Why Manchester City Weddings Are Perfect If You Feel Awkward in Photos
Why Manchester City Weddings Are Perfect If Being Photographed Makes You Nervous
If the idea of being photographed all day makes you feel a bit… awkward… I wrote this blog post for you.
Questions like :
“Where do I put my hands?”
“Do I look weird when I smile?”
“What if I hate every photo of myself?”
This was exactly me when planning my own wedding. And pretty much all my couples say this to me too. If that sounds familiar, you are exactly my kind of couple.
And honestly?
Manchester city weddings are perfect for you.
You Don’t Have to “Perform” in the City
One of the biggest worries I hear from couples is:
“I’m just not natural in front of the camera.” You don’t need to be.
City weddings work so well because you’re not standing in one place being told to pose. You’re:
Walking
Talking
Laughing
Heading to a bar
Crossing roads
Finding a cute corner
Grabbing a drink
Having a moment together
You’re living your wedding day. And I’m just quietly documenting it.
Real Weddings, Real People
Some of my favourite city weddings have been exactly like this…
Nele & Richard
Registry office → Dakota Bar → cocktails → Polaroids → Relaxed
No big “photo session”. Just them, being them.
Laura & Lydon
Manchester registry office → Walk through the city → Group photos at the library → Albert Schloss on a Saturday (aka joyful chaos). With photo booth photos.
Bright pink and red flowers. Big energy. Zero stiffness.
Jake & Rachel
Stockport registry office → wandering through Manchester → Manchester Art Gallery → Books with friends
So relaxed. So natural. So full of little moments.
None of these couples would describe themselves as “confident in front of a camera”.
All of them ended up with photos that feel and look like them.
Why City Weddings Create Better Candid Photos
City weddings naturally create movement.
And movement = magic
Instead of:
Standing still
Feeling watched
Overthinking
You’re:
Walking together
Laughing at something
I’m talking about with you on where to go next
Dodging trams
Holding drinks
Those in-between moments are where the real photos happen.
That’s my favourite part.
No Awkward Posing. Promise.
I’ll never ask you to:
“Look deeply into each other’s eyes”
“Pretend to laugh”
“Stand like this… no, like this… no…”
Instead, I’ll give you gentle direction when you need it, then let you get back to being yourselves.
“Walk this way.”
“Let’s grab five minutes here.”
“This looks good can you stand there for one moment”
That’s it.
Documentary Style = Less Pressure
My approach is very much:
You do you.
I’ll document it.
I shoot in a documentary style, mixing digital, 35mm film and Polaroids. Which means your photos feel:
Natural
Emotional
A bit messy (in the best way)
Full of personality
Like memories, not performances
Perfect if you’re a little shy.
Perfect if you hate attention.
The City Gives You Something to Focus On
Another reason city weddings are great if you’re nervous?
You’re not in an empty field thinking:
“Oh god it’s just us and a camera.”
You’ve got:
Streets
Buildings
Cafés (Going for coffee on your wedding day is my fave)
Bars
Galleries
Life happening around you
It takes the pressure off.
You’re part of something bigger.
And it feels… easier.
✨ If This Sounds Like You…
You might love a city wedding if:
You don’t love being centre of attention
You want relaxed, colourful, honest photos
You care more about moments than perfection
You’d rather walk than pose
You want your day to feel like you
Youre having a smaller wedding
Planning a Manchester City Wedding?
If you’re planning:
✔ A registry office wedding
✔ An elopement
✔ A micro wedding
✔ A city-centre celebration
✔ Something small, stylish and fun
…and you’re nervous about photos…
I’d love to chat.
You can see more of my work of city weddings here in my portfolio
You can get in contact to talk more about your plans
If you want creative, candid and colourful photos with feeling. Lets chat.
