Best of 2025 documentary wedding photography

Best of 2025 Documentary Wedding Photography

It feels impossible to talk about this year without acknowledging just how much it changed me.



2025 began on an incredible high, being named Wedding Photographer of the Year at the national TWIA awards in January was a moment I’ll remember for a very long time. To have my work recognised on that scale by my couples and my fellow wedding creatives felt affirming in a way that’s hard to describe. At a time when the industry feels louder and more saturated than ever, that recognition was a reminder to myself that there’s still space for individuality and work that doesn’t try to blend into the crowd.

Not long after, my life shifted in a deeplypersonal way, no longer reading the words “You’ve won” but instead “you’re pregnant” - eeek! What an emotional rollercoaster. Becoming a mother this year changed the pace of EVERYTHING for me, not dramatically all at once, but in little ways I felt myself shifting, in how I moved (literally with a growing bump) through days and how I looked at the work in front of me. It hasn’t been something that replaced my identity, but I feel like it’e something that I feel has slowly started to reshape my perspective.

Wedding wise, this year was filled with moments I’ll never forget. From the beautiful estate wedding I shot at Middleton Lodge to the urban streets of London, and the raw, natural beauty of the Lake District, it’s great to be reminded that it's not only people who shape the story, but also the environment. One standout wedding day this year for me was in my main stomping grounds, on Lake Windermere it felt like exploration of my favourite landscape at it’s finest! With a boat ride across the water after the ceremony, and ending with the wedding party diving in for a sunset swim after the band’s first dance. It was exactly the kind of joyful chaos I’m always hoping to witness and secretly jealous i’m not a part of. Another favourite moment of mine this year came courtesy of a bride throwing broccoli instead of a bouquet. It was completely unexpected, pretty damn hilarious, and totally her. I love to see the little quirks of people playing out in front of me and feeling like people feel comfortable enough to be their strangest little selves.

Across the year, I continued to bring film cameras into my workflow. What began as play a few years ago has slowly found its footing in my process, and this year I felt more confident integrating film with intention while still keeping it light and experimental. I fond myself slowing down (partly physically due to the afformentioned bump) committing to a frame, and trusting my instinct. This has become a bigger part of how I work this year and that shift has felt both natural and necessary.

This was also a year of questioning for me. Partly hormone-fueled but transformative nonetheless, I feel the wedding industry has changed rapidly, with shifting trends, styles, and expectations, and it would have been easy to soften my edges or play it safe. Instead, those questions pushed me to double down. I don’t want to make work that feels universally palatable or disappears into the noise. I want, no NEED, to create photographs that feel human, textured, and alive! While many of my couples include traditional elements in their days I know that what they’re really drawn to is an approach that doesn’t feel stiff or super glossy, or I guess like they’re trying to hard to be someone they are not. They want their wedding remembered with a slight twist of creativity, a focus on emotional, sometimes messy and quite often funny. Shooting for my own creative eye first and foremost has never felt more important, and doing so continues to attract couples who value that difference rather than shy away from it.

I’ve also continued to prioritise sustainability in how I work. Stepping back from volume booking has allowed me to stay present, creatively invested, and genuinely connected to each wedding I photograph. Making space for life beyond work, for friendships, rest, and reflection has been essential, and I refuse to believe that meaningful creativity has to come at the cost of burnout and thank every couple that truely values the investment in creativity. This year has also deepened my awareness of photography’s longevity. I find myself thinking more about the future life of these images now I have a child, how they’ll be revisited, shared, and felt years down the line. That sense of, dare I say, “legacy” has started taking more rent free headspace, and i’m thinking more and more than ever about the powe photographs have to hold memory and emotion long after the moment has passed.

This year I was also due to do some public speaking but due to once again (baby baby baby) I’d eased some pressure and postponed my talk at the Nine Dots Gathering to give it the time and care it deserves next year instead, but did speak as a guest on The Mateers’ Wedding Photography Is Art workshop alongside David Scholes, sharing a talk on colour which a key part of how I see the world. I was also honoured to be named among the Top 10 UK Documentary Wedding Photographers by This Is Reportage and pleased to keep my space on that list even with the year being super out of the ordinary!

Above all, 2025 reinforced the importance of building relationships that are not just transactional. I know ultimately it is a business, and there’s a transaction that occurs, but I also care deeply and try my best to build trust and support and hold a space for my couples in letting them feel connected to me and the photographs I create for them. This mix of work and play is so important to me, as are the couples who welcome me into such personal moments. I felt that trust in me most this year, when I needed a little support from my couples and the community around me. That trust and connection really did feel super special.

As I look ahead, I feel hopeful and reflective, and as I said, somewhat changed. A re-birth, maybe you’d say! I feel more sure of what I value, how I work, and the kind of stories I want to tell. Below are a few of my favourite moments from the year. I hope they bring you as much joy as they brought me. ENJOY!



CHELSEA X