey was more than expected! My photos were absolutely stunning and exactly what I wanted. Sam was so professional and easy to work with . She made me feel absolutely gorgeous and stunning on my wedding day. She captured every moment with my husband and I that was wanted. -
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![Jenna]()
Jenna Sent on 03/02/2019Simply amazing!
If I could give Sam and Derek a 10 star review I would. When we started to decide on vendors for our wedding, my husband knew exactly who he wanted for a photographer and I couldn’t have agreed more. Sam made everything so easy for us from start to finish, from our engagement pictures to our wedding day. She kept us laughing and made us comfortable every time. When we received our photos I cried because they were so perfect. Sam pays attention to the small intricate details that I would have never thought of. I gave her some ideas of what I wanted, she took my ideas and ran with them and even threw in a few of her own. Not only are the posed photos beautiful, but the natural candid photos are probably my favorite. Sam goes above and beyond for her clients and not just with photos but she even helped me get ready, kept me calm and collected, and on schedule. I would recommend anyone looking for a photographer to just book Sam and Derek because you would not be disappointed!! -
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Mariah Sent on 02/18/2019
Great choice!
Sam and Derek are amazing! They made everything so easy and smooth. Sam will help you with anything you need! She really goes above and beyond to make you day special! -
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![Alyssa]()
Alyssa Sent on 10/17/2018Stunning photography!
Sam and Derek are amazing! They made my husband and I along with our bridal party and families very comfortable and relaxed. She has an eye for photography and an amazing personality. I've only gotten a sneak peek back but the photos we received are absolutely amazing, we cannot wait to see more! I couldn't speak higher of her as a person or her professionalism. She had us laughing and smiling the whole time, which made us look like my husband and I had a clue of what we were doing! If you're thinking about Balsam & Honey Photography..don't think just book her! :) -
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Eileen Sent on 05/29/2018Sam was absolutely amazing to work with. She made us feel comfortable in front of the camera, and kept our wedding party on track all day! The preview we have seen of our wedding photos is absolutely gorgeous, we cannot wait to see all of our photos and our album when it’s completed! I plan on using her for any and all of our future family photos!
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