41 Beautiful Documentary Wedding Photos

This months collection is all about Documentary Wedding Photos, moments, emotions and stories of the day captured through photos.

Sleeping

Photo by John Steel Photography – I offer unlimited coverage at a wedding, This was taken at 1:33am at Woodlands Hotel in Leeds, West Yorkshire. Some guests had decided to go into the bar and have a sing-a-long around the piano, however the excitement was obviously too much for this guest.

Time for a toast!

Photo by Magia Obrazu – It was a great moment with spontaneous groom’s toast with his colleagues during a reception.

And they cruised happily ever after..

Photo by Magia Obrazu – Justyna & Piotrek decided to make they first trip as a marriage on a boat. This few minutes were just for themselves while all the guests travelled with another big ship.

The Ninetieth Minute

Photo by Mark Wallis Photography – This wedding at Venetsanos Winery on the Greek island of Santorini took place on the same evening as one of England’s World Cup matches. The dance floor emptied as the guests took to their phones to stay on top of the action as the match neared its conclusion.

Happy Tears

Photo by Mark Wallis Photography – This bride almost held it together long enough to get through her ceremony at Bruisyard Hall in Suffolk. However, the tears began flowing as soon as she had to face the groom and read her vows.

Push harder

Photo by Nick Brightman Photography – It seemed like such a lovely idea, the Bride & Groom riding back from Church in a tractor driven by the Bride’s Dad…… until he stalls it!!!

First Dance Rehearsal

Photo by Tony Hart Photo – Candice & Ed disappeared shortly before their first dance at Hampton Court House. Turns out they’d snuck away to fit in one final rehearsal. I caught this moments before they came down and did the dance for real. I love the combination of necessity and romance about this image. They’re rehearsing in a corridor, for want of a better location, yet the dress and the morning suit – not the mention the twirl – give the whole thing a real sense of Fred & Ginger.

To the rescue

Photo by Benjamin Stuart Photography – The bride arrived in a gorgeous but very tiny vintage fiat 500 to her barn wedding. It was raining cats and dogs and the ushers came to her rescue with an army of umbrellas.

You’re sacked

Photo by Sam & Louise photography – You’re 8. It’s a wedding. Why wouldn’t you be running around with a sack on your head?

The struggle is real

Photo by Sam & Louise photography – There are plenty of things that people don’t tell you about wedding days. One of them is just how difficult it can be to get in to wedding attire!

Getting ready

Photo by Special Day Wedding Photos – Love to use available light when documenting weddings. Sometimes the light is not so good, other times it’s perfect. Love this shot of Jo getting ready.

Bond

Photo by Doville Gail Photography – Breastfeeding your child while getting ready for your big day it shows incredible bond.

Honoring Parent

Photo by My Love Momentz / Ivan Lim – A special moment when the bride say Thank you to her parents for bringing her up.

Back Seat Laughs

Photo by Liam Carroll // ZT Photography – Bride shares a giggle with her pops…taken at Samlesbury Hall, Lancashire.

Crazy Dancing

Photo by Pedro Filipe Fotografia – This picture was captured during the dance party.
It this photo, is the groom’s uncle that made a dance in the middle of the floor.
It was crazy, but very funny.

Sniffing the confetti

Photo by Simon Dewey Photography – Documentary photography is great at catching the lighter moments that we’d otherwise miss.
A pageboy sniffs the confetti whilst a flower girl laughs. ~Taken at St Albans church in Derby.

The joy of the dance

Photo by Simon Dewey Photography – For me documentary photography is all about strong emotions captured naturally. This was Nikki & Matt during their first dance at Anstey Hall.

Dutch Courage

Photo by Andy Turner Photography – Susie settling a few pre-ceremony nerves with a drop of Prosecco. Susie married James at the Vermont Hotel in Newcastle.

the groomsmen

Photo by Nabis Photographers/ Chiara Ridolfi – It was funny to assist to the getting in ready of the groom and his best men!
They had a problem with the tie and they were helping each other.

the spray!

Photo by Nabis Photographer – I was in Santa Marinella, a beautiful place on the sea nera to Rome.
The bride was getting in ready and suddenly thew make up artist fixed her make up.
the light was amazing and I shot.

