I bloody love a Bristol city wedding.
Give me a couple, a bit of time and the streets of Bristol and I am very happy. You don't need acres of manicured gardens or a grand country house to get amazing wedding photos. Bristol has so much going on that sometimes the best backdrop is just around the next corner.
Colourful walls, old buildings, graffiti, tiny side streets, pubs, the harbourside, big red doors, random bits of architecture and people going about their Saturday afternoon. It all adds something.
I've photographed loads of weddings in Bristol city centre over the years, from tiny registry office ceremonies with just a handful of people to bigger celebrations that move between different venues across the city.
And honestly, they're some of my favourites to photograph.
Getting married in Bristol city centre
One of the things I love about a Bristol wedding is that you don't necessarily need one venue to do everything.
You can get married at the registry office, wander through the city for some photos, stop somewhere for food and then head to a pub, restaurant or completely different venue for the party.
It makes the whole day feel much more relaxed and a bit more of an adventure.
I've photographed couples walking from their ceremony through the centre of Bristol, heading down towards the harbourside, stopping for a drink and generally just enjoying the city with all their favourite people.
There's something really nice about a wedding happening right in the middle of normal life.
Bristol Registry Office weddings
I've photographed quite a few weddings at Bristol Registry Office on Corn Street, and it's a brilliant starting point for a city wedding.
You're already right in the middle of Bristol, so once you're out of the ceremony there are loads of places we can use without disappearing for an hour-long photoshoot.
And that's a pretty big part of how I work.
I don't want to drag you away from your wedding for ages.
Normally we'll go for a little wander, have a laugh, find some cool spots and get a mixture of natural moments and some relaxed portraits along the way.
You don't need to know how to pose. You definitely don't need to spend an hour staring lovingly into each other's eyes.
I'll give you a bit of direction when you need it and otherwise let you be yourselves.
Using Bristol as your wedding backdrop
This is probably my favourite thing about photographing weddings in the city.
I don't usually head out with a massive list of predetermined photo locations.
I like looking around and seeing what we find.
Sometimes it'll be beautiful light coming through a side street. Sometimes it's a colourful wall. Sometimes it's a slightly battered doorway that happens to look bloody brilliant with what you're wearing.
One of my favourite things about being a photographer is finding those little pockets of colour and light that most people would probably just walk straight past.
And Bristol is full of them.
Wedding photos don't need to look "weddingy"
This is a big one for me.
Your wedding photographs don't have to look like they belong in a traditional wedding brochure.
If you've chosen to get married in Bristol because you love the city, then I want Bristol in your photographs.
The streets. The people. The slightly scruffy bits. The colour. The buildings. The pubs. The graffiti.
All of it.
I'd much rather photograph you laughing while walking across the road than spend twenty minutes arranging your dress perfectly on a lawn.
That's not to say we won't get beautiful portraits. We absolutely will.
They'll just feel like you.
Small and intimate Bristol weddings
City weddings also work incredibly well if you're planning something smaller.
I've photographed plenty of intimate Bristol weddings where the couple hasn't wanted the traditional full wedding-day setup.
Maybe you're having a registry office ceremony followed by dinner with your closest family and friends.
Maybe you're skipping getting-ready photographs completely.
Maybe you just want someone there for the ceremony, some family photographs and a wander around Bristol afterwards.
That's absolutely fine.
Not every wedding needs ten hours of photography.
The harbourside is pretty bloody good too
If we're anywhere near the centre, Bristol Harbourside gives us another completely different look without travelling miles away.
You've got the water, boats, industrial buildings, colourful houses in the distance and loads of interesting little areas to explore.
Places around Queen Square, Welsh Back and the harbourside can all work brilliantly, and there are loads of restaurants, bars and wedding venues nearby too.
I've photographed weddings that have moved from the registry office to places like Riverstation, as well as couples heading off for drinks and dinner elsewhere in the city.
It means the photographs naturally change as the day moves along rather than everything having exactly the same backdrop.
What if it rains?
It's Bristol.
There's a good chance it might. 😂
But a city wedding actually gives us loads of options.
Doorways, covered areas, bars, little streets and pubs and bars can all become part of the photos. And if it's only drizzling, we'll probably just get on with it.
Some of my favourite photographs have happened when the weather hasn't been perfect.
Wind, rain and slightly chaotic weather often make things feel more alive anyway.
I'm much more interested in what your wedding felt like than pretending you got married on a perfectly still 22-degree day.
Relaxed wedding photography without disappearing for hours
When we do head off for some photographs of the two of you, I keep it relaxed.
We'll walk. We'll chat. I'll give you something to do if you're feeling awkward. We'll find some good light and interesting places.
Then I'll send you back to your wedding.
For most of your wedding I'm documenting what's actually happening: people laughing, hugging, drinking, dancing, crying, kids doing weird things in the background and all the little moments you didn't even realise were happening.
Some Bristol wedding venues I love photographing
One of the nice things about working in Bristol so much is that I've photographed weddings at loads of different venues across the city. They all have completely different vibes, which is exactly what I like.
No.4 Clifton Village
No.4 is such a lovely one for smaller, more intimate weddings. It's tucked away in Clifton and has a really relaxed feel, with loads of gorgeous streets nearby for photos. You're also only a short walk from the Suspension Bridge if you fancy heading over there for a few portraits.
Brunel's SS Great Britain
It doesn't get much more Bristol than getting married on the SS Great Britain. I love having the harbour right outside too, as it means we can get a real mixture of photos around the ship and then head out onto the harbourside for something completely different.
Riverstation
I've photographed quite a few weddings at Riverstation and always love going back. Yummy food, good wine and you're right on the water, with loads of brilliant spots for photos nearby. They're licensed for weddings too, so you can actually get married overlooking the river or head there after a Bristol Registry Office ceremony.
Clifton Observatory
You can't really beat the Observatory for those properly iconic Bristol views. You're looking straight out towards the Clifton Suspension Bridge, and the rooftop is amazing for photos. It's also a really fun, slightly different place to have a wedding, which I'm obviously always here for.
Avon Gorge by Hotel du Vin
And Avon Gorge by Hotel du Vin is another gorgeous Clifton option, especially if you want Bristol to really feature in your wedding photos. The views across the gorge towards the Suspension Bridge are incredible, and you've also got Clifton Village right outside, so there's loads we can use for photos without disappearing for ages.
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Planning a Bristol city wedding?
If you're getting married in Bristol and want colourful, relaxed photos without spending half your wedding day posing for them, I'd love to hear what you're planning.
Whether it's a tiny registry office wedding, a big party in the city or something completely non-traditional, I'm always up for wandering around Bristol with you and seeing what we can find.
Come and tell me all about your plans.