Meet Kate Merrill | Queer Denver Wedding Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kate Merrill and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kate, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I feel it’s incredibly important to take risks when starting or building a business. Without it, you are often creating or branding a business that looks just like all the other companies out there. Unless you’re in a market where you are the only person offering the service you provide, you need to take some risk to show your business has something different to offer.

I took a huge risk when I made Kate Merrill Photography a publicly queer brand. During my first several years of business, I just tried to brand my business in a way that looked like the successful photographers I knew. Not only was it completely inauthentic, but it hid a huge part of my identity, and wasn’t helping clients like me find a business that supported them. I made the decision to brand myself more authentically including that I was a queer photographer who specialized in serving queer clients. In many ways, that choice alienated a HUGE part of the market I was advertising to. But, the people who found me who needed the safe space that I was offering knew that I was the right fit for them.

I know that I would never have built the business I have today without outing myself as one of the queer wedding photographers working in Denver. And, I am so grateful for the trust and love that all my clients have shown me through the years since that choice.

What should our readers know about your business?
I started this business because I was drawn to the emotional gravity of weddings. They are messy, joyful, emotionally complex days where people show up with their communities in the best way. I’ve always been drawn to the emotions and the significance of this day for people. Over time, my work became about more than photography. It became about creating space.

Being publicly out as a queer wedding vendor has shaped how I run my business and how I show up for my clients. I know what it feels like to wonder if a vendor is truly safe or just tolerant on paper. I never want my couples to guess where I stand. Visibility matters. It invites the right people in, and signals that their relationships, identities, and families are welcome without qualification. There have been moments where that openness cost me opportunities, and I chose it anyway. I would rather build a business aligned with my values than dilute who I am to be more marketable.

Pushing for inclusivity in an industry that still heavily centers straight, white, heteronormative narratives is ongoing work. Weddings are not one size fits all, and pretending they are excludes real people. My role is not to speak over my clients but to build an environment where they do not have to shrink themselves to fit tradition.

One of the harder lessons I have learned is that this industry will always attract newcomers who lack experience and sometimes treat clients in ways that are careless or dismissive. It is frustrating to watch people be burned by vendors who overpromise, underdeliver, or fail to understand the emotional stakes of a wedding day. I cannot control how others run their businesses. What I can do is stay consistent. I can show up prepared, and treat every couple with respect. My hope is that my experience speaks for itself over time, and that clients who truly value who I am and what I do will find me.

My business has always been built on trust, visibility, and a belief that weddings deserve to be documented with empathy. Every couple brings a different story. My job is to meet them where they are, honor what matters to them, and create photographs that let them return to those moments for the rest of their lives.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My first stop would be at our local cannabis lounge, Cirrus!! You have to show them the unique things that Colorado has to offer, right? The next morning, we’d visit Corvus for some of the best coffee around, and head up to the foothills for a hike and some time to recharge in nature. For the rest of the week, we’d probably find an EDM show to hit, attend special events at the museum or botanic gardens, and definitely fine some time to visit the Denver Art Museum.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout to my Denver community of other queer photographers and vendors who uplift and support inclusivity always!! Catherine Norwood, Mado Schaffner, Jennie Crate, Nina Larsen, Tirzah Stein, Menique Koos, Annaleisa Veasey, Kalen Aquisto, Leah Goetzel, Lizzie Bergstrom, Jas Kitterman, and Brooke Silverman.

Website: https://katemerrillphoto.com

Instagram: katemerrillphoto

Image Credits
Photo of me is by Lyndsey Leach Photography