Candid Wedding Photographer – West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, DC & Beyond
Hi, I'm Aaron.
I live in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle, which means I’m right next to DC, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Baltimore—but don’t let my home base fool you. I photograph weddings everywhere.
California? Yep. New Jersey? Absolutely. The middle of nowhere with questionable cell service? Sure, just send me the GPS coordinates. If there’s a plane involved, I’m already checking in.
I don’t do stiff, overly posed wedding photos where everyone looks like they just met. I photograph weddings the way they actually feel—the big, loud, joyful, fleeting moments you don’t even realize are happening until you see them frozen in a photo. The deep belly laughs. The ugly cries. The way your person looks at you when they think no one’s watching.
Maybe your wedding is in the mountains, a backyard, a vineyard, or some place so remote it doesn’t even show up on Google Maps. Maybe it’s a massive party with 200 people or an intimate elopement with just the two of you. Whatever it is, I’m in. Your wedding photos should do more than just prove it happened—they should take you right back to the moment, every time.
Also, if you happen to have a dog at your wedding, just know I’ll probably be taking a ridiculous number of photos of them too. I love working with dogs—so much so that I run a dedicated pet portrait business capturing them in all their goofy, soulful, and lovable glory. If that sounds like something you’d be into, check out my 🔗 pet portrait work here. 🔗
WHY WORK WITH ME?
EXPERTISE & ADAPTABILITY
Backyard wedding? Let’s do it. Mountaintop elopement? I’ll bring my hiking boots. Ballroom in the middle of a city? I’ll be there, dressed like a guest who just happens to have a camera. I’ve photographed weddings in every setting imaginable, and I know how to adapt to whatever your day throws at us—bad weather, surprise schedule changes, or your dog deciding they want to be part of the ceremony.
PERSONALIZED APPROACH
Your wedding deserves a photographer who actually cares—not just someone checking off a shot list. My job isn’t just to take pictures; it’s to document your day as it actually happens. The weird, the beautiful, the emotional, the “oh my god, I can’t believe that just happened” moments. Years from now, when you look back at your photos, I want you to feel them.
CANDID & NATURAL
If you want stiff, forced poses, I’m probably not your guy. I specialize in real, unscripted, blink-and-you-miss-it moments. The deep belly laughs. The ugly cries. The way your person looks at you when they think no one’s watching. No fake smiles, no awkward prom-style posing—just authentic, storytelling wedding photography that actually feels like you.
HEARTFELT CONNECTION
I live in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle, which means I’m just a short drive from DC, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and beyond. But no matter where your wedding is, I approach it the same way: with care, creativity, and a deep respect for telling your story honestly. Your wedding isn’t just an event—it’s a collection of once-in-a-lifetime moments. And I’m here to make sure they’re captured the way they deserve to be.
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
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“I was so pleased to have Aaron do our engagement photos, which turned out to be breathtaking! We said we wanted to be out in nature, and Aaron delivered--the gorgeous, dramatic photos were worth the pre-dawn hike in below-freezing weather! Not only was Aaron willing to go on the adventure for the photos, he suggested the location! Definitely book Aaron if you're looking for someone willing to go above-and-beyond to capture the perfect moment.”
Lillian
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“We hired Aaron as our wedding photographer this past year and he was everything you could ever ask for in a photographer. He has such a calm demeanor that makes you feel totally comfortable even if you hate being in front of a camera, and his eye for capturing beautiful moments is unmatched. He truly goes above and beyond to ensure you have the perfect photos to remember your special moments. Even going so far as to hiking up a trail to a mountain overlook. He is one of the most talented photographers - incredibly professional and easy to work with. I cannot recommend him enough!!”
Sarah
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“Aaron photographed our wedding and did an amazing job! He was very professional, but also very calming and helpful when I was a nervous wreck! The pictures of the venue, the wedding party and especially the candid photos he created are exceptional. Thank you Aaron, for capturing those lasting memories.”
Kathy
THE NEXT STEPS:
1. SAY HI
This part’s easy—just reach out. Tell me your wedding date, location, and whatever details you have so far. No need to have it all figured out yet. Just say hey, and we’ll go from there.
