What your wedding photographer in Cape Town covers, from getting ready to the reception
Lee-Ann covers a full wedding day in the order it happens:
- Details and getting ready. The dress on its hanger, the rings, the shoes, the bouquet and the quiet moments before you leave.
- The ceremony. The walk down the aisle, the vows, the first kiss and the faces of the people watching.
- Family and group photos. A short, planned list so nobody is missed and the guests are not kept waiting.
- Couple portraits. Ideally timed for the softer light in the hour before sunset.
- The reception. Entrances, speeches, first dance and the dance floor, for as long as the package covers.
Here is how a day unfolds, told through photographs from several of her weddings:
Buttoning up
Three men, three pairs of hands on jacket buttons, every head bowed to the task. In black and white the room's colours drop away, leaving the rhythm of dark suits and white collars and the quiet concentration of getting ready.
Photograph: Lee-Ann Alicks
Lace on the door, a ring in tulle
The gown hangs from a dark wardrobe door, its floral lace and blush layers lit by a bright window, with dried grasses soft in the foreground. The ring gets the opposite treatment: a pale, almost white frame where folds of tulle cradle the pear-shaped stone.
Photograph: Lee-Ann Alicks
Texture first
Lee-Ann moved in tight on an off-the-shoulder bodice, letting raised lace flowers and a stack of beaded bracelets fill the frame. Beside it, a white dress with a crochet-style bodice hangs against weathered planks, the rough wood making the tulle look softer still.
Photograph: Lee-Ann Alicks
Through the petals
Petals hang in the air above the groom's head; he grins behind his sunglasses while the bride laughs, arm in arm with him, bouquet held low. Guests with raised phones crowd the edges, and the couple stays sharp in the middle of it all.
Photograph: Lee-Ann Alicks
Paper flowers, nose to nose
Up close, the bouquet turns out to be paper: coral roses, copper blooms and little flowers folded from book pages. Then it rests in the bride's lap as she leans down to touch noses with the flower girl, a moment kept in black and white so the gesture leads.
Photograph: Lee-Ann Alicks
Mid-twirl on the bridge
His hand lifts hers overhead, her long veil trails down the curve of the wooden bridge and she turns back to the camera with a cool, steady look while he smiles behind her. Tree ferns wrap the pair in deep green, and dappled light picks out the beading on the gown.
Photograph: Lee-Ann Alicks
A kiss on the steps
Framed from the foot of the stairs, a kiss in front of the whole bridal party lined up behind. Her white dress with bold black bands and beadwork, his black shirt with white embroidery: the graphic stripes lead the eye straight to the couple.
Photograph: Lee-Ann Alicks
Train on the deck
Full length, so the gown gets room: sheer puffed sleeves, a long veil and a train spread across the wooden deck. She holds blue hydrangeas and white roses and looks back over her shoulder, the garden behind blurred into layers of soft green.
Photograph: Lee-Ann Alicks
Lifted off the track
On a red dirt track through dry grass, he lifts her clear of the ground and she laughs down at him, the tea-length skirt swinging out. The wide framing lets the track, the scrub on the ridge and the low sun show where they were.
Photograph: Lee-Ann Alicks
A kiss, then a curtsey
Backlit against a pale sky, she rises onto one foot for the kiss and kicks the other heel up behind her. Alone on the same track, she gathers handfuls of her skirt and grins straight at the camera, the sun turning the satin almost luminous.
Photograph: Lee-Ann Alicks
Goats in the background, then black and white
A herd of brown goats grazes the field behind them as they kiss, her bouquet of protea and trailing eucalyptus held low at her side. Turned to black and white, the red earth becomes pure texture: he kisses her cheek while she smiles at the lens.
Photograph: Lee-Ann AlicksWedding venues and regions around Cape Town
Most Cape Town weddings happen in one of five settings, and each changes how the day is photographed:
Somerset West and the Helderberg
Wine estates such as Lourensford sit below the Helderberg mountain, with False Bay beaches at Strand and Gordon's Bay a few minutes away. It is Lee-Ann's home area.
