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Weddings

Samantha James Photography Reviews

Samantha James Photography

Samantha James Photography

Grand Rapids, MI
5.0 out of 5 rating, 35 Reviews
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Reviews

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WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner
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35 Reviews
100% recommend it
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Awards

35
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2018 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
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    Maggie W. Sent on 03/10/2024
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    A beautiful eye & organized planner

    Something I don’t think that brides realize, is exactly how large of a role your photographer plays in your wedding. You choose your photographer bc you love their eye, their photography style - but they also are the ones that truly end up running your wedding day! Sam has such a beautiful soul and unbelievable eye for catching the moments that matter, but she also can RUN. THE. DAY. She set our schedule, kept us (and others) on it and was so graceful with her execution of the family and bridal party photos. After our engagement, we hired Sam for a family reminding and since our wedding, our family members have hired her for special moments. We plan on continuing to to use Sam throughout the significant moments in our life and I can’t imagine using anyone else.
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    Colleen H. Sent on 04/17/2024
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    Above & Beyond!

    From our first phone call, I knew Sam was exactly what we were looking for in a wedding day photographer! She has such a natural way of putting her couples at ease, and she made us feel so comfortable in front of the camera! Sam's bright personality helped keep the energy high throughout the entirety of the wedding day. She is incredibly professional, efficient, and communicative from before the time of booking, engagement photos, our wedding day, and after!

    But arguably the most important... the photos!! My husband and I were blown away when we received our sneak peeks and then our online album. We would not be happier with how our entire day was captured from beginning to end. Sam's attention to detail is simply unmatched. Her photos are absolutely timeless, and Sam is a vendor that we would choose time and time again!
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    Stephanie D. Sent on 01/01/2024
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    Do not hesitate booking Samantha James!!

    My husband and I do not have enough positive things to say about our experience with Samantha James! Sam is professional and experienced, while also so warm and fun to work with. Sam took the time to get to know us and our vision for our wedding day, beyond just the pictures. While we ended up meeting with her for the first time at our rehearsal dinner, it felt like we had known her for much longer. Our rehearsal dinner pictures and wedding pictures are perfect! We have received so many compliments from friends & family. She captured our day in an even more beautiful way than we could have imagined! Photography is certainly an investment, but Samantha James is worth every cent!
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    Samantha P. Sent on 09/12/2023
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    Couldn't ask for better

    From the first call we knew she was the perfect person to capture and spend our most special day with us. From the very start, Samantha was responsive, helpful, and personable. When we met, we felt like we had known Sam forever. She has a welcoming, warm presence and you can tell how passionate she is when it comes to photographing couples and their special moments. Sam was helpful when it came to timelines, planning and details. She made all of our wedding party and family feel calm, important and beautiful. She is the BEST hype woman and made my husband and I feel extremely comfortable. On our wedding day she helped us in so many ways, more than we could've asked for and was efficient at getting all the family shots while not making anyone feel rushed. Not to mention that we are in LOVE with our timeless, elegant photos. We cannot recommend Sam enough. She is wonderful!
  • Laura
    Laura A. Sent on 11/05/2023
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    Dream Wedding Photographer

    Samantha James Photography was my dream photographer for our wedding in August 2023. Samantha is very gifted and incredibly professional. Every day that we look at our wedding photo gallery, the more we love the photos! So glad we chose Samantha to preserve this incredibly special time in our lives and cannot wait to capture more milestones in our lives with her!
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    Kirsten H. Sent on 09/13/2023
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    Amazing Wedding Photos

    Samantha is an amazing photographer! She photographed our wedding at a beach house setting. She is well organized, professional, attentive to detail, engaging, fun, and…WOW, the pictures we got back were stunning! She kept the photo session flowing and filled with smiles and laugher. We had a wonderful time! I highly recommend her for your next event!
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    Jennifer C. Sent on 10/31/2023
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    Sooo much love for Sam

    This review is long overdue but I wanted to say that I cannot say enough positive things about Sam. Take it from someone who started out with over 30 photographers recommended by her venue and planner and decided to research every single one of them. I set up a call with Sam and by the end of that call, my now husband and I were like wow she's good, let's go with her. We could tell that Sam was passionate about what she did and she brought forward really good energy that we wanted on our wedding day. And we were right! We got a preview of Sam's skills when we had our engagement shoot in Chicago. We ended up having so much more fun than we were expecting and the photos turned out even better than we had expected. Sam is seriously everything you would want from a wedding photographer. She was responsive, professional, and easy to work with. On our actual wedding day, I felt like she was a big sister - she made sure we stuck to our schedules, she helped me with things like fixing my hairpiece, and hyped me up so I felt confident! She helped me pick my engagement shoot outfit and even my wedding dress when I was down to the final two choices. Honestly, I could go on forever but I'll just say, if I could do it all over again, I would choose Sam again.

