Testimonials
Kind words from my couples, translated from German.
Romy & Dennis
We discovered Anna Schäfer as our photographer at a wedding fair in Cologne in January 2025. We were especially taken with her beautiful poster, showing a couple she had photographed in front of a huge fountain in a park in Bad Godesberg. It made us want to see more of her work, which she had brought along as an online gallery, and it was immediately clear that she has a real gift for capturing very special moments almost “alive”: true to the emotion and in a soft, beautiful photographic style of her own.
Those photos and the poster at the wedding fair made Anna a special photographer for us straight away, because her images are so true to the emotion, so close to it, and so harmonious in style. As viewers, we felt almost as if we had been there from the very beginning. With Anna you can truly see the feelings (our engagement shoot also shows so much of our personalities, the traits we love in each other), and it is simply a joy to look at the pictures again and again and feel ourselves back in those moments.
Anna made us feel right away that this would be a dream wedding, and that as a bride-to-be I would feel completely at ease during getting ready, as if surrounded by a close friend. She always kept us informed about the next steps, gave us wonderful tips for the engagement shoot, everything was easy, and she was always available by phone if we had questions. The engagement shoot was worth its weight in gold for us, because it gave us a real sense of how the wedding shoot would go, how the photos would look and what her work looks like in practice. It was such a lovely, genuine, easy and very pleasant shoot. She always positioned herself so that wonderful photos came out of all sorts of perspectives, while my then fiancé and I spent time together naturally, with special, intense eye contact and a closeness that felt good. Pure quality time, with beautiful photos to show for it.
Anna put our wishes into practice right away, although there was really only one wish, because everything else was absolutely perfect: to make some of the photos a little brighter. She re-edited those from the engagement shoot for us accordingly and hit our taste 1000% for the final wedding photos, which we are overjoyed with and have absolutely nothing to fault, even though I (the bride) am usually rather critical of photos of myself :) I have never received so many wonderful photos from a shoot before. Huge, huge praise, Anna!!
Anna mastered her role for us perfectly. Already during getting ready I felt completely at ease with her, just as I had expected, as if she were a good friend I had known for a long time who would enrich my day photographically. Even when my husband and I were sitting at the altar, we noticed that Anna was there capturing our emotions without pushing herself into the foreground or disturbing the ceremony. Quite the opposite: she was everywhere, but in a very professional, pleasant way.
We felt completely at ease and well looked after with Anna. Right after the ceremony we already had the first beautiful pictures with all of our guests and with our
closest family and friends. Then it was on to the couple shoot, which was absolutely dreamy, just like the engagement shoot, only with even nicer outfits and a very special moment when we danced our wedding dance on the meadow in our wedding clothes and stood under the veil with Anna. We were already so excited to see the photos.
With her wonderful, empathetic and loving manner, Anna supported and calmed us, simply because we always felt comfortable being photographed by her. We found it especially helpful to rehearse our wedding dance once more to music on the meadow, and to keep listening to classical music afterwards, which still makes us smile :)
During the ceremony Anna was present and yet in the background. In the background because she never pushed herself into the foreground in an uncomfortable way, yet she was always there for the special moments, so we knew that our emotions, thoughts and big moments, like the exchange of rings, the kiss, the vows and walking out, would be captured in a way that was true to the emotion and close at the same time.
Capturing emotions and moments is still a truly great gift of hers. We have never seen our feelings captured so beautifully and intensely in photographs anywhere else. That is what makes her style so special!!
We simply felt completely at ease with Anna. Nothing was unnaturally posed; everything followed its natural course, the way we wanted it, and she accompanied us through it in a very pleasant way. At the same time, the couple shoot gave us wonderful time together as bride and groom, where we could behave exactly as we normally would, without pretending, with just small professional hints that make the photos as special as they are!
We looked at our photos with a wonderful view during our relaxing wellness day shortly after the wedding, in our room at the Steigenberger Grand Hotel on the Petersberg. We were blown away, and as expected the emotions came across so genuinely that we shed a few happy tears all over again. We are so incredibly grateful to her for her professional, special images, which will bring us great joy for the rest of our lives.