Nearly there

Photo by Ebourne Images – This candid image was taken at Paul & Zane’s wedding preparation. Being a talented hairdresser Paul did his own hair … Shooting from behind him allowed me to capture his concentration and excitement. This images become one of my favourites from their wedding …… Congratulations guys! x

…Just Married

Photo by Spotyphoto – Their expressions say it all – married life can be quite busy and full a times. And you don’t need everything to be prefect to be happy 🙂

Bridal preparations with 3 generations

Photo by David Stubbs Photography – Here we have the typical morning of bridal preparations but the story is told all within one photo. To the left the dress, at the back the bride, to the right the brides sister, and central there is the bride’s mother and her three grandchildren, who are also the bride and sister’s children. This is a documentary image because I’m not creative enough to pose this even if I tried.

A Mother’s Touch

Photo by Andrew Billington Photography – Storytelling documentary wedding photography is all about revealing the relationships between people. As a casual observer you don’t need to know any other information than that which is contained within the photograph – here we can all recognise an emotional moment between two people, they just happen to be mother and son at a wedding.

Windy Wedding

Photo by Andrew Billington Photography – Catching these unscripted moments is what a wedding is for me. The Lancashire village of Lydgate is high up in the hills and as Natalie left the church a gust of wind caught her veil and I whirled around to catch the moment – it’s the bridesmaids straining up to catch the veil tat make the photo for me.

First Dance

Photo by Art by Design Photography / Steve Wheller – The first dance is always a great time to capture natural documentary wedding pictures. When the bride and groom are just focussing on each other you get to capture wonderful moments like this.

Gathering for the speeches

Photo by Tiree Dawson Photography – The barn at Askham Hall is such a perfect location for a wedding breakfast and speeches. I loved the different layers of people as they gathered around to listen to the Best Man on Briony and Alistair’s big day.

Bridesmaid

Photo by Zo Taylor / ZT Photography – Taken at Hengrave Hall – Suffolk

Jump!

Photo by Michael Marker Photography – The bride and bridesmaids fun on the bouncy castle was soon disrupted by some younger guests!

The start of the ceremony

Photo by Pure Photo N.I – We captured this image during Katrina & Jason’s wedding earlier in the year at the Clandeboye Lodge in Bangor, Northern Ireland. This was just after Katrina had walked down the aisle.

Stretch

Photo by Paul Fletcher Photography – This image was taken at Slaugham Place in West Sussex a last year. I was hunting down interesting documentary moments during dinner when I noticed the children having a mad moment or two outside. There were several shots taken in the space of a minute, but I particularly love the action, the layers and separation in this one!

unexpected guests

Photo by SV PHOTOGRAPH – We organized the destination intimate wedding of our bride and groom on a tiny wild island. I was capturing her getting ready on the sand and two doggys where kissing at the background, the bride never saw them until she receive photos. This is a cute but very fast moment.

The Lion King

Photo by Fiona Walsh Photography – Little Idris, what a super little boy, it was heartwarming to see not only how in love his parents were but how much they loved their boy and included him in it all.

Sweet touch

Photo by Luca Caparrelli Photography – A friend touch sweetly the future bride..

Above the Clouds

Photo by Tim Simpson Photography – This image was taken at Manchester Town Hall, it involved a fair bit of running but I’d planned the shot in my head and it came out great. Its god to get an alternative angle.

The Love Bus

Photo by Jason Williams Photography – I first met this acting couple on their narrow boat in Little Venice and was immediately taken by their friendliness, warmth and easy but obvious deep affection for one another. It is a fact that same sex marriages, even in a country as progressive as the UK, can of ten cause tension amongst relatives. It is unfortunate but we all know it is true. But not this family. Far from it.
I captured this delightful snogfest including the couple, obviously, but also one of the groom’s parents who decided to fool around for the image I was taking. This was on the vintage bus ride journey from Marylebone Town Hall up to Hackney, and it remains one of my favourite captures.

The First Dance

Photo by Stefano Ferrier International Photography – Villa Caroli Zanchi is a wonderful nineteenth century villa located in northern Italy, near Bergamo.
I particularly like this picture because during the first dance I was looking for a different view then I approached a lot and I tried an unusual angle view for capture the expression of the bride.

High five Bro!

Photo by Stefano Ferrier International Photography – There are some wedding venues where it is always a pleasure to shoot, for me its always a pleasure to shoot here, this magical place is “Tenuta Serradesca” in Bergamo, northern Italy, a perfect place with its amazing landscapes and lovely vineyards.

Help me!

Photo by Matt Selby photography – Taken during the church service. Nobody knew this was about to happen!

Well done to all featured, let us know your favourites by leaving a comment below.