Gaël Greppin Photographe

Gaël Greppin is a wedding photographer based in Clarens, on the Montreux Riviera, who works across French-speaking Switzerland. His wedding page names Montreux, Vevey, Lausanne, Lavaux, Nyon, Genève, Fribourg and their surroundings, and states that he takes only 4 to 5 weddings a year. Besides weddings he photographs families and children, CV and company portraits, and Christmas sessions. The page is in French, and for 2026 it is marked "Complet" (fully booked).

How he frames the choice of a photographer

The page opens with an argument rather than a sales pitch. It points out that Swiss law requires a witness for a civil wedding but not a photographer, "Et pourtant, c'est peut-être la seule prestation de votre journée qui continuera à exister dans 30 ans" (and yet it is perhaps the only service of your day that will still exist in 30 years). From there he argues that a photographer should be chosen through a meeting first and a price second: couples should feel, in conversation with him, whether "le courant passe" (whether there is a connection) and whether his way of telling a day matches theirs. His rates and packages, he writes, come after that.

The style: lifestyle reportage

He calls his approach "Reportage lifestyle : Vous, tels que vous êtes" (lifestyle reportage, you as you are), and says he is not there to direct the wedding like a film set but to live it with the couple and record it as it unfolds. The page lists four points. He is discreet but present and blends into the setting, so guests forget he is there. The photos are spontaneous and natural, with no awkward posing for hours, and what he looks for is the laughter, the tears, the knowing looks and the spontaneous moments that make up a couple's story. He adapts to the couple's vision whether the wedding is in the Lavaux vineyards, on Lake Geneva, in a Riviera château or at the Lausanne registry office. And coverage runs from the morning preparations to the opening dance, or longer.

How a booking runs

The page sets out the process in steps.

The meeting. The couple describe their vision, wishes and any worries, and he explains how he works and shows complete portfolios. It lasts 30 to 45 minutes, in person in Clarens or by video call.

Reserving the date. Signing the contract and paying a 30% deposit blocks the date. The couple then receive a preparation guide with a suggested timeline, practical advice and a checklist.

Scouting and planning. He visits the venues: the registry office, the church, the reception hall and the outdoor spot for couple photos. He looks for the best spots, studies light and angles, and prepares a rain plan. The precise timeline of the day is finalized together.

The day. He arrives 30 minutes before the official start to scout, test the light and blend in, and photographs preparations, ceremony, emotions, details, portraits, groups and the evening. The couple's only job, the page says, is to enjoy it.

The photos. Images are retouched one by one and delivered in a private online gallery with all photos in high resolution. Guests can access it too, with a password. The couple choose their favorites for the photo book.

The book. If ordered, the book arrives 2 weeks after the layout is approved, and he offers to meet for the handover.

Prices and packages

The page gives a price range of CHF 350 to 3600 and refers to a table of offers and availability. The text names a Formule Premium, which includes both the engagement session and the photo book. The engagement session otherwise costs CHF 400 as an option. It is described as a first meeting with the photographer to get used to his approach, in places of the couple's choosing, during which couples gradually forget the camera and learn to be natural in front of the lens. The pictures can be used for announcements, a wedding website or simply for the couple.

The photo book is 30 by 30 cm, with 50 pages (25 double-sided sheets) on premium photo paper, a personalized hard cover and a custom layout built from the couple's favorite photos.

Civil weddings

A separate section covers civil ceremonies, whether at a Lausanne registry office, in the Lavaux vineyards or facing Lake Geneva on the Vaud Riviera. For a civil wedding he covers the arrival of the couple and guests at the town hall, the exchange of vows and rings, the signing of the register, the exit with rice, confetti or petals, group photos with family and friends, a couple session nearby and the vin d'honneur. His blog excerpt on a civil wedding in Lausanne notes that the town hall is often dark and everything is timed. Another post describes a civil wedding at the Maison Jaune in Cully, where the weather forecast looked terrible before the day.

What a couple has said

The page quotes one review, from Priscilla and Florian, who booked him for their wedding and a couple session. They write that he scouted the locations in advance, planned a precise itinerary for the photos, and "avait même anticipé un plan B en cas de pluie, ce qui nous a vraiment rassurés" (had even anticipated a plan B for rain, which really reassured us). They also praise how available and responsive he was to questions.

What the page leaves open

The FAQ lists questions on whether all images are delivered, RAW files, liability for damage at the venue, the contract, travel costs, wedding films, delivery time, how much a wedding photographer costs in Switzerland and when to book, but the page text prints an answer only to the first. That answer says a full wedding produces between 2000 and 3000 images, with many near-repeats at key moments, and that he selects and edits the best ones. Everything else, including travel costs and delivery time, has to be asked. The site is in French only and does not state which languages he works in, so a couple needing English should raise it at the first meeting. Contact is by phone on +41 79 356 37 77; the page lists office hours on Wednesday afternoon and Friday, and otherwise by appointment.

Who it suits

Gaël Greppin suits a couple marrying on the Vaud Riviera, in Lavaux or elsewhere in Suisse Romande who want unposed reportage from a photographer who visits every venue beforehand and plans for rain. The small number of weddings per year means close attention, but also that dates go fast; 2026 is already full. The caveats are the French-only site and the unanswered FAQ questions on travel, delivery time and RAW files.