Outdoor Wedding Photography & Videography
Relaxed, Natural Coverage for Garden, Woodland & Open-Air Celebrations
An outdoor, forest wedding in Scotland
Embracing the Elements: Photography for the Great Outdoors
There is a unique freedom to getting married outdoors. Without walls to contain the energy, the atmosphere is looser, the laughter is louder, and the moments feel more spontaneous.
But outdoor weddings in the UK come with a challenge: the elements. From the harsh midday sun of a garden ceremony to the sudden downpour during the speeches, nature is unpredictable.
We are experts in outdoor wedding photography. We don't fear the weather; we embrace it. Whether it’s the golden hour in a vineyard, a rainy woodland exchange of vows, or a festival-style party under canvas, we use the natural environment to frame your story, come rain or shine.
Mastering the Elements
The Rain
If it rains, we get wet. We use professional weather-sealed equipment that allows us to keep shooting through the drizzle or the downpour. Often, the most cinematic and memorable photos happen when the umbrellas go up and the wind picks up.
The Light
Outdoor light changes fast. We have the technical experience to handle everything from the high-contrast dappled light of a forest to the pitch-black darkness of a field at midnight, all without destroying the atmosphere with intrusive flash.
Outdoor Wedding Photography by York Place Studios
A Photo & Video Guide for Getting Married Outdoors
Over the years we've photographed weddings in some incredible venues, from stunning cathedrals & temples to some of the world's finest historic houses, to castles, chateau's, incredible hotels, and so many made even more beautiful by their connection to the couple. Yet to us it's pretty hard to beat the simplicity, awe and beauty of getting married in the great outdoors.
And with changes in UK wedding licensing laws, there's never been a better time to choose an outdoor ceremony for your wedding. In April 2022 the rules changed to allow weddings anywhere in the grounds of a licensed venue, meaning you no longer have to get married under a permanent structure, opening up a world of new opportunities to create your dream setting.
And with changes in UK wedding licensing laws, there's never been a better time to choose an outdoor ceremony for your wedding. In April 2022 the rules changed to allow weddings anywhere in the grounds of a licensed venue, meaning you no longer have to get married under a permanent structure, opening up a world of new opportunities to create your dream setting.
Of course, if there's a particularly meaningful spot to you that doesn't happen to fall within the grounds of a licensed wedding venue, there's also the option many of our couples choose, of settling the legalities in a private ceremony before the wedding day and therefore having the full freedom to choose whatever outdoor setting you'd like. Many of the most meaningful, emotive and personal wedding ceremonies we've photographed and filmed have taken place in the back garden of a family home, filled with inside stories about the couple and led either by a fantastic humanist celebrant or even by a close friend or relative. But whether you have somewhere highly personal in mind or simply somewhere spectacular, outdoor weddings create their very own (and very special) tone and atmosphere that we simply love to capture.
Top Tips For An Outdoor Wedding From a Photographer's Perspective.
Over the years we've been a part of hundreds of weddings of every kind and setting. And with different organisers arranging each one, we've seen such a huge variety of ideas that we thought it might be helpful to share, from experience, some of the things we've noticed have been important or worked particularly well at outdoor weddings.
- 1. Always have a back up plan!Whether it's a quick-build canapy or a building you can move to, NEVER trust the weather, particularly in the UK! Whilst outdoor weddings are absolutely beautiful, ultimately the most important thing is that you share those incredible vows with your family and friends, so put a bad-weather option in place and, if you have to use it, try to go with the flow. Weather can't spoil your day, only your feelings towards it can.
- 2. Issue your guests with (waterproof) parasolsCeremonies in the sunshine can be both bright on the eyes and hot on the skin, so offer your guests some shade by issuing your guests with parasols. Make them waterproof too in case of unexpected showers. Parasols are not only practical, they look fantastic in the photographs and video and provide a prop for the guests to interact with, creating more spontaneity - perfect for our documentary wedding photography style.
