About me & pricing info

a black and white photo of wedding film photographer michael liedtke as he is standing in a narrow alley with his arms crossed

How I document weddings

Hello! My name is Michael Liedtke (Lid-key). I’ve been photographing weddings for over 10 years and I’ve had a camera in my hands even longer dabbling in every genre in the industry. As much as I still enjoy the occasional family and portrait session, weddings are where my heart lies. The entire process of documenting such intimate and fleeting moments on a wedding day provide so much value for a family’s legacy and having the privilege of taking part in that for 200 + weddings now is something I hold deeply.

My primary focus is to document every weddings with a truly genuine and timeless approach so that decades from now, all those moments truly feel like moments from your own life and not just another photoshoot among the masses. This approach includes a balance of documentary focused images along with very relaxed posing/directing. The big thing I encourage all my couples to focus on is letting go of perfection and simply choosing to be fully present in each moment so that their own emotions and their love for one another shine through without distractions. This is how your photos truly become your own.

More about my personal life

Some of the things I value most in my life include my wife Alexa, our wild Golden Doodle Penny, coffee, craft beer, whisky, the movies, camping, hiking, biking, traveling, and of course shooting 35mm film at weddings and also for my own personal enjoyment. You can check out some of my personal film work on personal web site: Michael James Liedtke.

Testimonials:

a bride and groom holding hands walking away and towards a large pyramid shaped hill in badlands national park — \\ Kayla & Jordan

“Michael was the absolute BEST photographer I could have ever dreamed of.

We came to him from Minnesota with our only idea to get married in the Badlands National Park. He made the stress of a “destination” wedding just disappear. He was able to scope out our ceremony area with multiple locations we could choose from, and suggested the best time to have our ceremony. He was so kind and made the process easier than I could have ever imagined.

My husband and I had never had professional photos taken before and he made it feel so casual and significantly easier than we anticipated. I’m truly so grateful to have stumbled upon his business and I would HIGHLY recommend him to anyone searching for the best wedding day possible. He is truly a master of his profession. We are continuously in AWE over our photos. Thank you so much Michael for making our wedding day absolutely perfect.”

a man is picking up a woman by the waist and spinning around as they joyfully laugh with the glowing fall sunset behind them — \\ Bern & Mitch

“Michael was absolutely wonderful to work with! We are so in love with our engagement and wedding photos & could not have chosen someone better to work with. His experience in the wedding industry was very obvious as this process working with him was seamless. The time & effort he put into every little detail is amazing & so much appreciated!”

a groom and a bride happily holding hands as they walk down a downtown sidewalk — \\ Tatum & Jack

“Michael is absolutely incredible and so extremely talented! He captured our wedding in December of 2023 and I couldn’t have asked for more. We did a 35mm film add on in addition to our other photos and they are magic. The film photos are unreal and give the perfect aesthetic if you’re looking for something more than the typical wedding photo album. They are the ones we will display! Cannot recommend Michael’s photos on film enough!

Additionally, Michael photographed all the little moments which were ultimately the biggest ones. The tears, the emotions, the love. The hugs in the background, the times when you thought no one was looking. I am forever grateful for these memories.

I am not one for extremely posed wedding photos and Michael knew exactly what I meant. You can feel the joy from the photos and I didn’t even know that was possible. 10000/10. The best wedding day choice you could make!”

Pricing & Investment Info

\\ Traditional Wedding Coverage

• Begins at 3,200 for 8 hours

\\ Elopements & Intimate Weddings

• Begins at $2,400 for 4 hours (custom hours available)

\\ Portrait sessions

• Couples, family, and portrait sessions begin at 500

\\ Branding & Commercial

• Headshots, branding, real estate, etc. begin at 500

Reach out for full pricing

Photos are meant to held - not forgotten on our phones

All my couples receive their own gallery with their very own storefront with a wide range of the best prints and albums available.
Pictured below is my absolute favorite - handcrafted fine art albums wrapped in genuine leather.