When we feature weddings from the award-winning York Place Studios I always feel like I’m sharing something secret. It feels so special to be letting you into the world of these most admired London wedding photographers. Add to that the beauty of Colette and Rhys’s day, and I feel insanely proud of this wedding website and the incredible photographers we feature. Because York Place Studios is one of the most internationally recognised and respected brands in the world of wedding photography, they’re sought after by couples looking for authentic wedding photography as well as speaking at photography events worldwide.
Over the years my admiration for York Place Studios’ approach to weddings has grown, and grown, and grown. They are inimitable, incorporating elements of street photography in a thoughtful, considered, and artistic way. So the images of Rhys and Colette’s wedding at Battersea Arts Centre couldn’t be more perfect. They have so much detail, in a way the wedding media rarely even acknowledge: this isn’t about the amazing meadow style florals or the picture-perfect buttons on Colette’s gorgeous dress. The details here are in the interactions between everyone who was there. You can almost feel the hugs (and the heat!), know what the bridesmaids are thinking and touch the atmosphere in the room, just from looking at the photos.
Time for me to step back and let you enjoy this epic London wedding. The venue is Battersea Arts Centre, the images are of course by documentary wedding photographers York Place Studios.
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So this is a real wedding with a difference. I’ve been scrolling through these stunning photos from Georgina and Kyle’s Buckinghamshire wedding, by York Place Studios, and it’s so inspiring to see how their day evolves.
There’s such a unique, beautiful story to be told – as with every wedding – and I love how you can really feel the emotions from excitement to nerves to joy to hilarity as day turns to evening. Georgina and Kyle had an amazing wedding. Documentary wedding photographers York Place Studios captured it brilliantly, and with a focus on people and personalities and connection, their images offer a different take on how a wedding unfolds. Because a wedding isn’t a visual leap from the aisle to the confetti to the reception to the dance floor. It’s a million moments in-between all of those.
What I love in these images is that the tiny moments are captured: literally, the in-between stories included with all of the big wedding day moments. Georgina’s grin during the ceremony in church, a little girl stopped in her tracks watching the groom and bride on a boat, the reapplication of lippy on the boat ride to their reception venue, scenes in the marquee from pure happiness to quiet, supportive love, and a riotous party with a packed out dance floor.
If you’re used to seeing more traditional images on wedding blogs, I’d ask you to spend a little time reading about documentary wedding photography on York Place Studios’ website. The way they describe their craft is compelling. Because there’s an art to finding natural, meaningful moments and curating a gallery of beautifully composed images which tell the story of a wedding. And understanding that might just change the way you see wedding photography forever.
If you want images of your wedding that will enable you to relive your day, feel all the feels and reminisce as if it were yesterday – even years into the future – you’ve come to the right place. York Place have won awards for their wedding images, written a book inspiring other photographers, and are recognised worldwide for their outstanding documentary photography style.
If you want images that do even more: that stop you in your tracks and make you think while you scroll – you’ll find them here.
Two amazing bridal looks. A gorgeous groom and stunning bride. Hundreds of really squeezy hugs, smiles and happy tears. Fabulous florals and a packed out, riotous dance floor. Incredible images to remember it all by… today’s wedding is perfection.
If there’s a dream team in weddings, it’s got to be York Place Studios and Stone Barn. I’ve admired York Place as the gold standard in documentary wedding photography since the very early days of English Wedding: they’re a huge part of the reason I love this photography style more than any other. Stone Barn too, is one of the very best: part of the fabulous Cripps & Co’s portfolio of wedding venues. Experts in everything about modern weddings, they’ve blazed a trail to turn barns into beautiful spaces for celebrations since the 90s. Safe to say Ellie & Alex made the BEST choices in their wedding supplier team and their day was out of this world.
It’s impossible to describe what a wedding means in one sentence. It’s the end result of months of planning, it’s the highest point in your relationship ever – so far! It’s wondering if your parents will cry, or if you will. It’s a lifetime of friendships all joining together, a commitment to your dreams of forever. So, with all that in mind, how should you choose your wedding photographer?
With care, of course. Together, definitely. And with a super clear idea of what you want from your wedding photographers on the day, and from your wedding photographs in the future.
Like so many couples, Alex and Ellie weren’t looking for photographers who’d set up posed shots, take them away from the party or interrupt a single second of their day. They wanted photos to last a lifetime, to capture the “humour, emotion and real moments that can’t be scripted or planned for.” When they reached out to York Place Studios they knew just what was important to them: “Ultimately, we want to capture a candid side of all the people there. So in years to come we can look back and immediately feel the personality of everyone there.”
And that’s everything. If you’re looking for a wedding photographer right now, and you’re thinking what those images will mean to you in twenty years’ time, you’re on to something special. If you’re looking for wedding images that will capture the sparkle in your parents’ eyes so their personalities sing from the page when your grandchildren leaf through your wedding album, you already know exactly what’s important in wedding photography. Ellie and Alex did, and as you scroll through their images you’ll see just how authentic and exceptional they are!
