Carlyn K Photography

ing with spreadsheets and other papers, after all) but rather that she was the connecting piece among all the somewhat disparate parts that go into pulling off a wedding. Plus, she took some amazing photos that we’ll treasure forever. Let me explain: We met Carlyn a full year and a couple of months before our wedding. Having wonderful photos was one of our top priorities, and we began the search for the right photographer shortly after getting engaged. Carlyn stood out to us immediately: The photos on her website just seemed so . . . happy. We kept returning to her work as we browsed others’ photos and found ourselves drawn to the authentic, relaxed feel that pervaded them. During our first phone chat with Carlyn, her excitement over the cookie table (and her insistence that it be photographed) really sold me. For my then-fiancé (now husband!), it was that she wasn’t going to force us to pose in awkward and artificial ways, which I also appreciated. She also provided an initial timeline of the day at this point, which was an immense help. During our subsequent meetings, we worked to refine this timeline, polishing it until the very end. Carlyn was meticulous about other things too, even having us fill out a worksheet listing special details we wanted to capture. In the more than one year that we worked with her, Carlyn was always available to respond to our questions and concerns, and she was so helpful and supportive during the craziness that is planning a wedding. She saw us through a venue change, many schedule adjustments, and more. Throughout it all, she was encouraging and seemed genuinely excited to hear about the details of our wedding and our progress in wedding planning. Carlyn’s enthusiasm for what she does and the people she works with really comes through in her photos. She lets people be themselves, which isn’t the easiest thing to do when you’re in front of a camera. Carlyn is masterful in putting people at ease (for instance, our engagement session began at our house in Pittsburgh with our cat), though, and she’s also a true professional. She kept our wedding day moving and on track, not only making sure that all the desired photos were taken at the right times but also navigating unexpected issues (which inevitably happen on a wedding day) as they arose. We loved, too, that in the days after the wedding, Carlyn shared sneak peeks of the photos with us—and had our entire gallery ready for viewing less than a week later. It was a treat to be able to look through our wedding photos on our honeymoon. I could go on and on about Carlyn. In short, hiring her to document our day was the best wedding-related decision we made. Our photos are not only beautiful, but they also perfectly encapsulate the feelings and emotions of that day.

re amazing shots without any strangers in the background- truly an impressive feat! On our wedding day, Carlyn was on-time and amazing from beginning to end. She was sweet but managed to keep our bridal party under control. She is amazing at capturing emotion- both candid and more staged- which is why we originally chose her, and we weren't disappointed! Our photos are great, and so is she! Thanks, Carlyn, for capturing memories we will always cherish!

e absolutely best choice we could have made. My fiancé and I were looking for a photographer with a journalistic style. We wanted real smiles and emotion. We looked at all the best Cleveland photographers, many of whom were already booked or not in our budget. When we had narrowed to a select list, an already booked CLE photographer referred us to Carlyn. Because she’s based out of Youngstown, she wasn’t on our radar. Boy, is Cleveland missing out on a gem. Carlyn is phenomenal. She’s incredibly supportive and encouraging and provides a wealth of insight. She makes herself available to her clients by phone, text, and email. She always has a kind word and excellent advice. When we were nervous about confirming our ceremony time before printing invites, she helped us to plan the timeline for our entire wedding day. Though a wedding planner isn’t in our budget, with Carlyn, it feels like we have one. She thinks of everything! Not only are her fees competitive and fair, but she includes an engagement session as part of the package. My fiancé and I just spent a fantastic day with Carlyn. I was nervous, but after a few minutes, we felt like we were simply hanging out with an old friend. Carlyn gave us games to play, and we had such a blast. She was even thoughtful enough to scout our Cleveland location in advance and found an eye-catching mural we didn’t know existed in our fav neighborhood. Our laughter and smiles are real, and we’ve received so many compliments on the authenticity and artistry of Carlyn’s photos. Not only are we looking forward to Carlyn documenting our wedding day, we’re looking forward to her capturing all the milestones in the life of our family, as well.

ked us great questions during the photos so the shots of us laughing are 100% real. We are so excited for the wedding photos because we know they will be amazing. Would highly recommend Carlyn!

rience was. There are a lot of great vendors out there, but how many can you say are an absolute blast to work with? Not only was she easy going and very organized – she was fun! Her joy for her work is contagious and you will be smiling ear to ear the whole time. The wedding package came with a complimentary engagement shoot, which was so crucial for us because we were both not all that comfortable in front of cameras. Carlyn made the session so interactive that we forgot we were even being photographed! We were laughing and goofing off and eating ice cream! By the time the big day arrived we felt like pros at this photo thing. We were comfortable, relaxed, and understood Carlyn’s style and process. She’s a genius for including the engagement session as a trial run through! Friends and family are still raving about how the shots turned out. For the wedding day – she prepared a full timeline for us. This took the stress out of several parts of planning and we didn’t have to worry about when and where and how to get all of the right shots. She did the heavy lifting for us. Her creativity is so fun to be a part of and she’s open to your ideas as well. We literally ran through a cornfield while she snapped away! The wedding was on Saturday and she had sneak peak shots for us on social media by Sunday afternoon. She won’t leaving you hangin’! Did I mention that she even checked in on me the night before and the morning of? She offered to tie up any loose ends I had that might be stressing me out. Who does that!? It was amazing. When I realized I forgot to get my ring cleaned – she showed up, cleaner in hand, and polished it for me. You won’t regret hiring her. Do it now. Like….right now!

is photo taken!) She captured every moment of our wedding and told our story through her photos. You can tell this is the perfect career for her by her exuberance and natural ability to capture life's greatest moments. Carlyn's photos speak for themselves. She has a real talent for capturing candid and genuine moments. She does a great job organizing the timeline of how the day should progress and also of making sure she gets the shots you want. Not only that, she was super quick in getting our online gallery to us--for that we are ever so grateful!!! I have heard SO many compliments from our family and friends. I would HIGHLY recommend Carlyn to anyone looking for a wedding photographer!

olutely loved her!