The Drunk Wedding Photographer

About The Drunk Wedding Photographer

The Drunk Wedding Photographer

I'm David Cruz, Los Angeles wedding photographer specializing in film wedding photography. I photograph weddings exclusively on Kodak 35mm film — from backyard ceremonies in Silver Lake and Eagle Rock to courthouse elopements in Beverly Hills, small weddings in Downtown Los Angeles and Malibu, simple weddings throughout Southern California, and vineyard estate weddings on the Central Coast — on real Kodak Gold and Kodak Ultramax 35mm film.

I'm a self-proclaimed Mezcal and street taco connoisseur. Born in the slums of Oaxaca, Mexico to Mixteco parents, grandparents, and great grandparents. Naturally, my favorite season of the year is El Día de los Muertos. I'm a fire rabbit Sagittarius, I own eight chickens, I hate the summer, I despise wearing shoes, I edit client's wedding pictures while listening to Relatos de la Noche, I can speedrun Donkey Kong Country 3 at 105%, I grew up watching Daria, and my guilty pleasure is watching Kitchen Nightmares, Tabatha Takes Over and high-speed police pursuits on live TV. And my favorite album is Sing the Sorrow.

Services

Photo formats

  • Film

Reviews

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Rating: 5.0

5.0 out of 5

6 reviews

  • AR

    Addie R.

    Rating: 5
    •Jul 22

    David Cruz The Drunk Wedding Photographer

    Choosing David Cruz as our film wedding photographer was one of the best decisions we made for our small wedding in Cavalli Estates in the outskirts of San Luis Obispo. He was easy to contact and had timely responses, he was collaborative in his approach and listened to our ideas and how we wanted the day to be captured, he took the time to understand what we imagined and cared about bringing those ideas to life. He set clear expectations for processing time and followed through perfectly. The presentation of the prints was absolutely beautiful, such a special touch. Every detail felt thoughtfully done. Also- Kodak film (from the little knowledge I have) is what helped contribute to the beauty of the color of our photos! What meant the most to us was how seamlessly he fit into the day. He never pulled us away from our guests or the moments we were living. Instead, he quietly captured everything as it unfolded, pure, honest, joy-filled moments we didn’t even realize he was catching. David managed to get photos of everyone at our wedding and somehow bottled up all the joy and love that was present; looking through the photos, you can truly feel the day all over again. All of our guests loved David and enjoyed chatting with him! We are so grateful he listened to everything we wanted and that meant the world to us!

  • JR

    Jen R.

    Rating: 5
    •Jun 12, 2026

    David is the Best!

    As a wedding planner, I have the opportunity to work alongside many photographers — and David Cruz, aka The Drunk Wedding Photographer, truly stands out. We recently worked together at Cavalli Estates in San Luis Obispo, and his work was absolutely stunning. His film photography is timeless, romantic, and artfully composed in a way that feels both elevated and effortless. The tones and texture he achieves on film are just beautiful — every image feels intentional, emotional, and iconic. From a planner’s perspective, he is a dream to work with. He’s calm, organized, professional, and incredibly easygoing. He communicates well, keeps the day flowing smoothly, and brings such a grounded, positive energy to the entire team. My clients were over the moon with him and felt completely at ease in front of his camera. Beyond his immense talent, David is genuinely kind. Guests adored him. Family members commented on how wonderful he was. Vendors loved collaborating with him. He brings a warmth and authenticity that elevates not just the photos, but the entire experience. I cannot recommend him highly enough and would happily work with him again and again. If you’re considering booking him, you are in very good hands. Jen Render, Elle Render Events

  • PP

    Paulina Simkin P.