- 3. Colourful sunglasses & paper fansOn a similar note to the previous point, matching colourful sunglasses both help your guests in the sun and simultaneously add colour and interest to your photographs. Another great way to help your guests whilst simultaneously enhancing the photographic opportunities is to issue your guests with paper fans.
- 4. Haybales and blanketsLean into the rustic, outdoor feel by replacing chairs with haybales and offering your guests blankets either to sit on or stay warm with. Haybales look great and kids love to play on them afterwards, again creating more opportunity for fun, spontaneous moments and different height levels in the photographs.
- 5. Epic backdrop? Consider the light.As a purely photographic point - if you're wanting to get photographs featuring an epic backdrop then, just in case of super bright conditions, try to make sure you and your backdrop are under the same level of shade. If you stand in the shade but your background is brightly lit then either you will be silhouetted in the photographs or your backdrop will be overly bright. Both can look great (and, as documentary photographers, whatever we're given we'll make work!) but if you're looking for that particular feature in your photographs do you best to ensure the light is balanced.
View some outdoor weddings on the blog
Kent Candid Wedding Photography / / Lucy & Matt
Proof that a little rain only adds to the story
Umbrellas everywhere, wind in hair, and laughter echoing across the fields—Lucy and Matt’s countryside wedding didn’t just survive the weather, it thrived in it. A riot of colour, character and joy, come rain or come downpour.
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Lythe Hill Hotel Wedding Photography // Annie & Jonny
The Fairytale Trap
Sharing a visual philosophy with your wedding photographers allows them to truly be your eyes on the day
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Pynes House Wedding Photography // Emma & Paul
Wedding Portraits – a Documentarian’s Perspective
Why is it that no wedding portraits feature in our portfolio? The answer accompanies today's Pynes House Wedding photography collection.
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Voco Oxford Thames Wedding Photography // Lina & Rob
Micro-Moments for Micro-weddings
Big wedding or micro-wedding our vision never changes: we want to make big images from micro-moments. Voco Oxford Thames Wedding Photography by York Place
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Chelsea Physic Garden Wedding Photography // Charlie & Lucy
The Push To Make Better Art
Colour, bubbles and the beautiful surrounds of Chelsea Physic Garden. Whether we're shooting documentary weddings or studio portraits character and personality is everything.
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Unposed Candid Wedding Photography // Paula & Chris
Controlling the Uncontrollable
A relaxed rock n' roll Yorkshire wedding full of opportunities for personality-driven unposed, candid wedding photography.
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West Reservoir Centre Wedding Photography // Harriet & Phil
What keeps us inspired after all this time?
We talk often about what it is that keeps us coming back again and again when it comes to weddings. After over 16 years of shooting what drives us to continue to make images of this same tiny subcategory of photography week in, week out? What is that magic bit of fairy dust that keeps…
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Nantucket Wedding Photography, USA // Shelby & Creagh
An unforgettable experience
It’s difficult not to drift away into nostalgia and talk of career highlights when looking back at Shelby & Creagh’s wedding in Nantucket USA. When we first received their lovely email back in September 2018 asking whether we would be willing to travel for their wedding we were excited for three big reasons: firstly we…
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The Triton Inn Wedding Photography, Yorkshire // Molly & Jake
People being people
People being people. This is the most important thing for us in wedding photography and, in fact, in photography in general. We are passionate that our couples get to spend time with their friends and family and that we don't take them away from the action on the wedding day...
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Leathley Village Hall, Leeds Wedding Photography // Hannah & Jamie
Family & Connections
For us a wedding is a playground of possibilities, a chance to capture unposed candid images with real emotion, heart, humour and connection with the bride and groom and the people that matter the most to them in the whole world. How often do you have all your friends and family in one place at…
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Top Outdoor Wedding Tips continued ...
