Getting married under COVID restrictions may not have been the wedding many couples had planned. Nor are they the type of weddings that any of us photographers had probably ever envisioned. But despite the challenges, it has been super inspiring for us to see the incredible work our NineDots Community have been making in ‘the new normal’.
While we might usually spending most of our wedding focused on capturing the moments between the couple and their many guests, we now find ourselves spending just a few hours with a small group of people. In some cases just the couple and their witnesses. These new ‘micro weddings’ have meant many photographers adapting their approach to wedding photography and seeking new opportunities for creativity. Check out our 20 Best COVID Wedding Photographs from around the NineDots Community below.
Although on first thoughts, guests wearing masks, hand sanitiser stations at every step, empty churches, and ‘keep apart’ signs all over the place could be viewed as something to make our lives harder as photographers. It’s inspiring to see how so many of you are seeing beyond the restrictions, and still capturing the emotion and quirks perfectly. And making thought-provoking images that will lead to numerous questions for future generations as they flick through the ‘pandemic wedding photos’.
20 Best COVID Wedding Photographs
1. Peter Hughes Photography
“I now pronounce you sanitised!”
A newly married couple embraces the strict rules as part and parcel of the day. A fantastic frame of the bride’s reaction!
2. David Stubbs Photography
The eyes say it all…
Some couples and photographers may feel that wearing a mask during the ceremony would hinder good photographs, but often, you only need the eyes to show emotion. A brilliant capture.
3. The Crawleys
Taking advice literally!
Doing what they do best, The Crawley’s making some creative and memorable portraits This time with COVID signage centre stage!
4. York Place Studio
The face behind the mask
York Place love looking for humour in photography so they have been focusing on turning the masks into a positive and using them to add a hint of the surreal to their images and take the opportunity to create something a little unusual and different. These particular masks they were especially drawn to as you can see people’s faces but with a slight distortion.
5.Nadine Van Biljon
When your friend who couldn’t be there, join you from your own home!
The couple had planned to get married in Italy with all their friends and family present but, desperate not to wait any longer to start married life together, opted for an intimate ceremony in London with just their immediate family. As a surprise, one of their friends who is a film producer rallied all their friends back home in Dubai who couldn’t travel over conspired to produce a short film of personalised messages for them. They let themselves into their home, dressed up in their clothes and filmed comedy scenes from all over the house, including this one in the couple’s shower.
With the way the reception room was set up, it was a bit of a logistical challenge to capture the action in one frame. The TV was flat along the left-hand wall and the couple were standing opposite along the right-hand wall. Nadine says that the angle using her 24mm lens just didn’t do justice to the couple’s reactions or really show what was happening on the screen. She firstly tried shooting into the mirrored wall, but the crackled vintage finish to the glass didn’t give a clear enough reflection of their faces, nor did using the cracked screen on her phone. Then she remembered that one of the bridesmaid’s had the bride’s make up bag with a compact mirror- hey presto! A nice, clean reflection of the couple cracking up.
6.F5 Photography
Keeping it clean
Rahul Khona explained that he saw the bridesmaids along with the brides mum taking a selfie so he thought he’d take a photo of it -a standard thing to do. But then the cleaner walked by to wipe the floor as someone had spilt their champagne all over it. So he waited till he was in the frame but out of the way of the bridesmaids to get what he wanted. It made the photo much better too with the bridesmaids having fun at the back and the cleaner just doing his job.
7.Andy Gaines Photography
A surprise online call with your best friends
A small wedding of just 9 people. The couple had already postponed and decided not to do so again. They had stated “wedding photographs are even more important to us now” which was music to Andy’s ears. The groom managed to plan a surprise call with a number of the bride’s friends and family. Capturing her reaction was key.
8.Robin Goodlad Photography
Wedding onlookers find a way
People do love a wedding! These guests took their positions to watch the arrival of the bride from inside the venue.
10. Photography by Dave Thompson
We will bring the wedding to you!
The bride is a nurse, qualified in December and then thrust into a global pandemic. Two or three days before her wedding she was told her Grandma wouldn’t be able to make the wedding after a fall and, having been told by one hospital she COULD come, she was then moved to another who said she couldn’t. On the day, the couple decided to swing by the hospital. The look on her Grandma’s face made it all worth it.
10.Amy Sampson Photography
A talking point for future generations
The moment a couple are declared husband and wife. Amy chooses not just to zoom in on the couple but also capture the masked guests. The reason is that Amy feels images like this will create so much curiosity for generations to come.
11.The Crawleys
The photographer really keeping their distance!
The Crawley’s getting creative with their group portraits. Known for their distinct style and approach to portraits and group shots, this one has some great humour and use of a drone.
Father of the bride gives his seal of approval
Father of the bride drops his final seal of approval. You may not see the smiles but the actions speak loud and clear. Andy also enjoys capturing the reaction of parents at key moments in the ceremony. being in the right position that allows opportunities to capture the couple and key family members is always in the forefront of his mind.
13.Couple of London
A Bride greets her new Father in Law 2020 style!
This was a five guests wedding: parents of the bride, parents of the groom and one friend. The Wedding ceremony was very quick. Registrars were really nice and friendly taking all the measures advised by the British government: face covers, hand sanitizers, social distancing and limiting the capacity of the room accordingly.
The image shows the bride arriving and greeting her new father-in-law in 2020 style! A small wedding that was quick and functional. However, Zibi managed to capture this quirky documentation of government greeting advice issued during the COVID pandemic.
14.Nadine Van Biljon
Creative ways to have more guests at your wedding!
Zoom and Skype calls have become a key fixture at weddings over the last few months. Nadine has focused on capturing this use of technology perfectly to document the day. A quick chat with those who couldn’t be there really adds to the day.
Strangers add more joy!
Adam mentioned that he actually spoke about this photograph on the Dotcast. It’s the moment he chose to intentionally walk his couple through Stevenson Square in the Northern Quarter, Manchester on a busy August Friday evening. Adam states that he knew everyone would bust out the big cheers and claps and that this would create a special moment for the couple and everyone around on the day. And that’s just what happened!
All part of the new experience
The morning preparation is all part of the wedding experience, the excitement and anticipation. Due to restrictions, some couples are asking for the preparation not to be covered, but Owen was able to capture this time with the bride. Rather than avoiding getting the hairdresser and his visor in the frame, Lewis makes this very much part of the image but with the key focus on the brides face.
Set your own course!
Lewis was able to capture the intimate wedding of a couple who couldn’t be joined by their family from America. Despite no guest list, they decided to get married anyway. With just the brother and partner as a witness and a photographer in toe, after the nuptials, the couple hired a boat and travelled up and down the Thames!
Must have wedding accessories
Making the most of the masks. In truth, Rahul states that the bride asked for a portrait in their hotel room before they left for their dinner reception with their ‘custom masks’ on. It makes a difference from the personalised flip flops that were a regular site on wedding dance floors.
19.Amy Sampson Photography
The ‘feels’ behind the mask
Spotting the feels behind the mask – Amy states that she is starting to use her ears as much as her eyes to hear when someone is crying or laughing behind their mask. She loved this moment where Nan smiles through her tears as she watches the couple finally get married. They had to postpone from May to September and just managed to get married two days before weddings were changed from 30 people to only 15.
20. Peter Hughes Photography
All you need is love.
This sums up all weddings perfectly, pandemic or not! Whether a 200 person wedding or just a couple and the photographer, love is all you need. Peter took some time out to make some portraits with his couple and making the most of a mask-wearing photobomber.
We can’t wait to see and share more images from our community. For those of you who aren’t yet members, you can see all the incredible benefits of joining NineDots Membership HERE