Elia Weber Fotografie

Elia Weber Fotografie is the business of Elia Weber, a photographer in Eastern Switzerland who presents himself as a specialist in drone photography and filming around St. Gallen, the Rheintal, Thurgau, Gossau and Appenzell. His drone page names weddings among the uses of aerial work, and several of the Google reviews it shows come from couples whose weddings he photographed.

What he offers

The page is built around aerial work. Weber writes that he uses the latest technology to produce high-quality videos and photos with a drone, for businesses, properties and events. He groups the service into three areas: Immobilien (real estate), Events and Infrastruktur (infrastructure projects). His list of recent projects names Bootsvermietung Bodensee, Thurbo, VTAG and Pfister ag, all commercial clients.

Weddings appear in two places. In the FAQ on where drone footage can be used, he lists real estate, event and wedding videos, and landscape and nature photography as the most popular uses. In his tips section, under events and weddings, he calls drone footage at weddings a popular trend that shows the celebration from an unusual perspective. For a couple, that means aerial pictures and film of the venue, the setting and the gathered guests, alongside whatever ground-level coverage is agreed.

The page itself says less about his conventional wedding photography than the reviews do, so couples who want both should ask exactly what a wedding booking includes on the ground and in the air.

What wedding couples say

The page shows a Google rating widget labeled "Ausgezeichnet" (excellent), based on 27 reviews. Two of the reviews shown are from wedding couples.

Majka O. writes "Elia hat unsere Hochzeit mit viel Feingefühl und einem tollen Blick für besondere Momente begleitet" (Elia accompanied our wedding with great sensitivity and a fine eye for special moments), and describes the photos as natural and of excellent quality.

Sebastian T. wrote the longest review on the page. He says everything, from the first meeting to the handover of the finished photos, was professional, warm and uncomplicated. He describes a relaxed atmosphere during the shoot, says Weber was always in the right place at the right time during the celebration "ohne dabei aufdringlich zu sein" (without being intrusive), and adds that many guests told the couple afterward how likable they found him. He praises lively colors, good perspectives and the many small details the couple had not noticed on the day.

Other reviews come from business and private clients. One calls him uncomplicated and very friendly and, in that reviewer's view, the best photographer in Gossau and the surrounding area. A company that had new pictures taken for its website calls the collaboration very pleasant, and a shop owner praises his portraits and his many ideas for homepage images.

Drones and the rules

A couple thinking about aerial footage at a wedding should read his FAQ on regulations. Asked whether drone photos can be taken anywhere, his answer is no: Switzerland has strict rules for drones, and he says he must respect distance rules, flight zones and privacy, with particular care over houses and inhabited areas. He states that he follows the legal requirements so that his flights in St. Gallen, Appenzell, Thurgau and the Rheintal are carried out safely.

His tips section adds that the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (BAZL) regulates drone use in Switzerland, that a permit may be needed, and he names urban areas like St. Gallen and places near airports, such as Altenrhein airport in the Rheintal, as examples. Whether a particular wedding venue allows a flight is therefore something to settle with him early, especially for a venue in a town or near an airfield.

Equipment and approach

On equipment, Weber writes that he uses modern camera drones with high-resolution sensors and stabilized cameras, which he says produce sharp images from different perspectives. His planning tips advise thinking about the time of day with the best light, and he points to the early morning and late afternoon as giving particularly good light in Switzerland. He also stresses post-production, naming Adobe Premiere and DaVinci Resolve as tools for editing drone footage.

For a wedding, the light advice has a practical consequence: aerial shots of a venue and a couple look best when the schedule leaves room for them at the right hour, which is worth raising when the day's timing is planned.

Where he works

The page names St. Gallen, the Rheintal, Thurgau, Gossau and Appenzell as his area, and its closing paragraph also mentions Wil. It describes St. Gallen's old town and abbey district, the river landscapes of the Rheintal and the hills and farmhouses of Appenzell as settings for aerial work. A couple marrying in any of these parts of Eastern Switzerland is in his home territory. The page does not say whether he travels further or how travel is charged.

Contact and booking

The page carries an enquiry form (name, email, phone, company and message), a phone number, 071 508 15 43, and links for WhatsApp, email, Facebook and Instagram. Asked what professional drone footage costs, his answer is that it depends on effort, duration and the quality required, and that prices are calculated per project and can be adjusted.

What the page does not settle

The page publishes no wedding prices and no wedding packages. It does not say how many hours of coverage a wedding includes, how many images a couple receive, how long delivery takes, or whether photography and drone video come as one booking. It is written in German throughout and does not say whether he works in English. Couples from abroad should ask all of this in the first message, along with whether the planned venue is in a zone where flying is allowed.

Who it suits

Elia Weber suits couples marrying in Eastern Switzerland who want aerial pictures or film of their venue and landscape and who value a relaxed, unobtrusive photographer, which is what his wedding reviews describe. It is a less obvious fit for couples who want a published wedding package and price before making contact, or who are marrying outside his region. For them, a short enquiry with the date, place and the kind of coverage wanted is the way to find out what he offers.