My Approach
How would I approach your day?
I simply want you to just be you, enabling me to capture your unique story. That can only happen if you feel comfortable and relaxed with a photographer you trust. The photographer you choose will also in themselves be an important memory of your day. How they mingled with your guests, how they made you feel.
To help you decide whether I could be the right photographer for you, I’ve put together this 12 point summary of how I would go about telling your own authentic story and what you could expect at each stage of your wedding journey.
Every picture tells its own story and we just love everyone’s faces.
We had the best day and choosing you as our photographer was one of the best choices we made.
EMILY & NICOLE
01.
Before the Big Day
For most of my couples, a Zoom call is a great way to get to know each other and discuss wedding plans. I’ll check all the timings and ask plenty of questions to ensure I arrive on the big day understanding your story, who you are and what’s important to the two of you.
If you’re local or fancy a day in Brighton, I’m always happy to meet up for coffee. Or you can add on a pre-wedding shoot. It’s a fun, great value and super-chilled session, and especially helpful for people who might feel a little nervous about being photographed. You can find more information on this by clicking here.
After 15 years of capturing mostly camera-shy couples, I want to reassure you that It’s completely normal to feel anxious about aspects of your wedding day or to worry about being centre stage or just generally being photographed. If you read my couples’ reviews you’ll see this is a common concern they had before their wedding day. I promise I’ll listen to you and do everything I can to help you to feel more relaxed.
For a start, you don’t have to have a confetti arch, or a first dance, or even be separated from your partner on your wedding morning. Many of my couples opt to do things a little differently and if certain traditions are adding to the stress, let’s talk it through and come up with alternatives.
02.
The Preparations
Today’s the day! Every emotion will be heightened on the morning of your wedding. It’ll go by in a flash and it’s such an important part of your story to remember. You’ll hardly notice me as I observe and document it all from my fly-on-the-wall perspective. It’s not just the nervous excitement of getting into your dress, but all those seemingly normal, insignificant moments that will later remind you how you were feeling.
Whether you’re quietly getting ready with your best friend, or in a house packed to the rafters with family, I love to get creative, and there’s usually plenty of fun stories to tell too.
If your partner’s getting ready nearby, I can sometimes capture both of you. But if that’s logistically impractical, we’ll discuss the best options. From arriving early at your ceremony venue to capture whoever gets there first, to adding on a second photographer for a couple of hours. It’s all doable.
03.
Before the Ceremony
Photographing guests arriving at the ceremony is a great part of your story! If you’re doing things in the traditional way, you won’t get to see the excited expressions on your friends’ faces as they arrive at your venue, or family members seeing each other for the first time in years. And following on from point 2 above, it’s often the best time to capture your spouse-to-be and their entourage if you and your partner are getting ready separately.
Although it’ll be super relaxed on the day, trust me when I say that I schedule the morning logistics to absolute precision beforehand to ensure I’m at the right place at the right time. It’s fine if your whole day is at your barn or beach venue for example, but when I’m racing from a bride’s home or airbnb to a country church or busy town centre registry office, it’s not a time to be stressed about directions or where to park!
You won’t be aware of my military level planning, but I know from my couples’ feedback that you’ll love seeing your guests’ reactions and all the little moments that happen before the ceremony begins.
04.
During the Ceremony
This is the heart of your story. The two of you getting married. It’s so easy to lose sight of what the day is ultimately all about as the wedding planning takes hold. But if your wedding day consisted of the ceremony and nothing else, you would still have a wonderful, unique story told through the most poignant, raw and emotive photographs..
I capture ceremonies in barns, on beaches, in churches, town halls and back gardens. With registrars and celebrants. Traditional ring exchanges, celtic handfastings, ring warmings, and sand ceremonies. Whatever type of ceremony you’ve chosen, I’ll capture it quietly, respectfully and without fuss or intrusion. It’s the biggest compliment when couples tell me they weren’t aware of my presence at all.
05.
The Cocktail Hour
This is the mingling part of the day after your ceremony and before sitting down to eat. For me, it’s all about the storytelling moments! Whether it involves a confetti arch, a party bus to your reception venue, drinks & canapés on the lawn, or all of the above, it’s a great time to candidly capture the true personalities of you and your guests. Everyone’s relaxed and laughing after the reverence of the ceremony and I love just to be in amongst it all, hiding in plain sight.
