Favourite Documentary Wedding Moments of 2025
At the end of the year, instead of asking for the best images, we asked something much simpler – and, in many ways, much harder:
What was your favourite documentary moment you photographed in 2025?
Not the most awarded.
Not the most “impressive”.
Just the one that stayed with you.
And 115 TiR members took part.
What came back was a brilliant reminder of why documentary wedding photography matters. Across these images, you’ll find joy, chaos, quietness, humour, grief, relief, tenderness, silliness, love – and everything in between. Moments that happened despite the camera being there. Moments that couldn’t be planned, repeated, or refined by direction.
Some are loud and full of movement. Others are small, fleeting, almost invisible unless you were paying attention. And the words that accompany each frame make this even richer – little glimpses into what was happening, what was felt, what was remembered, and why this moment mattered to the person who noticed it.
Every image here was chosen by the photographer who made it, and every contributor is a member of This is Reportage. Together, these photographs form a collective portrait of what documentary wedding photography looked and felt like in 2025 – not as a competition, but as a shared reflection.
Thank you to everyone who contributed. Scroll slowly, read the stories, and enjoy this community celebration of the real moments that make weddings what they are.
Olly Knight Photography
Profile: Olly Knight Photography
Website: https://www.ollyknightphotography.co.uk
I was photographing a pool party in Spain for Andy & Danielle the day after their wedding. I was due to head off about 4pm and people were eating late a late lunch and chilling by the pool. The Groom Andy was the kind of person that gets a party started and just went around the pool and started chucking friends and family in! There was one guest from Italy who decided to see how many rubber rings he could fit around his body and kept on diving through more rings. I positioned myself so I could frame him mid air diving into the rings and set a high aperture of f8 so I could see all the reactions of the Bride, Groom and their guests. It’s one of those images I just love. It doesn’t scream wedding but it does scream moment and fun.
Benjamin Dupuy
Profile: Benjamin Dupuy
Website: https://www.benjamindupuyphotographe.com/
Cette image a été prise à la fin d’une cérémonie particulièrement intense en émotions et en discours. J’avais un lien particulièrement fort avec les mariés en plus de ça.
L’image montre les mariés faisant un câlin à leur meilleur amie qui était également leur officiante de cérémonie.
Geeshan Bandara
Profile: Geeshan Bandara
Website: www.geeshan.com
The bride having an emotional conversation with her grandmother who couldn’t be there to attend her wedding
Lumoid Photo – Nadine Lotze
Profile: lumoid Photo Nadine Lotze
Website: https://lumoid.de/
While the adults were still getting ready for the upcoming group photos and talking wildly among themselves, the little boy stood between them, looked at me, stuck out his tongue and took a picture of me – he’ll be our new rival from 2040 onwards, haha.
I was very impressed by how this little guy was already scanning his surroundings and consciously looking for motifs.
Jacque Prates Photography
Profile: Jacque Prates Photography
Website: www.jacqueprates.co.uk
This image captures everything I love about documentary wedding photography: truth, innocence, and the beautifully unexpected. As soon as the ceremony ended, the bride and groom’s son had slipped out to use the toilet, and just before the couple were about to walk back down the aisle, he casually wandered across the church — completely unfazed by the moment, adjusting his underwear as if nothing at all was happening.
What makes this moment so special to me is the contrast in the frame: the parents standing proudly at the altar, the guests patiently waiting for the announcement, and this little boy moving through the centre aisle in his own world. It’s pure, unfiltered childhood — unbothered, unpolished, and wonderfully authentic.
The couple had been extremely worried about how he might cope on the day, as he has autism and large crowds can feel overwhelming. But he was incredible, full of confidence, and genuinely enjoying himself. This photograph became a symbol of that: the freedom, the comfort, and the joy he felt in that moment.
Technically, I was prepared for the traditional aisle walk, but as soon as he stepped into the frame, I saw the opportunity to capture a story they would treasure forever. The composition still amazes me — the symmetry of the church leading lines, the waiting guests, the proud parents — all anchored by this real, unscripted, hilarious moment.
It’s my favourite image of the year because it celebrates what truly matters: not perfection, but personality. Not staging, but storytelling. It’s a moment no one could have planned, yet everyone remembers.
Ghorm Photography
Profile: Ghorm Photography
Website: www.ghormstudio.ie
This is my friend Emer’s wedding day. Her father Thomas (seated) was very good to me. He gave me a job when I finished college and was a great man. He sadly passed away tow weeks ago. That is how I always picture him, a kind man with a lovely smile.
William Desse
Profile: William Desse
Website: https://www.williamdesse.com
This image represents everything I love when I document the getting ready. Everyone forgets I’m there and just lives their moment. I love the composition and the way your eye travels through it. Despite the surrounding chaos, it stays clear enough to read and full of fun.
Teun Bakker
Profile: Teun Bakker
Website: https://www.bestdayever.nl
When the wedding dinner was over, many people could not resist going for a ride in this carousel nearby. Usually good fun for kids, but this was full-on gritty adult craziness! I took a flashlight with me, positioned it and just waited for things to happen. Lots of fun!
Annelies Gailliaert
Profile: Annelies Gailliaert
Website: https://annelies.photos
The contrast of the grinning little girl and the explosive enthusiastic big persons. And of course, the connemara. I love it when kids are part of the day, and often become my muse of the day.
Robin Goodlad Photography
Profile: Robin Goodlad Photography
Website: https://www.robingoodlad.com
For me this was my favourite image of the year, simply because of the risk and reward. Sophie and Marcus were a lively couple, and I knew they would make a grand entrance. I love the energy that comes with the guests waving napkins, but it can be really hard to position yourself to shoot, with napkins everywhere! I could have gone for a safe shot, but something told me to trust my gut and go for a shot through the crowd even though I was shooting alone.
I worked out my composition behind the crowd, setting manual focus beforehand to anticipate moving arms. Everyone stood up and started waving, and I couldn’t see the couple at all, so I was shooting stood on a chair in the hope that I would get just one frame through the arms out of the 30 or so I shot, and this was it – just one. A definite ‘yesss!!’ moment when I reviewed the images a few moments later. My favourite of the year simply because I took a massive risk, trusted my vision, and it paid off.
