Testimonials
Hear from some of our couples+clients below.
We love being able to share some of their sweet words.
L+C
ELOPEMENT + ENGAGEMENT
“We loved them to death, and their photography is just as beautiful as their hearts. ”
When we decided that West Virginia would be our elopement destination, I casually searched” West Virginia Elopement” on Google. “The Grays- Adventure Elopement & Intimate Wedding Photographers” was at the top of the list. I clicked the link, scrolled through their portfolio, and have been grateful for that Google search ever since.
Shannon & Jake just so happen to be WV locals, and made our entire elopement experience so special, and I will never find the words to describe the moments that they captured in our engagement session and on our wedding day. Aside from being a straight boss with a camera in her hand, Shannon is so kind and thoughtful. She ALWAYS responded to my emails/texts, even when they were long-winded and filled with questions/uncertainty.
They recommended locations, scouted for us to make sure it was perfect, recommended hair/makeup vendors, food, and places for our family to stay. Our initial video call with them felt like we were chatting with friends, and when we met them in person, the vibe was so warm and welcoming.
We knew the photos would be pretty from viewing their work online, but we never dreamed that The Grays would create such magic with their cameras. They told our story through images and we truly feel like we are reliving our wedding day when we look back at them. We certainly love each other and our family, and The Grays did such an incredible job capturing those genuine moments that displayed just that.
We consider them good friends and cannot recommend them enough. If you are considering eloping, and are in search of photographers that go above and beyond, these are THE ONES. We loved them to death, and their photography is just as beautiful as their hearts. Shannon and Jake- one million times…thank you.
C+M
ELOPEMENT + ENGAGEMENT
“They were so passionate about making our wedding vision come to life and they captured the most amazing moments.”
Shannon and Jake are the absolute best!!! If you have fallen in love with their photography and are thinking of hiring them, you definitely should!! They did our micro-wedding last summer in a national forest in West Virginia and they blew us away. The photos came out so beautiful, I can’t stop looking at them!
They did our engagement shoot and our entire wedding, including drone photography and a video, and they did a wonderful job. They have excellent taste and knew some gorgeous locations to take us for our engagement photos. They were hands-on for the wedding and totally gung-ho about hiking through mud to our chosen ceremony location on a cliff.
They have a great eye for taking photos that feature not only the human subjects, but also the gorgeous surroundings. They were so passionate about making our wedding vision come to life and they captured the most amazing moments. We wanted an untraditional, adventurous outdoor wedding and they were the perfect people to capture the memories.
We had a very small wedding (under 25 total attendees) and they were 100% part of the party. They’re kind, gracious, fun, helpful, and just plain awesome people.
They go above-and-beyond for their customers. Seriously, they are the best and I’m so glad I found them for our event.
R+C
ELOPEMENT
“We will never forget this adventure together & will cherish our photos for years to come.”
There are not enough words to say thank you to Shannon & Jake! The Grays were so easy to work with and on top of that, they are so sweet and kind. From the first time we contacted them, from our first zoom meeting, to the actual day, they were very communicative, attentive, and provided many awesome vendors and ideas. We wanted a snowy adventure elopement and they helped pick beautiful locations to hike to on our special day. They even visited the locations the day before to help us prepare for the weather conditions.
On our actual day, it snowed non-stop (unexpectedly), and Shannon & Jake were such troopers photographing our day in the freezing cold and ice. We all had such a fun time adventuring together in the snow, even with frozen hands, lips, and beards!
We are a shy couple, but Shannon and Jake managed to make us feel comfortable in front of the camera from the get-go. When we received our photos, we were blown away. Not only did they capture the landscape well, but captured the little moments beautifully. We will never forget this adventure together & will cherish our photos for years to come. Thank you, thank you!! We highly recommend Shannon & Jake for any occasion!
L+B
wedding + engagement
“Their photography invokes honesty, warmth and radiates so much love.”
Shannon + Jake are consummate professionals. We had the most wonderful experience working with them, and we’re so happy to have had them capture our special moments in celebration of our engagement and wedding days.
We were immediately drawn to their photography style and aesthetic – looking at their work, we were attracted to their knack for encapsulating all the little details that make each couple’s relationship unique and special. Their photography invokes honesty, warmth and radiates so much love.
Shannon + Jake are truly wonderful people, and we thoroughly enjoyed working with them. They’re extremely thoughtful and attentive when listening to your vision; they succeed in their goal to showcase your happiness. We cannot say enough great things about this awesome duo!
J+A
intimate wedding
“If you’re looking for gorgeous, creative, authentic photos, you can’t go wrong with the Grays.”
Where to begin about Shannon and Jake… they are phenomenally talented at capturing beautiful, authentic moments. They photographed our engagement shoot and wedding and the pictures came out better than I could have imagined. We chose them because we wanted real pictures to help us remember our wedding as we experienced it, not artificial poses. Shannon’s mastery of flattering candid shots are totally unmatched, and Jake’s drone shots are beyond amazing.
