Hey, I’m Ste a London Wedding Photographer with experience shooting brides and groom’s weddings in England’s capital city.
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Looking for a London Wedding Photographer? Here is some help and advice for you. I’ve never had to look for one, being one myself. But what I do know is that when you are looking for a wedding photographer, one of the key pieces of advice I give is;
Once you have found a website that feels and looks great and you love the images, get in touch and arrange a video call with the photographer. Getting to know your photographer to see if they share the same ethos as you and to see if you connect with them is so important. Your wedding is one of the most special days of your life and you’ll be going through a mix of emotions all day long. Having a photographer you feel comfortable around and that understands you and your story is super important.
Planning a wedding in London must be tough too! The several wedding venues there are to choose from! Then once you’ve eventually found your venue you’ll have a whole list of other wedding suppliers to go through. I hope I can make your decision in finding the right wedding photographer today!
Different Types Of Photographers
Here is a list of some of the different types of wedding photographers you may want to consider for your dream day;
- Documentary: Now this category I want to mention first as I believe that all wedding photographers are “documentary wedding photographers” as all of us are there to document weddings. However, what some professionals do is label themselves as strictly documentary. Meaning they won’t get involved at all. They won’t pose, give directions, move anything or at least do this at the bare minimum. I have this kind of approach but I’m not strictly documentary. Though I have a strong “candid” style to my work.
- Editorial: Editorial wedding photographers will do their best to make sure your wedding photos have a strong magazine vibe to them. They’ll give plenty of direction, posing tips and advice and have you looking like you’ve just walked out of a Vogue magazine.
- Traditional: This is the kind of wedding photography you may have seen in your parents’ weddings. They won’t necessarily be creative and will be pretty straightforward. Many photographers will include some of this style at weddings for family portraits.
- Dark & Moody: This style is pretty much self-explanatory. Photography is all about light and shadows. Some wedding creatives will push this to be super creative and make amazing wedding photos. You see this kind of thing in wedding publications all the time. Be sure to google it for a better idea.
- Fine Art: More commonly associated with film photography which is fastly becoming trendy in the wedding world. Fine art has a more bright and airy feel to it and using 35mm film also creates a nostalgic look to your images. Some will be inspired by film and use this to stylize their images.
- Black & White: Did you know that some wedding photographers only shoot in black and white? Almost all wedding photographers will deliver both colour and black-and-white images for your wedding. I like to use my black and white images to focus on the moments.
A Tip For Brides & Grooms
Ask your wedding photographer about drone photography. One additional style to mention is Aerial wedding photography. It may not be something that you’re too bothered about but it’s always worth asking if they offer this or if there is an additional charge for drone coverage.
How Much Should You Pay For A Wedding Photographer In London?
The cost of a wedding photographer in London will be anywhere between £800 and £8000. This will depend on several reasons really. Experience is one of the huge factors when it comes to a photographer charging for what they do. This isn’t to be confused with how long they have been shooting weddings though. For example, let’s say someone has been shooting weddings for 20 years. Perhaps they only shoot 4-5 weddings a year. Also perhaps they haven’t been shooting higher-end weddings or have any experience working with planners. Quality of work is another factor. This can be relative to what you deem as good wedding photos versus bad ones. So the best way to work out how much you should be paying for your wedding photographer is; to work out an approximate budget. Find how much you want to spend on photography. Then find a few photographers within your budget and a couple that are slightly over your budget. Then it’s a case of narrowing down your results.
How Long Do I Need To Hire A Wedding Photographer For?
Most people hire their wedding photographer for 10-12 hours. Though this all depends on the type of wedding you’re planning. Perhaps you’re having a small elopement or just a registry office ceremony. That way you could ask your photographer if you could have a bespoke quote for just a couple of hours. For some weddings that I have photographed, I’ve begun shooting at 9 am and have not finished shooting until 1 am in the morning. A good guide would be to work out roughly what time your wedding ceremony is. They take into consideration how long it will take you to get there. Maybe you’re getting ready in a bridal suite in London but the ceremony is 40 minutes away by car. Then as a rough guide, you may want to have 2 hours prior to you leaving your preparation location. Then you’ll need to work out the approximate time of your first dance. Let’s say that’s 8 pm. You may have already agreed for your photographer to finish at this point. Though I usually stay for a while after depending on the party and what I’ve agreed with my bride and groom.