Stellenbosch and Franschhoek
Oak-lined estates and vineyard ceremonies, at venues such as Spier, Lanzerac and Molenvliet.
Paarl
Granite domes of Paarl Mountain and estates such as Rhebokskloof.
Durbanville wine valley
Rolling vineyards close to the northern suburbs, with venues such as Meerendal, D'Aria and Bloemendal.
Cape Town city and the coast
Beach and garden ceremonies on the Atlantic seaboard and in the city, and smaller elopement-style weddings with just the two of you.
One doorway, two moods
Tall arched doors with iron strap hinges make a ready-made frame. In black and white, the wind lifts her tulle into a sweeping curve and the image turns graphic; in colour, the honey-toned wood and his pale blue suit make the same spot warm and gentle.
Photograph: Lee-Ann Alicks
Barrels and whitewash
Wine barrels stacked on timber racks against a whitewashed wall give the frame a warm, repeating rhythm. The couple stand hand in hand on the cobbles, her lace sleeves and his pale blue suit bright against the wood in strong sunlight.
Photograph: Lee-Ann Alicks
Under the rock, then out on the sand
In the mouth of a sea cave, the groom dips his bride back, his black jacket stitched with gold scrollwork, her veil pooling on the sand. Further along the shore they walk hand in hand towards the surf, both turning back to the camera as the mountains rise behind the bay.
Photograph: Lee-Ann Alicks
Tree ferns and a long veil
A royal-blue suit and a sparkling tulle gown stand out against a wall of tree ferns, a wooden railing just visible behind them. The veil runs the full height of the frame, and soft shade keeps the beading on the bodice clear.
Photograph: Lee-Ann AlicksPlanning wedding photos around Cape Town light and weather
Cape Town's sunset moves by more than two hours across the year. The sun sets at about 17:45 in June and about 20:00 in late December. Plan the couple portraits for the hour before sunset and build the rest of the timeline around it.
The Western Cape is a winter-rainfall region. Rain is most likely from May to August. Summer brings the strong south-easter wind, especially in the afternoon. A good plan B is a covered veranda, a barrel cellar or a sheltered garden at the venue. Agree it with Lee-Ann before the day.
A sample wedding day photography timeline
An example for an eight-hour day with a 15:30 ceremony in midsummer. Move every time back by about two hours for a winter wedding, when the sun sets around 17:45.
| Time | What is photographed |
|---|---|
| 12:30 | Details: dress, rings, shoes, invitation, flowers |
| 13:00 | Getting ready: hair and make-up, the bridal party, the dress going on |
| 14:30 | The groom and groomsmen |
| 15:30 | Ceremony |
| 16:15 | Family group photos (8 – 10 groups in about 25 minutes) |
| 16:45 | Bridal party photos |
| 17:15 | Guest photos and drinks reception |
| 18:30 | Entrances and dinner |
| 19:20 | Couple portraits in the hour before sunset |
| 20:00 | Speeches, cake and first dance |
| 20:30 | Dance floor, then coverage ends |
Two things make the biggest difference: getting ready and the ceremony in the same place or close together, and a family group list agreed in advance. Each group takes about two to three minutes to arrange.
Velvet and tulle
Pointed satin heels with oversized tulle bows at the ankle, set beside a green velvet ring box. Shot from above on a pale surface in soft light, that single block of deep green keeps an all-white detail shot from going flat.
Photograph: Lee-Ann AlicksSmall weddings and elopements in Cape Town
Not every wedding needs eight hours. Small weddings and elopements often need two to four hours of coverage: a court wedding followed by lunch, or only the two of you on a beach, at a viewpoint or in a garden. The portraits can be planned around the best light of the day, and Lee-Ann quotes shorter coverage per booking.
White blooms, rose-gold straps
Ranunculus, freesias and wax flower in creamy whites, photographed close against the lace of the gown so the green freesia buds become the accent. The shoes lie on white tulle, shot from above, their metallic straps catching the light in strips of rose gold.
