Natalie Thomson Photography

Ratings include Zola and Google reviews

Full wedding (ceremony and reception) pricing

Prices start at $900

Elopement pricing

Prices start at $900


About Natalie Thomson Photography

Natalie Thomson Photography

Business owner

I'm Natalie, I am a local photographer based in beautiful Santa Barbara, CA. I mostly focus on intimate and smaller elopements, weddings, and events. The Santa Barbara Courthouse is often where you will find me, photographing civil weddings/elopements, and sometimes bigger weddings in the Mural room or Sunken Gardens. For the past 20 years I've worked on over 230 weddings (and counting!).

I capture a balance of posed must-have shots along with more creative and romantic photos. My style of photography is clean, fresh, and modern with a touch of femininity. I am very responsive and organized to ensure your memories are captured in the best way that they can be!


Services

Services

  • Bride-only session
  • Engagement session
  • Extra hours
  • Image editing
  • Online proofing
  • Printing rights
  • Second photographer

Photo formats

  • Digital

Reviews

Write a review
Rating: 5.0

5.0 out of 5

22 reviews

  • KA

    Karen A.

    Rating: 5
    Zola
    Apr 1, 2026

    Wedding photos

    From our first conversation, Natalie responded quickly and made us feel at ease with her friendly, professional approach. On our wedding day, she went above and beyond to capture every moment, staying patient while offering creative ideas that helped us relax in front of the camera. Her talent really shines through in the final photos they're stunning and feel authentic to who we are. Natalie made the entire process smooth and enjoyable, from start to finish. If you're planning a wedding, engagement shoot, proposal, etc she's absolutely the person to reach out to. We highly recommend her, 1000/10 !

  • K

    Kimberly

    Rating: 5
    Zola
    Mar 18, 2026

    Photos

    I’m so glad we hired Natalie as our photographer. Her communication was excellent and I felt completely confident going into my wedding day with her by my side. The photos we received were exactly what I had hoped for and truly exceeded my expectations. She delivered the photos incredibly quickly- about 6 days after the wedding- which was a wonderful surprise. Thank you, Natalie for the beautiful photos and for capturing our day so perfectly.

  • D

    David

    Rating: 5
    Zola
    Mar 17, 2026

    What a great choice!

    Natalie was extremely professional and kind, and always put us at ease. We were a bit nervous about being in front of the camera, but she guided us on how to pose and bring out the best of our features. Her knowledge of all courthouse locations allowed us to get great photos at the best spots. We are thrilled with our photos and the overall experience. We will be happy to use her services again in the future!

  • CM

    christian munoz

    Rating: 5
    Google
    Aug 11, 2026

    Thank you so much for everything! I had never been to Santa Barbara before, and you made the entire process so easy and stress-free. This was a very special moment for me because it was a surprise proposal, and I really appreciated all the tips and advice you gave me leading up to the day. You were also great with communication and always responded quickly. During the photoshoot, you made us feel comfortable and guided us through all the poses. The photos turned out absolutely amazing, and you did such a great job capturing all the special moments. Your editing is also incredible! You’re not only a talented photographer but also a great person to work with. If you’re looking for a photographer in the Santa Barbara area, I highly recommend her. You won’t regret booking with her!

  • MR

    Michelle Rios-Alquizar

    Rating: 5
    Google
    Aug 11, 2026

    Although I didn’t personally book her as I was the one getting surprise proposed to, she somehow managed to blend herself in the background to make the act of photographing the moment not obvious at all. Once the surprise was over, she was such a sweet person and really knew how to guide us to take the best pictures I think I’ve ever gotten of me and my fiancé. She gave us great direction and had fun with us on such a momentous time of our life. Anyone in Santa Barbara or neighboring cities would be lucky to book her. Our pictures came out amazing and am so glad we booked her for this moment.


Typically, couples book me about 2-3 months before their elopement date. I encourage you to reach out as soon as possible about my availability, even if you’re planning on a shorter time frame.
You will receive some previews within 24-48 hours, then the full gallery will be online in 2 weeks!
Definitely, I do not give out unedited, unpolished, or unfinished work. All final images will be edited for color, saturation, exposure, and sharpness to ensure they look beautiful. I also offer retouching services like blemish removal and teeth whitening for an additional charge of $15 per frame.
You can expect about 60-85 images per hour of photography, 75-90 with an additional photographer.
In my 20 years of experience as a wedding photographer, I’ve never had to back out as main shooter. I maintain a network of trusted fellow photographers whom I can contact if the worst should happen.
No, I prefer focusing on photography only, so you can get the best wedding pictures possible. I can provide referrals for trusted videographers whom I have worked with on previous events.