Love Folio - What is Documentary Wedding Photography?

Sarah & Lazaro - Castello del Palagio, Tuscany. WP: Wed In Florence

You heard that documentary wedding photography is trending right now, so you might want to consider hiring a photographer that does just that for your destination wedding… but what is it? And is it right for you and for your event? We will try answering these questions by telling you a little bit about how we use the documentary approach in our work as destination wedding photographers in Italy.

“Truthful, unposed, compelling”

When applied to photography, the word documentary indicates a style of photography that captures real events, people, places, and environments with the intent to tell a truthful and compelling story. The focus here is on depicting reality as accurately as possible. Documentary photography aims to reflect real life and provide a sense of authenticity, often incorporating unposed or candid shots, much unlike its counterpart - staged photography - where images are the result of careful staged actions.

Carolina & Andrea - Colline San Biagio, Tuscany

While this genre of photography has been and is still widely used in news and photojournalism – where truthfulness and authenticity are pivotal - this approach has recently been favoured by brides and grooms to be as well, especially those who seek a less staged approach to photographing a wedding day, prioritising movement, real emotions, and candid photos. A wedding is of course a very different event to those that press photographers and photojournalists are used to covering, however it can lend itself perfectly to the genre, in the hands of the right documentary wedding photographer and with the right couple in front of their lens.

Capturing moments vs staging them

Whenever people and events are involved, photography tends to lean towards art rather than science. Therefore it’s important to acknowledge that each wedding professional might have a personal and unique take on the same genre of photography. Having said that, the way we approach documentary wedding photography is by observing the day while being friendly, active participants in it and keeping a constant connection with the couple, their guests, and the environment. This allows us to avoid staging moments and overdirecting things, while still being able to capture artistic wedding photographs that our clients will want to cherish forever. It’s about creating moments and letting the spontaneous action and emotions unfold within them, leaving our protagonists, brides, grooms and their guests, free to express themselves. On top of that, our experience in professional documentary photography for magazines allows us not to miss any single spontaneous interactions that happen magically throughout the day, such as this beautiful hug between newlyweds Raisza and Neil at Villa Catignano moments before taking their seats at the top table in their perfectly decorated wedding reception area. 

Raisza & Neil - Villa Catignano, 2023 - WP: Al Fresco Wedding

Spontaneous, beautiful moments captured on camera and the real interaction between your guests and family members documented without anyone almost realising that your photographers are working… seems like the perfect deal, right? It actually is! However, as with everything, in our experience, this genre of photography works the best with a particular kind of couple and event – and there might even be a few questions you might want to ask yourself before booking a documentary wedding photographer for your wedding or declaring to your photographer that you don’t want any posed or directed shots throughout the day. Let’s dive right in!

Is documentary wedding photography the right style for my wedding?

Documentary photography works beautifully for couples who are expressive and comfortable showing emotion. Whether it’s laughter, tears, or joy, couples who let their emotions flow naturally will shine in a documentary style. They are comfortable being themselves in front of a photographer – actually, typically more than one. They’re less concerned with perfect poses and more interested in capturing the unique energy and joy of the event. They are also couples who enjoy moving around, dancing, interacting, and sharing their real emotions between themselves and with their guests. Is that you? then we’re off to a great start! On the other hand, if you are naturally camera-shy or feel less comfortable taking initiative in front of a photographer then you might want to consider working a more directed approach into your documentary wedding photography, or a mix of both – which is a frequent occurrence in our work as well. No two couples are the same, and at times a slight, gentle direction or a little joke is all it takes to make a shyer bride or groom shine like they’ve never done before!

Reilly & Brian - Castello di Montalto, August 2024

Reilly & Brian – Castello di Montalto, August 2024

Even if fully documentary wedding photography is the style for you, there is one very important thing that you really shouldn’t forget to work into your wedding day schedule. Wanna know what it is? Then read on.

Family pictures and documentary wedding photography style

Even if you’re going full reportage on your wedding photography, make sure you’re scheduling in some time for family photography. Especially if you have a larger wedding – say from 100 guests and up – it’s very important to know when you are planning to be closer to your nearest and dearest throughout the day and that there is a photographer there with you at that time to capture any meaningful interaction. Of course it can still be a spontaneous, documentary-style portrait or group photo that celebrates this milestone day in your lives and theirs as well. Please don’t miss out on this! Put yourself into your family members’ shoes and think about whether they’d love to receive these photos. Maybe they are travelling from far away, maybe they haven’t seen you in a long time – whatever it is, trust us on this and don’t skip this step. When you go full documentary with your photographers roaming around at all times, you should also be aware of the fact that not every moment can be recorded at all times and in all places – unless you have 10 photographers on site, of course (joking…. unless?). So you should also be mindful to hire the correct number of photographers, or photographers and videographers, to cover your event to make sure the results are in line with your expectations.

Lindsay & James - Villa Gamberaia, July 2023

If you’re drawn to a wedding day that’s captured authentically and filled with unfiltered memories, documentary wedding photography could be the perfect fit. Our approach lets you and your guests fully enjoy every moment, while we discreetly capture the genuine emotions and unique details that make your day truly yours. This has been our experience in destination wedding photography since 2013 and we are thrilled every time a couple asks us to work for them carrying this forward into the future.

Let’s create something that goes beyond beautiful photos—let’s tell the story of your wedding day as it really happened. You can book a consultation with us to learn how we can make your vision a reality and give you a timeless collection of images you’ll cherish for years to come. Reach out today for your 2025 or 2026 wedding in Italy and let’s start planning you documentary wedding photography service together. You’ll be amazed at the results, guaranteed.