Socal Wedding Photography

You know that horrible feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when someone says «let me show you our wedding pictures»? I wanted to avoid that. I wanted my wedding pictures to go beyond simply showing what happened. I wanted them to evoke emotions. We all want our weddings to be memorable (hence why we hired an 80’s hair metal cover band), and the pictures, an actual physical manifestation of it, should be top of the line. This is why I was pleasantly surprised to have found Apostolos. A co-​worker recommended him. When I saw his previous work, I knew he was the right guy. It was a bonus that he was comfortably priced. His pictures look like they belong in magazines. I don’t know how he does it, but no one can make skies look as beautiful as he does, which came in handy since we had an outdoor wedding in beautiful Santa Barbara, California.
When we first met Apostolos, we hit it off right away. He is European, we’re Mexican, soccer was a big topic of conversation. He made my wife laugh, and if you have been through this process you know there’s a lot of anxiety with weddings, so it was a great thing he made her feel relaxed. Not only did we hire him for our wedding, but we also did a pre-​shoot with him at the beach, which we used as a slide show before our entrance at the reception (I wanted to show highlights of my high school soccer career, but the wife vetoed the idea).
Not only did the pictures come out awesome, and not only is he pleasant and funny, but even more important, he is very professional and efficient. The guy knows what he is doing and you can tell he has been doing it for a long time. He and his crew competently moved from location to location and they didn’t miss a thing. On your wedding day, you have that sinking feeling that something could go wrong. Not when it came to him, you could tell he had things under control. Based on the shoot we had done previously at the beach, and earlier on the wedding day, when he showed me in his camera’s little monitor some of the pictures he had already taken, I knew I had nothing to worry about when it came to the pictures (so I moved on and freaked out about the cake).
Now, when I tell people «let me show you our wedding pictures», I can literally hear their eyes rolling. But when they start seeing them, I can see the joy and amazement (not to mention the envy) in their eyes.

On July 5^th, 2013, my husband and I got married at 10am in Our Lady Queen of Angels Church in Downtown Los Angeles, thereafter we walked across the street to Union Station to take pictures of ourselves and our wedding party. Despite the heat and the high SUN, SoCal photography did a great job photographing us! He managed to stay with us the whole time and suggested many wonderful possess which are now family memories in my living room. My party continued that evening, Apostolos was ready to shoot before our grand entrance, taking memorable shots of the family during cocktail hour and cute pictures of my nieces and nephews who were running around the Hall. If you are looking for great quality pictures, someone who is timely, direct, and has immediate follow though –you found your photographer!
I will hire him again for a big event!
Thank you.

After looking for months into wedding photographers and videographers we would always hit the same wall. We would find some we liked a lot but they were crazy expensive. Others would be affordable, but none that seemed to have the experience and the portfolio that inspired us with enough confidence to hire them. We somehow stumbled on Apostolos’ site online. We almost skipped over it because when we first browsed through his pictures we thought he’d be prohibitively expensive. But we emailed him and he emailed us with a quote and we thought he was joking. His prices were very reasonable and less than most photographers we had seen, and the quality as good as the most expensive photographers and videographers we had seen. His company offers both photography and video and we decided to go with him for both. On the day of the wedding Apostolos and his crew showed up about two hours early with more equipment than a film crew! Oddly enough, I can’t say that I noticed any of them during the ceremony, but when we got back our edited video, we understood his method. The video of our ceremony had this cinematic feel to it and every possible angle, the reactions of myself and my wife to everything, the reactions of our parents, it is truly like a movie of our wedding, it was magical. My wife cries every time she watches it. We loved the way he filmed the first dance with a videographer twirling a camera around us, like it was an expensive Hollywood production. And they also captured all the energy and the mayhem of our party dancing with this crane they had, that allowed them to film over the backs of the people dancing. It was great. The pictures were outstanding as well. Apostolos took the pictures and he shot every possible angle during the ceremony and gave us so many pictures it took us months to get through all of them. What we loved was that he seemed to capture the essence of us, all of his pictures seemed so personal. During the family pictures, his assistants brought out these huge lights which seemed kind of overkill to us. We have been to a lot of our our friends’ weddings and we’ve never seen photographers bring those big studio lights with umbrellas at a wedding. He guided us through every pose and the pictures, of our family, the bridal party and of ourselves came out gorgeous, with gorgeous colors and beautiful blue sky, which apparently is his specialty. Oh, what is very important is that he is a really funny guy and he manages to get everybody cracking up and smiling when he need them to smile for the pictures, a very valuable skill! He also designed a gorgeous wedding album for us which exceeded all our expectations. He used to be a graphic designer and he designs every album himself, and he did it step by step with us. After he delivered our pictures, we picked which ones we wanted in the album and then he would design and email us a few pages of the album at a time and we would make corrections. This way, we reviewed and approved the entire album before he even ordered from the printer, and we got exactly the album we wanted! All in all we were super happy with every aspect of the services he provided. We think he’s the best kept secret in wedding photography and video in Southern California, and his prices were extremely reasonable. We could not be happier wit the results.