Soven Amatya Photography
Profile: Soven Amatya Photography
Website: https://amatya.co.uk/
Sun, mountains and a whole lot of Haldi chaos. This was one of those moments where Indian wedding tradition met full‑on play.
At Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs, I watched the groom sit (mostly) patiently while his friends absolutely drenched him, and his bride laughed beside him, covered in paste herself.
It was messy, joyful and completely unfiltered, exactly how a Haldi should feel, even in the picturesque Rockies with the serene mountain backdrop behind them.
Nicole Sánchez – NIMAGENS
Profile: Nicole Sánchez – NIMAGENS
Website: https://love.nimagens.com
During a summer wedding, at dinner, speeches were happening. Although on long daylight, these happen already at dawn, evening, creating constraints on light for reading the long pages of emotional moments. the father of one of the grooms was very quick in picking up a portable light from the table and using it as a lantern to enlighten his words. This was a joggle between papers, good light and fluent speech. These are my favourite moments, to have a look at the paper for notes, ipads and phones, and how much effort people put into making these moments memorable.
Simon Dewey Photography
Profile: Simon Dewey Photography
Website: https://www.simondewey.co.uk
I don’t get to ride in the car often – and it was a pleasant surprise to pull up the shadows and find a bride in this image.
Katie Kav Photography
Profile: Katie Kav Photography
Website: https://katiekav.com/
I love the layers of things happening in this image, the men playing a card game they’ve played since they were teens and then the bride in the back coming out looking for her groom with her hands on her hips is the icing on the cake for me
Gail photography
Profile: Gail photography
Website: https://www.gailphotography.co.uk
The priest was taking selfies with loads of guests before the wedding. I love that he took one at the alter with the couple and bridal party, just after signing the register. It was such a fun moment!
BA Photography
Profile: BA Photography
Website: https://www.baphoto.co.uk/
This image was from vegan wedding at an animal sanctuary in the Peak District, I love this particular shot because everyone had been so excited about all of the goats everywhere and though I got plenty of shots of guests feeding the goats later, this felt like a completely unintentional shot of ‘feeding’ this particular goat!
I fired off a few frames including one of Hannah laughing once she’d wrenched the bouquet back, spilling her champagne as well as just before, looking the other way before she realised what was happening – but it was this moment when she suddenly realised that I love the most!
Pedro Pulido Photography
Profile: Pedro Pulido Photography
Website: https://www.pedropulidophotography.com
This was the most genuine couple I’ve got all year! They couldn’t care less about perceptions from the outside or what others would think. They were themselves the entire time and it was amazing to watch how in sync they where with each other! I had a blast working this day because everything happened super naturally and the joy was palpable at every second!
This is obviously a moment of weight being lifted off their shoulders and a let the party start moment for both!
Nathan Walker Photography
Profile: Nathan Walker Photography
Website: www.nathanwalkerphotography.co.uk
I love the comedic juxtaposition between the engaged speaker and the disengaged child.
Paul Gapper
Profile: Paul Gapper
Website: www.paulgapper.com
This moment was one of those completely unexpected highlights from a wedding I photographed in October at The Bedford pub in Balham—a venue famous for its comedy and cabaret nights. The couple were Spanish, and out of nowhere they stood up, lifted their one-year-old high in the air, and began carrying him around the room. Everyone joined in, cheering and waving their napkins.
It was incredible—so joyful and full of energy. I’d never seen anything quite like it.
These are the moments I love most about weddings: the spontaneity, the unpredictability, and being ready to capture it all as it unfolds. There were many images from this sequence, but this one was definitely among my favourites.
Lou Rob Photo
Profile: Lou Rob Photo
Website: https://www.lourobphoto.com/
Freya had made her own dress, and this was the exact moment the final piece went on – arms lifted and her pal stepping in without hesitation to help. I love the rawness of it: the teamwork, the slight tension.
Just a real, unguarded moment that summed up this gallery.
Michelle Wood Photographer
Profile: Michelle Wood Photographer
Website: https://michellewoodphotographer.com/
I love how in the midst of the busy dancefloor, the couple are totally in their own little bubble. Thankfully my ocf was in the right place at the right time
Amy Sampson
Profile: Amy Sampson
Website: https://amysampsonphotography.com/
I adore this shot. It had been heavy rain and gales all day at Anna and Steven’s marquee wedding, until early evening when the rain finally eased off and everyone poured out of the marquee for confetti, and a big group shot. Afterwards everyone was mingling enjoying drinks and chats, admiring the amazing view over Glastonbury festival site. I was photographing guests enjoying themselves when I noticed out of the corner of my eye (& heard the laughter!), bride Anna leaping up in the air over and over whilst one of her bridesmaids threw leftover confetti at her. She was in soaking-wet long grass, dress hem covered in mud, not a care in the world, so full of joy and life. I felt the image reflected who I’d learned she was as a person that day, so perfectly. It’s everything I’m passionate about and adore when it comes to totally unposed, unscripted bridal “portraits”. You can never force someone’s spirit in the way it happens naturally.
Deanna Johnson Photography
Profile: Deanna Johnson Photography
Website: https://deannajohnsonphotography.com/
I’m drawn to the simplicity of the moment but the layers of emotion being displayed
Daniel Ellis Photography
Profile: Daniel Ellis Photography
Website: https://www.danielellisphotography.co.uk/
Whilst the best man was organising the guests into a line for confetti, I went to check where the bride and groom were. I had a little look around the corner of the church, and there they were sharing this beautiful moment. I only took a couple of quick shots before going back to the guests. It’s the first moment they’ve had to themselves all day, and as a candid wedding photographer, the last thing I wanted to do was ruin it for them.
Sarah Hall Photography
Profile: Sarah Hall Photography
Website: https://www.sarahhallphotography.co.uk
I love the energy in this image. Everyone was in high spirits as the band were so good. This song had everyone low to the ground and I just love how everyone is so happy and enjoying themselves – exactly how a wedding should be!
Rafe Abrook
Profile: Rafe Abrook
Website: https://rafeabrook.co.uk/
In the madness of the moment, and not wanting to get in the way of the primary shooter at this wedding, I ducked down, shot low, and got my composition with the couple saluting everyone as they drove off. An alternative angle of a classic wedding moment, but as a photographer – I think it works well.
