Documentary and style
As a documentary photographer I try to capture the day truthfully and in an artistic way. Your wedding day will be perfect , and for that reason I spend about 90% of the day itself quietly observing and capturing the moments as they take place. There are a few moments when I will be directive (group photos and portraits for example) but on the day we want to let the day unfold as you have planned it and document it for you. I feel uncomfortable committing to any particular kind of style of wedding photography for this reason; because it’s not about me it’s about you. Your photos will reflect you, and your day.
Booking stage
Wedding days tend to be pretty intimate, important days and if you choose me as your wedding photographer I’m going to be very present during that day in a way that not many other people will be. For this reason I encourage a meeting / Zoom in advance of booking so you can find out if I’m the right for you and feel comfortable me being around on such a big occasion. It’s also a good opportunity to ask any questions you might have about the process. You’ll have a good idea by the end of our meetup if you want to go ahead or not and I won’t take it personally if you don’t. Choosing your photographer is a really important decision and i want you to be confident that I’m the person for you. Its very likely that if you like my pictures and what I’ve posted then thats a great start, but still, let’s meet to be sure!
One months before the wedding day
I will be in touch the month before your day, to ask you to fill out a pre wedding questionnaire. This is so I can get all of the logistical information I need from you for the day - we then either meet up again or speak on the phone to run through it all so we both know what to expect on the day. I can help you with things like making sure you’ve got enough time set aside for the kinds of photos you want and assist you with things such as how best to structure your day and your photos. It’s also just another excuse for us to catch up and get to know each other a little better which only makes things easier on the day.
The day itself
By the time the day comes around I’ve got everything I need to be getting on with my job and aside from saying hello and introducing myself to any of your VIPs I’m pretty self sufficient. If you have me during your getting ready period I try to find a balance between getting shots I know you’ll love and not overwhelming you or anyone else. I might advise you on where the best light is or if we need to clear some space but other than that I’ll just do my thing and let you know if I need anything. You’ll have other things on your mind and I don’t want to detract from that!
The ceremony
The ceremony is the most intimate part of the day and I try my best to capture the moments but aslo be respectful to the ceremony and yourselves. I aim to have already had a chat with the Registrar / Vicar/Celebrant as they tend to often have a preference on where I'm allowed to stand and take shots during the ceremony - as I really try not to be a distraction but I also want to make sure I don’t miss any important moments. I try only to move when someone else does which tends to be between parts of the ceremony and its a bit of a balancing act, and I aim to capturing all the moments, but also the details which on the day you may not notice.
Reception
After the ceremony comes the party! This is is always a great time for the guests to mingle, catch up and celebrate. For me it's the opportunity to get some fantastic candid shots of you and your guests celebrating together. and there is often a bit more room for movement so I might get a bit closer to the action here and dare to be a bit more creative. It often gives me chance to get more shots of all the details and sometime the moments that you cant be a part of, so you get a real snapshot of your day.
Group photos
After the ceremony and at the beginning of the reception is often when I like to take some group and family shots. This can be tricky to co-ordinate but often with help of best men and bridesmaids we can have fun creating some great memories and ohotos for you all. It is likely we will have already discussed with you which groups and formations you want in our meeting and I give you some guidance as to how long these take so you can make an informed decision as to how many and what type of photo you like.
Portraits
I also quite like to steal you both away to take some photos of the two of you alone. This is also a nice opportunity to take 10-15 mins away from the crowd and to catch your breath a second (weddings can be overwhelming, especially your own). I will usually have visited your venues before your day to find some spots that I think will work well and I take you on a route around them, or you may have an idea of somewhere yourselves. I do try to keep things as natural as possible by giving you something to talk about or somewhere to walk to and I like to take a mixture of portraits, and am aparticualr fan of captruing the right light, so if we can catch that golden hour of sunlifght, even better. I talk you through what I’m doing as I do it and people often say this is a far less uncomfortable experience than they were expecting as I know a lot of people dont like their photo being taken!
Dinner and speeches
At this point, its usually time then it’s time for food and also if you are having them, the speeches. No one wants a photo taken whilst they are eating so I try to take pictures of the food as it comes out plus a few snaps of people chatting rather than mouthfuls of food! I also usually take this time to catch 5 minutes, also eat and reflect on the day so far and see what we need to do next. During the speeches I try to get lots of reaction shots of friends and family in addition to photos of those speaking. I love this part of the day as people are generally quite relaxed and speeches can be hilarious, emotional or even both, and can be great to photograph.
The evening
The evening often means arrival of more guests and time for merriment and often dancing. You may have a first dance, or special band playing - and again during a first dance I will capture the moment but not be intrusive. However, once the music, band or DJ starts, I find the pictures look so much better when I’m in amongst the crowd so you may find me popping up with a flash now and then! You may want me to capture just the first hour of dancing, evening guests, or you may want me to stay longer to capture the whole night, with more food and dancing. Some people also have a special departure planned siuch as fireworks, sparklers, outfit change or departure vehicle and can stay and take these moments for you so you can have your day chronicled from start to finish.
The week after the wedding
The week after your wedding I will have gone through your photos once and picked out some favourites. You’ll receive these in a private online gallery much like the one you’ll eventually get your full set in and you’ll be able to share them around as much or as little as you like.
8 weeks later
About 8 weeks after you receive your previews I will send you the full gallery link and also a USB . From both you’ll be able to download, send on to friends and family and share as you like. You can also order prints, albums and thank you cards directly from the gallery.
After the job is done
From this point onwards my job is done but I still love to hear from clients and see what they’re up to so please keep in touch particularly via social media. I feel really lucky to get a glimpse into your lives for your special day and love to see where your journeys take you. I have made some really wonderful connections over the years by taking photographs and often get to catch up again at friends weddings when have been suggested as a recomendations. It really is a privilege to be part of your story and one I never take for granted.