Apostolos is right, I did omit some important facts: for example the shot list. We sent over a simple shot list, I would say standard one in fact. He didn’t deliver considering the specific shots i requested. I was so engulfed in my wedding, as I should have been, and when we were doing our after wedding shoot I ended up having to tell him what shots I wanted and of course I didn’t have my shot list with me and didn’t remember everything – which probably makes it my fault. So I didn’t get a full complete immediate family shot with my mom and brothers, nor a complete family shot with Eric’s immediate family. I also really wanted a shot of Eric and his best man together, and a shot of me and my siblings– but cant turn back time. Not to mention I didn’t get any pictures with any of the guests’ tables when I wanted a group shot with each table (like any other wedding) – I only included a shot list for the shoot after the ceremony, but I assumed he would organize the photos with the guests at the reception. I was so busy at my wedding that it slipped my mind and by the time i remembered, it was too late. I was specific when I told him how I wanted the reception, i didn’t want to lose the romantic feel with a bright flash –which was what happened to a lot of the dancing photos, but that wasn’t really a huge deal. When he did give us his edits… the groomsmens shirts were blue instead of white? it was really weird and plus he uses a weird format for his pics so everytime we posted it online the color would do weird thigs, luckily Eric found a way to convert it so that wouldn’t happen. As he mentioned, he called me several times even after I told Eric I didn’t care to speak with him because he just wanted me to take down my honest review. Eric tried to get me to talk to him which i repeatedly refused, and it ended up causing a bit of conflict in our young marriage – so he finally dropped the topic. And about the «black girl» thing it was pretty quiet and when he was trying to direct us he snapped his fingers a few times to try to get her attention and remember her name and then when she didn’t respond he blurted out: «ummm black girl!» All of us were shocked and it was pretty obvious (and awkward) and that is when he apologized. Oh, and his English is just fine by the way. As I said, I love the rooftop pictures and ceremony pictures, but there was just a lot of things that didn’t go as planned.

Apostolos took some excellent images, just as his portfolio promised. However, we did not find him to have the warm personality we would have hoped to have in a wedding photographer. We perceived this when interviewing him, and should have trusted our instincts and selected an alternative. Those considering him should judge for themselves based on their interviews.

We hired Apostolos to shoot our wedding and we couldn’t be more pleased. We had a tight budget and he was willing to work with us on the price. He showed up on time and even though my husband wasn’t greek he said he would take the pictures anyway ;) We got all the family pictures we wanted beforehand, which he organized quickly. Nobody likes to stand around and wait to get their picture taken. Then it was off to the wedding. I have to say at the wedding I hardly noticed he was there and to me thats what you want in a photographer. We have seen some of the pictures already and they look great. Lots of candid shots that capture the evening perfectly. I would recommend Apostolos to anyone.