- 6. Consider using a PA SystemWith nothing for sound to bounce off, voices don't carry as far outdoors and so a PA system is often the best way for your guests to hear you. If arranging the audio system yourself try to position the speakers closer to the guests than the microphone to avoid to feedback problems.
- 7. Lean into the outdoor themeIf you plan to get married outside, why not theme the whole day around the outdoors. Festival style weddings, beach themed weddings, even holding a back-garden wedding with lots of personal elements - planning around being outdoors as much as possible can help to make your wedding really stand out.
- 8. Festoons and LanternsFestoons and lanterns can be incredibly atmospheric as the evening draws on and keep people going outside - the darker it is in outdoor spaces the less people tend to go outside, and the more gentle the lighting the more pleasant it is to be out there.
- 9. Indoors OutdoorsPutting sofas and other typically indoor fixings outside adds a fun element and great talking point for your guests. It also looks great in the photographs!
- 10. GlampingGlamping tents offer the chance to keep your guests on site to continue the celebrations the next day, whilst also providing a beautiful wedding backdrop and extending the outdoor theme.
Get the best photos & videos with a coordinated team.
Outdoor ceremonies offer incredible freedom. Without walls to restrict us, we can find unique angles and move around without becoming a distraction.
However, this freedom comes with a risk: with so much open space, uncoordinated photographers and videographers can easily wander into each other's shots or block your guests' view.
This is where the York Place team thrives ...
Because we are a family unit (Liam & Dominique on photos, Matt & Alex on video), we move as one. We don't just 'stay out of the way'; we intuitively know where the others are at all times. We anticipate each other's movements, ensuring we capture every angle of your outdoor ceremony without ever cluttering the scene or compromising the view for your guests."
Like what you see?
If you're planning an outdoor wedding and are looking for relaxed, creative wedding photography & videography we'd love to connect and see if we could be the right fit for your wedding.
GET IN TOUCH"The reportage approach of your work stood out to me. I'm very much not into the plastic, over-indulgent (typical) wedding photo look. Hopefully, the day will be casual, warm and friendly, without being too fussy over "things being perfect". We just want to have fun with friends and family, and capture that atmosphere organically."
- EMMA & PAUL
OUTDOOR WEDDING, DEVON
OUTDOOR WEDDING, DEVON
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if it rains during the ceremony?
We embrace it! Some of our favourite ever images have been taken in the rain. We carry weather-sealed cameras and are happy to shoot through the drizzle to capture the gritty, authentic reality of a British outdoor wedding. (Plus, umbrellas make for great props!)
Can you handle the low light in a Tipi or Marquee?
Absolutely. Once the sun goes down, Tipis and Marquees can be very dark. We use fast prime lenses and high-end sensors to capture the warmth of the firepits and the fairy lights without killing the mood with flash.
How do you handle audio for outdoor videos?
Wind is the enemy of good audio! We use professional-grade lavalier microphones (clipped discreetly to the groom or celebrant) and windshields to ensure that your vows are crystal clear, even if there’s a breeze blowing through the trees.
What if it's too sunny for the group photos?
Bright sun is actually the hardest light for portraits! We won’t just line you up against the view if it means you are all squinting into the glare. Instead, we hunt for “open shade”—soft, even light found in the shadow of a tree or building—where everyone looks comfortable, the light is flattering, and eyes stay wide open.
Do you use drones?
We have one, but we use it very selectively.
For us, wedding photography and film is about human connection. We want the viewer to feel like they are right there in the moment, part of the laughter and the emotion.
Aerial shots often have the opposite effect—they pull you out of the scene and detach you from the people. We will only fly the drone if the landscape is a crucial character in your story that can’t be captured any other way. But for the vast majority of the day, we keep our feet on the ground, right where the real magic is happening.
Do you travel for destination outdoor weddings?
Yes. Whether it’s a chateau garden in France or a beach in Cornwall, we travel all over the UK and Europe. We love the variety of landscapes and light that different destinations provide.