Kara Hanes Photography

•Ratings include Zola and Google reviews

Full wedding (ceremony and reception) pricing

Prices start at $6,000

Elopement pricing

Prices start at $3,000

Packages

Prices start at $1,600


About Kara Hanes Photography

Kara Hanes Photography

Lead Photographer

Hey there! I'm Kara. I want to welcome you to my business profile. You might be here because you're looking for a photographer, or maybe you're just getting ideas. Either way I'm glad you show up. Most days you can find me at home snuggled in thousands of blankets binge watching the latest Netflix series. If not there , I'm most likely snuggling my dog, playing games with my family, or finding opportunities to get out my camera.

When you hire me you'll get more than just a photographer. I love creating a relationship with you and fellow couples, I'll hug grandmas, direct family photos, make your timeline run smoothly with my complimentary timeline consult services. I'll also laugh with you, cry with you, and make sure you're having a good time.


Services

Services

  • Engagement session
  • Extra hours
  • Online proofing
  • Printing rights
  • Second photographer

Photo formats

  • Digital

Deliverables

  • Digital files
  • Digital rights
  • Online gallery
  • Wedding album

Kara Hanes Photography packages

The Essential Collection (Full Day)

10 hours

Peak pricing $6,000

Off-peak pricing $5,000

Description

My most popular collection, made for a full wedding day from getting ready all the way through your send-off. Off-peak pricing ($5,000) applies to weddings November through May and on Sundays.

What’s included
  • 10 continuous hours of coverage
  • Kara as your lead photographer
  • Kara's non-photographer assistant
  • Second photographer, so no moment is missed
  • 600+ fully edited high-resolution images
  • Online gallery with 1 year of unlimited downloads
  • Pre-wedding planning consultations
  • Timeline meeting 1 month prior
  • Personal usage license
  • Engagement session available as an add-on
  • Extra time available at $150 per 15 minutes

The Intimate Collection (Elopement)

4 hours

Peak pricing $3,000

Off-peak pricing $3,000

Description

Made for elopements and intimate weddings, with 4 hours of coverage so you can soak in every moment without a rush. One price, year-round.

What’s included
  • 4 continuous hours of coverage
  • Kara as your lead photographer
  • Kara's non-photographer assistant
  • 300+ fully edited high-resolution images
  • Online gallery with 1 year of downloads
  • Pre-wedding planning consultation
  • Personal usage license
  • Extra time available at $150 per 15 minutes

The Deluxe Collection (Full Weekend)

10 hours

Peak pricing $9,000

Off-peak pricing $7,800

Description

Full weekend coverage: 10 hours on your wedding day plus 2-3 hours of your welcome party the evening before, with a third shooter so nothing is missed. Off-peak pricing ($7,800) applies to weddings November through May and on Sundays.

What’s included
  • 10 continuous hours on the wedding day
  • Welcome party coverage the night before (2-3 hrs)
  • Kara as your lead photographer
  • Second photographer angle
  • Dedicated 3rd shooter for candids and details
  • 900-1,000+ fully edited high-resolution images
  • Online gallery with 1 year of unlimited downloads
  • Pre-wedding planning consultations
  • Timeline + family photo list meeting 1 month out
  • Personal usage license
  • Complimentary wedding album ($1,600 value)
  • Extra time available at $150 per 15 minutes

Heirloom Wedding Album (Add-On)

Peak pricing $1,600

Off-peak pricing $1,600

Description

A custom 10x10 heirloom album to hold your favorite images from the day, designed by me and made to be passed down. Available as an add-on to any wedding collection.

What’s included
  • 10x10 heirloom album with 40 pages (20 spreads)
  • Custom design with proofing before printing
  • Add to any wedding collection

Reviews

Write a review
Rating: 5.0

5.0 out of 5

21 reviews

  • VP

    Vianca P.

    Rating: 5
    •Zola
    •Oct 1, 2026

    THE BEST WEDDING PICTURES

    We honestly couldn’t have asked for a better photography team for our engagement and wedding! Kara was absolutely amazing from start to finish. She made us feel comfortable, captured all of the special moments, and somehow managed to catch all the little details and candid moments that we’ll cherish forever. And we have to give a HUGE shoutout to Bethany, Kara’s assistant she was truly the best! She was so helpful, attentive, fun, and went above and beyond to make sure everything went smoothly. Having her there made such a difference, and we’re so grateful for everything she did for us. Kara, Bethany and Shirlee made our wedding day even more special, and we are absolutely in love with our photos! We’ll treasure these memories forever and would recommend them to anyone looking for an incredible wedding photography team. ️

    Kara Hanes•Oct 2, 2026

    Your day was an absolute blast. We had an amazing time. Thanks for letting me capture both your engagement session and your wedding at Leona Road!

  • HE

    Hunter and E.

