I photographed Paul and Anita’s intimate wedding day recently – and what a beautiful day it was! Paul and Anita are dear friends and it was an honour to be their photographer. Here are my favourite images from the day, taken before and after their intimate registry office wedding in late summer 2020. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, I wasn’t able to photograph any of the ceremony! But we made up for it by going for a drive to the Ashridge Estate afterwards, where Anita and Paul went for a romantic walk, with me tagging along, snapping away naturally, as I do! After my selection of favourite photographs, I’ll talk through why I loved photographing this beautiful wedding day so much. Then Paul and Anita explain what it was like planning an intimate wedding in 2020. I hope you enjoy looking at the images as much as I did taking them. I was only with Paul and Anita for a few hours, but during that time there were so many lovely moments for me to capture.
Photographing a 2020 wedding
I haven’t exactly been run off my feet this year shooting weddings for some reason, anyone else found things a little quiet? But I was back recently, photographing two close friends getting married. For many wedding photographers, it is a nightmare to be asked to photograph a friend’s wedding. Mainly, there is the issue of them actually knowing you, potentially knowing you too well! I am always striving to photograph weddings in as unobtrusive and as close to true documentary style as possible. Even for couple shots like the ones above, I don’t pose or direct. I actively want to be in the background and unnoticed by my couples and their guests. This is a harder feat when you are photographing a close friend’s wedding. They tend to just act differently. It’s like trying to teach your spouse/partner to drive – difficult!
A day that was a pleasure to photograph
However, it was an absolute pleasure to be able to photograph two people I know so well. They were just so relaxed and happy – it felt like we were simply hanging out. There was the small issue of the camera but apart from that it felt, normal! Which for 2020 was a refreshing change. Over the full course of the day, it felt like I was shooting a wedding in my normal style – with the added bonus of being able to be present on such a special day for two close friends. Which, given the impact of Covid 19 restrictions, many friends and family weren’t able to do. I felt honoured that Anita and Paul wanted me to photograph their day and I felt really lucky to be able to share it with them. It felt really good to be behind the lens again too. All in all, it was such a great day. So next time a friend asks me to photograph their wedding… I might just say yes again!
Paul and Anita tell us all about their celebration
I asked Anita and Paul to answer some questions to find out all about their wedding, from their perspective. Thanks so much for taking the time to answer these questions guys – and thanks again for having me share your day with you!
Getting married in 2020 has not been without its challenges! Please tell us about your experience of planning your wedding day this year.
We always wanted a small wedding and Covid wasn’t going to stop us – we had some close family members with us on the day who were part of our bubble. The registration process was very simple and we were just delighted that Matt from M and G was available. The photos he took were so much better then we could have ever hoped for and we will always have these to look back on now. All the other bits like rings and clothing all fell into place with easy.
You both looked absolutely fantastic! Tell us a bit about your outfits – where you purchased them from and why you went with styles you did.
Anita’s wedding dress was purchased from ASOS – Anita wanted a vintage but simple look for the day. My outfit was from John Lewis and i wanted to go for a smart/casual look to fit in with the day.
What was the highlight of your wedding day for you both?
Without lots of guests present on the day we were really able to focus on each other. This meant we could relax into the day without any stress! Matt went unnoticed for most of the time but it was great for him to capture an incredibly special day for us both. We had our baby daughter with us too and that made for an even better day. The rain even stopped as we tied the knot which meant we could get some great snaps at Ashridge Estate to capture a really happy and lovely day.
Do you have any tips for any other couples planning a smaller, more intimate wedding like the one you had?
Just go for it and focus on the important things and not the ‘event’. Initially, when we thought of organising the wedding, we wanted to organise a big event and have all our close friends and family present to share the day with. We ended up going for the easy option thanks to COVID and had a very small, intimate and stress free wedding. It worked out being absolutely perfect – it meant we could concentrate on each other and on what the day meant for both of us. We had Matt present to capture the day and because we had such beautiful pictures that captured all the emotions running through the day, we were able to share those with family and friends. In a way it felt like they were all present in the wedding.
It was such an honour to photograph your wedding – and I know you love the images, which I’m thrilled about! What is it about your wedding photographs that you like?
We think just how natural they are and with each photo it’s great to see how the day went as it all went by so quickly. We also think that they reflect us as a couple and are not traditional boring photos. We also love the slideshow video of the day, that was a lovely surprise! Thanks again to Paul and Anita for taking the time to answer these questions – I really loved photographing your wedding day! Matt Godman – Lead Photographer M and G Wedding Photography
Booking M and G Wedding Photography for your wedding day
If you are looking for natural and relaxed wedding photography, we would love to hear from you. We book up every year so we recommend you getting in touch now to avoid disappointment. You can contact us here to check our availability for you wedding day.