Ronan Palliser
Profile: Ronan Palliser
Website: https://www.ronanpalliser.ie
At one of those weddings that was all go, it’s fair to say that Caroline and Eric were trying to be “bride and groom” while also being “mum and dad”. Various people had done a great job of stepping in to help mind their two young children over the day, and they’d had time to stop at a local pub for a drink between the church ceremony and the hotel. This photo was captured moments after we arrived into the drinks reception at the hotel – my immediate focus was on the guests, but behind me I heard the two kids spotting their parents and making a beeline for them. I quickly lifted the camera to my eye from across the hotel bar, lucky to have a clear view with my 85mm lens, and captured this frame, which was a blink and you miss it moment. I just love everyone’s expression, the clear love between parents and kids, and the symmetry of the shot. It was an instant favourite.
Sam Wild
Profile: Sam Wild
Website: https://samwild.ca
This image was a stark reminder that life still goes on around wedded bliss! We were walking between venues and these two littles were stopping for nothing & no-one on their cruise. Super sweet!
Mary Aulick
Profile: Mary Aulick
Website: https://chocolatepaperstudios.com/
It was a quiet moment while we were doing family formals, where the bride sat down to rest and her mom sat next to her and rested her head on her daughter’s shoulder. Just a simple moment between a mother and her daughter that speaks volumes to a mother’s enduring love for her child as they embark on a new journey in their adult life.
Guillaume Abello
Profile: Guillaume Abello
Website: https://guyomphotographe.fr/
Special connection with this couple and this image showing the groom’s mother crying while her second son and grand-daughter consoling her is powerfull
Sara Atteby
Profile: Sara Atteby
Website: https://photographersara.ca/
This is probably my favourite because this couple and I ‘got’ each other, and the image reflects the couple’s quirky, joyful vibe. They’re both history buffs who got married at the old fort where the groom works, and in the background, a family “marching” up the hill with a cardboard soldier hat felt so fitting for their day.
Gary Williams
Profile: Gary Williams
Website: https://www.garywilliams.photography
It’s a simple image but just captures a beautiful moment between the grandparents and the newlyweds. It would never win an award but I know how meaningful it is to the family and that makes me happy.
Mino Mora
Profile: Mino Mora
Website: https://minomora.com/
Bride and groom walk forward hand in hand, unaware that what awaits them isn’t just a group of guests but a wave of joy erupting at the sight of them. The crowd opens like a living pulse: arms raised, laughter spilling over, people shouting their names and welcoming them as if something sacred were unfolding. Every face is its own universe: friends singing, others crying, the grandmother lifting her arm with a strength that doesn’t come from the body but from emotion itself.
They are seen from behind, yet the magnetism of the moment is unmistakable. It’s the instant when the celebration stops being a formality and becomes shared vertigo. I was not searching for perfection, but for truth: the beautiful chaos, the unfiltered human energy, the way a simple act turns into a ritual of belonging, a collective celebration of love.
SEBASTIEN CLAVEL
Profile: SEBASTIEN CLAVEL
Website: https://www.sebastienclavelwedding.com/
C’est mon image favorite car c’est le mariage du petit frère d’une de mes mariées préférées dont j’ai fait le mariage en 2021. J’étais très heureux de revoir toute la famille 4 ans après.
Juste avant de rentrer dans la salle de la mairie, j’ai surpris ce moment où Max embrasse Homishta et en lui glissant quelques mots dans son oreille sous l’œil bienveillant de l’officiant.
Will Dolphin
Profile: Will Dolphin
Website: https://willdolphinphotography.co.uk/
I love making photos like this, a pure documentary moment showing something a little different- here the bride is hugging one of her daughters, whilst her other daughter is playing in her veil, completely unknown to her. The bride loves this image as it was something she was not aware of at the time it happened and loves the connection and playfulness of the photo with her two daughters.
Denise Motz
Profile: Denise Motz
Website: www.denisemotzweddings.com
This little girl had carrots for lunch. When they lifted her up, her entire diaper area exploded with bright orange carrot purée. Moments like these can feel like they’re right on the edge of “Can I really show this?” But I believe that it’s okay, because it’s real, it’s unplanned, and it’s genuinely funny. It captures a true slice of their day. The couple loved it so much they chose it for their wedding album!
Alistair Mac Photography
Profile: Alistair Mac Photography
Website: https://www.alistairmacphotography.com
It’s not perfect, but I love how all of the guests are smiling and obviously really happy for the couple as they set off after the ceremony. You can also see that the bride is having fun and I remember the relief her and her husband felt once the ceremony was over and they could relax into the celebrations.
Holly Cade
Profile: Holly Cade
Website: www.hollycade.co.uk
Picking one favourite photo for the year (without sounding big headed) is difficult isn’t it? BUT, this is definitely one of my favourite photos that I took this year. Every single person in and out of frame was laughing so much including me, and really embracing the fun of the moment and of the whole day in general, laughter and embracing life as it happens is so important. Annemarie even let her Bridesmaids try picking her up again – Legend!
Simon Biffen Photography
Profile: Simon Biffen Photography
Website: https://www.simonbiffenphotography.co.uk
This moment epitomises that weddings are not meant to be perfect and things will always happen that don’t go to plan. It’s just how you handle them that matters. The bride’s veil is entangled in a rose bush and it could be deemed a calamity, but by simply carrying on as if it were all part of the plan and laughing, she made the moment more memorable, more real and exquisitely unique. I was able to quickly position myself to include the three ushers determinedly trying to remove the veil, much to her delight. I love it for its realness and joy in the moment.
Oliver Saillard
Profile: Oliver Saillard
Website: https://www.osaillard.com
Nothing beats a double-triple hug. Hand, smiles, and real joy shared together.
David McClelland
Profile: David McClelland
Website: https://www.davidmcclelland-photography.com/
This was from a wedding in Kathmandu, one of those days where I had to keep pinching myself that I was actually there. The Nepali ceremony ran for about an hour and a half, and it was completely new to me. There were no obvious cues like you’d get in a Western wedding. No “you may kiss the bride,” no set announcements, just a flow of small, meaningful moments happening in every direction. It was cramped, unpredictable, full of colour and absolutely brilliant to photograph.
