Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur, California › Wedding Photographers › Expressive Photographics
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About Expressive Photographics
Based in Santa Cruz, Expressive Photographics works with couples planning weddings throughout Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur, California. The studio sits within easy reach of popular venues including Portuguese Hall of Santa Cruz and 7 Squid Row. Verified reviews from real couples appear below as they are earned — rankings on Lazo are never sold.
Verified reviews
No reviews yet. Only couples who book Expressive Photographics through Lazo can leave one, and it’s the only thing that moves a Lazo Score.
Frequently asked questions
Planning a wedding photographer in Monterey
How much does a wedding photographer cost in Monterey?
Most couples in Monterey budget between $1,500 and $3,500 for wedding photography. Packages at the lower end typically cover 6–8 hours with one shooter; higher tiers add a second shooter, engagement sessions, and albums. Always confirm exactly how many hours and edited images are included.
When should we book our wedding photographer?
Photographers with strong reputations are commonly booked 9–14 months ahead — earlier for peak-season Saturdays. If your date is inside six months, ask about waitlists and cancellations; openings do appear.
What should we ask before booking?
Ask to see two full galleries from real weddings (not highlight reels), confirm who will actually shoot your wedding, and get delivery timelines and image counts in the contract.
How does Lazo rank wedding photographers in Monterey?
Rankings come from the Lazo Score — verified reviews weighted for recency — and are never sold. Vendors without verified reviews yet start at the community baseline of 65 and earn their score as verified reviews arrive.
Wedding venues near Expressive Photographics
| Venue | Distance |
|---|---|
| Portuguese Hall of Santa Cruz | 0.2 mi |
| 7 Squid Row | 0.4 mi |
| The Wedding Connection | 0.5 mi |
Straight-line distance from Expressive Photographics to each venue listed on Lazo.
Monterey weddings, month by month
Days typically top out between 65° and 85° in May, June, July, August, September, October, November. The driest months are June, July, August.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62° | 43° | 17% | 4:36 PM | 5:15 PM |
| Feb | 62° | 45° | 22% | 5:12 PM | 5:48 PM |
| Mar | 62° | 46° | 21% | 6:40 PM | 7:15 PM |
| Apr | 63° | 47° | 11% | 7:07 PM | 7:42 PM |
| May | 65° | 50° | 4% | 7:31 PM | 8:08 PM |
| Jun | 68° | 52° | 1% | 7:49 PM | 8:27 PM |
| Jul | 69° | 54° | 0% | 7:48 PM | 8:25 PM |
| Aug | 70° | 55° | 0% | 7:22 PM | 7:58 PM |
| Sep | 71° | 54° | 1% | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM |
| Oct | 70° | 51° | 5% | 5:56 PM | 6:30 PM |
| Nov | 65° | 46° | 13% | 4:20 PM | 4:58 PM |
| Dec | 62° | 43° | 18% | 4:12 PM | 4:53 PM |
Average highs, lows and the share of days with 0.1″ of rain or more, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals at Monterey Peninsul Airport (2.9 mi from Monterey). Golden hour begins when the sun is 6° above the horizon; both times are for the 15th of each month in Monterey.
Getting to Monterey
| Airport | Distance | Est. drive |
|---|---|---|
| MRY Monterey Regional Airport | 3 mi | 5 min |
| SJC Mineta San Jose International Airport | 53 mi | 1 hr 20 min |
| SQL San Carlos Airport | 66 mi | 1 hr 40 min |
| City | Distance | Est. drive |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Bay | 86 mi | 1 hr 50 min |
| Sacramento | 139 mi | 2 hr 50 min |
| Los Angeles | 271 mi | 5 hr 40 min |
Straight-line distance from central Monterey; drive times are estimates, not routes. Airports with scheduled passenger service, from OurAirports.
Details
- Based in
- 303 Potrero St Suite 47-102, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
- Where
- Santa Cruz · 27 miles north of central Monterey
- Listed under
- Wedding Photographers · Wedding Videographers
- In Monterey
- One of 91 wedding photographers we list · 16 within 3 miles
- Phone
- (831) 687-9069
- Website
- Visit site
From Expressive Photographics's website
“Wedding and portrait photographer, Santa Cruz, CA. Engagement and elopement photography, family lifestyle portraits, maternity photography, children's portraits, family photography.”expressivephotographics.com
- Services they list
- Engagement sessions, Heirloom albums, Online gallery
- Style, in their words
- Documentary, Fine art
- Prices on their site
- Starting at $3,350
- Experience
- 600+ weddings, by their count
- Areas they mention
- Monterey, Santa Cruz, Carmel, Aptos, Carmel Valley, Capitola
Read from expressivephotographics.com in October 2026. Prices and services change; confirm with Expressive Photographics before you book. Is this your business? Claim the page to write your own.
Around Santa Cruz
- Nearest venue
- Portuguese Hall of Santa Cruz, 0.2 mi
- Venues within 10 mi
- 32 wedding venues
- Wedding Photographers nearby
- 16 within 3 mi, 21 within 10
- Guest hotels
- 64 within 5 mi
- Communities served
- Capitola, Soquel, Scotts Valley, Felton
Distances are straight-line from Expressive Photographics; counts come from the businesses and venues Lazo lists around Monterey.
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