Your wedding day will be one of the most memorable days of your life, but sometimes your memory needs a helping hand. That’s where wedding photographs come in. A good wedding photographer will immortalize your special day, allowing you to look back fondly in future years.
Wedding photographs also capture the moments you miss and allow you to see your day from a fresh perspective. After months or even years of planning, your wedding may seem to fly by in a whirlwind of ceremony, speeches, socializing, dancing, eating, and drinking. It’s impossible to take it all in or be everywhere at once, which is why the role of a wedding photographer is so important, and why it’s so disastrous when wedding photography goes wrong.
As a keen photographer myself – and a guest at more Naperville weddings than I can count! – I’ve seen dozens of local wedding photographers in action and have collected feedback (both good and bad!) from friends, family, and fellow guests.
Today, I’m going to share some of the best Naperville wedding photographers based on personal recommendations from people I know and trust, as well as my top tips for choosing the right wedding photographer.
Top-Rated Wedding Photographers in Naperville
When it comes to wedding photography in Naperville, there is a huge variety of prices and styles available. From budget photographers who offer wedding packages from $300 to premium photography services that begin at $5000, below are seven of the best options.
1. Xcite Photo
Andrew Di Monda from Xcite Photo is an Italian-American photographer with many years of experience. His accolades include recognition in the Wedding Wire Couples’ Choice Awards and The Knot Best of Weddings Awards for each of the last ten years.
Andrew describes his style as ”a mixture of photojournalism and traditional with a touch of glamour”. His portfolio mostly features posed shots, but with poses that are unique to his style, rather than traditional group photos.
At a Glance
- Location: 1832 Centre Point Cir SUITE 104, Naperville, IL 60563
- Phone: 630-276-8495
- Email: xcitephoto.com/contact
- Website: xcitephoto.com
- Price: From $1199
2. Pfeiffer Photography
Pfeiffer Photography offers an affordable wedding photography service that is ideal for anyone with a limited budget. They offer a free consultation and will provide a personalized quote for your wedding following that initial conversation.
In terms of style, Pfeiffer Photography tailor their service to your needs and can offer a variety of posed and candid photographs, though they do strongly recommend many of the traditional posed photos.
A benefit of choosing Pfeiffer Photography is their reprint service, which gives you the option of ordering additional prints at a later date for very low prices.
At a Glance
- Location: 645 Wellner Rd, Naperville, IL 60540
- Phone: 630-369-1600
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: napervillephotography.com
- Price: $300-$1600
3. Mila Craila Photography
As the most expensive option on this list, Mila Craila may not be within everyone’s budget. However, for those who can afford her services, Mila promises “timeless photos to treasure forever.”
The premium price of Mila’s photography includes ‘heirloom albums’ and wall prints that are true works of art.
Mila is also a fluent Spanish speaker, which can help her to communicate and build rapport with wedding parties that include native Spanish speakers.
At a Glance
- Location: Butler Walk, Naperville, IL 60564
- Phone: 843-446-7203
- Email: milacraila.com/contact
- Website: milacraila.com
- Price: From $5000
4. Alicia’s Photography
Alicia’s is a photography studio and family-run business founded by photographer Alicia Johnson. The studio employs specialist wedding photographer, Samantha Jensen.
Samantha describes her wedding photography as “telling your wedding story” and her style as “contemporary yet classic with an editorial flair”.
An advantage of working with Samantha is that she is a long-time Chicago resident who knows the area and is embedded in the local wedding scene. She’s happy to go the extra mile to make your wedding day special, and will happily recommend a wedding venue, band, florist, or any other wedding service from her extensive Chicagoland connections.
At a Glance
- Location: 32 W Chicago Ave, Naperville, IL 60540
- Phone: 630-961-5777
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: alicias.com
- Price: From $2500
5. Julie Mikos Photographer
Julie Mikos is a wedding photographer with a strong background in editorial photography. Her home interior, garden, and travel photographs have been featured in publications such as Country Living, HOME Magazine, and the National Geographic Traveler calendar.
