If you’re still to book your wedding photographer, this is for you! The wedding photos you’ll love most will be relaxed, natural images of you and your guests. You’ll adore the ones where your smiles look natural, where your glances are genuine, and the ones which remind you how fun and full of love your wedding day was. And if these are the kind of images you’re looking for, there’s one simple but crucial rule: always choose a photographer whose portfolio is full of beautiful, unposed images. Expert advice and inspiration comes from Mark Battista, a wedding photographer in Cumbria.
Choosing a wedding photographer can be overwhelming, as you look through other real weddings from your venue, and find photographers whose look and approach you love.
Focus on finding a photographer whose images look natural.
You’ll know when you see their images of couples looking at each other, walking, and laughing, that you’ve found the right kind of photographer.
You’re looking for real moments, not couples staring down the camera lens or posing awkwardly with fixed grins. “The best wedding photos aren’t about perfect poses – they’re about capturing real moments between you and your partner” – Mark Battista
Here’s five essential tips for getting natural wedding photos
1 Focus on each other: try to forget about the camera
Easier said than done, but if you have a pre-wedding photoshoot you can get some practice in. How to do it: talk. Hold hands. Think about the moments you’ve loved, talk about the ceremony, who’s scrubbed up surprisingly well, who cried most, who laughed loudest… memories will make you smile. Chat will help you forget your photographer is even there – and they’ll get amazing photos that capture the moment.
2 Explore and enjoy your surroundings
You’ve chosen the perfect spot for your wedding, so go and enjoy it. Think of that little snippet of time you’ve allocated for portraits as your chance to escape. Spending time away from the crowds can be so special. Don’t worry about the photos, just enjoy being together for those moments (no matter there’s a photographer with you!)
Enjoy how it feels to be married. Enjoy the view. Gardens, a lake shore, a quiet space outside your venue – they’re all for you to just relax and take it all in. Have a little walk and trust in your photographer to get some great photos while you do. Bonus points if you’re out for a few minutes at golden hour – the light before sunset is perfect for natural wedding images.
3 Gentle direction can really help
Your photographer might make little suggestions as the two of you spend time together. Perhaps a gentle hug, a natural gesture or a whispered conversation that only you and your partner can hear. Trust your photographer’s ideas and these tiny things might just elevate your images – without feeling awkward or posed.
4 Include personal touches for wonderful memories
What makes you smile most in the world (other than your partner!)? Perhaps you have little ones, and they’d like to bring their favourite toy for all the photos. Embrace that: your smiles will be genuine. If your dog will be at your wedding, make sure they’re with you for some of the photos too. There’s nothing like the warm and fuzzy way you interact with your pet – that affection and joy will shine from your images too. Personal touches that bring emotion into your images also look wonderful.
5 Laugh and the world laughs with you
You can’t plan perfection, and it’s those moments where you miss a step, turn the wrong way and end up laughing together that will make the best wedding photos of all. “Some of my favourite shots come from moments that didn’t go exactly to plan… those imperfect moments make your album feel real, alive, and timeless.” – Mark Battista
The more you can relax for your wedding photos, the lovelier your images will be. It’s all about enjoying the day and letting your love shine through. “With a little planning, the right timing, and someone who knows how to guide you gently, your wedding photos can feel effortless, full of life, and completely true to who you are.”
Mark Battista is a Lake District and Cumbria wedding photographer. His style is typically unobtrusive, photographing your day as it naturally unfolds, anticipating those meaningful moments that you’ll look back on and love. Mark works with his couples to create those natural photos very easily without images feeling staged and without you feeling awkward. Mark says on his website that, “whilst I can’t promise that sticking a camera in your face won’t initially feel weird, I can promise that it won’t feel this way for very long and that we will get those natural photos that you will love, and what’s more, that you will actually enjoy the process!”
An intimate wedding in the perfect setting today, as I write this blog from a damp and autumnal Lake District. The backdrop for Lois and Marcus’s day was beautiful: soft light on fading bracken and a relaxed ceremony by the shore of a private lake. Images are by Mark Battista Photography who gets a glowing recommendation from our gorgeous newlyweds!
