Photographer

Melissa van Ruiten Photography

San Francisco·$$$$

CategoryPhotographer

Service areaSan Francisco

Established2011

Typical investment$$$

About

Melissa van Ruiten is a San Francisco Bay Area photographer who documents weddings and elopements with an emphasis on authenticity and inclusion. Their approach is rooted in photojournalism, aiming to capture the organic beauty and heartfelt emotions of each couple's unique story as it naturally unfolds.

Services

Full-day wedding photography with second photographer
Micro-wedding coverage
Traditional elopement coverage with officiant
Engagement and couples sessions
Timeline planning assistance
High-resolution digital gallery delivery
Social media preview gallery
Wedding albums and fine art prints
LGBTQ+ inclusive coverage (Equally Wed Pro certified)
Destination weddings and elopements

Photography Style

Style & approach details to help you find your match.

Delivery Timeline4 8 Weeks

Direction LevelSome Guidance

Editing StyleTrue To Color

Engagement Session IncludedYes

Second Shooter IncludedYes

Shooting StyleDocumentary, Candid, Photojournalistic

SpecialtiesLgbtq Weddings, Bipoc Couples, Elopements, City Hall Weddings, Destination Weddings, Intimate Weddings, Multicultural Weddings

Seasonal Pricing

Rates vary by season - plan ahead for the best value.

Peak Season (May - Jun - Jul - Aug - Sep - Oct)

Starting at $5,200

Off-Season

Starting at $2,700

You could save ~48% by booking off-season

Rates are approximate and vary by package. Contact Melissa van Ruiten Photography for a custom quote.

Specialties

CandidDocumentaryNaturalElopement

What Couples Say

Based on 0 reviews across the web

Public commentary on Melissa van Ruiten Photography is consistently warm, with couples and Bay Area wedding subreddits recommending her for bright, joyful, story-driven imagery. She is a preferred Equally Wed photographer and is certified LGBTQ+ inclusive by Equally Wed Pro, and is frequently surfaced in r/SanFranciscoWeddings threads as a go-to for couples in the $3-5k range who want a relaxed, documentary feel. Threads also highlight her flexibility on collection length and her willingness to customize coverage around a couple's actual day, including last-minute SF City Hall bookings.

Highlights

Warm, low-pressure presence on the wedding dayDocumentary and photojournalism-led approachEqually Wed Pro certified LGBTQ+ inclusiveFlexible package customizationStrong portfolio across BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ couplesComfortable with SF City Hall and outdoor Bay Area venues

Summarized fromEqually Wed (0)Reddit (r/SanFranciscoWeddings) (0)LinkedIn (0)