Her editorial background means that Julie’s wedding photography style is best described as “wedding photojournalism.”. Her wedding packages include traditional posed wedding photos, but her real skill lies in telling the story of your wedding through candid shots.
At a Glance
- Location: Naperville, Chicago & Greater Midwest
- Phone: 510-681-7616
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: juliemikos.com
- Price: From $2800
6. John Foley Photography
Another premium photographer, John Foley’s wedding packages start from $4000 and include timeline planning, 8+ hours of photography, retouching of all images, 5+ signature fine art edits, and a digital gallery.
As well as photographing Naperville weddings, John Foley is also available to travel around the country and even internationally for destination weddings. He describes his style as “creative, original, genuine, and intentional; with a bit of magic sprinkled here and there.”
At a Glance
- Location: Chicago
- Phone: 708-704-1923
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: johnfoleyphotography.com
- Price: From $4000
7. Kramer Photographers Weddings & Fine Portraits
Kramer Photographers is a photography studio based in Naperville and St Charles. Founded by Bob Kramer in 1971, the studio has grown over the decades and today employs a professional staff of several full-time photographers.
Kramer Photographers can provide both candid and posed shots, though their portfolio work leans more heavily towards the traditional style. We’d recommend Kramer Photographers for anyone looking for a classic wedding album, while couples seeking editorial photography that tells their wedding story may favor some of the other Naperville photographers in this list.
At a Glance
- Location: 921 N Washington St, Naperville, IL 60563
- Phone: 630-355-3546
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: kramerphotographers.com
- Price: Upon Request
Things to Consider When Choosing Your Wedding Photographer Naperville, IL
Choosing a wedding photographer is a very personal and significant decision for any couple. The photographer you choose will be there with you in the build-up to your wedding and on the special day itself, and you’ll be trusting them with capturing one of the most important days of your life.
These tips will help you to make an informed choice and find the right photographer for you.
- Photographic style: Two photographers capturing the same wedding will often produce wildly different results. Do you want traditional poses or candid shots? Artistic or informal? Modern or retro? The wide variety of possible wedding photography styles makes it crucial to review a photographer’s portfolio before choosing them for your wedding day.
- Experience: A good wedding photographer won’t just know how to take a good photograph, they will know how to capture a wedding. That takes experience. A seasoned wedding photographer will be able to anticipate key moments that mustn’t be missed and will know how to navigate proceedings without getting in the way.
- Rapport: Building a strong rapport with your photographer will make you more comfortable on your wedding day. Your photographer will be there at all of the important moments and will need to direct your family and friends when posing for photographs, so it’s important that you get along and that you trust them. Sharing a rapport also makes it more likely that your photographer will understand your vision and will produce the kind of photographs you want.
- Reputation and reviews: However good a photographer may appear based on their portfolio, and whatever they may say about themselves, there’s no substitute for impartial advice from someone you trust. Speak with family and friends to find recommendations, read reviews, search forums and check social media to find out as much as you can about a photographer’s work before you hire them.
- Packages and price: It’s possible to hire a good photographer but still be left disappointed by the package of photographs you receive. It’s also important to stick to your budget and ensure that your wedding costs don’t spiral out of control. For these reasons, you and your photographer must communicate clearly about price and details such as the number of hours, quantity of prints, digital downloads, and other services included in your chosen package.
Final Words
Choosing a wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions you will make while planning your big day.
Get it right and you’ll be rewarded with an experienced, friendly, and supportive professional photographer. They will be there for you, tailor their services to suit you, help plan every aspect of your wedding photography, capture stunning images, and prepare your photographs ready to be shared with loved ones and compiled into a beautiful album of memories.
Get it wrong, however, and you could be left disappointed. The wrong photographer may produce images that are poor quality, that you feel aren’t reflective of you or your wedding, or that miss those special unrepeatable moments.
Fortunately, by reading reviews, checking portfolios, meeting prospective photographers in person, and choosing one of the best Naperville wedding photographers listed above, you can give yourself the best possible chance of choosing the right wedding photographer for your wedding day.