Wedding photographer’s website
Lake District wedding photographer Mark Battista Photography
Wedding photographer review
We had such a great experience with Mark!
He instantly made us feel at ease – really chilled, funny and easy to get along with, which made the whole shoot so relaxed.
On top of that, his photos are amazing. He captured everything beautifully without it ever feeling forced.
Would definitely recommend him to anyone looking for a Lake District wedding photographer who’s both professional and a joy to be around.
Venue name + review
The Gilpin was everything we could have hoped for and more.
The setting is absolutely beautiful, with the Lake House overlooking its own private lake – so peaceful and special.
The staff were amazing, so attentive and friendly, and they really made us feel looked after.
The food and service were faultless from start to finish.
Honestly, it was the perfect venue!
Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!
The bride wore a beautiful ivory dress, while the groom looked smart in a blue suit, matching the style of our guests.
Our flower girl looked adorable in her own elegant dress, which tied everything together perfectly.
Florist name + review
Bluebell & Ivy Professional florist – unreal and so so perfect!
Unusually, let’s start today’s gorgeous wedding blog with a fun fact: Tony proposed to Kian after gifting her a sky dive for her birthday. He tandem jumped first at 15,000 feet and then Kian followed. As Kian landed Tony was on one knee with a gorgeous ring. He had a videographer jump from the plane with Kian and captured the whole thing on video!
The wedding day was possibly a less adrenaline-filled occasion, but full of heart and soul. With images beautifully captured by Lake District wedding photographer Mark Battista, the couple celebrated with their closest family, ending the evening in their wedding outfits and slippers playing board games and eating cheese in their cosy, intimate and charming country house venue. It sounds utterly perfect.
Do scroll down for heartfelt supplier recommendations from beautiful couple Kian and Tony, along with the lovely story of their secret wedding and why they chose a quieter celebration over a big party.
Lots more, as always, on our instagram @englishweddingblog
Wedding photographer’s website
Lakes photographer Mark Battista – www.markbattistaphotography.co.uk
Wedding photographer review
Mark was an absolute dream to spend our wedding day with. His photography knowledge and skills were amazing. We knew what we wanted photo wise but had no idea how we’d make it happen but Mark did. We had our sneak peek photos back in the early hours of the following day and they took our breath away. They are everything we wanted and so much more. We received our remaining photos a few weeks later and they were incredible. We would 100% recommend Mark, a friendly, down to earth bloke who is insanely good at what he does.
Your best wedding moment or memory
Some of our most cherished moments include seeing each other for the first time at the aisle, Kian’s first look with our boys and the peaceful time we shared together on the jetty whilst Mark ran to the other side to capture photos.
We also loved spending the evening laughing and enjoying the company of our guests whilst eating cheese and biscuits and playing board games with a glass of wine.
Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)
We booked our day in September 2023 and married in May 2025. We kept it secret from all our friends and family apart from our 2 boys, Tony’s Mum, our witnesses and their partners.
After Kian lost her Mum in January 2022 we felt like it would be more noticeable that she wasn’t there if we had a big wedding plus to be honest, it wasn’t what we wanted, we are not big party people and prefer a quieter vibe.
Sitting around eating cheese and biscuits, in our wedding clothes with slippers on, playing board games, laughing and drinking wine was absolutely perfect.
Whilst we initially worried about how some family and friends would react everyone was genuinely happy for us and very supportive. We have no regrets, it truly was the perfect day.
I guess a Mountain Goat tour isn’t really traditional either? For us, we live in the Lake District and we love hiking and cold water swimming, we wanted that to be part of our day in some way, plus we knew the photos with those backdrops would be incredible!
Venue name + review
Lindeth Howe.
We chose the venue because it is in the Lake District, a place that means a lot to us and holds so many special memories. It had such a unique, quirky charm with incredible decor that really stood out.
On top of that, it offered the perfect package for an intimate wedding which is exactly what we were looking for.