In addition to sheer artistry and technical skill, Shannon and Jake are professional, communicative, super funny and personable, and organized. They helped us from start to finish to help us conceptualize the “feel” we wanted in our photos. We had such a blast hiking with them to get some epic shots! Somehow they manage to balance being super relaxed and fun with organization and great time management. Also, quick turnaround on photos which is a bonus!
If you’re looking for gorgeous, creative, authentic photos, you can’t go wrong with the Grays. Would also highly recommend an engagement shoot in addition to just wedding coverage. We were on the fence initially, but are so, so glad we did. It helped the wedding day feel relaxed and fun, and we treasure our pictures from both shoots. Thank you guys so much for helping make our day so special!
L+B
wedding + ENGAGEMENT
“You guys are amazing and we appreciate you and the amazing images!”
We cannot thank you enough for spending our day with us and capturing every moment beautifully. You guys are amazing and we appreciate you and the amazing images!
G+Z
wedding + ENGAGEMENT
“I can’t express enough how happy we are with our photos.“
Shannon shot our engagement photos and they were beyond our greatest expectations. Neither of us is particularly comfortable having our photos taken but Shannon was patient with us and helped us relax. I can’t express enough how happy we are with our photos.
H+M
multiple COUPLES SeSSIONS
“If you are looking for amazing, passionate, fun, talented and simply the BEST photographers, The Grays are it.”
I have been a fan of Shannon’s work since 2013 when she did my sister’s HS senior photos. I knew since then, I wanted Shannon to take my senior photos too! Unfortunately for me, she moved away before that could happen.
However, in 2018 I finally got my shoot with The Grays! Shannon was in Denver and I could not pass up the opportunity to book with her! Since then, Shannon & Jake have given my boyfriend and I the opportunity to have them photograph us two additional times.
I am such a fan of Shannon & Jake’s work. Their photography leaves me speechless EACH TIME. I often find myself looking back at the photos they have taken of us and just admiring them. Not only are they my absolute favorite photographers, but also two of my favorite individuals in general.
They make the photoshoots so fun and so easy (even for those of us that can be awkward when it comes to being photographed). I am forever grateful for all the moments and memories that The Grays have captured for us.
If you are looking for amazing, passionate, fun, talented and simply the BEST photographers, The Grays are it. Shannon, Jake — forever thank you. 
J+J
ELOPEMENT
“Everything was beyond perfect! We can’t thank them enough!”
Shannon and Jake just did our Blackwater Falls elopement last week. I can’t put into words the experience…MAGICAL is the best I can come up with! They exceeded our expectations.
They were so helpful with location suggestions and vendors. Everything was beyond perfect! We can’t thank them enough!
A+B
WEDDING
“They are very down to earth, and I’d say are the best at what they do.”
I discovered Shannon and Jake through our venue. I was looking up images of weddings from our venue and by far, the best images were from The Grays photography.
I knew I wanted them to be the photographers at our wedding. Their images have this beautiful moody vibe to them. They capture each moment, and we got the most AMAZING candids! I couldn’t stop smiling as I went through our wedding photos.
As far as communication, they are the best! They respond to emails very fast. We also had a few zoom meetings AND met them in person at the venue. They are willing to travel, and really like to travel! They are very down to earth, and I’d say are the best at what they do.
The day of, they were clear with direction, knew every shot that we would like, and made SURE that we got those shots. They also listened to what we wanted too. They gave us a questionnaire, and when we got to the wedding day, we also were flexible with another few shots that we wanted last minute. They are the best of the best. Worth every penny. You get what you pay for and more. I am so happy I chose them!
They were so helpful with location suggestions and vendors. Everything was beyond perfect! We can’t thank them enough!
E+N
INTIMATE WEDDING
“Not only are they talented, they’re truly good people. “
The pictures speak for themselves! Shannon and Jake are so talented. Shannon was laying in water and getting bitten by spiders to get the perfect photos. Not to mention they braved hurricane winds and a downpour on top of the mountain after the ceremony and were smiling the whole time, all while pulling rain jackets out of their bags to give us and holding glasses and a bottle of champagne for us! I’m amazed at how good Shannon and Jake are at finding the perfect light!
Not only are they talented, they’re truly good people. They were so responsive over the course of our 18-month engagement and were always willing to go beyond their job description to help out while we were frantically trying to re-plan our wedding day after the pandemic hit.
We couldn’t recommend them enough! Thank you Shannon+Jake!
J+T
WEDDING + ENGAGEMENT
“They definitely took us on an adventure we will never forget during our engagement session!!”
Shannon and Jake were nothing short of amazing!!! We had both engagement and wedding photos done by them, and we could not be happier with the results!! They definitely took us on an adventure we will never forget during our engagement session!!
