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Hiring offbeat-friendly vendors is often not easy. And then sometimes you find one who just makes perfect sense. And in this case, our partner, Seattle-based Tom Ellis Photography, falls easily into the latter category. He's super experienced, has affordable and ultra customizable packages, has over 1000 weddings under his belt (no joke, he's got the chops!), and is so ready to field all your authentic, sentimental, and totally offbeat ideas for your wedding. When it's all over, you'll be ugly crying over how beautiful everything looks in your photos.
You may remember his work from this fantasy dream wedding we featured! So yeah, offbeat couples totally know they can just be themselves with Tom. Oh! And stay tuned for a special promo just for Offbeat Bride readers…
He's super experienced
You can totally snag a photographer new to the scene, but it's sometimes a gamble when it comes to the final result. Hiring someone like Tom with over 30 years(!) of experience means you're guaranteed to have tons of skill channeled into making your photos amazing. Plus, you know that Tom's seen every situation imaginable, so he can handle anything that happens. Those candid moments at the ceremony? He knows when they usually happen. Those hilarious and offbeat group poses? He's seen it all and ready to field ALL of your ideas.
plus, since he's been working in the Seattle area for so long, he's photographed tons of gorgeous venues. He knows where the best photo ops are, where the lighting is awesome at sunset, and how to maximize the space for great shots. Here are some of the venues he's worked to see if yours is there.
Here's what Tom told us about who he's looking for and why they'll LOVE him…
I’m looking for couples who want to have FUN with their wedding photography! Maybe you've never been married before, or even been to a wedding. You might totally know what you want for your photos or have no idea what you want, other than that you want them to be great. No worries — I’ve done this a LOT of times, and it is my job to help you create the kind of magical pictures that you want to record your day. So let’s work together and make some amazing photos.
He's super flexible
Y'all know we love when vendors are open with their pricing, and Tom is! See his affordable packages here. But the best part is that he's got a totally flexible mindset and can craft up a custom package for you based on what you're looking for. Want high-quality photo prints, rehearsal dinner coverage, an engagement shoot, trash the dress, or just want a streamlined package that will fit your budget? There's a way to make it happen with Tom. He's totally on your side and ready to make it work for your needs and budget (praise hands emoji!).
He's got major fans
With over 1000 weddings shot, Tom has a roster of super happy couples who have his work hanging on their walls right now. He's worked with couples of all types (including many LGBTQ) and weddings of all sizes. Let's hear from a few of his biggest fans…
From the first phone call to receiving our beautiful wedding album, and everything in between, my husband and I couldn't have been happier working with Tom! He was so easy to work with from the engagement session to the day of the wedding. We had purchased his Collection Four package because our wedding fell on NYE, so I wanted to have him for hair/makeup and through midnight. It was worth every penny.
One thing that struck me while working with Tom is how much I felt like I was working with a friend of the family instead of a complete stranger. His photography is beautiful and he is very particular about the shots, as well as making sure YOU are happy with the shots. There were many times where he came up to us after a shot to show the picture to us on his camera. Throughout the entire wedding day Tom was AMAZING! He honestly acted as another day-of coordinator in my mind – he took pictures that day from 8:30am to 1am! He was very great about rolling with our LONG timeline and working with our actual day-of coordinator for the event (Lake Union Café), as well as our DJ who MC'd, to make sure everything was going smoothly and that we were happy with everything that was happening. He was great about getting photos that he knew would be important to us and on the list, as well as corralling us for certain photo ops which I am now so thankful for!
Tom was just such an integral part of this whole process for us from our engagement pictures right up until the last moments of our wedding (honestly I kind of felt like I was losing a limb when he left!), and we couldn't have been happier with the beautiful moments he captured for us, and his advice and assistance throughout the wonderful whirlwind of a journey it was to plan and put on a wedding!
– Amy and Joey
We hired Tom to take both our engagement & wedding photos for us. We didn't know really know exactly which shots would look the best, but Tom has a great eye and was very patient in guiding and positioning us, allowing him to capture many different angles and unique shots. We were married September 2016 at Georgetown Ballroom, and Tom assisted in selecting many action and set shots near the railroad tracks, under the freeway overpass, as well as throughout the venue.
We have been extremely satisfied with the quality of the photos, and they truly show the depth of his vast experience and talent. Even though Tom works alone, he had the amazing knack to know exactly where to be at the right time to catch some exceptional memories. The creative design and quality of our physical photo book far surpassed our expectations. Tom is very professional and responsive to queries. If you need an outstanding photographer you can trust for your wedding or event, I highly recommend Tom Ellis Photography.
– Doug and Mike
We can't recommend Tom highly enough! My fiance and I decided to elope, wanting to avoid the stress and complications that come with a traditional wedding, and Tom was the perfect photographer for us. He was readily available and quick to respond to any of our questions while we were planning our day. He was creative and collaborative during our photography session, actively seeking our opinions and requests while providing a fantastic amount of ideas for poses and backgrounds. And the final pictures that he provided to us were simply beautiful, perfectly capturing the uncomplicated joy of our courthouse wedding! If you're considering Tom for your wedding, or for some other event, we recommend you do! It will be the easiest, and best, decision you make!
– Jeremy and Danny
My wife and I loved working with Tom for both our engagement photos and our wedding photos. Tom immediately made everyone in the whole bridal party feel comfortable and like we could just enjoy the day. His skill with working with silhouettes especially in nature was phenomenal and we will treasure our photos forever. Tom was also incredibly flexible about capturing moments that were important to us, as well as having many ideas of his own. One of the most professional and wonderful people to work with! 🙂
– Julika and Jess
He's got a killer deal
Offbeat Bride reader promotion:
Mention that you found Tom on Offbeat Bride when you book and you'll get a FREE video slideshow of your wedding (regular price $400) with any of his standard wedding package collections.
Tom Ellis Photography is one of the Seattle area's most requested and recommended wedding photographers, so you know you're in the BEST of hands when you book. And trust me, once that big decision is out of the way and you know you're not dealing with an amateur, things get way less stressful.
Reach out to Tom and see if he's got your date available!
About the Author: Catherine Clark
Catherine Clark loiters at her local library, makes art, watches movies en masse, plays video and tabletop games, poorly cooks healthy things, cuddles with her feline fur babies, and blogs at BijouxandBits.com.