The memories felt almost as present as on the wedding day itself, and the feelings so real that we could not hold back our happy tears, and did not want to. The wedding photos also show the personality traits we value in each other. And that is exactly what we appreciate and admire!
Several photos touched us deeply. Especially the one showing my husband looking at me, moved, as I walked down the aisle, but also the one of my mum hugging me, the bride (these are my two favourites), and the hug with my husband’s grandfather, which we both treasure. My husband also loves the getting-ready pictures and has a favourite of me there too. But overall, truly all the images are wonderful, from the special moments in the church to the photos from the shoot where we dance our wedding dance. The very fact that it is so hard to choose shows us what wonderful work you do, dear Anna! The images arrived surprisingly quickly, and the communication was, as always, warm, empathetic and exactly how we had wished for.
Anna fulfils wishes perfectly, even when there was really only one, and she brought us great joy on our big day with her kind words. She sent the sneak preview of the wedding photos super quickly, and the timing, while we were at the Steigenberger Grand Hotel on the Petersberg, could not have been better.
We always simply felt comfortable, enjoyed the time at both shoots as real quality time, and in the end received images that match our vision exactly: true to the emotion, close to it, professionally edited and simply beautiful to look at and lose ourselves in memories.
You can’t count on one hand the reasons we would recommend Anna. There are so many wonderful ones, but her loving manner and her special photos, which show her gift for capturing moments exactly as they are, already say more than a thousand words <3 Anna, please stay true to your loving, special way and your talent, of course always with room to keep growing, but just as you do it now, you will make many more couples incredibly grateful and happy with your photos, we are more than sure of that <3. A thousand thanks again for your incredible work and for enriching our big wedding day and the engagement shoot before it. It certainly won’t be the last time we book you as our photographer.”
Keisha & Maher
“A Perfect Match: our unforgettable experience with Anna as our wedding photographer
“Anna and us were simply meant to be, a perfect match from the very first minute.”
Even at the wedding fair, Anna radiated a calm that is hard to put into words. She approached us warmly, empathetically and with a pleasant reserve. Although we had already booked another photographer, we couldn’t simply walk past her, with her warm voice and positive energy. Without being pushy, she told us about her passion for photography and her particular way of accompanying weddings: discreetly in the background, without posed scenes, with the aim of capturing the real, authentic moments of the day. When we then looked through her gallery, we knew immediately: yes, this is exactly what we want. Despite our original decision, we left our contact details, because we couldn’t stop thinking about Anna. When we received a lovely message from her the very next day, we knew: we want Anna to be by our side on our big day.
That was the start of our collaboration. Anna didn’t hesitate to call us to clear up any open questions directly. She saw something special in us, and that is exactly why our wish grew for her to be our photographer. Before signing a contract, we met in person in Bonn to discuss all the details and clear up any last questions or worries.
Anna took a lot of time for us, listened attentively and also showed us a few sample galleries from previous weddings. That gave us an even better sense of her work, and we were finally sure that we were making the right choice with her.
At no point did she put pressure on us; instead she gave us the space we needed at every stage. True to her name, “Annas Momente”, she knew how to let exactly those special moments happen: calmly, empathetically and with a big heart for what really matters. She addressed all our worries with great understanding and patience. Her aim was
always to find solutions and to give us a sense of security. When we finally signed the contract, we first had an engagement shoot, which gave us even more confidence. It sounds almost too good to be true, but that is exactly how it was. We loved the photos from the shoot so much that we even used them for our wedding magazine, and one of them became
the cover!
In the time after the shoot, Anna stayed in close contact with us. She was genuinely interested in every detail and prepared for our big day with noticeable dedication. About two weeks before the wedding we had another long phone call. Anna not only helped us plan her coverage, she also helped us put together a realistic timeline for the whole day.
What was especially lovely was that she always kept our happiness at the centre. We created a mood board with the shots we wished for, and on the wedding day you could see how carefully Anna had prepared. Despite a tight schedule, she captured the images we wanted with great sensitivity.
The wonderful collaboration with our videographer, whom Anna had not known before, also deserves a mention. Even before the wedding day she got in touch with him directly, with the aim of working as a team. Thanks to this exchange, on the day they worked hand in hand and were always considerate of each other.