Photograph: Lee-Ann AlicksQuestions to ask a wedding photographer before you book
- How many hours does the package cover, and what does overtime cost per hour?
- How many edited images will we receive, and when?
- How are the photos delivered, and for how long is the online gallery available?
- Is a second photographer included or available?
- What is the deposit, and what happens if our date or venue changes?
- Are travel and venue fees included?
- Can we see a full wedding gallery, not only the highlights?
Out into the petals
Bride and groom step out of an arched doorway into bright sun and a storm of petals. She laughs with her eyes almost closed, he catches petals in an open hand, and a flower girl hurries along at the edge of the frame.
Photograph: Lee-Ann AlicksEngagement shoots
Forehead to forehead
Under a tunnel of leafy branches the couple stand forehead to forehead, eyes lowered, her hand resting on his chest. The path behind them fades into soft green, and the even shade of the trees keeps skin tones gentle and the pink florals of her dress true.
Photograph: Lee-Ann Alicks
The ring between two hands
Focus sits on their clasped hands and the rose-gold ring, while her face, tipped back in a laugh, stays soft behind them. A detail and an emotion share one frame, the kind of image that suits a save-the-date card.
Photograph: Lee-Ann AlicksAn engagement or couple shoot is a relaxed hour together before the wedding: in a field, on a beach or somewhere that means something to you. You get used to being photographed, and you get images for the save-the-dates. Many couples book it as part of their wedding package. Lee-Ann photographs couple shoots on their own too, alongside the family, maternity and matric sessions she covers as a photographer in Cape Town.
Engagement shoot locations and timing
Popular engagement settings are the beaches, the Winelands estates and a place that matters to the two of you, such as where you met. Plan for the hour before sunset, or early morning in summer when the south-easter is usually calmer. Photos meant for save-the-dates need the shoot booked early enough to print and post them.
Wedding photography packages and prices
Lee-Ann offers wedding packages rather than an hourly rate, from R6,500. Packages can include coffee table albums and personalised USBs, and a few add-ons are available. For context, typical Cape Town wedding photographer prices on current published lists start at about R9,000 for four hours (around 200 edited images) and reach R18,000 for eight hours (around 400 images). Premium packages with albums and a second shooter run from R18,000 to R48,000. Full tables are on the photoshoot prices page.
Meet your wedding photographer
The photographer on your day is Lee-Ann Alicks, who runs LeeAnn Alicks Photography from Somerset West. Her wedding images have a bright, soft and natural finish. She would rather you relaxed and laughed your way through the portraits than held a stiff pose. After the wedding, the edited images arrive in a private online gallery that you can download from. Her business is listed on Google as LeeAnn Alicks Photography.
Questions people ask
How much does a wedding photographer cost in Cape Town?
Lee-Ann's wedding packages start from R6,500. Typical Cape Town prices run from about R9,000 for four hours of coverage up to R18,000 for eight hours on standard packages, and R18,000 to R48,000 for premium packages with albums and a second shooter.
How many photos do you get for a 2-hour wedding?
Published Cape Town packages work out at roughly 50 edited images per hour of coverage, so about 100 images for a two-hour ceremony and portraits.
Do you photograph weddings in Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek?
Yes. Lee-Ann photographs weddings in Stellenbosch and Paarl. The travel fee to Stellenbosch or Paarl is R500, added to the session price.
When should we book our wedding photographer?
As soon as the date and venue are confirmed. Spring and summer Saturdays book first, and Lee-Ann is still taking bookings for both 2026 and 2027; dates are open now.
Do you offer engagement shoots?
Yes. You can book an engagement or couple shoot on its own or alongside your wedding; Lee-Ann quotes it per booking.
Do we need a second photographer?
No, not for most weddings. A second photographer helps when the two of you get ready in different places at the same time, or when a large guest list needs covering while the couple portraits are taken. Ask for it on the quote if either applies.