    Rating: 5
    •Zola
    •Feb 10, 2023

    Amazing photographer

    Kara is so amazing at what she does! She is incredibly detail oriented and organized, which has been so helpful! We highly recommend working with her!

  • GP

    Gerald Perry

    Rating: 5
    •Google
    •Oct 1, 2026

    Kara and her team are without a doubt the best team to work with when it comes to capturing moments and big occasions. For our wedding, they really captured each and every moment but what we appreciated most was all of the support they showed along the way. Kara helps build timelines, collaborates on vision, and provides amazing insight every step of the way to ensure the couple has a seamless, stress-free experience, which is exactly what we had. The support she and her team show day of the wedding is absolutely amazing. It's as if they're additional "day of" coordinators. We absolutely loved our experience and would recommend her services a thousand times over!

  • VP

    Vianca Perry

    Rating: 5
    •Google
    •Oct 1, 2026

    We honestly couldn’t have asked for a better photographer for our engagement and wedding! Kara was absolutely amazing from start to finish. She made us feel comfortable, captured all of the special moments, and somehow managed to catch all the little details and candid moments that we’ll cherish forever. And we have to give a HUGE shoutout to Bethany, Kara’s assistant she was truly the best! She was so helpful, attentive, fun, and went above and beyond to make sure everything went smoothly. Having her there made such a difference, and we’re so grateful for everything she did for us. Kara, Bethany and Shirlee made our wedding day even more special, and we are absolutely in love with our photos! We’ll treasure these memories forever and would recommend them to anyone looking for an incredible wedding photography team.

  • KH

    Katie Hardy

    Rating: 5
    •Google
    •Jun 6, 2026

    We had the best experience with Kara! She photographed a group of 10 girls and made the entire session fun, organized, and stress-free. The photos also turned out absolutely beautiful! I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a talented photographer who goes above and beyond to create a wonderful experience and stunning photos!

    Kara Hanes Photography•Jun 6, 2026

    It was such a fun time photographing this event. Hopefully this is a core memory that will last for years!


Preferred vendors of Kara Hanes Photography

Band/DJ
Matthew Duncan Music
Cakes & desserts
Sweet Details GR
Grand Rapids, MI
Planner
All Buttoned Up Events
Grand Rapids, MI
Calligrapher
Pretty Petal Papers
Grand Rapids, MI

I love being both interactive and discreet throughout your wedding day. There will be parts of the day when I'll need to take the lead in order to accomplish everything that needs to be done while staying on schedule. There will also be moments when you shouldn't even know I'm there (the ceremony, during dances and toasts, etc.). I teach my couples how to pose, model and interact during their portrait time to create beautiful memories where they're having fun.
You'll receive your images in an online gallery that you can easily share with family and friends. This gallery comes with a personal usage license, giving you the freedom to enjoy and share your photos. On average, couples receive about 75 images per hour of coverage.
For most weddings, 8–10 hours of coverage is standard for a full day. If you're having a Catholic ceremony, I find that 11 hours is the sweet spot. If your ceremony is longer than an hour or your celebration takes place across multiple locations, you may find that adding an extra hour or two is helpful. We'll review this together during your timeline meeting to make sure your coverage fits your day.
I totally understand! If you'd prefer your planner to manage the details, I'm happy to work with them directly to ensure everything runs smoothly. However, I do recommend at least one meeting with me—especially if you don't do an engagement session. This helps me get to know you better, so when portrait time arrives on your wedding day, I'll know how the two of you interact, ensuring the photos reflect your natural connection.
I get this question a lot, so I'm happy to answer it for you. Based on your selection, you'll pay a 30% retainer upon booking, and the remaining balance is due 2 weeks prior to your date. All of my couples can log into their client portal and apply any amount, big or small, before then. If you want to apply a certain amount at any time before that date, that's completely up to you. Checks must be received on or before the due date; electronic payment is also available.
Sometimes wedding venues want vendors to show proof of liability insurance (a COI, or Certificate of Insurance). If your venue needs this, please give me a minimum of 48 business hours to provide it to your venue.
I love it when my couples ask me to photograph them in a location that means something special to them! I recommend booking your engagement session no less than 3 months before your wedding date to avoid stress. Every session is planned with you in mind, and I'm happy to travel to a spot that feels like the two of you.
Yes! Drone aerials are available with the Dedicated Third Photographer add-on, who captures drone and detail shots throughout your day while I focus on the main moments. Drone use depends on weather, location, and venue rules.
I'm very transparent with my pricing, and it's always available to you. Please note that prices may change throughout the year. To lock in a price point, an official booking must be made.
Once I've answered any questions you may have and you've decided my Wedding Experience is exactly what you're looking for, the next step is a booking proposal. I'll create an online proposal that walks you through your collection, and when you're ready, you can save your date by signing your contract and paying your retainer online.