Our wedding on 20.09.2025 - Maher and Keisha 1
On the wedding day itself, Anna was so much more to us than “just” a photographer. She was a calm constant, a quiet supporter in the background and at the same time someone who knew exactly when it was time for a smile, some encouragement or simply a little peace. We felt comfortable and well looked after with her at all times. She knew exactly when to step back discreetly and when to take the lead. The trust we had built during the preparations was fully confirmed on the wedding day.
From the moment she arrived at getting ready in the morning, Anna was approachable and present, but never intrusive. Her manner was professional, warm and incredibly calming. She took time for both of us, observed attentively, and her love of detail showed in the little things she deliberately set aside to capture.
One moment that has stayed with us in particular was just before the ceremony. The nerves were high and the excitement palpable. The anteroom was already full of witnesses and the groom. Anna noticed that the groom needed a moment to himself and kindly asked the witnesses to give him that space. This small gesture had a big effect.
After the ceremony, too, we are still very grateful to Anna today, for something that really shouldn’t happen at any wedding: a guest wore a white dress. During the group photos, this very guest wanted to stand right next to the bride. The bride said nothing, but a single exchanged glance with Anna was enough.
Without many words, Anna elegantly took charge of the situation, discreetly rearranged the group and asked the guest to stand on the other side. We are incredibly grateful for this quiet care.
During the ceremony and throughout the rest of the day, Anna was so discreet that we hardly noticed her. Unobtrusively, in the background, she made sure our day was captured. That shows just how well she knows how to be invisible at the right moment while still keeping an eye on everything.
What we particularly admired was her ability to capture real emotions. No image felt posed, no smile artificial. Instead, the photos show exactly what we felt: love, joy, excitement, connection. In her images we don’t just see beautiful photos, we see our story. A story that reflects our wedding day authentically, sensitively and aesthetically.
Her way of working on the day itself was impressive too: structured, flexible and with a fine sense for what was needed at that moment. Whether on a tight schedule or in a spontaneous moment, Anna was always in the right mode: sometimes motivating, sometimes reserved, but always exactly where she was needed.
After just five days, Anna sent us the first 100 images as a sneak preview. This first little look back was a real highlight for us. We were still on cloud nine, and the photos let us relive all those special moments. From the very first image we had big smiles on our faces, and in places we had to laugh out loud. The images reflected our wedding day exactly as we experienced it: full of joy, love and funny, unplanned moments.
Our wedding on 20.09.2025 - Maher and Keisha 2
The way Anna edited the photos matched our vision exactly. The mix was colourful and harmonious, with a particularly lovely share of black-and-white images, which we really love. It was exactly what we had wished for.
It is hard for us to settle on one particular photo or moment, because every single moment has something special about it. What touched us most, though, was that so many photos capture not only our emotions but also those of our guests so authentically.
There were countless scenes that we didn’t even notice in the rush of the day, and discovering them now in the pictures was incredibly beautiful and moving.
If we had to single out one moment, it would be cutting the cake. The background: at our civil ceremony, the groom had kept the bride waiting quite a while before she got a piece of cake, so this day was meant to be her “revenge”. Anna captured exactly the moment when the bride, smiling, warned the groom as he went to hand her the cake, as if to say: “Don’t play games now!” She not only noticed this small but meaningful detail, she captured it at the perfect moment, without knowing about it beforehand. A real highlight that was not only funny but also very personal for us.
Another small but emotionally meaningful detail has stayed with us: after Anna had left the getting-ready apartment, shortly before the ceremony the bride pinned a brooch to her bouquet. Without us mentioning it, Anna noticed it during the day and even took a close-up of it.
For the bride it was a very personal symbol, and the fact that Anna captured it so sensitively meant a great deal.
For us, the absolute highlight of Anna’s work as a photographer was her unique ability to tune in to us completely and capture our day in all its authenticity. From the start, Anna was not “just” the photographer: she was a calm, empathetic companion who captured every moment with a lot of heart and sensitivity, without ever being intrusive. This sense for the right moment and her loving attention to details we ourselves barely noticed made all the difference.
