# Lens & Vows and the wedding directories compared: who they are, who pays them and what you get

> Casamentos.pt and WeddingWire, Bridebook, Zankyou, Junebug Weddings and Fearless Photographers next to Lens & Vows — each one’s model taken from its own pages, as of October 2026.

- Updated 2026-10-11
- URL: https://lensandvows.com/journal/lens-and-vows-vs-wedding-directories
- Português: https://lensandvows.com/pt/journal/lens-and-vows-vs-wedding-directories.md
- Lens & Vows: https://lensandvows.com/

**In short**

- Couples pay nothing to use Lens & Vows, Casamentos.pt, WeddingWire, The Knot, Bridebook, Zankyou, Junebug Weddings or Fearless Photographers; the platforms differ in who pays them, for what, and whether they ever touch your money.
- The directories charge photographers whether or not they are booked: Bridebook’s SupplierPro costs £20 or £99 a month, Junebug’s listings US$25–150 a month on 12-month contracts, Fearless membership US$99 a year; Casamentos.pt and The Knot don’t publish their advertising prices (October 2026).
- Lens & Vows takes 15% of the photographer’s price only when a couple books, out of the 30% deposit; its paid plans (€49 or €99 a month) sell visibility and room — a higher place in lists and in the concierge, more regions, packages and whole weddings shown — never the booking, the deposit or the commission.
- Casamentos.pt, WeddingWire and The Knot belong to one company, The Knot Worldwide, which also bought Zankyou in February 2023 — except Zankyou’s business in Portugal.
- None of the directories holds a deposit for you; on Lens & Vows the deposit is paid through the platform (card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or MB WAY in euros), and the balance can be held until you accept your gallery.

We are one of the options on this page, so here is how we wrote it: every fact about another platform comes from that platform’s own pages, opened on 11 October 2026 and listed at the end; where a platform doesn’t publish something, we say so rather than guess. They are different kinds of service — a directory of every wedding supplier, a planning app, an award list, a marketplace — and each is the better choice for someone.

## At a glance

| Platform | What it is | Photographers pay | Checked before listing | The deposit |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Lens & Vows** | A marketplace of wedding photographers in Portugal, in English and Portuguese, with booking on the platform | 15% of the price, only when booked; optional Pro €49 or Premium €99 a month for placement and room | Three whole weddings, looked through by a person | 30% through Lens & Vows (card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, MB WAY in euros) |
| **Casamentos.pt** (with WeddingWire and The Knot) | A directory of every kind of wedding supplier, with planning tools; Portuguese | A free storefront; premium services, prices not published | No published check of the work; reviews moderated for tone | Paid to the supplier; the site takes no responsibility for it |
| **Bridebook** | A UK wedding-planning app with a supplier directory | SupplierPro: Basic £20 or Classic £99 a month | Not stated on its pricing page | Not handled: couples message suppliers |
| **Zankyou** (zankyou.pt) | A wedding magazine, wedding websites, a gift list and a supplier directory | Not published | Not stated | Not handled |
| **Junebug Weddings** | A curated directory and wedding blog | US$25–150 a month, 12-month contracts | 2+ years full-time, 30+ weddings, references, unanimous team approval | Not handled |
| **Fearless Photographers** | A directory of photographers ranked by photo awards | US$99 a year | An application with 12 photos; ranked by awards | Not handled: “only a directory” |

## Casamentos.pt, WeddingWire and The Knot

**What it is.** The Knot and WeddingWire merged in 2019 as The Knot Worldwide. Its brands include The Knot and WeddingWire in the US, Casamentos.pt in Portugal, Bodas.net in Spain, Matrimonio.com in Italy, Mariages.net in France and Hitched in the UK. Casamentos.pt is operated by Wedding Planner, S.L.U., in Barcelona.

**What couples get.** The widest choice: on 11 October 2026 Casamentos.pt listed 2,822 wedding photographers in Portugal, alongside venues, caterers and every other supplier, with “from” prices, reviews, promotions and free planning tools — task list, guests, seating, budget, a wedding website. Couples can pay for extra website features (Pack Design €29 a year, Pack Grande Casamento €69 a year, according to its conditions), but the core is free. For Portugal the Portuguese site is the one to use: WeddingWire’s English-language page for photographers in Portugal showed six.

**How it makes money.** From businesses. Suppliers can register free — “Registe-se grátis” — and buy premium services; The Knot Worldwide announced free storefronts for new vendors in July 2024. Advertising prices are not published: the group’s own FAQ sends vendors to its sales team. No commission on bookings is mentioned on these pages.

**Your money and the reviews.** You book and pay the supplier directly; the conditions say Casamentos.pt takes no responsibility for transactions between users. Reviews are checked before publication for tone and content, and the conditions say the site does not judge whether they are accurate.

**Suits:** Portuguese couples planning the whole wedding in one place, who want to compare many local suppliers and prices.

## Bridebook

**What it is.** A wedding-planning app and supplier directory built for the UK: its home page is organised around British counties and cities. Couples use it free — “Using Bridebook won’t cost you a penny”, says its help page.

