Behind the scenes: A spring wedding in Cambridgeshire

I want to take you behind the scenes of a spring wedding in Cambridgeshire — from the first enquiry email to the moment I delivered a gallery of 600 photographs. This is what a day of wedding photography actually looks like from behind the lens.

The Enquiry and Consultation

Sophie and James found me through a recommendation from a colleague whose wedding I'd photographed the previous autumn. They were planning a spring ceremony at a beautiful manor house near Ely — outdoor ceremony in the walled garden, reception in a marquee in the grounds. Their brief was simple: natural, documentary, as few posed shots as possible.

We met over video call for 45 minutes. I listened more than I talked — asking about the day, the décor, the guest list size, the timeline, what mattered most to them. By the end of the call, I had a clear picture of the day. They had a clear picture of how I work. We were both confident it was a good fit.

The Preparation

Two weeks before: a venue visit. I walked the manor gardens, noted where golden hour light would fall at 7pm in May, identified the best backdrop for couple portraits, tested the ceremony space for available light. The chapel inside was beautiful but dim — I packed two lenses designed for low-light work accordingly.

The Wedding Day

I arrived at 9:30am to find Sophie and her bridesmaids in the bridal suite — laughter, someone curling hair, the dress hanging against the window in perfect light. I worked quietly for two hours, capturing preparation, detail shots of the dress and flowers, and the mounting emotional atmosphere of the morning.

The ceremony in the walled garden was everything spring in England should be — dappled light through climbing roses, swallows overhead, and a registrar who told the couple to simply look at each other and ignore everything else. I was invisible, working from the perimeter, and the photographs of that moment are genuinely some of the best I've ever taken.

After the Wedding

3,400 photographs taken throughout the day. 8 days later: a curated selection of 612 delivered via private online gallery. Sophie messaged to say she'd cried for 20 minutes going through them. That's the job.