Relaxed Wedding Photography: Why I Shoot Weddings This Way

When people ask me how I photograph weddings, I always try to come back to what my past couples have said. 

Relaxed

Now, this is not because I’m half-arsing it, obviously and relaxed wedding photography doesn’t mean I just turn up, float around aimlessly, and hope something nice happens. It means I’m paying attention without taking over and most importantly, stressing you the heck out. It means I’m looking for moments that are happening in real-time, real reactions, and the stuff that actually makes your wedding feel like your wedding.

Because for me, a wedding shouldn’t feel like a high-pressure photoshoot.

Your wedding day is not about performing for the camera

Unless you’ve had an engagement shoot, this is most probably the first time that you’ve ever had your photos taken professionally and it can be awkward as heck, and this is something I hear from couples over and over again. 

They’re not models. They’re not spending their weekends practising poses in front of a mirror. They just want to get married, enjoy the day, and have photographs that bring it all back once the day is done and that’s exactly why I shoot the way I do.

I don’t want you to feel like you have to be “on” all day. For me, first and foremost, the wedding is YOUR day and it’s going to go by so bloody fast and I want you to enjoy every second. I don’t want you worrying about where your hands are every five minutes, whether you’re smiling properly, or whether we’ve ticked off some random Pinterest list that doesn’t really mean anything to you.

Of course, I’ll give you direction when it’s needed. I’m not just going to abandon you and shout “be natural” from across a field, but the best photos usually happen when you’re not thinking too much about the camera.

The best moments are usually the ones you don’t plan

Some of my favourite wedding photographs aren’t the big obvious ones.

They’re the little glances at each other during the ceremony. The way your nan looks at you when she thinks nobody is watching. Your mates laughing at something stupid. or someone going absolutely mental on the dancefloor. It’s those moments that matter, and they’re so easy to miss if the whole day is being constantly interrupted for photos.

That’s one of the main reasons I prefer a more relaxed, documentary approach. It gives the day room to breathe. It lets things happen naturally because the more you force timelines, and force photos, the more forced your photos will look and nobody wants that! 

Relaxed does not mean unplanned

This is probably worth saying.

A relaxed approach still needs structure.

Before the wedding, I’ll want to understand what matters to you. Who your important people are. What parts of the day you’re looking forward to. Whether there are any family situations I need to be aware of. Whether you want group photos kept short and painless, which, in all fairness, most people do.

The aim is to do the planning beforehand so the day itself feels easy.

That’s the whole point.

I don’t want to be asking you endless questions on the day, dragging you away from your guests, or making photography feel like a chore. The better prepared I am, the more relaxed you get to be.

You can still have beautiful portraits

Relaxed wedding photography doesn’t mean you don’t get lovely photos of just the two of you.

You absolutely do.

Usually, I’ll take you away for a short bit of time.20-30 minutes is usually more than enough. I’m saying this as a photographer who has shot over 100 weddings, this 20 minutes is just as important to decompress. Weddings are overwhelming. People will want you all day and it’s fucking exhausting. I say this to all my couples. It’s surprising how little time you may spend with your new husband on your wedding day (There will be another blog post soon to look into this and how to increase the amount of time you spend with each other on the day) so this 20-30 minutes is the time for just the two of you (well… 3 if you count little ol’ me) 

And we’ll get some AMAZING photos in the meantime!

I want your photos to feel like the day actually felt

This is probably the biggest reason I shoot this way.

Years from now, I don’t want you to look through your wedding gallery and only remember being told where to stand.

I want you to remember the atmosphere.

The weather. The nerves. The laughter. The people. The ridiculous little things that went wrong and somehow made the day better.

That’s what wedding photography is for, really.

Yes, you want beautiful images. Of course you do. But more than that, you want photographs that feel honest. Photos that remind you what it was like to be there.

That’s why I don’t try to force weddings into looking like someone else’s day.

I’d much rather photograph yours properly.

Is relaxed wedding photography right for you?

If you want your wedding photos to feel natural, honest, and full of the people you care about, then probably, yes.

If you want a photographer who will quietly capture the day without turning it into a massive production, then this approach will suit you well.

And if you’re a bit awkward in front of the camera, even better.

Most of my couples are.

You don’t need to know what to do. You don’t need to suddenly become confident in front of a lens. You just need to enjoy your day, trust me to notice what’s happening, and let the photos tell the story properly.

That’s the kind of wedding photography I believe in.

Relaxed, honest, and centred around the day you’re actually having.