This moment was my favourite. The bridesmaids were asked to place their hands on the couple as a blessing was read. It lasted only a few seconds. I had to poke my camera through a curtain of flowers to catch it, and I’m glad I did. Their closeness, the colours, the quiet weight of the gesture. It summed up the whole day for me. It was the one image I sent the couple as a preview, along with a word of thanks for trusting me to be there.
Harsh Haria
Profile: Harsh Haria
Website: www.ranginstories.com
When Groom and his sibling both gets haldified by their parents together is a very rare and special moment for the whole family.
Fabio Mirulla
Profile: Fabio Mirulla
Website: https://www.fabiomirulla.com/
This is one of my favorite photos of 2025. Not the favorite, but definitely one of the images that feels closest to my way of telling stories: through multiple layers happening at the same time. I often work on different levels, capturing moments that unfold simultaneously, sometimes separate and sometimes, like here, deeply connected.
I love the contrast between the bride, surrounded by movement and anticipation, and the groom waiting quietly on the other side.
The invisible dialogue between these two scenes is what makes the image special to me. It’s a simple moment, but one that shows how every wedding story can be seen from more than one perspective.
Lyndsey Goddard Photography
Profile: Lyndsey Goddard Photography
Website: https://www.lyndseygoddard.com/
It was taken at one of my most laid back and enjoyable weddings of 2025 at The Mastershipwright’s House in Deptford, south London. It was the summer solstice, one of the hottest days of the year, and everyone gravitated towards the edge of the river for what little breeze there was. The flower girls had been superstars all day, but it was gone 9pm, and they were getting tired. Their mum got them pizza and it was just a really lovely, chilled scene; the adults chatting and the girls devouring pizza. Not a big, showy moment, just a quiet scene that shows the realness of weddings.
Andrew Billington
Profile: Andrew Billington
Website: https://andrewbillingtonphotography.com/
For proper marketing purposes I know I should pick a) A Bride + Groom b) An emotionally charged moment & c) A universally recognisable part of a wedding day. Definitely an award winning photograph. I haven’t.
I’ve picked a photo that to me looks like most parts of a wedding day. A moment ‘off to the side’, not part of the main story.
I like this picture because it’s ordinary, quiet, relatable. I am those men at a wedding.
Melissa Wright
Profile: Melissa Wright
Website: https://melissawrightphotography.co.uk/
The lighting in this chapel was super hard and no flash was allowed. I played around and just loved how the darkness was met by the colours in the light coming through the stained glass windows.
Laurentiu Nica
Profile: Laurentiu Nica
Website: https://laurentiunica.ro
This image is my favourite documentary photograph of the year because it captures a moment that feels beautifully chaotic, real, and deeply human. I love how it holds multiple layers of emotion at once: the bride’s joy reflected in the mirror, the energy of the guests around her, and that magical split second where everyone is fully present, celebrating her. Nothing here is posed — it’s a scene unfolding naturally, full of movement, laughter, connection, and genuine excitement.
Daphne Matthys
Profile: Daphne Matthys
Website: www.daphnematthys.be
This image is my favourite of the year because it reminds me how easily we, as adults, forget the simple joy of being alive. Life can become so serious, so full of responsibilities and expectations, that we stop noticing the small, playful moments that make it beautiful. These children, with their faces pressed against the glass and their spontaneous laughter, show a freedom we don’t allow ourselves often enough.
Children see the world with open hearts. They aren’t weighed down by self-consciousness or by the stories we learn to tell ourselves as we grow older. They move through life with curiosity, lightness, and an instinctive sense of wonder. Through them, we catch a glimpse of who we once were—before we learned to hold back.
This photograph gently invites me to reconnect with that part of myself: the quiet, inner child who still knows how to be fully present. It’s a soft reminder that joy doesn’t need to be earned, that playfulness is a form of wisdom, and that the world becomes a kinder place when we allow ourselves to see it with the openness of a child.
Tansley Photography
Profile: Tansley Photography
Website: https://tansleyphotography.co.uk
This image encapsulates everything I try and achieve from a wedding photo. Emotion, feeling, moment, beautiful light, framing and beautiful black and white tones. Anyone can look at the image and feel it, feel what’s going on. That hand of the father on his daughter on her wedding day, as she cries while reading out her speech, while her mother looks on. Just beautiful imho. Plus I tried really hard to get this shot, I can remember shooting through it trying to get the perfect framing.
Dave Zaple
Profile: Dave Zaple
Website: www.davezaple.com
This is a tiny part of Sam and Rich’s wedding day that most people would never have seen, let alone remembered, but this is exactly the kind of moment that tells the real story. Tired out? Maybe. Over indulged at dinner? Probably. Comfortable enough to wander off and lie behind a hedge amongst the garden games for a little afternoon siesta? Definitely.
The day was full of these small, brilliant pockets of real life… the kind you simply can’t script.
Three guests sheltering from the intense afternoon sun on St Mary’s in the Isles of Scilly, stealing a quiet moment while the celebration rolled on around them. It’s these in-between scenes that make a wedding feel alive, and why this image is one of my favourites documentary photos of the year.
Plus my wife is the one napping nearest the camera!
Anne Nodée
Profile: Anne Nodée
Website: https://matierenoirephotographie.com/
Instead of a fancy venue, the bride and groom partied at home. Their 2 boys had all of their toys to play with. Fired up with excitation they went wild. Their room turned into a battlefield.
I like that moment because I’m at ease with playing along with kids. It’s a token of a relaxing and yet fun moment as it sometimes happen on the job.
It also makes me wonder about the limits of a photoreportage : is it okay to let them be as crazy as they want for the sake of a fun picture?
Shouldn’t we, as photographers, think about the reaction of people (bride and groom, subject, everybody) when we deliver incriminating pictures? and therefore not deliver some pictures at all.
My presence obviously changed the course of action as I was targeted too, but it wasn’t staged. Is it really reportage then ?
Do I overthink ?
Jeroen Savelkouls Fotografie
Profile: Jeroen Savelkouls Fotografie
Website: https://www.jeroensavelkouls.nl/
This images shows how preoccupied we are with our phones, even at weddings. And I love how everything works in this image: the juxaposition of old & young, the flowers. Lastly, this was the wedding of my best friends brother, which I found very special and emotional.