Watching my wedding video is always a delight. I tell people all the time that if there was an Oscars type award for wedding videos, mine would win because it evokes so many emotions– but the great ones! It makes you cry at the right times and then CRACK UP at the best times! I love to share the video with my friends and Apostolos did this awesome thing where he couldn’t have to video camera RIGHT ON people so they wouldn’t be self conscious… but he got all the best moments! it’s so good. and comparatively speaking, the price is right!

LOOK NO FURTHER, YOU HAVE FOUND YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER!!!
My husband suprised me with a vow renewal in «2 WEEKS». Needless to say, this was very exciting yet stressful. We had a photographer cancel on us 7 days before the wedding due to a last minute vacation. Thanks to Unilocal,I found Socal wedding. After speaking with Apostolous for a few minutes he was hired! He is truly talented and very gifted. May I add, he is VERY FUNNY! Every person at the ceremony enjoyed seeing him perform his art. He is very meticulous and very concerned about making sure the pictures are perfect! During our ceremony he even changed the seating arrangments due to the way the sun was shining outside and provided us with the most beautiful photos I have ever seen. He positioned the entire family, children and guest in the most pleasant way. He even caught the bouquet toss and the catching of the bouquet. Apostolous has a great eye for backgrounds! He approched me during the reception and said I see some great places outside that we should go to once you and your husband are finished eating. So we ate quickly and rushed out and that photo is absolutly breathtaking. The evening of our wedding we were emailed a few photos of our big day! To our suprise, the next day of the wedding we recieved 15 photos to preview!!! Overall, when the wedding is over all you have left is photos and memories. Apostolous is phenominal, cost effective and a wonderful person to work with. Hire him!!! It’s rare that you find someone that truly has a passion for their profession and are not just trying to get over on people. Because I believe in him, please contact him for my contact info as a reference of his glorious work because he is just that GOOD! The skies are blue and the smiles are bright and you will be eternally greatful after you see you most precious moments captured in sheer beauty!

Apostolos took very nice pictures for us and provided the first samples that night. We were working with a limited budget, so he did his best to accommodate us. Most notably, he understood lighting and was able to achieve the color of the blue sky background during the middle of the day. He also took advantage of the golden hour and took the best pictures with the sun setting behind us.

Apostolos is an absolutely professional photographer and a nice (and funny) guy to work with. We are happy and glad we have Apostolos as our wedding photographer. Our photos are the solid proof!

Apostolos has done it again! He and his team photographed my sister’s May 2009 wedding and the photos were amazing! His ability to capture the mood of the event & and make the bride, attendants & guests look so beautiful is impressive. Our Orange County wedding was held at my parent’s house over the 4^th of July weekend and it was a beautiful summer day and the photos show it! Apostolos is able to organize & pose family members for photos with a calm demeanor and gets great shots. During the ceremony, dinner & dancing he gets to every important happening, yet practically goes unnoticed. He is a wedding photographer, but also an artist!

BEAUTIFUL PICTURES, EXTREMELY FRIENDLY PHOTOGRAPHER, UNBEATABLE PRICES! We came across Socal Wedding just randomly searching the internet. We had about 7 weeks to plan our wedding and the budget was probably our most important hangup. I received quotes from several companies and no one could top Socal. When I spoke to the photographer over the phone, he was very professional, and asked many questions. I am not picky nor have I ever been in a wedding so I didn’t really have any expectations or ideas for what I wanted my wedding photography to be like. I am SO not the Bridezilla type. He was very understanding of this and made ever effort to figure out what we were looking for in photos. He explained the process very well and what he needed from us to capture our moments. What I liked most was that he knew a lot about the orthodox weddings and it was good to know he had shot weddings at a Greek church, which is similar to mine. It was awesome. The day of the wedding came and he went above and beyond to meet our expectations. He came early to get pictures of me getting ready, was very polite and professional. He took so many great pictures! He knew where to go and what was going on during our wedding ceremony and captured every moment we hoped for, including our goofball best man at his best! The next day I got a few emails from him and he sent us about 10 photos that we were able to have on our cell phones to show off to our friends and family over our Mexico Vacation. I thought that was awesome of him. Another thing I liked is that we payed him via pay-​pal which was very convenient. We received the photos and they were even more amazing then I could imagine! I cant wait to order the photos and all the enlargements! Thank you so much SoCal Wedding Photographer and our photographer Apostolos for giving us memories we will be able to cherish for a lifetime!

