It’s the most important day of your lives, the last thing you want is blurred faces, shaky action shots or photos of the photographer’s feet. The wedding photos will be your abiding memory of the big day so finding the right photographer to not just take good shots but really capture the essence of your personalities and the day is vital.
A good photographer will get to know you ahead of the day but be a rarely glimpsed presence amongst your guests as they somehow manage to capture every magic moment.
So GoHen would like to bring the best of the best into focus as we present the UK’s Top 50 Wedding Photographers.
Say ‘Cheeeeese!’
Jaye & Matt Cole
Style: Contemporary, reportage
Where: UK and abroad
Tux & Tales, the snappy love child of husband and wife team Jaye & Matt Cole have a unique flair, contemporary style and a fabulous attention to detail capturing the happy couple while making them and their guests feel totally at ease. A natural choice for the UK’s top 50!
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Jonny Draper
Style: Contemporary
Where: Manchester, UK & Destination
Now this is what romance looks like. The best thing about Jonny Draper is he blends seamlessly into the background of your special day but when you take a look at the photos, it seems like he was front and centre the whole time capturing unmissable moments in his amazing and unique way… Where else have you seen smoke-bomb wielding brides?
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Mick Shah
Style: Contemporary, reportage
Where: UK & Europe
If you’re a fan of highly creative shots that bring out the best of your venue and, of course, the starring couple then Mick Shah’s the man for you. His portfolio shows he knows how to pick up on the tender touches but when it’s time to ‘strike a pose’ then you really will be treated to wedding photos that would make Hello Magazine jealous.
Alex Beckett
Style: Contemporary
Where: UK
Great wedding photographers somehow see the world differently. Alex Beckett has had a zombie escape plan for every house he’s lived in, once sat in a 10-seater minibus with 20 people, 2 chickens and a goat and stayed up until 4am to decorate his own wedding day. He is just brilliantly different and his work reflects that genius as he collects those little moments most of us would never even see and carefully holds them in his camera so you can enjoy them again and again.
Luis Holden
Style: Contemporary
Where: East Anglia & beyond
Having swapped ‘dodging bullets for bouquets’ after retiring from the Royal Navy, Luis Holden’s contemporary photography is sharp, perfectly composed and packed with more emotion than an episode of Don’t Tell the Bride although there’s no way you’re keeping these uh-mazing shots under wraps!
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Chris & Verity Sansom
Style: Reportage & contemporary
Where: UK & abroad
As a husband and wife team, Chris and Verity Sansom must have a rather large trophy shelf! Both halves of Sansom Photography have won awards and working together they bring a keen eye for detail, a huge amount of enthusiasm and they’ll put themselves into some truly precarious positions to capture the ‘perfect shot’… What else would you expect from a Ninja Warrior finalist?!?
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Alan Law
Style: Contemporary
Where: Cornwall
Alan Law’s first rule of wedding photography? No poses and no clichés. His contemporary style creates some wonderful, flowing, naturalistic snaps of your special day and he even sticks around after the first dance to catch those priceless moments like when your Great Aunt drags the Best Man onto the dancefloor.
Chris Giles
Style: Reportage
Where: UK & destination
Chris was one of our top picks for this list two years ago and the ‘Swiss army knife of wedding photography’ has only sharpened his game. His more traditional shots are gorgeous but it’s the moments where he goes unseen, capturing the hand on the shoulder and the beaming smile of the bride that shows you why he’s been called one of the world’s best.
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Umbrella Studio
Style: Contemporary & reportage
Where: London & UK
We’d love to see behind the doors of the Umbrella Studio. Their amazing photography has often featured on our Pinterest boards and wedding scrapbooks while Umbrella’s unique style often blurs the lines between contemporary and reportage to tell the story of your day with a timeless, stylised finish.
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Simon Biffen
Style: Documentary
Where: Bath, UK & Europe
In the buzz of the build-up, this is a relaxed, calm head who’ll capture the real emotions of your wedding. Having worked both internationally and in GoHen’s beautiful hometown of Bath, Simon really knows how to bring the best out of any destination no matter how big/bijou the celebrations!