Chris Armstrong
Profile: Chris Armstrong
Website: https://www.chrisarmstrongphotography.co.uk
I was lucky enough to capture a childhood friend of mines wedding at Lusty Glaze in Cornwall. I love this image of the groom being carried by his best man on his shoulders having the best time. And an extra funny bit is the best man had just lost a tooth when they went in the sea for a pre-dancefloor swim!
Dan Morris Photography
Profile: Dan Morris Photography
Website: https://danmorrisphotography.co.uk/
I was sitting down having a break when I noticed the lady bending over and the fountain doing its thing. I grabbed my camera off the table and told the videographer to duck out of the way. Lucky enough the stars aligned. Not the moon 😉 Humour is massive for me. Keeps me smiling.
Laura Wilson Photography
Profile: Laura Wilson Photography
Website: www.laurawilsonphotography.co.uk/
All the hands, pointing, holding and toasting with everyone singing their hearts out, this photo is energy and chaos. You can feel it when you look at this image, the shouty singing, drinks spilling and the excited energy and that is why its a favourite for me.
Marco Teixeira
Profile: Marco Teixeira
Website: https://marcoteixeiraphoto.com/
I just dig it a lot 🙂
Louise van den Broek
Profile: Louise van den Broek
Website: www.momentsinlife.nl
Because its beautiful in its simplicity, but so full of love and warmth…
Rick de Jongh
Profile: Rick de Jongh
Website: https://rickdejongh.nl/
This image is for me a pure reportage photo.. The getting ready of the bride was held on a ship and it was a crowded and all over the place preperation of there big day. I loved to be part of it and captured this moment.
Martin Beddall
Profile: Martin Beddall
Website: https://www.martinbeddallphotography.co.uk
This isn’t a noisy moment. No big screams or laughter. Just a groom choking up mid-speech and turning away to dry his eyes as his emotions catch the better of him. To the amusement of his wife.
duo azul
Profile: duo azul
Website: www.duo-azul.com
It’s a funny image
Yvonne Ten Bruggencate
Profile: Yvonne Ten Bruggencate
Website: www.thebestofme.nl
This photo represents the most emotional wedding from this year. The four children of this couple were so excited for their parents to get married. Everyone was crying that day, but this girl really won ‘the battle’. She was so beautiful and honest and didn’t care about the world around here.She really touched my heart
Sarah Kate Photography
Profile: Sarah Kate Photography
Website: https://www.sarahkatephotography.ie
This is my favourite image of the year because the bride’s Nana made her way through the massive crowd of guests to get her granddaughter’s attention from the back of the wedding car.
We were in such a rush to get going, as there was another ceremony after us. The groom looked indifferent to the chaos, the bride looked overjoyed, and the Nana was just in the background trying to get some attention.
I know this image wouldn’t win any awards, but it really sums up to me all the chaos of a wedding and all the different emotions that come with it. The reflections off the car’s glass also add another layer of storytelling. And I really, really love how much the Nana wanted to wish her granddaughter well wishes.
Jiří Šmalec
Profile: Jiří Šmalec
Website: https://www.jirismalec.com
This moment that happened right after the bouquet ribbon cutting felt like a bomb of emotions, love and a clearly visible demonstration of how deep the connection between the bride and her bridesmaid was.
Phil Salisbury photography
Profile: Phil Salisbury photography
Website: https://www.philsalisbury.com/
I simply love the moment between the couple and the framing of the moment. It captures the essence of the joy from the day.
Thomas Hare Photography
Profile: Thomas Hare Photography
Website: https://thomasharephotography.com/
Mainly because it’s a rarity, I’ve only had 2 bouquet tosses this year! I love the sheer desperation and physical exertion from the ‘catchers’ and the reactions from the onlookers.
I also love the pure documentary nature of it, this is a moment that would have happened whether or not I was there. It’s perfectly imperfect if there is such a thing.
It’s fun, it has life and it highlights the importance (and insanity) of weddings.
Hannah Brooke Photography
Profile: Hannah Brooke Photography
Website: https://hannahbrookephotography.co.uk
This photo of Amy and her girls where the swing flipped over and they collapsed in a heap of laughter. Prior to 2025 I would have probably missed this moment as the chronic people pleaser in me would have rushed over to help and make sure no one was hurt. But I’ve been working hard on my documentary game this year, so instead I snapped the photo from the top…..and could see they were ok as they were laughing! And it also bagged me my first TiR award, yay!
Gary Simpson Photography
Profile: Gary Simpson Photography
Website: https://www.garysimpsonphotography.com
The moment the brides mother sees her daughter for the first time. A mixture of emotions as she holds a photo of her late husband. An intimate moment with the brides mother and supported by her two sons, captured during a home ceremony.
Jenna Kathleen
Profile: Jenna Kathleen
Website: https://www.jennakathleen.com/
This is my favourite image because it’s chaotic and unexpected, and those are the moments I love to capture! When I arrived at the church and saw the bride’s two nephews, I knew they’d cause mayhem. They used the bubble machines throughout the ceremony, which gave me so many photo opportunities.
I like to tell the story in a unique way by layering different moments into a single image to add context. For this shot, I composed it so everyone had their own little bubble of space.
I love the mischief in the foreground and the guests trying to decide if they should step in, while the serious ceremony continues behind them.
Although they could hear what was going on, Katie and Tom didn’t see any of this at the time, so it was great to capture this moment for them. They got to see their wedding from a completely new angle, and this ended up being one of their favourite photos of the day.
Sven Hebbinghaus
Profile: Sven Hebbinghaus
Website: https://svenhebbinghaus.de
At many of the weddings I attend, the moment when the bride’s father gives his daughter away to the groom is one of the most emotional moments. That’s why I chose this photo to symbolize it.
Linda Bouritius
Profile: Linda Bouritius
Website: www.lindabouritius.com
The fact that this sentence should be plural is the statement of the year. Because how could you pick one favorite?
But when looking back this image really stands out for me. It’s the moment right at the start of the ceremony. The way they immediately entered their own bubble shows the kind of love and affection between them. They are there for each other. Not for the dress, not their guests. They sat down to say their I do’s to each other. And in that moment at the start of that wedding I was immediately drawn into their connection. And that’s why I felt in love with this couple.
Photography by Ciara
Profile: Photography by Ciara
Website: https://photographybyciara.com/
It’s just funny.
There’s something inherently hilarious about a majestic bird barging into a classy event like “hey guys what’s up.”