2. LETS CHAT
We’ll hop on a quick call to make sure we’re a good fit. I’ll answer your questions, go over how I work, and talk through your vision—whether that’s a chill backyard wedding, a city celebration, or a mountaintop elopement with zero cell service. It’s low-pressure, just a conversation to make sure this feels right.
3. BOOK ME
If we’re on the same page, booking is simple. I send over a contract, you sign it, pay the retainer, and boom—your date is locked in. No hoops to jump through, no weird fine print. Just a straightforward process so you can focus on planning your day while I get ready to document the hell out of it.
Ready to do this? Hit that button. Let’s make it official.
WEDDING PACKAGES
STARTING AT $4,000
My wedding packages provide a digital gallery, printing rights, and begin with a minimum of 6 hours of photography coverage.
ELOPEMENT PACKAGES
STARTING AT $2000
Anywhere from 4 hours on a weekday within a 1 hr drive from the eastern panhandle of West Virginia, to full-day adventures.
FAQ – Things You Might Be Wondering
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Easy. You reach out, we chat, I send over a contract and invoice for the retainer. Once you sign and pay, your date is locked in. That’s it. No hoops, no hassle.
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Yes. A lot. I live in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle, which means I’m basically next door to DC, Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. But I also shoot weddings all over the country. If there’s a plane involved, I’m already checking in.
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Perfect. That means you’re going to be fun as hell to work with. My job is to make sure you’re comfortable, natural, and not thinking about the camera. No stiff poses, no “stand there and smile.” Just real moments that actually feel like you.
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It depends on the coverage, but typically 700-800 fully edited images for a full wedding day. I don’t cap the number of photos I deliver—I just make sure you get everything worth having.
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Nope. Sorry. But I deliver fast. I don’t rush out a handful of half-finished images—I make sure your full gallery is perfect and ready to relive.
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Full wedding galleries are delivered within X weeks (you can set your usual timeline here). Elopements and smaller sessions are faster. But no matter what, I won’t leave you waiting forever.
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I edit for color, light, and mood, not body alterations. You look great as you are. If you wake up with a random breakout, I got you—but I’m not turning you into a different person.
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Of course. Even if you want all the candids, your mom definitely wants the group shots. We’ll get those done quickly and painlessly so you can get back to celebrating.
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You can, but you don’t need to. I document everything—big moments, small moments, and the unexpected magic in between. If there’s a specific must-have shot, tell me, and I’ll make it happen.
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We embrace it. Some of the best wedding photos happen in the rain. I come prepared, and we’ll make magic no matter what.
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Weddings are beautiful chaos, and I’m ready for anything. Bad weather, timeline shifts, a dog running through the ceremony—I adapt and keep capturing the story.
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Yes. It’s in my contract for a reason. I’m on my feet all day making sure you look incredible—I need fuel to keep going. But don’t worry, I won’t take a break during important moments.
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Yep! Your wedding photos deserve more than just a screen. I offer high-quality albums and prints so your photos can actually be seen, held, and passed down.
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Just ask! Shoot me an email at aaron@aaronmayphoto.com, and I’ll get back to you.
Check out the Blog
You’ll find helpful information about how to plan your wedding and elopement
I’ve spent most of my life in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle, surrounded by rivers, rolling hills, and some of the best golden-hour light you’ll ever see. This place has a way of grounding you—of making you slow down and appreciate the little moments.
That’s probably why I photograph weddings the way I do—focusing on the real, unfiltered moments that make the day yours. I love shooting here, but my work takes me everywhere—DC, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, California, and beyond.
So whether your wedding is in a backyard in West Virginia or a mountaintop across the country, I’ll be there, camera in hand, ready to tell your story.
I Call West Virginia Home, But I’ll Be There Wherever You Say ‘I Do’
THE JOURNEY STARTS HERE
If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably not interested in a cookie-cutter wedding. You want a day that actually feels like you. A little less tradition, a little more doing whatever the hell you want.
I love that.
If you’re wondering what it’s like to work with me, it’s pretty simple: I show up, document the real moments, and make sure you have photos that take you right back to how it all felt. No weird poses. No stress. Just you, your people, and a wedding that actually means something.
Let’s do this. I’d love to hear your story.
📩 Reach out, and let’s make some magic.