A huge thank you to Apostolos! We couldn’t have asked for a better photographer. As everyone knows, weddings can be a stressful day, and Apostolos really made the day stress-​free, not to mention, he has the best sense of humor at the most appropriate times. We felt very comfortable with Apostolos from the day we met him. At the engagement session, he was more than willing to trek up and down the sunset strip with us, and was great at confronting the crazies who work the clubs there, enabling us to get spectacular engagement pictures in front of the club my fiancé and I met at. We had SO many people tell us how much they loved our save the date picture, they were the best! As for the wedding day, he joined the girls at the hotel for pre-​wedding shots and didn’t miss a thing… makeup to shoes… he got all the important stuff. I didn’t even notice he was there, he did a great job! Pre-​wedding pictures went off without a hitch. He managed to capture everything at our wedding from the ketubah signing to the smashing of the glass… he was always in the right spot at the right time. It was definitely a huge help that he’s so funny… he kept everyone laughing and smiling all through the family pictures. As the party started, he captured everything from the air-​guitar solo my husband busted out to the frat boy pyramid… he was always in there for the memorable moments. Then, when we asked him to stay an extra couple hours, it was no problem! I couldn’t believe when he sent me pictures the next day! How exciting! On our honeymoon, we kept getting the fantastic memorable photos of the wedding! We ended up with hundreds of awesome pictures. Now if we can just choose favorites to print… it seems impossible to choose just a few! He also made us the most awesome wedding book ever. I picked the pictures and then he designed the layout. It’s amazing! You can see the book on his website, we are the Hollywood/​Kress wedding. Apostolos is the best photographer and I would recommend him to EVERYONE! We will definitely use SoCal Wedding Photography for any future events!
Julie & Jared

What a wonderful experience!!! Professional and friendly service, and breathtaking photos!!! Truly a great photographer. I would HIGHLY recommend!

«My wife and I got married in July 2010. We were on a budget, and therefore stressed out when we were shopping around for photographers. We knew wedding photographers can be very pricey, but also knew that having quality photographs of your big day is one thing you cannot sacrifice. After being overwhelmed by overpriced photographers that were out of out price range, we came across SoCal Wedding Photography. The pics on the site looked really beautiful and the pricing was well within our budget. Looks like we found our photographer. When Apostolos returned my call, we spoke for awhile on the phone about our needs, etc. I felt comfortable and that we were in good hands. We stayed in contact quite frequently up until our wedding, which alleviated any stress we may have had. We live up in San Francisco, and he is based out of LA, but he traveled up here for a nominal fee. This proved to make no difference that he was from out of the area.
On the day of our wedding, he showed up earlier than his expected time, and he even offered to stay past his scheduled time if need be, free of charge. Everytime I would ask him to do something he would remark „Anything you want, I’m here for you!“. Again, this made me feel I was in good hands and that I made the right decision by hiring him.
Everything about Apostolos leading up to and on the wedding day was professional and courteous. But, none of that would matter if the pictures came out horrible, right? Well, when we got the pictures back we could not have been happier. They looked absolutely stunning! We had our wedding on a yacht in the San Francisco Bay, and he brought out the best of the scenery. Everyone who has seen the pictures, whether or not they attended our wedding, absolutely loves them!
If you are on a tight budget for your wedding, I would highly recommend SoCal Wedding Photography. Even if cost isn’t an issue for you, I would still recommend them, as you will be so happy with the photos and the whole experience. Don’t let the low price fool you. Great, quality photos do not necessarily mean expensive»

If you want beautiful photos at a competitive price, I highly recommend SoCal Wedding Photography. The photos are gorgeous and exactly what we were looking for.