When you look at your photographs, you’ll be transported right back to the the joy and elelation of those special moments. You’ll see things you didn’t know were happening at the time and each time you view your images, you’ll find little details within the frame you missed the first time around.
During this hour or two (I’ll take two if I can get it!) I’m constantly moving around using framing and composition to find creative and often humourous ways to tell your unique story. Whist the wedding itself may follow a set formula, people are unpredictable, and documenting human behavoir is what drives me and how I’ll tell your story. There’ll be plenty of time for a few family photos afterwards, but for now, just enjoy the moment and ignore the camera.
06.
The Group Photos
Yes, I do take them! It’s important for most couples to have a few posed photos of key family members and the bridal party. It might well be the only time you’ll have family from different generations or even from different countries all together in one place. This is part of your story too, but it doesn’t have to dominate proceedings. I usually suggest no more than 6-8 groups and I’ll share with you my tried and tested strategies to ensure they’re done as efficiently as possible and you’re back to the canapés.
It’s important to be honest with yourselves on this point. If you want every combination and permutation of your extended family and friends in group format, I’m not your photographer! There are plenty out there who will be happy to line people up for hours – for me that would mean compromising on the fun stuff (see point 5 above).
07.
The Couple Photos
My couple photos aren’t heavily posed wedding portraits in the traditional sense. You don’t even need to have any at all! But most of my couples want at least a few scenic images of the two of them together, outside in nature. I want you to look at these photos and remember the fun you had, feeling relaxed and happy in each other’s company. I certainly don’t want you worrying about how long you’ve been away from your guests, what to do with your hands, or whether your significant other is getting bored.
We’ll head out into the grounds of your venue or a nearby beach or field and I’ll simply tag along, offering just a little low-key direction to ensure you feel comfortable and to keep things relaxed and natural.
Pack umbrellas and wellies just in case, and if we’re blessed with sunshine, I definitely recommend making the most of Golden Hour – that last hour before sunset when the light is soft and flattering. We’ll talk through your timings beforehand to see when could be a good moment to slip out.
08.
The Food & Speeches
Whether it’s a beach BBQ or 3-course sit down meal, I’ll capture the initial hubbub of guests finding their seats and your grand entrance if you’re having one. And if I see paper aeroplanes or bubbles on the table, I’ll hover closeby! But when the first mouthfuls are taken I’ll respectfully put down my camera. Half eaten plates of food are not the most photogenic, and I want you and your guests to just enjoy your food without worrying they’ll be papped in less than flattering conditions.
So it makes sense that it’s also the time I stop to eat and recharge my creative batteries before your evening shenanigans. I really appreciate you including me in your catering numbers which will allow me to eat close by and be ready for the speeches.
This is another great opportunity to capture emotion in its rawest form. Your reactions to the words of your nearest and dearest, whether heartfelt, humourous, poignant or cheesy (and often all of these) will say it all. Seeing these images will take you straight back to that moment and what was said. You won’t need video to remember how you felt in that moment.
09.
The Evening Celebrations
After the toasts are made and the plates cleared away is another great time of day for casual people-watching, camera poised. I’ll just be happily mingling with your guests and on the look out for those unmissable moments.
I’ll keep an eye out for any extra guests arriving and on a balmy Summer’s evening, people will be making the most of the sunshine and playing games outside. As day goes into night, and even more so indoors or in the Winter months, the natural light becomes trickier to work with. Where needed, I make subtle use of flash lighting to balance the scene and make sure that people’s expressions are properly lit, but always retaining the atmosphere and mood of how it felt to be there.
10.
The Dancefloor
If you’re having a first dance, I’ll be sure to capture it, and afterwards I’ll be joining you and your guests on the dancefloor! Whether you’ve hired a band, a DJ or are keeping things simple with your own playlist, I’ll set up off-camera flash to add to the atmosphere and come in close with a wide angle lens for some great action moments.
Those fun photos of your gran strutting her stuff will trigger amazing memories of your special day, and aren’t to be missed. And when I feel I’ve fully captured your story, the ceilidh band’s taking a break, and the dancefloor empties for evening pizza, I’ll come and say my goodbyes.