As ever, I’ve saved some of my favourite images from Ellie and Alex’s wedding to share on instagram over the next couple of days. Follow @englishweddingblog so you don’t miss them!
If you don’t need a photo of your bridesmaids all lined up, this is for you. If you’re a little lost in wedding photography choices and just want gorgeous photos that are utterly real, this is for you. If you want to immerse yourselves in every second of your wedding day, and not have to worry about posing for photos, you’ve come to exactly the right place.
We’ve got a brilliant collection of images from Aoife and Rory’s Clapton Country Club wedding to share with you. But they’re different from many images you’ll see on wedding blogs and in magazines. They’re so full of life, vibrant and authentic. They’re by some of the very best documentary wedding photographers in the world: London-based York Place Studios.
Scrolling through Aoife and Rory’s images, you’ll see people, characters, and moments bursting with joy and fun and love. While wedding blogs can focus on details, amazing florals and styling, your wedding photos exist not just to remind you of your day, but to let you relive it, over and over again.
So this is wedding photography which tells a beautiful story. Aoife and Rory’s images capture their personalities and their delight and excitement all through the celebrations. Their wedding day is told artfully in exceptional images, and with humour and love.
And yes, the dress is insane and amazing and Aoife looks stunning. The city wedding venue is awesome. The bridesmaids look fabulous. The flowers are unique and wonderful.
But this wedding story is about people, love and human connection – and it’s one of the most incredible weddings we’ve ever shared. I hope you love it too!
As always, I’ll share my absolute favourite photos on instagram at @englishweddingblog.
If you’re curious about documentary wedding photography and would like to find out more, this is a really informative and useful explanation by York Place Studios. I love how it explains what documentary is and what it’s not, and how the YPS team explain words like reportage, candid, wedding photojournalism and more in a really accessible way.
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A curious question: does life stop for weddings? Should it? In some senses, a wedding day is utterly different from any other. Having all of your favourite people in one space, seeing them celebrating together, meeting each other for the first time perhaps, even shedding a tear or two – is huge.
The rollercoaster of emotions you might feel, from nervousness to overwhelm to wondering if your heart could ever be this full of joy.
That’s weddings.
But there’s even more than that. Life doesn’t stop for weddings.
Everything that happens on your wedding day will be extra. The big moments will unfold even as tiny, everyday things happen. You might miss them in the context of all that’s going on, but it doesn’t make them any less special.
On the day, you will love all of the hard work you’ve put into planning your wedding day. The flowers – Alexandra’s bouquet is a handful of summertime and absolutely beautiful. Your outfits, and the way you feel elegant, confident and glamorous – along with all your guests in their finest of course. The little details like your cake (if you have one), stationery and table favours all join up to make your wedding feel thoughtful, cohesive and ‘like a wedding’.
But beyond all of the things you’ve planned, it’s the unpredictable, quiet and wonderful little moments that absolutely make a wedding.
The hugs.
The glances filled with love.
The peals of laughter from random corners of a room as your families get to know one another. The little conversations you don’t know about. The dance floor craziness, and those guests on the fringe of your day, quietly soaking it all in, still with love in their eyes.
These are the things I love most of all about Alexandra and Josh’s wedding, captured by London wedding photographers York Place Studios. The adventure of a boat trip on the Thames before their party at Greenwich Yacht Club. The celebrations and connections between all of their guests, and the love and fun that jumps out from my screen.
It’s my little mission to make English Wedding a place of balance, to show our readers styling ideas and equally, the raw, authentic side of weddings.
If this is the first time you’ve seen documentary wedding photography like this, I have two very important things to tell you.
1) These are the memories you’ll treasure after your wedding day, for years and years to come.
And 2) York Place Studios are hugely admired and respected award-winning wedding photographers. Their style is unique, instantly recognisable and sought after. They capture weddings all over the UK and overseas and come very highly recommended from English Wedding!
Here’s what Alexandra and Josh had to say about their wedding photographers:
“The way you both capture moments is just incredible, bringing the small tucked away interactions out into full glory – it’s just astounding. We are so, so glad you joined us for the journey.”
If you’re looking for wedding photographers and filmmakers to capture your wedding in an authentic, reportage style, head to https://yorkplacestudios.co.uk/wedding-photography to discover more about York Place Studios, meet the team and see more of their wedding photography from London and around the UK.
“When this lovely pair contacted us about photography for their Greenwich Yacht Club wedding we realised that we had a shared ethos – creating connections with people. That laid the ground for a beautiful partnership and a set of photographs that resonated as much with Alexandra and Joshua as they did with us, because we all agree on what we love about photography.
And when that happens; when you click on that level … That is when magic happens.” ~ Dominique & Liam (York Place Studios)
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——guests