As soon as we visited we knew it was the right place for us. We wanted the day to feel intimate, relaxed, and full of personality, something that truly reflected us.
The venue’s unique decor and cosy atmosphere gave us the perfect backdrop. The space already had so much character, so we just added small touches to make it feel like “us.”
It turned out exactly how we hoped, stylish, a little quirky and full of heart.
Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!
Kian: an art deco inspired wedding dress with plunging neckline and white sandals. Although, whilst up in the mountains I wore my Hunter wellies and even an IKEA bag!
My necklace had my Mums ashes in and was a gift from Tony. It was from a local company called Cumbria Castings.
Tony: Navy 3 piece suit with brown shoes.
Hair + makeup name + review
Lucy Pearson. Lucy was absolutely amazing. From my trial right up to our wedding day Lucy has been there every step. From my panicked, “what if you’re ill?” questions to my bust lip 7 weeks before our wedding, sharing tips for protecting my make up from tears, attaching my veil, to buttoning my dress on the day, nothing was too much for Lucy. She kept me at ease, the morning of my wedding felt like my matron of honour and I were getting ready with a friend we’d known forever. I can’t thank Lucy enough. The time and effort that she put into our day means so much to us. We had the most amazing day and I felt so good. My make up lasted all day and my hair didn’t move at all!
Florist name + review
@megsmake_s on Instagram. Megan was amazing, we sent many pictures with ideas of things we liked. She advised on what would and wouldn’t work together and the end result was perfect. They fitted our style just right.
Favours
The Cakeup Artist: Abbie made our wedding favours and they were so delicious! We love treating ourselves to Abbie’s bakes so we knew we needed to treat our guests and vendors too! @cakeupartist.x on Instagram.
Wedding rings
Affinity jewellers: Kians ring was custom made to fit around her uniquely shaped engagement ring. It is perfect!
Cake maker name + review
Lindeth Howe. It looked and tasted amazing!
Cake topper: OtisOfCreations on Etsy.
Flowers: @megsmake_s on Instagram
Cake board: The Range
Tell us about your wedding ceremony / celebrant / readings?
Our boys walked Kian down the aisle. Our ceremony was small, intimate, with happy tears and lots of laughter. We’d both written our own meaningful vows and read them during the ceremony.
I’m already excited for you. You must be here because you’re going to ask someone to spend the rest of their life with you – and that’s a huge deal. This blog is here to help you plan the perfect moment for your surprise proposal, with tips on including a photographer, and on keeping the moment natural, magical and authentic!
Taran & Rupi, by Lake District wedding and proposal photographer Mark Battista
I do appreciate that top of your list of things to worry about will be the response from your intended. Ideally, a great big yes, a huge grin, some happy tears, the biggest hug you’ve ever had… right? So first of all, let me advise you to focus on that moment with excitement in your heart. You’re going to make your favourite person in the world the happiest one too! Whenever nerves kick in, imagine how that moment will feel. However it plays out, the moment will be special for the two of you.
The perfect surprise proposal – for you
There’s a lot of talk online about the ‘perfect’ surprise proposal, and the online noise around asking someone to marry you can be a little distracting. There are even proposal companies who’ll arrange the ‘event’ for you, like a wedding! (And quite honestly, I’m super uncomfortable that this is even a thing.) So if you’re feeling the pressure to stage the perfect moment, the best advice I can share right now is this advice from Lake District wedding and proposal photographer Mark Battista:
“The single most important thing is to try not to overthink your proposal. I’m all about the feels. Whilst a beautiful backdrop is nice, to me, it’s the moment that matters most. The best proposals are all about genuine emotion; it’s these photos that you will look back on and remember.”
I couldn’t love this picture more! Read about Billy and Anthony’s epic Langdale proposal here! Credit: Mark Battista Photography
Perfectly tuned in to who you are as a couple
So spend a little quiet time thinking about the two of you as a couple. Not just the places you’ve been and the locations which feel romantic, but who you are. Are you quiet, introverted? Fun, adventurous? Do you enjoy being the centre of attention, or prefer those private little moments where it’s just the two of you?