The images don’t just tell a story: they carry the emotions and atmosphere of our special day so authentically that we can feel them again and again.
We would recommend Anna without reservation to any couple who values warmth, professionalism and real emotion. She takes time, listens carefully and makes working together trusting and relaxed. She also knows how to work harmoniously as a team with other vendors such as videographers, an important plus that made our wedding day run even more smoothly.
What we would like to tell Anna is that she should stay exactly as she is: a calm, empathetic personality with a big heart for people and their stories. Her work has left a lasting impression on us. We are grateful to have had her by our side on our big day and are already looking forward to the next moments together.
For us it was “a perfect match” from the very first minute, and you can feel it in every single image.”
Lisa & Philipp
“When Anna told us she was taking part in the Wedding Awards Germany and asked us to write a detailed review, knowing full well that this would mean a lot of work for us as a couple, it was immediately clear to us: we would support her, no matter how much time and effort it took. Because Anna was simply wonderful on our wedding day: warm, perfectly prepared and always there for us and our wishes. Writing a review for such an important award is the least we can do for her. But let’s start at the beginning.
I (Philipp) met Anna at a wedding where two other photographers were also present. We sat next to each other at dinner and had a really pleasant conversation, and I learned that she was a wedding photographer. We stayed in touch after that wedding and got on well straight away. When it came to choosing our own wedding photographer, I suggested the three photographers I had met to my wife, without mentioning that I was already in touch with Anna. My wife chose Anna based on her website and portfolio alone. Compared with the others, her photos simply had that certain something: a special eye for moments and for positioning the couple. For my wife, the decision was clear very quickly.
So we sent Anna an official inquiry through her contact form, and she replied warmly after a very short time. Soon afterwards we met for a video call, where she won us over again with her lovely manner. We were able to discuss our ideas and note the important points: a first-look shoot, the ceremony, congratulations and group photos. When we told her we would be getting married in the palace gardens in Brühl, Anna went to see the location beforehand and picked out the most beautiful spots for the photos. Perfect preparation.
The wedding day: Brühl was in total chaos that day. A big election campaign event was taking place at the same time and parking was hard to find. It was especially important to us that my wife and I park in different places, since we had wanted a first-look shoot. So our plan had to change at short notice, and Anna handled it with complete composure. Thanks to her, we really didn’t see each other beforehand. She stayed in close contact with my best man and my wife’s maid of honour and remained calm and professional the whole time, while I, the groom, was close to losing my nerve. Anna simply handled it perfectly.
During the couple shoot she guided us clearly and kindly, so even the big height difference between us was no problem. The places and poses she chose were beautiful. Just before the ceremony she took away our nerves, reminded us that we didn’t need to rush, and even discreetly took care of little details nobody was supposed to notice. She gave us incredible service and was always there for us, without us having to ask. She simply knew what to do.
During the ceremony we hardly noticed her, and yet she captured so many beautiful moments that afterwards we wondered: when on earth did she take that?
The group photos after the ceremony also went smoothly. With the help of our witnesses, Anna managed to photograph all the groups quickly and at the same time with perfect aesthetics. She had a great eye for proportions and positions, so everyone stood in the right place. We have seen the opposite at other weddings; at ours, thanks to Anna, it was perfect.
The photos: a few weeks later we received the photos in the online gallery we had chosen. We had expected around 300 images for 3 hours; Anna delivered more than 500, and every single one was beautiful. We were overwhelmed and could relive our day intensely through the images. That made it finally clear to us: Anna was the perfect choice for us. We were especially thrilled by some spontaneous shots of moments we couldn’t even remember ourselves. These images are real treasures to us.
In conclusion: Anna didn’t just meet our expectations, she far exceeded them. She took incredibly beautiful photos, was a composed support in stressful moments and felt to us not just like a photographer but almost like a wedding planner and friend. Her warmth makes her unique.
We would hire Anna again at any time and wholeheartedly recommend her to every couple. Dear Anna, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making our day so special and capturing it for us. You are a fantastic photographer and a wonderful person. We wish you lots of success and joy on your journey as a wedding photographer!”
