Belen Photography — San Diego Wedding Photographer

San Diego, California

Every moment
deserves to be felt

Wedding, family, and maternity photography rooted in warmth, authenticity, and the beauty of real moments.

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Mackenzie Belen — Photographer
Mackenzie Belen
a note from kenzie

14 years behind the lens,
capturing moments that matter

I specialize in capturing the beautiful moments of couples and their weddings. After becoming a mother in 2025, I fell in love with maternity and newborn sessions too.

I photograph the crazy hair in the wind, the muddied dress, the tear-streaked makeup from happy tears. Because those are the small details that remind you how the day really went.

what i do best

Specializing in the moments
that matter most

Weddings photography
Weddings

Your wedding day, as it truly was

Full-day coverage, engagement sessions, and elopements. I capture the good, the messy, and the beautiful.

See the work
Family photography
Family

Real families, real connection

One hour, multiple outfits, and at least 60 edited images. Sessions that feel relaxed, not rushed.

See the work
Maternity photography
Maternity

Celebrating this season of life

As a new mother myself, I understand the depth of this season. Let's document it beautifully.

See the work
the process

How to get started
with Belen Photography

I want us both to walk away from our shoot feeling like we savored the moment, not stressed about it. Here's how easy it is to begin.

01

Reach Out

Send me a message through the contact form or email. Tell me a little about your session, what you're envisioning and when you're thinking.

02

Let's Chat

We'll connect to make sure we're a great fit. I want to get to know you before we ever pick up a camera together.

03

Lock It In

Once we've agreed on the details, I'll send over a simple contract and invoice to officially hold your date.

04

Show Up & Enjoy

On the day of your session, just be yourselves. I'll handle the rest, and I'll clean up the tear-streaked makeup in editing.

the work

A glimpse into the gallery

Weddings

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San Diego wedding photography by Belen Photography
San Diego wedding photography by Belen Photography
San Diego wedding photography by Belen Photography
San Diego wedding photography by Belen Photography
San Diego wedding photography by Belen Photography
San Diego wedding photography by Belen Photography

Family & Maternity

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San Diego family photography by Belen Photography
San Diego family photography by Belen Photography
San Diego family photography by Belen Photography
San Diego family photography by Belen Photography
San Diego family photography by Belen Photography
San Diego family photography by Belen Photography
kind words

What clients are saying

5.0 on Google · 16 reviews

Charlyn Mwihaki★★★★★ · Google review · Oct 2026

Mackenzie is SO much more than a photographer to us. She has been part of some of the most important moments of our lives—from capturing our proposal, to our engagement, and now our wedding day. She even flew all the way to St. Louis to photograph our wedding, and I genuinely get emotional thinking about how blessed we are to have her in our lives. On our wedding day, Mackenzie was EVERYTHING. She kept our timeline moving, helped me put my wedding dress on, kept me on time, calmed me down, hyped me up, and somehow managed to capture the most beautiful photos throughout it all. She is so incredibly easy to work with, and she has this way of making you feel completely comfortable and cared for while still getting the most stunning images. And THE PHOTOS?! Timeless. Absolutely beautiful. We were also shocked by how quickly we received them! Every time we look through our gallery, we are transported right back to the day. We adore Mackenzie so much. She has become more than our photographer—she is genuinely our friend. We are so grateful she has gotten to document these chapters of our lives, and we cannot wait to have her with us for more of our life adventures. You are SO blessed if you get to work with her, and I would book her again and again and again. 🤍

Jade Claerhout★★★★★ · Google review · Sep 2026

I truly can’t say enough amazing things about her! She has photographed so many special seasons of my life — from my maternity photos, to newborn photos, to our mommy & me session — and I have absolutely loved every experience with her. 🤍 She makes you feel so comfortable in front of the camera and has such a gift for capturing the sweetest, most natural moments. Every gallery has turned out even better than I imagined, and these are photos I know I’ll cherish forever. I’m so grateful to have had her capture such important milestones for our family and couldn’t recommend her enough. We will absolutely continue using her for years to come!

Ruby Bautista★★★★★ · Google review · Sep 2026

Mackenzie is an amazing photographer!!! We do all our family pictures with her and she always knows how to get the perfect shots of our kids. Always in love with the work she does. Highly recommend her for any event!

Kyle & Kalea Themely★★★★★ · Google review · Aug 2026

Working with Mackenzie for our 7/12/26 wedding was an amazing experience! She made sure we were on the same page on all preferences (locations, poses, photo styles) BEFORE our big day, which made me feel so much more comfortable. She was flexible, professional and very kind. The photos turned out incredible and we got the full edited gallery sooner than expected. We highly recommend Mackenzie!

Saylor Silva★★★★★ · Google review · Aug 2026

Mackenzie was amazing with our fall family photos. She found the most beautiful setting and just walked us through the most beautiful scenery, comfortably and naturally. She captured such precious moments we will forever treasure!!! Our 18 month old was not wanting to cooperate and she was extremely accommodating by placing her phone on top of her camera playing Bluey, which got our child to look at the camera😆👍🏼 10/10 stars from us. Thank you again🥰

Reviews from Google Maps

Lucy and Callum's La Jolla Shores wedding ceremony photographed by Belen Photography
from the journal

Latest story · La Jolla, San Diego

La Jolla Shores Ceremony

Lucy and Callum traveled to San Diego for a quiet La Jolla Shores ceremony, beginning their day with a first look and private vows at Sunset Cliffs.

Read the story
where i work

Based in San Diego,
available across SoCal

I'm based in San Diego County and primarily serve the greater San Diego area, from Coronado to Temecula, La Jolla to Chula Vista. I'm also available for travel throughout Southern California and beyond for destination weddings and elopements.

San Diego
La Jolla
Coronado
Temecula
Encinitas
Chula Vista
Carlsbad
Orange County
Los Angeles
Destination Weddings
San Diego wedding photography
San Diego family photography
let's make something beautiful together

Ready to book your session?

Whether it's a wedding, a growing family, or a new baby on the way, reach out and let's connect.

Book a Session