As a documentary wedding photographer London is an amazing canvas to shoot against. An architectural masterpiece, the city has so much to give – awe-inspiring history and heritage, grand and majestic spaces, and cutting-edge modern design.

In this blog, I’ll outline how, to a documentary wedding photographer, London is so inspirational, and why I think documentary photography, alongside editorial shots, creates the best memories from your beautiful celebrations.

What is Documentary Wedding Photography?

Documentary wedding photography consists of shots that capture your day as it was – authentic and unposed moments of joy that chronicle your day as it unfolded. 

For the photographer, it is pure observation. Without interruption or guidance, you celebrate your day and receive imagery that captures what unfolded. It’s beautifully honest and raw.

A documentary wedding photographer won’t make you “kiss the bride” again to get more shots, or freeze you at critical stages to capture imagery. They will let the day unfold naturally, prioritising maintaining the genuine atmosphere of celebration.

Getting editorial-quality shots doesn’t mean not being a documentary wedding photographer. For me, it’s about expertise and practice – I know where to be and when, so as to capture those beautiful pictures for you, naturally, capturing editorially beautiful shots without interrupting the spontaneity.

What is Editorial Photography?

Editorial photography creates a structured visual story; galleries that lead through your celebrations, capturing your tale through artful, guided moments. Your poses will be directed, we’ll adjust the light… 

It is more directed. The photographs tend to be more polished and the galleries more curated, because your photographer will be guiding you, helping to suggest poses, places to capture, fixes to your dress, and moments between yourselves and your loved ones. The galleries can look more magazine-worthy because they are consciously curated, styled, and visually polished.

Documentary Wedding Photography: London’s Urban Backdrop

Documentary wedding photography in London usually captures the awe-inspiring urban backdrop as a historical record of your day. It’s fascinating to me that my couples’ shots will almost be time-stamped – as you see old-fashioned double-decker buses in the backdrop, notice the styles of cars on the roads, see the iconic London skyline – you can chart where in time the wedding was. Unlike photography captured in a churchyard or venue, where only the fashions and flowers might give you a sense of era, London weddings have their own chronology.

Many weddings are “culturally feminine”, with an emphasis on delicate fashions, flowers, and beauty. I love the dynamism of florals and nature, and love to parallel those wild tendrils and blooms against London’s harder, more “culturally masculine” edges – city streets, the man-made, the historical architecture. To me, this brings absolute equilibrium and timelessness to the shots, as although they have their urban timestamp, the balance of masculine and feminine brings a real contemporary filmic timelessness – it seems modern, but you know it will still look beautiful in two decades’ time.

Some of my favourite backdrops to shoot from are Marylebone Town Hall in Mayfair, Kimpton Fitzroy and Shangri-la at the Shard.

Your Galleries from a Documentary Wedding Photographer

My primary prerogative as a documentary wedding photographer is to capture the story of your day, telling it through moments of intimacy, spontaneity, beauty, love, and care. My style is cinematic, a “soft Vogue” look which brings authenticity to editorial beauty. My clients tend to love the specific look we get when night falls and I bring out my flash – I love to capture fashion-forward, slightly kitsch imagery with flash, which exudes style, playfulness and fun.

Editorial or Documentary Wedding Photography? You don’t have to choose…

I advise couples to choose editorial looks if they love more curated visual storytelling, and choose documentary if they hate the idea of any interruption to the spontaneous joy of the day.

But the secret is, you don’t have to choose. A London wedding photographer with plenty of experience knows how to tread the line between these styles to get the best from both.

I love to capture your raw emotions and memories as they’re made in real time, and I would certainly never interject myself at crucial moments of your proceedings.  But I am also here to make sure you get those incredible shots. My photographs are timeless and filled with the authentic emotion of your day, but I also offer guidance on turning to get the right light, making sure your outfit is on point, and giving you a chance to get amazing, wall-worthy editorial shots of you as a couple. We’ll have those spontaneous tears, and exuberant dance floor celebrations – but I will also help direct you, especially in moments when it’s just us three, to ensure you look your complete, radiant, authentic selves – editorially beautiful, but authentically you.