Our wedding day was absolutely perfect, and they were able to capture every special moment. They both made us feel comfortable and relaxed throughout our time with them.
They were extremely kind to us, as well as to our family and friends! Thanks to them, we have our amazing memories to look back on forever :)
M+A
WEDDING
“Looking through the photos brought us back to that day and filled our hearts with an incredible amount of joy.”
Andrew and I wanted to thank you and Jake so very much for the amazing photos. Looking through the photos brought us back to that day and filled our hearts with an incredible amount of joy. It was like reliving the day. We know for sure we’ll be able to look at the photos in 20 years and feel the same way. Thank you from the bottom our hearts!
K+J
intimate wedding + ENGAGEMENT
“If you’re questioning if they’re worth it — they are, every penny and every moment. Shannon creates pure magic with a camera.”
How do I give more than 5 stars? I could write paragraphs about how kind, thoughtful, talented and lovely Shannon and Jake are as human beings and as photographers.
Before being engaged, we knew we’d like to possibly get married at Deep Creek Lake and thanks to hashtags on Instagram I stumbled upon The Grays. The minute I saw Shannon’s work I knew I had to have her photograph our wedding. So much so, that we only chose our date after confirming The Grays availability — then the planning evolved from there.
Our engagement photos were perfection (even in a downpour of a rainstorm!), I couldn’t love our wedding photos more (Jake and Shannon traveled to photograph our wedding too) and a family shoot with our 2 month old daughter resulted in photos that I’ll cherish forever.
Whenever I share or post photos by Shannon, I can’t tell you how many people ask who the photographer was or RAVE about how good the photo is. And it’s because every photo is truly exceptional. Shannon’s talent is unmatched. If her work isn’t proof enough, a friend felt the need to caveat sharing her engagement photos with me saying “they aren’t as good as yours but I love them”.
Have Shannon shoot your engagement, your wedding, your family … and help with your albums. She is the most incredibly talented photographer with the kindest soul. Shannon and Jake have set the standard incredibly high and I’m forever grateful they captured some of our biggest days and life moments. If you’re questioning if they’re worth it — they are, every penny and every moment. Shannon creates pure magic with a camera.
Shannon and Jake — thank you for everything, every photo, laugh, piece of advice, and memory. You two are gold.
K+C
intimate wedding
“I can’t say enough good things about them both.”
Thank you both so much for everything! They were so patient and accommodating with some last minute changes that we needed to make.
I can’t say enough good things about them both. Genuinely kindhearted people. Would recommend them to anyone.
A+P
ELOPEMENT
“They are more than photographers; they are knowledgeable about locations, vendors, officiants, etc., and they are super thoughtful when it comes to making sure you’re happy on your big day.”
Thank you both so much for everything! They were so patient and accommodating with some last minute changes that we needed to make.
The Grays were our photographers for our elopement wedding, and from the first message responding to my inquiry about availability for our wedding date through providing us with the finished product of our photo album, Shannon and Jake went above and beyond to make us happy and make the process of eloping as easy as possible. They are more than photographers; they are knowledgeable about locations, vendors, officiants, etc., and they are super thoughtful when it comes to making sure you’re happy on your big day. On top of all of that, their photography work is the best at capturing natural beauty and movement. If you are planning an adventurous elopement, they are your photographers!
S+M
INTIMATE WEDDING
“Shannon and Jake are the absolute best...”
Shannon and Jake are the absolute best and our photos are beyond GORG! I even sent one of my clients to them who absolutely loved them as well ♥️
A+A
ELOPEMENT
“The photos are mind-blowingly beautiful….”
We could not have imagined the day going any better than it did and now we have preserved the joy of it all with hundreds of photos that capture exactly how magical the day was. The photos are mind-blowingly beautiful…Thank you both for being absolute legends!
C+S
WEDDING + ENGAGEMENT
“You captured so many moments!“
Shannon, there are no words. Happy tears in the Nicol house right now. Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts! You captured so many moments!
I+D
WEDDING + ENGAGEMENT
“Our engagement and wedding pictures are just flawless!”
From the very moment my wife, Ivana and I began planning for our wedding, we had some key elements in mind so that every detail of our big day was taken into account.
One of those key elements was entrusting someone to capture the very moments that we could all vividly cherish for a lifetime through photographs. Having Shannon and Jake for our engagement and wedding pictures was not only a privilege, but a blessing because the amount of passion that goes into their work is beyond the thousand words a picture can say.
From start to finish, Shannon and her team were as professional as they were charming, guiding us throughout the day with as many takes as there were smiles. No matter the distance, the time, or circumstance, every minute detail was taken into consideration. Our engagement and wedding pictures are just flawless! Only a true artist can accomplish what you see in her work and in my opinion, one of the finest I’ve seen. Thank You!
K+J
“If you’re questioning if they’re worth it — they are, every penny and every moment. Shannon creates pure magic with a camera.”
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