Hotel St. Hubertus · Westerwald
Michelle and Marlene
A first look in the garden, an outdoor ceremony and a full moon with the cows.
Read the story
Lesbian, gay and queer weddings Simply you
I am Janet, lesbian myself and part of the community.
Whether you are planning a lesbian wedding, a gay wedding or one without any label: I photograph you the way you are together. Whether in Bruchsal, around Karlsruhe, in Munich or anywhere else in Germany. For LGBTQIA+ couples I am happy to travel further than my packages say.
Who will be
by your side
I am Janet (she/her), a lesbian and queer wedding photographer from Bruchsal near Karlsruhe.
The person by your side on your wedding day makes a difference. Allies matter, and many do their work well. Someone from the community brings an understanding that is harder to imitate. Nobody has to explain to me why an aunt’s glance may weigh more heavily than her words, or why you hesitate for a moment before a first kiss in front of everyone. You do not have to translate yourselves on your day.
I like to be part of the group at weddings. I laugh with your guests and give direction when it helps. I also know when I can simply be there quietly with my camera.
More about meTwo weddings,
two very different days
All wedding stories
Your day,
your choices
Many traditional wedding customs are lovely, and many come from a time when same sex couples could not even marry in Germany. A father giving away the bride. Cutting the cake in a prescribed order. If you like those traditions, make them yours. If you want to break with the assumptions behind them, that is just as valid. You owe nobody an explanation.
That applies to everything that makes up your day: what you wear, its colour, how the ceremony unfolds and whether there is any programme at all. What matters is that you plan the day you want, rather than the one others imagine for you.
There is no pressure from me. I have no list of pictures that supposedly belong in every wedding, and no activity you have to join out of politeness.
Chosen family
is family
Not every couple celebrates with their family of origin. Some invite only a few relatives; others invite none. The people you chose for yourselves are not a substitute. They are your wedding party.
I do not ask why someone is missing. You do not need to explain your family relationships for me to photograph your day well. I only need to know who is there and who matters to you. Whether you celebrate with eight people or 120 does not change that.
Your pronouns
matter to me
My form asks for your names, not for a bride and groom. Tell me the pronouns you use, and I will use them when we plan, when I gather guests for group photographs and when speaking with the other people working at your wedding.
If a document carries a different name from the one you use, that is not an issue for me. I do not ask about transition or bodies, and I do not decide which of you should be the bride. In front of my camera, you are two people getting married.
Perhaps your wedding feels entirely natural to you. Perhaps the road there has been long. You only need to tell me as much as you want. I do not need your coming out story to see what is happening between you.
A schedule
that suits you
Begin together or separately?
You can get ready together or see each other later. A first look is an option, not a must.
Keep your people in mind
Who should definitely be in a photograph with you? A short list beforehand helps us find those people and plan group pictures without a long wait.
Room to breathe
Couple portraits need not interrupt the celebration for long. A short walk after the ceremony or a little time in the evening may fit. We will find a moment that does not pull you away from your own party.
Without fixed poses
or roles
During couple portraits, I give you small prompts that suit you. We walk, pause or look around. Nobody has to take on a particular role for the camera.
Your schedule stays flexible too. A first look, ceremony, photographs together or simply plenty of time with your people: tell me what you want to include, and I will plan my coverage around it.
A possible wedding day
Tell me about your wedding
Get to know me
Your photographs
Your visibility
Making photographs of lesbian and gay weddings visible can mean a great deal. For other couples, privacy matters most because not everyone is out at work or in their family. My rule is simple: no image of you goes online unless you have explicitly allowed it. Not on this website, not on Instagram, not in a portfolio.
We record in writing beforehand exactly what that permission covers. Tell me what is and is not right for you. Saying no costs you nothing and does not change your photography.
The wedding in this photo
How I can
photograph your day
From a civil ceremony to a full celebration or a small wedding: here you can explore my work and the price preview.
Read more
What you can
ask me
Do you photograph gay weddings too?
Yes. The process is the same as for any other wedding: we talk beforehand about what your day should look like, and I plan my coverage around it. The fact that you currently see weddings with two brides here comes down to which photos I am allowed to publish, and says nothing about who I photograph.
Do you photograph trans and nonbinary couples?
Yes. You do not need to take on a role for my camera. Your names, how I address you, your clothes and the way you are together are up to you. Tell me what matters to you and what makes you comfortable.
What does photography cost for a same sex wedding?
The same as for any other wedding: half-day coverage starts at €1,200 and a full wedding day at €2,400. I do not have a separate price for queer couples, higher or lower. In my price preview you can choose the coverage that fits your day and see its approximate cost straight away.
We feel unsure in front of the camera. What happens then?
Almost everyone feels that way, including couples who did not expect to. You do not need to bring poses. I give you small prompts so you can focus on each other rather than the camera. After ten minutes, most people forget I am there.
Do you also photograph small civil weddings?
Yes, and I enjoy them. Two hours at the registry office followed by a short walk is a complete booking, not a consolation prize. You can put exactly that together in my price preview. What to look out for at the registry office, for example with photos and the number of guests, I have summed up using Karlsruhe as an example in a separate post .
Do you photograph queer weddings in Munich?
Yes. Munich is my second home base, so I am regularly there and around Upper Bavaria. With full-day coverage, travel within 100 kilometres of Munich is included, just as around Karlsruhe. More about weddings in Bavaria is on my page for Munich, Upper Bavaria and the Alps.
Do you photograph same sex weddings outside Karlsruhe?
Yes. I am based in Bruchsal near Karlsruhe and travel throughout Germany for weddings and elopements. Travel within 100 kilometres of Karlsruhe or Munich is included with a full day; longer journeys and any overnight stay are included in your offer. I am happy to travel further for queer weddings than my standard terms suggest. If the journey is the only reason you think we cannot work together, please tell me before deciding.
Since when have same sex couples been able to marry in Germany?
Since 1 October 2017. Marriage equality took effect that day, allowing same sex couples to marry in Germany. Before that, registered civil partnerships had been available since 2001. An existing partnership can be converted into a marriage at the registry office, and I am happy to photograph that appointment too.
Can we speak English with you?
Yes. We can plan and communicate in German or English. If you are looking for a lesbian wedding photographer near Karlsruhe and would rather write in English, just do. Please also tell me which languages your guests speak.
„Schon am Tag selbst haben wir uns mit ihr total wohlgefühlt. Sie war super sympathisch, herzlich und hat es geschafft, dass die Fotos ganz natürlich entstanden sind und wir uns dabei überhaupt nicht verstellen mussten.“
Antonia M. Original German excerpt from a Google review
„Mit ihren klaren Ansagen, tollen Ideen und ihrer professionellen Art hat sie uns absolut überzeugt.“
Anna Gori Original German excerpt from a Google review
„Sie hatte ebenfalls super Laune und hat uns damit motiviert. Wir haben uns wohl gefühlt und sind glücklich über das Ergebnis.“
Timo S Original German excerpt from a Google review
How would you like to celebrate?
Tell me who will be there and what you want to include in your day. We will work out the rest together.