    Rating: 5
    •May 21, 2026

    Fantastic Kodak Film Photographer

    David is a wonderful photographer who is so talented at capturing the most memorable moments in a beautifully unique and personal way. My name is Paulina Simkin, I’m a Juilliard-trained pianist based in LA (Paulina Simkin Piano) that performed at the same celebrity wedding at Carondelet House in Downtown LA that he was the photographer at. The wedding had illustrious guests such as Emma Roberts and her fiancé, and the bride herself is a direct descendant of Mary Shelley, yet David’s pictures felt like they were taken by a trusted family friend as they have such an intimate and in-the-moment quality to them. He uses Kodak 35mm film, is very minimal in gear, fashion forward and lets his clients enjoy their day while capturing their most joyful moments. It was a great pleasure working with David and I am looking forward to collaborating more in the future!

  • CP

    Christopher P.

    Rating: 5
    •Jan 30, 2026

    Best Kodak Film Wedding Photographer in L.A.

    From engagement to the wedding day was almost exactly 9 months. Most of the major decisions were made very quickly because we knew what we wanted. And of course, David Cruz The Drunk Wedding Photographer top of the list, booked first. We found The Drunk Wedding Photographer via a simple Google search while combing through a number of potential photographers’ websites. David’s site had a lot of personality to it we liked, rooted in Los Angeles, and we loved that he uses Kodak film. We're in the movie industry, so that detail is much appreciated. We also tend to hate overtly posed (read: cheesy) wedding photos you see a lot of the time. We knew we didn’t want pictures of the bride looking longingly out the window. We wanted fun candids with only a couple produced moments, and lots of family photos! And David more than delivered and with prints on top of that!

  • MF

    Michelle F.

    Rating: 5
    •Jan 2, 2026

    A Very Personal Film Photographer

    David is an amazing photographer! I had been following his IG for over a year. When he made a post about a personal Kodak 35mm film photographer. I jump at the chance. I knew i wanted to hire him but didn't have a big special event to do it. So it worked out perfectly. He was very professional, patient and personable. I immediately click with him felt like we've known eachother for years. My friends love the way all prints came out. I look forward to working with David any chance I get. I'm always pleasantly surprise by the photos he takes. I would definitely recommend for any all your events.

I'm a one-man show. I'm the one you inquire with, the one you call on Zoom, the one who shows up to your wedding, edits your pictures, and hand-inspects every print before delivery. Absolutely nothing in my workflow, or the pictures I take of you is automated, outsourced, or run through Ai. This level of attentiveness to each one of my clients is why I only book small weddings with a low guest count. Allowing me to photograph your wedding without relying on an associate, an assistant or even a second photographer.
If your wedding takes place outdoors during daylight hours, then yes, I will photograph the entirety of your wedding exclusively with my reliable, tank-like workhorse of a camera: the Nikon F5, loaded with real Kodak 35mm film.
Absolutely internet stranger! I photograph a handful of confidential weddings in Los Angeles each year, and have no hang-ups on not using your pictures for social media or even my own website. Coincidentally, many of my clients are not heavy social media users, some are not even on social media at all, and their privacy, as well as yours, is more important to me than social media clout.
While I look forward to visiting new and familiar places, destination weddings that require me to fly out of Los Angeles are not practical — not because of the destination itself, but because flying with plastic bags full of Kodak 35mm film means dealing with strict airport Homegirl Saccurity Company and film-damaging X-ray machines. That said, I occasionally photograph multi-day destination weddings in the Central Coast, San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, Palm Springs, and even Taco Bell weddings in Las Vegas. So if I can drive to your wedding, I'm in — even if it means going out of state.
Contrary to my off-the-rails brand name, my clients will tell you I'm one of the most quiet, reserved, and collected wedding vendors there are. And while a drink or two is much appreciated, it's not necessary for me to drink at your wedding. But it helps, not gonna lie, and I never say no. Unfortunately, some luxury venues in Los Angeles don't allow vendors to enjoy a drink from the bar anyway. Bunch of squares.
Whether I'm booked for a Beverly Hills Courthouse elopement or a three-day destination wedding in a private vineyard estate on the Central Coast, each one of my clients receives a full set of 4x6 proof prints of all final images as a standard deliverable. Not a curated set or a print credit. No. You get every single picture printed. And yes, you also receive an industry-standard online gallery where you can view, download, and order additional prints.

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