    Samantha James Photography's reply:

    Love you guys & I was so honored to photograph your day! Thank you so much for inviting me to be a part of this season in your life together.
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    Nancy Sent on 10/01/2023
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    We had a great experience with Sam

    Not only did we love the pictures, but Sam’s passion for what she does is evident. Having a photographer who was excited, full of energy, and personable made our day even more fun. Sam was organized and dedicated to helping us get the most perfect pictures. Thanks, Sam!

    Samantha James Photography's reply:

    I'm so grateful I was able to spend this special day with you both! Thank you for trusting me to preserve your love and legacy!
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    Shana N. Sent on 09/29/2023
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    More than a photographer!

    Choosing Sam as our wedding photographer was the best decision we made in our two year wedding planning journey. From the beginning, she told me and my husband that she would be there for us in any way she could to help us through the process and she stayed true to that. She is passionate, dedicated, reliable, has a great eye for detail, and is such a joy to be around.

    Sam did my boudoir shoot for my husband’s wedding gift and I will never forget what a fun experience it was! I remember driving to the studio feeling so nervous, then leaving two hours later feeling the most confident I had in years. My husband is in love with the photos. Fast forward to our wedding day and she truly felt like a wedding coordinator, photographer, and best friend all in one. She gave me a sense of calm during my most anxious moments. She did everything she could to make sure the day ran smoothly and that everyone felt comfortable and looked their best in photos. The photos turned out better than I could’ve ever envisioned and we will treasure them forever.
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    Abigail R. Sent on 08/18/2023
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    The. Best. Ever.

    Words truly fail to express the immense amount of appreciation we have for Samantha and Kristi. Not only is their work INCREDIBLE but they are photographers and coordinators all in one. Samantha and Kristi kept the day running smoothly and on time. We would have been so stressed without them. They are a comforting, confident presence and worth everything and more. With Samantha and Kristi as your photographers you will feel like a natural in front of the camera as they go out of their way to make you comfortable and happy.

    Samantha was amazing from our initial conversation with her up until the very end. Available to answer our questions and work through our worries every step of the way. The photos are spectacular, so detail oriented, and photos we will cherish for the rest of our lives.

    Samantha James Photography's reply:

    I'm incredibly honored to have been a part of preserving your love and legacy! Kristi and I are so thankful to have spent such a fun, beautiful day with you both celebrating your love. Cheers!
  • Danielle
    Danielle V. Sent on 09/29/2023
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    Absolutely perfect!

    Words could never adequately describe how grateful I am to have had Sam take our wedding pictures. She truly is everything you need and more in a photographer. She is extremely involved with her clients, is pure genius behind her camera, and is the sweetest person in the whole world! Frankly, I'm not the most comfortable in front of a camera - I feel awkward and struggle with positioning myself. Sam always had a perfect vision of how she wanted us, gave us directions on how to pose or where to look, and ultimately captured so many unforgettable moments. If you want to be able to look back at your wedding photos and be flooded with the emotions and memories you felt during that day, Sam will be able to provide that. Her photos capture the essence of each moment and truly depict the love expressed and the beauty of the perfect day. While it might seem like an investment to commit to, just remember that these are the photos you will be able to cherish for the rest of your life. These are the photos that you will be able to show your kids and grandkids someday. Sam's photography is truly priceless and I feel as though everyone deserves to have their day perfectly captured by someone as talented and selfless as Sam!

    Samantha James Photography's reply:

    I absolutely adore you guys! I am so thankful I got to spend this day with you both and be a part of this season in your life together.
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    Jenna K. Sent on 07/12/2023
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    Highly recommend!