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Sam Gibson
Style: Documentary
Where: Bristol, UK & abroad
From the most romantic moments to the funniest, Sam Gibson paints a complete picture of the big day for you to look back on. Being Bristol-based, Sam has an equal share of city and countryside backdrops to admire, showing his fantastic range and skill when it comes to capturing the atmosphere and making the most of your unique location.
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Kevin Mullins
Style: Documentary
Where: UK & abroad
The thing that really sticks out from Kevin Mullins’ ever-shareable wedding photography is just how real it all feels. There’s no poses, no fake smiles; only genuine, emotional moments that allow the pictures to tell your story without even having to say a word.
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David Bostock
Style: Contemporary, reportage
Where: Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire has some of the prettiest wedding venues in the UK and David Bostock has been lucky enough to be behind the lens at most of them. But somehow, his timeless snaps manage to upstage them all with beautiful brides and unmissable moments with close friends, family and life-long loves.
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Barrie Downie
Style: Reportage, contemporary
Where: UK & Europe
Fine art style might be an acquired taste, but Barrie Downie shows us that when it’s done well there’s not a woman alive who wouldn’t swoon at the sight of shots like these. Barrie believes that ‘love can be captured forever’ and after seeing his portfolio we’d have to agree!
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Jon Mold
Style: Contemporary
Where: UK
From the first shot to the last, there’s an amazing sense of creativity here that will capture the best of the big day whether it’s through expertly posed portraits or those seemingly unseen incidents that showcase the wedding’s best moments as they happen. Jon’s love for his contemporary style made him an easy choice for the top 50.
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Steve Gerrard
Style: Contemporary
Where: UK & destination
Now this is wedding photography that rocks. Steve Gerrard’s relaxed style works well when he’s taking shots of metal bands like Lamb of God but when he’s got a bride in his viewfinder his talents really do shine. That’s what we call a varied portfolio!
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The Crawleys
Style: Reportage
Where: Manchester, UK & abroad
‘Biam’ Crawley (or Bee and Liam as they’re individually known) have a free and fun-loving style that results in some truly unique and chic wedding pictures. Whether they’ve got you in a pose or you’re not even aware they’re around, these supremely talented photographers will capture the romance, the love and most importantly the laughter of your wedding day.
Paul Johnson
Style: Contemporary
Where: London, UK & Europe
There is something eternally timeless about black and white photography, it’s a medium that can easily be shot wrong but when done right in the hands of a true artist like Paul Johnson it is truly a thing of beauty. That being said, he’s not afraid of colour and in fact some of his shots have some of the prettiest lighting we’ve seen in shots that really bring out the personalities of his subjects and their special day.
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Fiona Kelly
Style: Reportage
Where: UK & destination
Most would say that the art of wedding photography is about capturing the day’s big moments but as Fiona shows it’s the more intimate moments that really tell the story. She’s a passionate photographer that has a talent for turning the day into a storyline of images that you’ll enjoy for years to come.
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Steve Bridgwood
Style: Contemporary
Where: Staffordshire, UK & destination
It’s not every day that you get to describe wedding photography as ‘explosive’ but with Steve Bridgwood that’s exactly what it is. Sharp, colourful, witty and packed with pyrotechnics (who knew a purple smoke bomb would go so well with a wedding dress?), this is perfect for couples looking to go against the grain and create something really dramatic yet fun.
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Melanie Chitty
Style: Contemporary
Where: South West, UK & Europe
We’re big fans of Melanie here at GoHen and a quick look at her stunning portfolio will show you why; her stylish shots are elegant, pretty and will make for a fabulous memoir of the special day… What more would you expect from a Goldsmiths (University of London) graduate?
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Nicola Ferguson
Style: Reportage
Where: UK & international
In Nicola’s own words, “your pictures will show all the moments you didn’t notice happening” and that’s exactly what makes her such a fantastic choice. A wedding day is so busy it’s easy to get distracted but with Daffodil Waves detailed reportage style you’ll be able to look back and experience it again and again… and again!
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The Twins
Style: Reportage, documentary
Where: UK
Trends are temporary but your wedding photos will last forever; a fact that twin sisters Caroline and Kelly fully understand. The award-winning pair take what’s best and unique about your day and use their style to make it stand out, while portraiting the bride in a contemporary, yet classic, way.
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