How To Choose A Wedding Photographer For You
The best way to choose a London wedding photographer is to narrow down the styles you prefer. There are several obvious styles to choose from. All of the styles I’ll mention though can all be hybrids of each other. You could have an incredibly talented editorial-style photographer who also loves the story and moments. Here are some obvious styles of wedding photographers for example;
Documentary Wedding Photographers, these photographers will be very focused on the story and the moments. They will be interested in using interesting and intriguing compositions that help tell the story of what’s in front of them.
Fine Art Photographers; these photographers will focus on making the images artistic from an imaginative and aesthetic perspective. The images will be typically soft and natural-looking images with a strong pastel vibe.
Editorial Wedding Photographers; These photographers will aim to make their subjects look as glamorous as possible. If you can imagine the front cover of an expertly high-end magazine. It’s sort of this kind of style incorporated into wedding photography.
These are some obvious styles and of course, there is everything outside of these and also everything in between! I’d like to think I have a mixture of it all whilst maintaining a consistent and unique look in my photography.
London Wedding Photography Packages
When it comes to finding the perfect wedding photography package for your wedding in London. It can boil down to several things. From how many hours of coverage you want. Perhaps you’re not so concerned about having bridal preparation photos. Or perhaps you do want to have photos of the bride and her bridesmaids as well as simultaneously wanting photos of the groom and his groomsmen. There are ways of doing this without having a second photographer though if you want exclusivity here, you may want to add one on. Generally, though, weddings in London can just be civil ceremonies or micro weddings, or lavish long-day events. So to find out what sort of coverage you want please get in touch and we can make sure you have the right wedding photography package that suits you best.
3 Reasons to get married in London
- Timeless Romance in Iconic Settings: One great reason to get married in London is that London is renowned for its timeless and romantic ambience, with iconic landmarks such as the Tower Bridge, the London Eye, and historic parks providing a picturesque backdrop for your wedding. Imagine exchanging vows against the stunning backdrop of these landmarks, creating memories that will last a lifetime.
- Cultural Diversity and Culinary Delights: London’s cultural diversity is reflected in its vibrant neighbourhoods and rich history. Getting married in London means you can celebrate your love in a city that embraces a multitude of cultures. Additionally, the city offers a wide array of culinary delights, ensuring that your wedding feast will be a diverse and delicious experience for you and your guests.
- World-Class Venues and Professional Services: London boasts a plethora of world-class wedding venues, ranging from historic castles and elegant ballrooms to trendy rooftop spaces with panoramic views. The city also hosts a wealth of professional wedding planners, photographers, and caterers, ensuring that every detail of your special day is executed with precision and style. Choosing London for your wedding provides access to a network of experienced professionals who can turn your dream wedding into reality.
How To Book A London Wedding Photographer
To book your London wedding photographer and to make it all official. You’ll need to sign a contract with your wedding photographer that will protect both you as the client and the photographer professional too. A percentage of the overall fee will also need to be paid as a deposit or booking fee. This will be deducted from the final balance. Once these two steps are completed you’re all done! I always follow up a few months before the wedding to see if any plans have changed or if there is anything else I need to know regarding the wedding day.
Documentary Wedding Photos In London
If you think about it all wedding photographers are documentary wedding photographers. Weddings are such great events with so much going on most of what we do it document. Its how well its documented thats important though. Its how stories can be told within a single image or how just one photo can make you feel so much emotion. Like this image below of a young boy watching his mum marry. How important this image is to not only the couple but the boys future self. Truly great documentary wedding photographers can understand your story and have it portrayed in the most beautiful and organic way possible. There is a huge difference in those who take pictures of what is going on and those who take pictures of how things feel. Most of what I do is documentary wedding photography. Though I love using my artistic and creative side to add a uniqueness to my work.
Multi Award Winning Photographer
I’ve been grateful enough to win several awards for my photography. The reason I’ve won these awards is because I know I work so hard on my wedding days to truly capture what matters most. I take my time and use my experience of understanding light. My camera is just an extension of my empathy and hunger to document what’s in front of me in the most organic way. I’m proud of the awards I’ve won as a wedding photographer in London. The capital city is full of amazing photographers who really know how to use a camera. So having my awards makes me proud.
Luxury Wedding Venues London
As an experienced wedding professional, I wanted to share my opinion and thoughts on some of the luxury wedding venues in London. I don’t ever envy couples having to choose a wedding venue. There are so many great places to choose from. From grand venues on the banks of the river Thames to stately homes of grade 2 listed buildings just 30 mins outside of the city. Hedsor House on the outskirts of the city to The Hotel Café Royal in central London, you’re spoiled for choice.
