Winter wedding photography

Winter weddings are always special. There is something about being all cosy inside by a roaring fire, celebrating with all your friends and family, whilst it’s cold outside that is so nice and romantic.

Winter weddings also seem to be becoming increasingly popular too, especially in December. The run up to Christmas and the gap in between Christmas and New Year, is now one of the busiest times of the whole year for me. With Christmas being so near, there is always such a sense of excitement and happiness in the air in December and I think this is one of the reasons it is such a popular time for weddings.

Photographing weddings in winter is often completely different to capturing weddings in the summer but I love them. I’ve always enjoyed working in low light conditions and using additional lighting to create the images which I want and from a photography point of view, that is what winter weddings are all about.

Recent winter weddings I have photographed:

Why I love winter weddings

There are so many things to love about winter weddings.

As there is less natural light during winter, weddings at this time of year can sometimes be a little more challenging lighting-wise, but this is a challenge I always enjoy. I have always enjoyed working with flash and video lights to create the exact mood and lighting which I want for my photographs. In fact, as there is less natural light, it actually gives me more control of where the light comes from as it is now up to me and this can make photographs look even more magical.

I am very experienced in using off camera lighting and run my own winter wedding workshops to help other photographers become more confident with using speed lights for just these type of weddings.

Although the sun sets earlier in the winter meaning that there isn’t as much natural light later in the day, the sun light we do get can be absolutely beautiful. Long shadows and warm winter light shining through bare trees as the sun is setting looks amazing. There is always the chance of snow too which can make the most beautiful photographs ever!

There is also always a special atmosphere at winter weddings. The cold weather usually keeps everyone indoors, meaning weddings during the colder months usually feel cosier and more intimate than those in the summer and this often reflects in the photographs too.

My favourite winter wedding photographs

I have photographed lots of weddings in the winter and have taken so many photographs which I love and are really special to me. Here is a small selection of my favourites and the story behind them:

Although I would never wish it on any of my bride and grooms, having rain on your wedding day can make for really romantic and beautiful portraits. This photograph was taken at Marium and Dan’s wedding celebrations at Arley Hall on a chilly January day. As it was so cold outside, we hadn’t taken any photographs outdoors during the day but in the evening, as Marium and Dan were just waiting to jump in a car to go to the Arley’s Olympia building (where the first dance was to take place) I asked if I could pinch them for a couple of seconds. I am so pleased they were happy to brave the weather for a few moments as this is one of my favourite rainy wedding photographs. A few seconds after this was taken and Marium and Dan were back in the warmth.

Rebecca and Jonathan’s Christmas wedding was a dream day to photograph. They are such a fun couple and their Christmas themed wedding was full of surprises and amazing moments. My favourite photograph though was taken shortly after their wedding ceremony in the gardens opposite the church where they had just got married. The sun was already setting so we didn’t have much natural daylight left so I used a flash to really make the most of the winter sky. I added an orange gel to the flash to give the image a feeling of warmth and this photograph was the result. Not long after the natural light had gone and we were on our way to the wedding reception.

This photograph, taken at Gemma and Alex’s beautiful wedding at Colshaw Hall, is all about one of my favourite things about winter weddings; being inside all cosy and warm. We took this in the main house at Colshaw, a stunning venue and perfect for weddings in winter. I remember really liking this mirror and thought it would make an excellent photograph if I photographed Gemma and Alex’s reflection. I wanted to make the shot feel nice and warm so I switched on the lamps and lit the bride and groom with a video light. All I needed to ask them to do was get snuggly close and this photograph is the result.

Jackie and Alastair’s Lake District winter wedding at Broadoaks Country House was a fantastic day, a very small and intimate wedding but packed with so much emotion. It was also the foggiest wedding I have ever photographed. It wasn’t too bad in the morning but as the day went on, the fog crept in and got thicker and thicker until you could barely see more than a few metres in front of you. It may have made the drive home a bit tricky but it helped me to create one of my favourite winter wedding photographs. We took this photograph on the driveway just outside the entrance to the venue. I think the fog really adds a sense of romance to this photograph and it instantly became one of my favourites.

This photograph was taken at Katie and Mark’s December wedding at Hoghton Tower. To say the weather was a little crazy that day would be an understatement, it was the height of Storm Desmond and I have never known wind like it. Some of the roads between the church and Hoghton Tower were closed due to flooding and the wing mirror on Katie and Mark’s wedding car even blew off on the ride over! What I loved though was that it didn’t bother the at all, in fact it made their day even more memorable. We took this photograph in the evening. I had taken a couple of test shots first, asking a wedding guest to be my model whilst I set up the lighting, then I went inside to ask Katie and Mark if they would like a photograph outside. They didn’t hesitate and this was the result. They were only outside for a few seconds but that’s all we needed. I love this photograph, not only because I am proud of it, but also because it reminds me of that crazy and amazing day!

I love the challenge of creating a special photograph from nothing and this is one of those which I am most proud of. This shot was taken at Lizzie and Matt’s December wedding at the Belle Epoque in Knutsford. It was taken upstairs after all the guests had gone downstairs to enjoy the evening wedding reception. I gathered some candles from around the venue and then, using a prism in front of the camera lens, I created the effect on the left hand side. All I needed to do then was light the bride and groom which I did using a flash behind them and an LED light in fronts of them. Once everything was set up, I only needed Lizzie and Matt for a few seconds and we were done. This has long been one of my favourite winter wedding photographs.