Huib Vintges photography
Profile: Huib Vintges photography
Website: https://huibvintges.com/
This picture shows the connection and family feeling after the best man speech. It’s why I love this picture.
Andy Sidders Photography
Profile: Andy Sidders Photography
Website: https://www.andysiddersphotography.co.uk
It was a roasting hot summer’s day and the couple had given guests battery powered fans to keep cool. I loved catching this little girl completely in her own world, holding her mum’s bright red handbag and pretending the fan was a mobile phone.
Marie O’Mahony
Profile: Marie O’Mahony
Website: http://marieomahony.com
I love this image because I identify with so much in it. The juxtaposition between the big toast and cheer of the adults, and the quiet absorption of the child in her phone makes me smile. I identify with the parents trying to keep their kid happy until the meal arrives, and remember being the child who preferred to do her own thing in large crowds. As the main photographer, taking a moment to capture my friend & second photographer doing what she does best was also special. And finally, this was the first time I allowed myself to photograph what I felt interesting; taking that risk has changed how I have photographed this year, and I am grateful for it.
Zoe Mills Photography
Profile: Zoe Mills Photography
Website: https://www.zoemillsphotography.com
A quiet moment when the Bride and Groom had signed their register and were looking upon all their guests seated in-front of them, the Brides Father took the opportunity to go up and Congratulate them, with a sincere kiss and cuddle, firstly saying ‘Well Done, Poppet’ a nickname he referred to the Bride as in his speech, then shook the Grooms hand with a ‘Well Done young man’. A powerful heart-felt moment.
McGlade Photography and Film
Profile: McGlade Photography and Film
Website: https://www.mcgladephotographyandfilm.com/
A tiny pause before the big moment.
Her nerves, his pride, the whole house holding its breath.
These in-between seconds are always my favourites — the ones you can’t pose.
My This Is Reportage favourite image of the year. 🤍✨
Musket Wedding Photography
Profile: Musket Wedding Photography
Website: https://musketweddings.co.uk
This is my fav as it was such a fun moment in the day. It was sunset evening vibes and everyone was in a great party mood. The speeches were just before and they were great and lots of tears and joy. You could tell everyone here truly cared and loved each other. I got a great sense that everyone where so close and connected with each other at this wedding. So it was lovely to be apart of it and capture this fun moment happening.
Ben Lee
Profile: Ben Lee
Website: https://benlee.photography/
It just makes me smile every time I see it. Not just because of the image itself but it reminds me of such a fun final day of a 3 day wedding in Tangier. If you look closely you can actually see them holding hands on his crotch which is easily missed at first.
The wedding was chaotic but so much fun from minute one and I just had such a great weekend. I felt like part of the family and the whole thing just leant into what I love shooting; people having a great time doing silly things.
It was also a lovely bonus getting a TIR single image award for it in the final round of the year.
Liminal Wonderland
Profile: Liminal Wonderland
Website: www.liminalwonderland.com
This is so hard fyi!! To choose 1 fav image from the whole year ooft tough!!
Anyway I chose this one because I feel so much when I look at it, I love the way Mum is helping with the dress, I love the way the maid of honour is watching with pride and you can sense the emotion on her face, I love the slight lamp in the corner and how the angle slightly matches the mums hat, there’s a lot and not alot that just happened. There’s a sense of anticipation in the air and a strong female bond. I love the layers of tulle that make it feel theatrical yet soft. It’s just one of those images that I look back on and makes me feel joy. There were so many moments from this day I just adored and were so special but I just love this shot.
Florian Fauvarque
Profile: Florian Fauvarque
Website: https://www.florianfauvarque.fr/photographe-de-mariage-eco-responsable-grenoble/
A bride and a groom dressed in fantasy inspired wedding outfits stand outdoors under a rustic floral arch in a mountain landscape. The groom is in the middle of throwing a giant twenty sided dice while the bride watches with a joyful smile. Sunlight illuminates the green grass and autumn trees surrounding the ceremony.
Barbara Fabbri
Profile: Barbara Fabbri
Website: http://fabbribarbara.com/
I love this image for it’s emotional power. The bride’s emotion as the groom hugs his best friend. I felt the same emotion with them.
Joris Cools
Profile: Joris Cools
Website: www.jorizz.be
I love the wedding party! When I shoot the party, I want to be part of it, so I go really close. At this moment, the bride was throwing (fake) money in the air and an other girl was dancing wild. I love this one because they didn’t care about me, they didn’t pay any attention for me and that’s what I like the most.
Pamela Brady Photography
Profile: Pamela Brady Photography
Website: https://www.pamelabradyphotography.com/
I love this photo because it looks like such a calm, quiet moment — a peaceful cup of tea before the wedding. But what you can’t hear is German heavy metal blasting from the TV, and nobody in the house even reacted. The contrast, the timing, the irony… it all came together perfectly.
Forged in love photography
Profile: Forged in love photography
Website: https://forgedinlovephotography.com
Freya was full of energy all morning, snacking on pretzels, laughing and joking with her bridesmaid and the MUAs. Until this moment, the moment before she saw her dad for the first time in her dress, separated by a partition wall the planner and a niece help fix the her dad up as she waits nervously on the other side. Fidgeting with her nails. Excited about whats going to happen but also a little scared I reckon. It happens in many different ways to people but as you observe and stay alert and quiet, you can always spot that “OH sh*t!!!” moment
DannyNeo
Profile: DannyNeo
Website: www.neofoto.cn
女儿在婚礼上和妈妈的拥抱饱含着泪水
Philip Thomas Photography
Profile: Philip Thomas Photography
Website: https://www.philipthomas.com/
This image is my favorite of the year because it captures everything I love about documentary wedding photography — unfiltered joy, humor, and real human connection.
The humor comes from authenticity: jubilant expressions, a lifted fan, a ride-along setting. Nothing is exaggerated. It is as it happened. This is part of the challenges of photographing a wedding. The story is there to be told without the photographer’s interpretation of what it should be.
Shot on the Leica Q3, it’s a candid moment where nothing is posed, and everything is true, a reminder that the best stories happen in the in-between.
This year, I tried to really push the envelope while staying in my lane, drawing inspiration from my favorite photographers. Thank you.