Deciding where and how you propose shouldn’t be about ideas you’ve seen on instagram, or finding the most amazing spot to ask the question. It should be about who you are, as a couple. It should be making a perfect moment, which is all about the two of you. It’s wonderful to make a really special memory, and to have a ‘proposal story’ you can share with everyone… but the best thing will be to look back on the moment together, and remember how it felt: amazing and romantic can be all about the look in your eyes, wherever in the world you happen to be.
A romantic location to pop the question
Which brings us to the specifics. Where and when should you propose?
At home is fine. Spontaneously on a nature walk close to your home is fine. Whatever works for the two of you is fine and if you feel in your heart that the favourite spot you visit a couple of times a week is romantic and lovely and meaningful for you – then that’s all you need! Follow your heart.
If you want to choose a really special location, look to nature. The sea, the mountains, a forest or woodland, can all be perfect. In fact, anywhere there’s a view, or a romantic vibe that you both love, might be just the place for you. If nature’s not your thing, then a special restaurant, art gallery, coffee shop or city location can be just as perfect.
Remember – just keep it personal, and you’ll be fine!
A couple of essential tips to help you plan a smooth proposal experience
- Be aware of how busy it’ll be
If you’ll both be happy in a crowd of people, you won’t need to worry too much about this! But if you want a ‘just the two of you’ moment, choose a quiet time!
This means for touristy locations you’ll need to avoid school holidays or busy weekends. Early mornings can be lovely, as can golden hour and lucky sunsets. - Make the day your own – and plan accordingly
This is really important if you’re bringing a photographer along to capture your surprise proposal. You’ll need to be in the right place at the right time, and planning this can be awkward, especially if you’re not the planner in your relationship!
Hiring a photographer to capture your proposal
While styled proposals aren’t my thing, having a photographer there to capture the moment absolutely is. I can totally get on board with having a trusted photographer there when you pop the question. It’s a moment which you’ll want to remember, to relive over and over again – and since the whole thing happens in minutes or seconds, after they’ve said yes you might both be bursting with joy but also in a state of “wait, what just happened?!”
You can also prolong the moment by having extra photos taken. (Nobody hires a photographer for five minutes. Make a morning / evening of it and cherish every loved-up, romantic, special moment!)
Top tips for proposal photography
- “Bring a hairbrush and some makeup (if your partner wears it) for a quick freshen-up after the proposal. It’ll help them feel confident and ready for the photos that follow, and they’ll definitely thank you later!” ~ proposal photographer Mark Battista
- Come prepared! Remember the ring, of course! You could also bring a nail file (just in case!) snacks to stave off hunger, umbrellas or sun cream – and really importantly, your mobile (see below, and read Mark’s first proposal photography story for a really great explanation of why you might need to be in contact on the day)
- Know the location – if possible. Will there be mobile signal? If it’s in the countryside, will you need walking shoes or trainers? You can always ask your proposal photographer, who might have extra tips to share about where to stand / which way to face (although of course this might be easier said than done)
- Communicate everything: where you’ll be, what you’ll be wearing – the busier the place, the more detail you should provide your photographer – and whether you’re five minutes early or ten minutes late. You won’t want to be checking your phone once you’re in situ, to make sure it’s 11am exactly so your photographer’s there… you’ll want to be fully in the moment.
Having a photographer with you when you propose doesn’t just mean you can capture the exact moment your other half says yes. Those photos of the spontaneous moment might be the ones which are super personal to the two of you – but you can also get some professional images which might be a little more posed afterwards. Some couples really love this as a way to announce their engagement to family and friends, and more widely on social media.
Personally, I think those authentic moments are everything… but it can be special to have those images to treasure, and others to share.
With thanks to lovely documentary wedding photographer Mark Battista for sharing his incredible Lake District proposal photos and excellent advice for this blog!
Today’s absolute joy of a wedding comes from beautiful Grasmere, in the heart of the Lake District. Mark and Dan look amazing in matching suits, the floral styling is out of this world and the photography captures the atmosphere of their day perfectly.
