Why I Love Photographing Same-Sex Weddings

Published on 08 November 2026 • Category: Weddings

One of my favourite weddings this summer had everything: blazing sunshine, a stone church, confetti everywhere, a grandmother with an orange umbrella, and two grooms who could not stop grinning. Let me be upfront: I’m a straight photographer, so I won’t pretend to know what it’s like to plan a same-sex wedding from the inside. But I can tell you what I see through my lens, and honestly? Same-sex weddings are some of the most joyful, personal and downright fun days I get to photograph. Here’s why.

1. No Script, Just You

Traditional weddings come with a rulebook nobody remembers writing: who walks down the aisle, who stands where, who throws the bouquet. Many same-sex couples simply tear that book up and design the day around who they are. Two suits in different shades of blue, a tie covered in tiny skulls, a walk to the pub instead of a car. Every choice says something about the couple, and that makes my job a dream: there’s a real story to tell, not a template to fill in.

2. The Guests Are All In

The people who turn up are there with their whole hearts, and it shows. At this wedding, a “quick group photo” turned into friends piling in from every direction, grabbing the grooms like they were the last two people on a lifeboat. You can’t pose that. You just have to be ready, keep your finger on the shutter, and try not to laugh too hard to hold the camera straight.

3. Emotion You Can’t Fake

Same-sex marriage has only been possible in England and Wales since 2014. For some couples, and for their parents and grandparents, simply being able to stand up and say “I do” in front of everyone they love is something they never took for granted. You feel it in the room. The parents’ hugs last a little longer. The speeches hit a little harder. As a photographer, those are exactly the moments you live for.

4. Posing That Fits the People

A lot of classic wedding poses were built around one “bride” and one “groom”, with a lean here and a dip there. With two grooms or two brides, I throw those templates away and pose the actual people in front of me: how they naturally stand, who’s taller, who’s more comfortable on camera, who instinctively holds the other’s hand. The result looks like the couple, not like a stock photo with the faces swapped.

5. Love Looks the Same Through the Lens

If photographing weddings has taught me anything, it’s this: the nervous laugh before the vows, the confetti stuck in someone’s hair, the moment two people look at each other and forget there are a hundred guests watching. It all looks exactly the same through my viewfinder. Joy is joy. My job never changes: be relaxed, be respectful, disappear when it matters, and make sure not a single one of those moments is missed.

6. What Every Couple Deserves

Every couple deserves a photographer who is genuinely excited to be there, not one who’s just “fine with it”. If you’re planning a same-sex wedding, a few simple checks help:

• Ask to see full galleries, not just a few highlights, ideally from same-sex weddings they’ve photographed.
• Read the language on their website and contract. Is it all “bride and groom”, or does it work for you too?
• Trust your gut on the first call. You should feel completely at ease. Nobody should ever ask you “so, which one of you is the bride?”

“Love doesn’t need translating. My job is simply to notice it, and make sure you can relive it for the rest of your lives.”

Final Thought: Whoever you love, your wedding should be photographed by someone who is just as excited about your day as you are. If you’re planning yours and you’d like that person to be me, I’d love to hear your story.