Sher Takes Care
Profile: Sher Takes Care
Website: https://www.shertakescare.com/
It tells directly how amazing speeches at your wedding dinner could be. Fun, emotional and full of connection. I love the expression of everyone in this photo. It really feels like you want to laugh with them.
Becci Wiles Photography
Profile: Becci Wiles Photography
Website: https://www.becciwilesphotography.co.uk
This is my favourite image from this year. It sums up the feel and atmosphere of the whole day. It represents the couple, their guests and their surroundings in one hit! Rachel and Alin’s wedding day was a big, bold, rainbow celebration of love. I loved this wedding day for its colourful characters, expressions of love and joy and glorious movements on the dance floor!
Eamonn McColgan
Profile: Eamonn McColgan
Website: https://www.treasureboxphotos.co.uk
The weather in Ireland is often unpredictable, so when you have a storm that down’t know if it’s coming or going you need to have a couple, or at least a bride, that is prepared to not give a crap about everything being perfect. This bride’s entrance to the church with her gown hoisted up as the wind and rain was lashing down is an amazing example of how to do it!
Anupa Shah
Profile: Anupa Shah
Website: https://anupashahphotography15.mypixieset.com
Yellow is the color of joy. Joy is my favourite emotion to document. This Indian wedding started with the Haldi ceremony (a pre wedding ritual) that symbolizes purification & good luck. A turmeric paste (haldi) is applied to the couple for glowing skin, to ward off evil spirits, and to bless their new life. This moment documents all their loved ones coming together to bless them with a flower shower blooming with color and laughter. Documenting these real moments…whats more joyful than that!
Daan Fortuin fotografie
Profile: Daan Fortuin fotografie
Website: https://daanfortuin.nl/trouwfotograaf-zuid-holland/
I’ve always been fascinated by hands.
Especially these. Skin so delicate and thin, shaped by nearly a century of living.
A whole life in these hands, signing love for a new one about to start.
Theo Piper Photography
Profile: Theo Piper Photography
Website: https://theopiperphotography.co.uk
This image is my favourite documentary frame of 2025 because it captures everything I loved about this wedding. Having met up with these two beforehand, and with them living in the same town as me, I was really looking forward to capturing their celebrations. It turned out to be probably the rainiest day of the year, it absolutely chucked it down non-stop, but they embraced it completely and so did their guests.
They went ahead with their first dance outside in the courtyard, surrounded by everyone who were totally soaked but full of joy! The moments that followed will always stay with me as all their family and guests joined in with their umbrellas, it was really beautiful and I didn’t want it to end!
For me, this frame sums up what I love about documentary photography, that feeling of accepting life exactly as it is.
RAHUL KHONA
Profile: RAHUL KHONA
Website: https://www.f5blog.co.uk
I truly love every part of wedding photography – portraits, the editorial moments, the family photos (yes, even those!). But what means the most to me, what I feel is the heart of my work, is capturing the unscripted, honest moments that unfold naturally right in front of me.
Giving my couples photographs that bring them back to how they felt and how the people they love felt around them – is the most meaningful part of what I do.
Those raw fleeting moments are the legacy I hope to leave behind.
Phil Voon
Profile: Phil Voon
Website: https://www.giveusagoo.com/
Usually couples play it safe and move the ceremony indoors with even the slightest chance of rain, if not for themselves, then for their guests. Ruth & Rob had their hearts set on an outdoor ceremony, even though it had poured all night and the forecast wasn’t in their favour. The skies lifted just enough for them to say, “feck it, let’s go for it.”
For most of the ceremony the rain held off, then it started: first a sprinkle, then a drizzle, then it really came down, talking buckets. The guests didn’t moan once; they smiled harder, laughed louder and just leaned into it. People huddled together, umbrellas came out, and even though I was soaked, the buzz from that rain made this photograph one of the most memorable. It would have been so easy to grumble (it’s what I expected to be honest), but not this bunch – like water off a duck’s back.
Larisa Solomon Stanca
Profile: Larisa Solomon Stanca
Website: https://larisastanca.ro/
I lost my grandmother a few years ago, and if there’s one thing I know she would have loved, it’s seeing me in my wedding dress.
We had our wedding this year, and although she wasn’t there to see me, I see her in every grandma I get to photograph at weddings.
They say your wedding photos will look the way your photographer sees the world. So my photos are mostly about family.
Pierrick Roland
Profile: Pierrick Roland
Website: https://www.pierrickrolandphotographe.com/
This photo is one of my favorites from this year: first because it captures an unexpected moment, and I love documenting what’s improbable rather than what’s expected; but also because it’s a photo that leaves room for imagination. Showing everything is great… but inviting the viewers to guess, and turning them into accomplices — that’s something I trully love.”
Bobbi Barbarich
Profile: Bobbi Barbarich
Website: https://bobbibarbarich.ca/
This couple shaved their heads in honour of their fathers, both of whom had recently passed. Their families are gathered all around Rachel as her new husband Jesse shaves her head. They’re holding her with fierce and loving support… it just gets me. This is a photo where I could critique everything I did wrong compositionally, but that absolutely doesn’t matter. This image explains everything about who they are and what family means to them.
Colin Perkins Photography
Profile: Colin Perkins Photography
Website: https://colinperkinsphotography.co.uk/
Wedding morning. A fort on the coast of Wales. Outdoor climbing loving couple and guests. How would you start your day? Everyone off the harbour for a swim that’s how.
Esther Gibbons
Profile: Esther Gibbons
Website: https://www.esthergibbons.com/
I love this image because it captures the exhuberant glee of the wedding couple that day– they were truly unstoppable. I love a good action shot and this caught the dress flowing behind during their first dance. And I especially love the detail of the back of the bride’s wedding gown that was drenched in red wine (an unfortunate mishaps at the end of a emotional speech). That memory is going to be a big part of their wedding day story when they retell it and their care-free enjoyment despite something going wrong really speaks to their fun-loving characters.
Brittany Diliberto
Profile: Brittany Diliberto
Website: http://www.beetwosweet.com
This first dance was electric, and the couple invited all of their guests to join them, giving me the challenge of making sure the images from it looked like it was their first dance, and not just any dance floor photo. I love how I was able to isolate and pull the eye to focus on them, while keeping the ambient energy in the room, and I love their genuine expressions.
