Mike Van Gorder is an awesome LA wedding photographer who tells every couple he meets the same thing: "We're going to be a team and this whole thing is supposed to be fun." Which is pretty much what your entire wedding experience should be, right?

In short: Van Gorder Photo gets it.

In long: Our sponsor Mike Van Gorder is a super-fun guy with a super-good eye and a unique perspective on wedding photos, and will bring all of these benefits to your wedding...

Awesome personality

Your photographer is by your side for the whole day, so make sure it's someone you actually enjoy spending time with. Here's Mike's take on that:

When you are a wedding photographer, you are a "Professional Friend." Finding the right vibe is important - both because the person you hire to spend the most important day of your life with you should be cool, and also because humor is a photographer's best tool to get actual human laughter, and therefore excellent pictures.

(Also, look how cute he and his wife are!)

Offbeat AF

Besides being a fun guy, he also has shot a lot of fun weddings (and, he shares my love of waffles and cosplay, which just elevated him to "best photographer of all time" status IMHO)...

I've shot a carnival wedding, a Lord of the Rings wedding, a video game wedding ( with a waffle bar) and a bunch of Halloweddings. Still not sure if the Waffle Bar will ever get topped, although I did dress up as Mad Max for one of the Halloweddings at the bride's insistence.

Willing to work with your budget

Rather than strict wedding packages, Mike likes to make custom packages to fit your budget...

Tell me your budget and I'll build a package around it. If we vibe well, that's the most important thing - I get the best shots, the best referrals, the best reviews and have the best time with couples that I genuinely like, so what does it matter if your budget is $650 or $3300? I've done weddings for both of those budgets, and they were both great experiences. Let's figure out what you need and we'll make it happen.

All that plus free engagement photos!

If you tell Mike that you saw him on Offbeat Bride, you'll get a complimentary engagement shoot included as part of your wedding package! That's even more time you get to spend with your new wedding photographer/"professional friend." So hurry and set up your first hang with your new bestie!