All images are by Lake District wedding photographer Mark Battista
I am head over heels in love with so many of Mark and Dan’s images I could have shared so many more on the blog… do head over to @englishweddingblog on instagram to see more of my favourites! Congratulations to this gorgeous pair – and huge thank yous for sharing such wonderful supplier reviews for the amazing team who brought the day to life. An absolute beauty!
Wedding photographer’s website
Lake District wedding photographer Mark Battista http://www.markbattistaphotography.co.uk
Wedding photographer review
The photos are absolutely perfect, Mark captured the whole event superbly. You really get the feel of it being a truly wonderful occasion (which it was)! We were super excited to share them with everyone. Everything on the day went perfectly, the style is just what we wanted and nothing too formal.
Your best wedding moment or memory
Undercover waiters – got everyone on their feet (some even on the tables) It was a really special moment and got the party started. They even got people on their feet who we didn’t quite expect to!
Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)
- We both walked down the aisle with our mothers.
- Our two dogs were the ringbearers.
- The two best women gave speeches.
- We had an evening party the day before for 55 of the guests who were staying at the venue.
Videographer name + review
Moments in White – Jayson.
Jayson captured the day in the most amazing way. (Check @momentsinwhite on instagram for the beautiful highlights reels!)
Venue name + review
Lancrigg, Grasmere (Lake District wedding venue)
What a venue and a hidden gem! Simon and Alison the owners are onto something special with this one as a wedding venue. We had a truly magical weekend and everything went the way we wished… and more. The staff were fantastic and many of our guests commented how friendly they were. No request was too much and Simon and his team were accommodating with all our requests (some quite outlandish!)
The Barn, Whiskey Bar and Main House played host to the best day of our lives and it felt so festive and homely. The Barn and Whiskey bar have been transformed into an impressive venue that provides a blank canvas to dress how you wish…. And we went to town and grateful we were allowed to do so. What a party it was!
Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!
We both wore: Green Tweed Suit, Beige Checked Waistcoat, Burgundy tie
Suit shop name + review
Edit Suits – great service from start to finish from Joeline and Wayne. Made, Measured and fitted to perfection.
Florist name + review
Brackens of Bowness
Kevin the florist really listened to what we wanted and adapted plans based on the season and cost. It felt like Kevin was at the venue for the entire day, flipping the ceremony displays to the table garlands for the evening and working tirelessly the day before setting up garlands for the aisle and hanging from the beams of the barn. We couldn’t have wished for anything better, the flowers and greenery really added to the look and feel of the day and we couldn’t have been happier. He transformed the venue in ways we didn’t think were possible!
Stationery maker’s name + review
Muse Calligraphy
The wedding stationery was absolutely beautiful and it was an absolute pleasure working with Muse Calligraphy. We adapted the format of the menu design with our own detail and Millie was amazing at delivering what we wanted and was happy to make last minute changes. The detail of the print and the quality of the card really added an extra special touch to the day.
Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?
We supplied the Christmas trees and made the garland around the barn doors. We also enhanced the table settings and seating plan with our personalised wax seal, bunny tail and feathers.
Entertainment
Undercover waiters – Live Music
Tailor and Co – Band
Catering
Karen Rhodes Wedding and Event Catering
Lauren from Karen Rhodes was exceptional on the day. The food was the showstopper of the day and everyone was so complimenting of the food and service provided (especially the poor girls serving canapés having to venture outside in the pouring rain into the house from the catering tent). The food was piping hot and delicious! Lauren really out our mind at ease around the logistics of the day and is a true asset to the business.
Our whole dealings with Karen Rhodes were without fault and Charlotte and Lucy have a business they can be really proud of.
Hair + makeup name + review
B the Bride – https://www.instagram.com/b_thebride_
I can’t really comment too much as it was the ladies who had their Hair and Make up done but everyone was really pleased and the girls looked amazing, our mothers especially. They listened to what they all wanted and executed it in the best possible way.
