The wedding planning process has changed significantly in 2020. 

I’m here to share some good news and give you the tips that I’ve learned over the past few months.

Who am I? I’m Sam, and I’m a storytelling wedding photographer based in Yorkshire. I’m your typical tea-drinking, flat-cap wearing, Dales loving northerner who happens to love giving the gift of memories to newlyweds.

I’ve been working with my couples from March to re-plan their weddings. 

Along the way, I’ve learned a number of things.

A MICRO-WEDDING CAN ACTUALLY BE BETTER THAN A LARGE WEDDING

For the past number of years, I’ve watched wedding guest counts (and price tags!) get really out of hand when planning. In my experience, this is usually due to family pressure. At some point, a lot of my couples have started to feel like it’s not even their wedding any longer. That they’re along for the ride.

THIS YEAR IS YOUR EXCUSE TO HAVE THE WEDDING YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO. 

You now have full control over the guest list. You get to invite the most important people in your life to be there, and you actually have time to be with them.

YOU GET TO SPEND TIME WITH EVERYONE THERE

Traditionally, it’s actually rare for my couples to actually talk to everyone that attends their wedding. And do you really want to be making small talk with that aunt you haven’t seen since the last family wedding when you can be spending time with those that are nearest & dearest?

With a smaller wedding, you can now spend time with everyone you’ve invited.

A MICRO-WEDDING COSTS LESS THAN A BIG WEDDING

Getting married is not expensive, but throwing a wedding can be. Instead of spending money on large venues and long guest lists, why not save that money to go towards the house deposit, and allocate more of your budget to the things that really matter to you.

YOU CAN NOW GET MARRIED IN YOUR DREAM LOCATION

With smaller weddings, you don’t have to look for a venue to accommodate a certain guest count, while also meeting the budget.

If you so wish you can be creative. Some of my couples are getting married in forests, in front of waterfalls, and at restaurants that would not have been possible with a larger guest count.

In the UK you must legally be married at a licensed venue, so you’ll have to make a trip to your local registry office to complete the legalities first – but then get a celebrant to conduct the service in your desired location.

MICRO-WEDDINGS MEAN FOR BETTER WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHS

As a wedding photographer, this is the most exciting part of micro weddings for me.

Weddings have become much simpler overall. Which means less stress for you on the day. No problems to troubleshoot, you just get to enjoy the day.

This lack of stress on the wedding day really comes through in the photos. 

We have all the time we need for photos, and we’re in control of the time of day we take them. At a traditional wedding, the photo session just kind of fits wherever it fits – which means non-ideal lighting conditions where you might not look your best.

Micro weddings, we can schedule at the best time of day for photos.

To add to that, you can now use the budget you saved to spend a little more on the details and coverage you’d really like to have.

PLANNING THE BEST MICRO WEDDING?

My suggestions:

Pick your dream location. There are some charming smaller locations out there, and now you’re not having to worry about a venue big enough for 100s of guests you can search them out.Businesses are all really going out of their way to be super accommodating these days, and that makes your life a lot easier.

Spend some of the money you’re saving on bringing in great vendors. Budgets usually get stretched really thin because of the number of guests at the wedding. This is your excuse to involve all of the vendors you would want to have for your dream wedding.

TO GET THE BEST PHOTOGRAPHS:

Schedule your ceremony when it’s good for photos. 2 hours before sunset will give us the best light for photos.

Hire a photographer (me!) for 2-3 hours. That will cover a little of the getting ready, the ceremony, family photos and photos of the two of you. (There are also packages if you’d like me to come to the reception)

My photography is primarily candid, so it’ll be a more relaxing experience than you might think right now. 

Safety at this time is a priority for me. I will wear a facemask at all times indoors, regularly use hand sanitiser, and respect all current local rules.

If you’re interested in working together, please reach out to me using this contact form and I’ll get back to you within 24 hours.

Thanks for reading and if you have any other questions, feel free to reach out!