You don’t need to worry if your schedule overruns – they often do, but if you’ve booked me for a full day, I’m there to capture your story and am always flexible on timings.
11.
After the Wedding
I take time to process each individual image in my signature style. How an image is edited can dramatically alter the mood of the final photograph and is a vital part of the storytelling. From the images on my home page to my portfolio and wedding stories blog, you’ll get a good feel for my editing style. Consistency of style at all times of day and in all lighting is really important to ensure the story of your wedding flows well.
If you choose me for your special memories, within 6 weeks of the wedding (4 weeks in quieter periods) you’ll receive a gorgeous online gallery beautifully showcasing your photos. You’ll be able to download your digial images at high resolution and watermark free, with a licence for unlimited personal use. From the gallery you can share images with family and friends and order self-made albums or wall art, if you’re so incllined.
Your gallery will also include a wonderful and emotive slideshow, telling the story of your day to music, and perfect for viewing again (and again!) over drinks and nibbles with family and friends. Before looking at all their photos, I always recommend that couples view their slideshow first on a big screen, drink in hand, to be transported back to their special day.
12.
Your Wedding Album
If you’ve pre-ordered an album, now’s the time to make any final decisions on album syle and fabrics. And one of the most difficult tasks – which images to include! Or leave me to choose – you’ll be able to make any changes you’d like via a quick and easy online proofing service.
And if you haven’t already ordered an album, it’s not too late! You can ask me anytime for a quote. Or, you can order a self-designed album from your online gallery. Whatever you do, don’t leave your files sitting on a computer. Digital files are convenient and great for sharing online, but there’s no comparison to seeing your gorgeous wedding photos professionally printed.
You can find more information on Wedding Albums here.
Could I be your photographer?
Being transparent is vital to ensure the right couples find me and have the confidence to trust me with one of their most important wedding investments.
My aim in compiling this article has been to give you a really good feel for how I work and the style of photography you can expect to receive if you choose me for your special day.
It’s just as important to me that we’re a great fit for each other. I take on around 20 weddings each year and am completely invested in your day. I’m a people watcher with a passion for telling stories of human connection. Endless posing and directing? Not so much.
A few kind words….
Jenny is quite brilliant.
One of the most difficult choices we faced for our wedding was the photographer. We wanted photos that told the story of the day, we wanted all natural pictures of joy and celebration and happiness. We got that and even more. Creative, beautiful compositions, moments of joy frozen perfectly. Jenny is quite brilliant. We have little recollection of Jenny’s presence on the day. How she does it I don’t know. Jenny is everywhere but somehow invisible to the subjects being photographed. And she gets amazing natural shots of unaware subjects. If this is what you want, book her, you won’t regret it.
ROBI & GRAHAM
You captured the day and how it felt perfectly.
Hi Jenny,
What can we say? Thank you SO much!
We have been blown away by the photos of our special day. We’ve lost count how many times we’ve watched the slideshow or looked through all of the photos… It’s been so nice to see the parts of the day that either of us weren’t there for. You captured the day, and how it felt, perfectly and we couldn’t be more grateful.
You have been so helpful and approachable from the outset and neither of us felt like we were on ‘show’ all day. You blended in with the guests seamlessly and we have had our guests comment on how brilliant you were.
We loved that we could have our time as newlyweds captured but didn’t feel we were away from our guests for too long. We also love all of the natural photos of our guests and ourselves. You provided everything we wanted. Thank you!
We hope you enjoyed being part of our day, we’re so glad you were there!
Thank you so so much.
LIZZIE & WILL
Jenny should be your first choice.
Jenny was fantastic and truly captured the fun, energy, emotion and joy of our wedding day. She went above and beyond our expectations, arriving early to capture us and our guests braving an April sea swim and staying beyond the first dance to catch some laugh-out-loud shots of us all on the dance floor.
As well as being professional, Jenny was super friendly and easy-going. She was a pleasure to have around and naturally blended amongst guests, always managing to be in the right place at the right time, but never in the way.
The results speak for themselves and we absolutely love our photos. If you’re looking for a wedding photographer who can capture candid, spontaneous and beautiful moments of your big day, Jenny should be your first choice.
CANDY & JASPER