    I got to know Sam through my best friend who used her as her wedding photographer, whose brother used her for his wedding as well! Sam was an absolute joy to work with! She was great through the entire process, from engagement photos all the way to our wedding day. She made my fiancé and I feel so comfortable during our initial engagement session and of course on our wedding day as well - we really had never done photos of us like this before. Sam really went above and beyond the day of our wedding, helping with coordination/timing etc. not to mention she is super timely in responding and getting previews/photos back - we were so happy with our engagement and wedding photos and so impressed with the amount of photos provided! She did such a wonderful job, I cannot say enough good things! Plus, she is such a genuinely sweet, kind-hearted person, which is another huge reason I knew I wanted her to be our photographer! Would absolutely recommend her for any photography needs.

    Samantha James Photography's reply:

    Jenna, you guys were such an incredible couple to get to know and I am so thankful you had such a good experience working with me! I hope to see you both again for preserving future milestones.
  • Jennifer
    Jennifer S. Sent on 07/11/2023
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    Above and BEYOND!

    Samantha is absolutely amazing, we could not have asked for a better wedding photographer! Our engagement and wedding day photos are stunning and beyond what we could have imagined. We felt completely at ease and comfortable with her. Sam truly goes above and beyond to make sure you stick to your schedule while capturing beautiful moments! We could not have been happier and highly recommend Sam for your wedding and engagement shoot!

    Samantha James Photography's reply:

    Adore the two of you! Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful words. I hope to see you again for future milestones!
  • Sarah
    Sarah B. Sent on 08/11/2022
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    Amazing!

    Samantha James did such an amazing job on our pictures! I never imagined the pictures turning out this amazing! WOW worth every penny! What amazing work, fun to be around, just a super talented woman!
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    Bailey S. Sent on 10/07/2022
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    Sam is incredible!

    We had the most incredible experience working with Sam! I loved her photography style when I first found her page. We were sold after our first conversation with her - she was so kind, excited for us, and interested in providing a service tailored specifically to us. Neither of us are very comfortable in front of the camera, but Sam made our engagement session so fun. When it came time for our wedding, we had the utmost trust in her and we couldn't have asked for anything more. Sam will be your best decision on your wedding day!
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    Olivia L. Sent on 09/07/2021
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    Book her!!!

    Booking Samantha as our photographer was by far one of the best wedding decisions we made!! As a Covid bride who had to postpone our wedding - Sam was so responsive, understanding, and a pleasure to work with. After my first call with her I could tell she genuinely loves what she does and has such a passion for capturing the special moments of one of the biggest days of your lives. She wants to get to know her couples and provide the absolute best, personal service she can. She is the calm in the chaos on the day of. It goes without saying that her work is FLAWLESS. She captures your day in the most beautiful light and I am SO thankful we found her! Thank you thank you Sam - we cannot thank you enough for being a part of our special day!
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    Lauren Sent on 11/16/2020
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    Best wedding decision you will ever make

    Samantha is the absolute best photographer and wedding vendor you could choose. She helped me with the entire process. I had not ever thought about what I wanted for my wedding, and with her helpful hints and direction my day was so special. She made us both so at ease and dealt with the inevitable family drama (especially COVID) with such grace; while also capturing the sweet moments we now look back and wish we could have hired Samantha to do everything for our wedding she is just so perfect. She makes you pause during the stressful planning/ day-of and appreciate the special moment. But, what is absolutely amazing is her talent and the breathtaking photos she captured, she is a true talent and I will always reach out to her for photography of our family and future. She is the best, do not even hesitate to reach out as she books up quick!
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    Jordyn Sent on 08/05/2019
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    Samantha & her team were amazing

    I cannot recommend sam & her team enough! I found her on instagram, did my research, and fell in love with her style. she was amazing to work with and got EVERY SINGLE picture that I asked for! she had no problem being "momma bear" and telling people where to go and what to do. she is amazing and the sweetest person ever.
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    Josi B. Sent on 07/29/2019
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    Cannot say enough good things!