Alex Benyon
Profile: Alex Benyon
Website: https://www.alexbenyonphotography.co.uk/
I love this photo because it’s just pure joy. The laughter, the sunshine, the rainbow umbrella that looks like it’s about to fly away. It’s all so fun and completely unposed. Both brides look genuinely happy, like they’re having the best time ever, and that energy is contagious. It’s one of those shots that instantly makes you smile because it captures the day exactly as it felt.
Stephane Amelink
Profile: Stephane Amelink
Website: https://stephaneamelinck.com
une photo saisie en plein mariage lors de la signature à l’église. La témoin a perdu les eaux et eu de forte contractions. Elle a accouché 1H après et n’est pas pu assister à la suite du mariage de sa meilleur amie.
A photo taken during the wedding ceremony at the church. The maid of honor’s water broke and she went into labor. She gave birth an hour later and was unable to attend the rest of her best friend’s wedding.
Steven Parry
Profile: Steven Parry
Website: https://www.stevenparry.co.uk
This image to me encompasses everything about how a wedding party should end – with a bloody great party!! Where folks let their hair down and just go crazy.
Susanne Kromm Fotografie
Profile: Susanne Kromm Fotografie
Website: https://susannekromm.de
I like the lightness of the picture. Like the lightness of the bride’s veil. It’s a moment between the girls that I was lucky enough to capture. It was very windy and rainy that day. The moment reminds me that the weather on a wedding day doesn’t matter; the moments happen either way.
Laura Power Photography
Profile: Laura Power Photography
Website: www.laurapower.co.uk
In what was a sweet and fragile moment of emotion following the Bride & Dad’s first look, Barry used a napkin to dry his tearful face behind his glasses. I inappropriately yelped a laugh, as it reminded me of Jude Law’s ‘Mr Napkin Head’ in the movie ‘The Holiday.’ It was so funny and unexpected, this moment made my morning.
Ally M Photography
Profile: Ally M Photography
Website: https://allym.photography/
So many to choose from but at the end of the year I always think about who my favourite wedding guest of the year was, and I award them online with an image shocasing their brilliance. This lady was my favourite wedding guest of the year because she sure knew how to party, and that is what it’s all about! 😀
Alpar Lukacsi
Profile: Alpar Lukacsi
Website: http://alparlukacsi.com/
I would like to say that there are several reasons why this image is my favourite of the year.
First of all, the wedding took place at one of our favourite locations — Valea Verde Cund — the same place where we said “yes” and had our own civil ceremony. That alone makes the scene deeply personal and meaningful for me.
Then there’s the beautiful contrast in the image: an elegant outdoor wedding dinner on one side, and a herd of sheep passing by on the other. Two very different worlds, yet both connected by nature. And in a way, both moments revolve around the same simple traditions: gathering, sharing food, and celebrating.
The sheep are making their way to the water after what was probably a good feast, while the guests below are just sitting down for dinner — the calm before the night’s party begins.
Somehow, these parallel stories meet in one frame, blending Romanian traditions, nature, and celebration in the most unexpected and authentic way.
Erica Hawkins Photography
Profile: Erica Hawkins Photography
Website: https://www.ericahawkinsphotography.co.uk/
I love everything about this image. I chose a slow shutter knowing there’d be a burst of energy as they entered for their wedding breakfast, and from this position it captures that perfectly. I also love how the bride appears almost ghostly, which suited their Halloween wedding perfectly.
Beeldzoeker
Profile: Beeldzoeker
Website: https://www.beeldzoeker.be
I love this photograph for its subtlety. It also reflects what moved me most that day: the warmth of the people around the couple. Family, friends, and their son, who had just overcome himself by giving a speech. The focus here is not on the couple, but on those who carry them.
James Ireland
Profile: James Ireland
Website: www.jamesirelandphotography.co.uk
I’m a firm believer that a great documentary photo shouldn’t have to be explained to be understood, and that’s precisely the case here. It’s a moment full of so much emotion and humour, capturing the real relationship between father and daughter.
Darron Watson
Profile: Darron Watson
Website: https://www.darronwatson.co.uk/
I think this shot from Ruth and Will’s garden wedding might be my favourite of the year. It was ridiculously hot and humid that day, and while guests were taking their seats in the marquee for food and speeches, Will and four of his groomsmen were wrestling with the marquee sides to let some fresh air in. Will’s on the right, with a look of joy on his face as the first bit of fresh air hits him, while the others are still battling with the panel. It’s a funny little moment that sums up just how scorching the day really was.
Jill Streefland
Profile: Jill Streefland
Website: https://www.jillstreeflandfotografie.nl/
This is my favorite photo of 2025.
It stands for everything I believe in: connection, support, holding on, and letting go.
In this embrace, I see pure emotion. Love, strength, and the courage to be vulnerable.
It’s a reminder that the most beautiful moments are found in genuine connection and the willingness to both hold tight and release.
Chelsea Cannar Photography
Profile: Chelsea Cannar Photography
Website: https://www.chelseacannarphotography.com/
This was the moment I felt most brave this year. I ran with the idea, even though it wasn’t the safe shot, as I envisaged something unique that showcased the incredible space the couple had chosen.
Marc Gartland
Profile: Marc Gartland
Website: https://www.marcgartlandphoto.co.uk/
It was a moment I couldn’t possibly plan for! Complete luck to be right in front of it happening.
Ken Pak
Profile: Ken Pak
Website: www.kenpak.com
I captured this moment while the groom was getting some serious help from his groomsmen with his troublesome bowtie. The groom and his bestman in the mirror were intensely focused in measuring, adjusting, troubleshooting only for the bowtie to end up sitting perfectly on the groom’s forehead like a big hair ribbon. The contrast between their concentration and the final result was absolutely hilarious to my view.
Thank you to every photographer who took the time to share their favourite image and the story behind it. Together, these photographs form a collective portrait of 2025 – not as a highlight reel, but as it was truly lived.
This isn’t about judging, ranking, or deciding which moments mattered most. It’s about recognising that meaning shows up everywhere: in the quiet corners, the laughter between speeches, the chaos on the dancefloor, the pauses no one else notices.
To everyone who contributed – thank you for trusting us with these moments, and for continuing to show what documentary wedding photography really is: honest, human, and deeply connected.
Here’s to the moments that stay with us – and to another year of seeing, waiting, and telling stories as they unfold.