**How it makes money.** Suppliers pay for SupplierPro. For photographers, as of October 2026: **Basic** £20 a month (or £240 a year), and **Classic** £99 a month (£1,033.50 billed yearly). Couples contact suppliers through Bridebook’s messages; the pricing page mentions no commission on bookings.

**Suits:** couples planning a wedding in the UK. For a wedding in Portugal its planning tools still work, but its directory is not where Portugal’s photographers are.

## Zankyou

**What it is.** Founded in 2008, Zankyou combines a wedding magazine, wedding websites, a gift list and a supplier directory, in more than 20 countries. The Knot Worldwide bought Zankyou in February 2023; the announcement says the deal did not include Zankyou’s business in Portugal. Zankyou Portugal, at zankyou.pt, is run by Simplesmente Casar SL.

**How it makes money.** Zankyou Portugal’s pages for suppliers do not publish what suppliers pay, and we could not find its gift-list fees on its own pages — ask them directly.

**Suits:** couples who want a wedding website and gift list in Portuguese with inspiration and supplier ideas alongside.

## Junebug Weddings

**What it is.** A US-based wedding blog with a curated directory that chooses whom it lists. A photographer needs at least two years of full-time wedding work, at least 30 weddings, professional and client references, quick replies to enquiries and a well-kept website; applications are reviewed weekly and need the unanimous agreement of the team. Each list holds at most 20 vendors, and the Portugal list is short.

**How it makes money.** Listings are 12-month contracts from US$25 to US$150 a month, depending on location and type of vendor. Members get a portfolio, priority for the blog and social media features.

**Suits:** couples who want a short, editorially chosen list and are happy to contact and book photographers themselves.

## Fearless Photographers

**What it is.** A paid membership of wedding photographers with a public directory. Every two months a panel of guest judges picks between 1 and 3 percent of the photos members submit as Fearless Awards, and the directory orders photographers by the awards they won in the last four years. Joining takes an application with 12 photos; the membership page says you don’t need to be an exceptional photographer to join — the ranking does the filtering. Its Portugal page listed about 45 photographers in October 2026.

**How it makes money.** Membership costs US$99 a year for one photographer. Couples pay nothing, and the site calls itself “only a directory”: booking and payment are between couple and photographer.

**Suits:** couples who choose above all on striking, award-winning images — and who then ask for whole weddings, because an award goes to a single frame.

## Lens & Vows

**What it is.** A marketplace of wedding photographers in Portugal, in English and European Portuguese. Every photographer is approved only after a person on our team has looked through three of their whole weddings. Their pages show whole weddings, packages with prices in your currency and a calendar of free dates; the [concierge](https://lensandvows.com/#concierge) shows only photographers free on your day.

**How it makes money.** From photographers, and only when they are booked: 15% of the photographer’s price, taken from the 30% deposit the couple pays — never added on top. On a €3,000 wedding that is €450. Photographers can stay on the free plan, or pay for **Pro** (€49 a month) or **Premium** (€99 a month), which place them higher in lists and in the concierge’s picks — Premium first — and let them show more regions, packages and whole weddings; a plan never changes who is free, what anyone charges or the commission ([the plans](https://lensandvows.com/support#plans)).

**Your money.** The deposit is paid through Lens & Vows — by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or MB WAY in euros — and holds the date. The balance is your choice: straight to the photographer, with no fee from us; or through us, in up to 3 instalments with a 5% payment-protection fee, held until you accept your gallery (or 14 days after delivery). If the photographer cancels, everything you paid through us comes back and we look for a replacement. Contact details stay hidden in messages until the deposit is paid. See [payment protection](https://lensandvows.com/payment-protection).

**What we don’t do.** We are new; we list photographers only — no venues, caterers or planning tools — and, for couples, only in Portugal so far. If you want every supplier in one place, a directory does more.

**Suits:** couples who want to compare whole weddings and free dates, and to keep the deposit — and if they like, the balance — protected.

## What a photographer pays, side by side

This matters to couples only indirectly, but it explains each platform’s incentives. A directory costs the photographer the same whether or not anyone books, so it earns by selling visibility. A commission costs nothing until a booking happens and more per booking, so the platform earns only when a couple and a photographer actually agree.

| Platform | What a photographer pays (October 2026) | Over a year with no bookings | Per booking |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Lens & Vows | 15% of the price when booked; plans optional | €0 on the free plan | €450 on a €3,000 wedding |
| Bridebook | £20 or £99 a month | £240 or £1,033.50 (billed yearly) | None stated |
| Junebug Weddings | US$25–150 a month, 12-month contract | US$300–1,800 | None stated |
| Fearless Photographers | US$99 a year | US$99 | None stated |
| Casamentos.pt / The Knot | Free storefront; paid services by quote | From €0; paid prices not published | None stated |
| Zankyou Portugal | Not published | — | — |

## Which one for you?

- **Planning everything, as a Portuguese couple:** Casamentos.pt, for the breadth — then check photographers’ whole weddings.
- **Planning from the UK:** Bridebook for the planning tools; for Portugal’s photographers, look elsewhere.
- **Choosing mainly on artistry:** Fearless Photographers and Junebug Weddings, with whole galleries before you book.
- **A wedding website and gift list in Portuguese:** Zankyou.
- **Whole weddings, free dates and a protected deposit for a wedding in Portugal:** [Lens & Vows](https://lensandvows.com/photographers).

