What I learned about weddings after a 6 year break. Somerset wedding & creative photographer shares some musings.
After my son was born 6 years ago, I stopped picking up my camera as frequently. I was exhausted and I had a bit of a creativity block. In summer 2021 wanting to have a bit of a creative outlet of my own, I decided to do a photography course with Suzi Bird. She was fantastic at giving real detail about capturing newborns and pregnant mums as well as giving a business overview for the future.
Soon I was being booked to be a maternity and newborn photographer myself and it really was so special and exciting that the families liked what they saw and gave me such fab feedback. I was really so chuffed. Before long friends and friends of friends started asking me to shoot their weddings. It had been 6 years since my last wedding and I was nervous. Had anything changed and how!?
Well… of course it had. The industry has moved forward so much, everything is so beautifully refined and streamlined and most of the services have moved online too. As a photographer I was no longer meeting my couples in person but organising zoom calls and there was definitely a conversation away from printed albums and invites towards digital galleries and slideshows. While I did my research, I noticed a difference in the type of images couples were asking for too. Here are the main things I found had changed:
Softer Tones
I have noticed that when I was photographing in 2016, I was very aware of the instagram filter style and had to persuade my couples away from these type of edits as I explained that these could look dated quite quickly. Fast fwd to 2023, and there is still a retro look but it is so much more subtle - one evocative of film photography with low contrast images and softer shadows. There has been a real step away from bright highly saturated images for more timeless warmer tones too. Many photographers have started adding film photography onto their wedding packages which looks fantastic too.
Flowers
2023 Florists aren’t just florists anymore they are full on artists, creating flower sculptures, flower arches and table hangers. There has been a real predominance of wild and dried flowers in the weddings I photographed in 2022, and I can see this will continue into summer 2023 too. I absolutely love wild flowers and I think anything you can do to use flowers which are local to you and reflective of the venue you are using is great.
Hello Tick Tock
It was digital in 2016 and now it is fully online. No more USB cards, hardly any more album requests but a lot more couples asking for a slideshow video of the photos to share on social media and with family. I have also had enquiries about phone content for the day and there are wedding bloggers who can be hired especially to create Tick Tock content. It can be so much fun to create wedding reels and instagram carousels, but I do advise my couples to get all those special images (especially the couple portraits and group portraits) printed at least, so that in years to come they have a physical heirloom to enjoy.
Elopements
I have to admit, I still thoughts elopements were something reserved for a Jane Austin novel when I came back to the wedding scene in 2022. But I soon discovered that they are stunning and unique way to get married. Not only is it financially savvy, but you can dodge the family politics and just do it in the way you want to. More couples I am speaking to are asking me for shorter sessions and elopements. I think these type of weddings are really special as it gives everyone more time to celebrating the couple and their unique relationship without the pressure of onlookers.
Engagement Shoots
When I was photographing in 2014, it wasn’t normal practice to have an engagement shoot, whereas now many photographers were offering them as standard. I love engagement shoots as it is such a great way to get to know the couple before the big day and for them to get comfortable behind the camera.
2023 weddings here we come
So I hope this has been useful. I wonder if there is anything else you have noticed is massively trending this year that I should look out for or add to the list? I absolutely cannot wait to start photographing my couples this spring and meeting new ones along the way. 2023 weddings here we come!