A good photographer can make any wedding look beautiful: a great photographer will ensure the day lasts forever. Whether it’s the casually impromptu or the strategically planned, there is always that one shot which captures the essence of the day.
Beautiful, joyful, inspiring, funny, or emotional, we’ve asked our favourite photographers to select the image which, for them, turns a moment into an eternity.
Nicola Belson Photography
“I strive to create natural and beautiful images for my couples through a documentary approach. Although it is tricky to choose one standalone image, a real favourite from my 2023 wedding season has to be this one from Jen and Dan’s special day, which took place at the Earth Trust in Little Wittenham, South Oxfordshire.
It was a crisp sunny autumn day and the rural landscape perfectly reflected and played host to the relaxed and joyful atmosphere of their wedding. In this image, I adore the autumnal tones, texture and movement which captures that carefree post-ceremony excitement on such a gorgeous October day.”
Marcus Charter Photography
“I am often asked about my favourite image, whether it's from a wedding, a venue, the year, or of all time, and it's always a tough choice! I favour stories; I believe that every wedding day is an adventure, an emotionally exciting journey. My unique craft is to capture all the moments from when I arrive at the venue, through the preparations, ceremony, formals, portraits, speeches, and, last but certainly not least, the mad, crazy, fun party in the evening. Every part of the day is important, and therefore, every single photo is important, building it into a story to help every couple remember how they felt on their day.
So, choosing one photo... Well, I've had to think about it for a few weeks and decided to submit an image from Fleur and Adam’s wedding at Winter’s Tale Country Barn. On this day, the temperatures never went above freezing, the frost looked beautiful, and the venue definitely lived up to its name!
I take great joy in playing with both ambient light and any light I need to introduce. In this case, it was the carefully wrapped fairy lights balanced with the venue lighting to produce a romantic moment in time. This image won me a Fearless Photographer Award in 2023, being considered the Gold Medal Olympics Standard for innovative and creative Worldwide Wedding Photography.”
marcuscharterphotography.co.uk
V&H Photography
“We’ve chosen this as one of our favourites from 2023 as it’s so full of joy and spontaneity and will be such a special memory for our couple and their daughter to look back on in years to come. As experienced documentary wedding photographers we know where to look for all those unexpected moments throughout the day leaving our couples to relax and enjoy spending precious time with their family and friends. We are looking forward to an exciting and busy 2024 with lots more amazing couples!”
Suzy Elizabeth Photography
“To me, your wedding photography should be beautiful, timeless, and elegant. I am generally more of a documentary photographer, but I love portraits and I always spend time getting them just right for my couples. I am obsessed with backdrops and with lighting and I will hunt down the best locations so that your images really sing. I adore this image as I love the framing of the happy couple with the wisteria, which was epic in April last year. Beautiful blooms can bring an image to life, and I love the diversity of the seasons and the beauty that they bring.”
suzyelizabethphotography.co.uk
David Bostock Photography
‘Growing Up’
“The documentary image was taken during the bridal prep at a wedding in February last year at Hedsor House a venue that I work regularly at. The flower girl was the groom’s young daughter and involved in the girls prep. The image was taken quietly from the next room, and I noticed the door frame would make a really good dark frame for the image. I saw the moment unfolding as the flower girl was in a world of her own looking in the mirror and picked up the lipstick that was on the side and I got three images in quick succession but the one where she was just about to apply it was ‘The one’. Often, candid unposed images that happen on a wedding day are the ones that tell the story the most and I am always on the lookout for them. After 15 years of doing this job, it happens instinctively.
Shot using available light with a Canon R5 with RF 70-200 at f/2.8 1/200 sec and ISO 1600
The image beat countries across the world and went on to win Winning International Documentary Wedding Photographer 2023 for the BIPP (British Institute of Professional Photographers) and that moment was an absolute highlight of 2023 for me, as to win the overall category was such an honour. The standard of finalists in all the categories in Weddings was so high and of course International.”