Whatever you use, the same checks apply: two or three complete galleries, a written contract, and knowing who holds your money and what happens if either of you cancels. [How to find a wedding photographer in Portugal](https://lensandvows.com/journal/find-a-wedding-photographer-portugal) compares the other ways too — Instagram, Google, planners, friends — and [how deposits and payment protection work](https://lensandvows.com/journal/deposits-and-payment-protection) covers the money.

## Questions couples ask

### Is Lens & Vows free for couples?

Yes. Couples pay the photographer’s own price and nothing on top, except an optional 5% payment-protection fee if they choose to pay the balance through us. Our 15% commission comes out of the deposit, from the photographer’s side.

### Do wedding directories take a commission from photographers?

The ones compared here charge photographers subscriptions, memberships or advertising instead: Bridebook £20 or £99 a month, Junebug US$25–150 a month, Fearless US$99 a year, Casamentos.pt and The Knot by quote. None of their pages mentions a commission on bookings. Lens & Vows works the other way round: a commission, only when booked.

### Who owns Casamentos.pt?

Casamentos.pt is part of The Knot Worldwide, the group formed when The Knot and WeddingWire merged in 2019. It is operated by Wedding Planner, S.L.U., based in Barcelona, according to its legal conditions.

### Is Zankyou part of The Knot?

Mostly. The Knot Worldwide bought Zankyou in February 2023, but its announcement says the deal did not include Zankyou’s business in Portugal. Zankyou Portugal is run by Simplesmente Casar SL.

### What does a Fearless Award mean?

It means one photograph was chosen by a rotating panel of guest judges as among the best 1–3 percent of those submitted by members that round; rounds run every two months. It says a photographer can make exceptional frames, not how they cover a whole day — ask for complete galleries.

### How does Junebug choose its wedding photographers?

By application. Photographers need at least two years of full-time wedding work, at least 30 weddings, client and professional references, prompt replies and a well-kept website, and the Junebug team must agree unanimously. Accepted vendors then pay for 12-month listings.

### Why are contact details hidden on Lens & Vows until the deposit?

Because the deposit through the platform is what protects your payment and how photographers pay for the introduction. You can ask anything in messages before booking; emails, phone numbers and links simply show as […] until the deposit is paid, and then everything opens.

## Sources

1. [Casamentos.pt — Condições legais (operator, reviews, premium packs for couples, transactions)](https://www.casamentos.pt/condicoes-legais.php)
2. [Casamentos.pt — business area: “Registe-se grátis”, premium services](https://www.casamentos.pt/emp-Acceso.php)
3. [Casamentos.pt — wedding photographers in Portugal (listing)](https://www.casamentos.pt/fotografo-casamento)
4. [The Knot Worldwide — brands](https://www.theknotww.com/brands/bodas-net)
5. [The Knot Worldwide — new platform features, free storefronts (press release, 30 July 2024)](https://www.theknotww.com/press-releases/the-knot-worldwide-announces-new-platform-features-to-drive-wedding-vendor-success)
6. [WeddingPro — FAQ about advertising with The Knot and WeddingWire](https://pros.weddingpro.com/blog/storefront/faqs-advertising-with-the-knot-weddingwire/)
7. [The Knot Worldwide acquires Spain-based Zankyou Ventures (Business Wire via Nasdaq, 3 February 2023)](https://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/the-knot-worldwide-acquires-spain-based-zankyou-ventures-2023-02-03)
8. [Zankyou Portugal — conditions for suppliers (Simplesmente Casar SL)](https://www.zankyou.pt/porque-zankyou/condicoes-fornecedores/)
9. [Bridebook — pricing for photographers (SupplierPro)](https://partners.bridebook.com/uk/pricing/suppliers/photographers)
10. [Bridebook — what Bridebook costs couples](https://support.bridebook.com/en/support/how-much-does-bridebook-cost)
11. [Bridebook — home (UK)](https://bridebook.com/uk)
12. [Junebug Weddings — membership application and listing prices](https://junebugweddings.com/apply-for-membership)
13. [Junebug Weddings — membership requirements](https://junebugweddings.com/professional-application)
14. [Junebug Weddings — best wedding photographers in Portugal](https://junebugweddings.com/vendors/wedding-photographers/portugal/)
15. [Fearless Photographers — membership](https://www.fearlessphotographers.com/about-fearless-photographers.cfm)
16. [Fearless Photographers — FAQ](https://www.fearlessphotographers.com/faq.cfm)
17. [Fearless Photographers — application](https://www.fearlessphotographers.com/blog/163/application)
18. [Fearless Photographers — best wedding photographers in Portugal](https://www.fearlessphotographers.com/location/87/best-wedding-photographers-portugal)
19. [The Knot Worldwide — Wikipedia (2019 merger, business)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Knot_Worldwide)