    I had a very specific type of photo that I wanted for our engagement and wedding photos and Sam did not disappoint! Everything was light and airy and exactly what I was looking for. Tyler and I had never had our photos taken together and were a little nervous going into our engagement session but from the beginning Sam made everything so much fun and enjoyable. Leading up to our wedding day, Sam and I spoke on the phone a couple of different times just for my piece of mind on how the day would run overall and for photos. She helped keep us all on track the day of and Tyler and I still got to have fun. I cannot say enough good things about Sam and we are looking forward to her shooting more for us in the future!
  • Clare
    Clare R. Sent on 08/21/2019
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    The sweetest and most talented photographer!

    Hiring Samantha was the best decision! She and I connected as soon as we had our initial phone call, and she exceeded my expectations from start to finish. She truly is so genuine and kind, always willing to help, and was a calm presence throughout our entire wedding planning experience. She has a heart for others and is so passionate about her work. She always made sure we felt comfortable and confident in front of the camera, and captured us as a couple in such a timeless and romantic way, both in our engagement photos and on our wedding day.
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    Ashley G. Sent on 10/16/2018
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    Ashley & Walker

    It was pure joy working with Samantha James and her husband Brad at our rehearsal dinner & wedding day. The way she captures the light, details and emotions in every photo is magic. My husband and I really feel like we are reliving the day every time we look at our photos.

    As every married couple can attest, the wedding day can get a little crazy with a tight timeline, but rest assured if you’re working with Sam, she will keep you calm and on time throughout the day. There were times throughout the day where we both literally said, “We couldn’t have done this without her.”

    While I could write on and on about Sam, I have to mention, one of my favorite parts about working with her, was hearing from my wedding party, family and friends, how sweet Sam was. It was a quick 24hrs, but so many really felt like they had known her for much longer.

    While we live in California, we really hope to be able to have many more moments captured by Sam.
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    Dea Sent on 07/29/2018
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    Samantha is one of the best decisions we made when planning our wedding. Not only is she the nicest and most caring person you'll ever meet, but she truly loves her job and wants to make everything perfect. She went out of her way since day one to make sure we were getting the best images. During our wedding week she came to our final walk through to get an idea of shots and family photos and the layout once more since we weren't doing a first look. She was already very familiar with the venue so for her to go out of her way because she knew we were a little concerned about getting all of the family photos done after the ceremony was very helpful and made us relaxed about not doing a first look. We just love Sam, and she was very professional and extremely nice to everyone in our family and our guests. The best part is her images are beautiful. She took our engagement photos and right when we got them back, we fell in love with them. Our wedding photos were AMAZING and she captured every special moment. She is the sweetest and best photographer we have used, and we will continue to use her for other monumental events. When you are picking a wedding photographer you want to make sure you are getting the best, and I truly believe Sam's images are some of the best I've ever seen. I've included some photos of her work. Book Samantha because it will be one of the best wedding decisions you make.
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    Caroline Sent on 07/12/2018
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    Sam was an absolute pleasure to work with! Her quality of work is outstanding and I would HIGHLY recommend any bride to hire Sam for your wedding. She not only kept us on track of the timeline day of but also got all of the shots we requested within an extremely tight time frame. Her work is absolutely beautiful too!!! We hope and wish to work with Sam again sometime in the future!
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    Nicole Sent on 04/19/2018
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    If there’s one thing I wasn’t willing to settle on for my wedding, it was the photography. That being said, I can assure you that Sam exceeded all expectations that I had and was an absolute dream to work with! Our first time meeting her was for our engagement session but her energy and sweet personality made us feel completely comfortable in front of her camera. I did not hire a wedding planner so during my planning, I turned to her for help with the timeline and other miscellaneous details. She was always quick to respond and very helpful with realistic ideas of how much time certain parts of the day would take to photograph. Because of this, the wedding day went extremely smooth and we ended up ahead of schedule, making for a fun and relaxing day. I can’t say enough good things about our experience with Sam and would recommend her to anyone!
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    Blair Sent on 12/05/2017
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    Samantha is the unicorn photographer you've been looking for. Her vision, gorgeous photography quality, and creativity captures the wedding pictures you've always dreamed of. And not just of you, but of everyone you love too! She isn't afraid to get in there & capture those fleeting moments that someone inevitably says, "did you get that on camera?!" For me, the way Samantha photographed weddings was the way I wanted to remember mine. & that's exactly what she delivered! Matthew and I will cherish our photo collection forever.

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