What Is Storytelling Photography? And Why It’s Perfect for Your Pre-Wedding and Wedding Day
If you’re planning your wedding and find yourself saying, “I just want someone to capture the real moments, nothing too posed or awkward,”, you’re already halfway to discovering the beauty of storytelling photography.
Storytelling Couples Photography by Marley & The Wildlings Photography
As a passionate provider of storytelling photography in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, I’m here to share what this style really means, why it’s so powerful, and how it might just be the perfect way to capture the heart of both your pre-wedding journey and your wedding day.
So, What Is Storytelling Photography?
Storytelling photography isn’t about stiff poses or manufactured moments. It’s about capturing your day as it unfolds, with all its natural emotion, connection, chaos, calm, laughter, and quiet.
Think of it like a visual documentary of your love story, each image a chapter, every glance and touch part of a bigger narrative. It’s honest, emotive, and deeply personal.
Instead of focusing solely on picture perfect smiles, storytelling photography focuses on:
The way you look at each other when no one’s watching
The nervous excitement of buttoning up your dress or suit
The giggles during your couple session
Your best friend wiping away a tear during speeches
The warm embrace from your nan after the ceremony
The joy, the nerves, the real you
In short: it’s photography that tells the whole story.
Storytelling Photography for Pre-Wedding Sessions
Pre-wedding shoots are often seen as “practice” for the big day, but with a storytelling approach, they become so much more than that.
A pre-wedding storytelling session is a chance to capture who you are right now, in the in between, before the flowers, the guests, and the ceremony. It’s a quieter, more intimate part of your love story that deserves documenting.
Maybe it’s a walk through your favourite woodland in Derbyshire, a pint at the local pub in Nottinghamshire where you had your first date, or simply cuddling at home with your dog. Whatever feels like you, that’s where the story begins.
These sessions are relaxed, pressure free, and often help couples feel more at ease before the wedding. Plus, you get a beautiful gallery of memories before the whirlwind of the big day arrives.
Storytelling Photography on Your Wedding Day
When it comes to your wedding, storytelling photography captures the day naturally, from the quiet moments to the big celebrations.
As a storytelling photographer in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, I don’t direct your day, I observe it, gently weaving your moments together without interrupting the flow.
Of course, we’ll make time for a few relaxed portraits of the two of you, but there’s no stiff posing or awkward smiling at the camera. My goal is to create space for you to be fully present with your favourite people while I document everything around you.
You’ll see images of:
The anticipation as you get ready
The emotion on your parents’ faces
The movement and energy of the ceremony
The heartfelt hugs, the belly laughs, the chaos of kids running around
The little in between moments you didn’t even notice on the day
Your final gallery will feel like reliving the whole day from start to finish, not just what it looked like, but what it felt like.
Why Couples Love Storytelling Photography
Here’s what I hear most often from couples after seeing their gallery:
“You captured moments we didn’t even realise were happening.”
“It felt so natural, we didn’t feel like we were being photographed.”
“These photos actually feel like us.”
That’s the magic of storytelling photography. It’s not about ticking off a shot list, it’s about noticing the moments that matter most, and preserving them in a way that feels personal and timeless.
Local Love: Storytelling Photography in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire
I feel so lucky to shoot weddings and love stories across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire and the surrounding areas, from rustic barns in the Peaks, to leafy forests in Sherwood, to laid back garden weddings and more.
Every couple has a different story to tell, and these two counties offer the most stunning backdrops to do it. Whether you’re planning an intimate wedding in the countryside or a relaxed registry office ceremony with a pub reception, I’m here to document it with soul.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a photographer who won’t ask you to fake anything, but will instead gently guide and observe so you can be yourselves, storytelling photography might be exactly what you’re looking for.
It’s natural. It’s honest. And it gives you more than just pretty pictures, it gives you the real story of your day.
If that sounds like your vibe and you’re planning a wedding or pre-wedding shoot in Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire, I’d love to be part of your story.
Let’s tell your story together.
Lauren x
📍Based in Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire
📷 Storytelling photography for real love, real moments, real you.