What Are The Wedding Photography Trends For 2025 That You Should Be Aware Of?
As we’re wrapping up 2024 and stepping into 2025, the world of wedding photography is evolving to reflect new styles, technologies, and a deepened emphasis on authentic storytelling. We’ve been shooting weddings for a long time and have seen trends come and go. Some last longer than others, but what we often find is that while certain styles/edits may be “in” for a period of time, we often look back on them with a little cringe wondering what the photography community was thinking. Instead, we focus on true to life edits that never go out of style. We don’t want couples looking back on their images in 10, 25, or 50 years with regret that they went with a photographer who was chasing trendy styles
We see modern couples are seeking to capture not just beautiful images but genuine moments and artistic expressions that narrate their love story. Whether you’re in the early stages of wedding planning or refining your final details, these trends will inspire and help you stay on top of what’s fresh in wedding photography.
When thinking about the following wedding photography trends for 2025, a good question to ask yourself is whether you’re looking to follow a trend blindly or is there something specific that is drawing you to it? This is going to be different for everyone and it’s important that you know what is driving you.
1. Editorial-Inspired Photography
What’s In: This trend brings a sophisticated and polished look to wedding albums, with images resembling those you’d find in high-fashion magazines. Photographers are using this approach to create a mix of posed portraits with artistic direction and candid shots that reflect elegance. Think of editorial-inspired imagery as curated, dramatic, and filled with emotion, often leaning on minimalist backgrounds and timeless monochrome color palettes.
Our Approach: While we appreciate the elegance of editorial-style photography, our focus remains on creating images that are timeless and meaningful. Rather than leaning heavily on posed setups, we aim to capture natural moments with a refined touch, ensuring that every image holds authenticity and connection. Our goal is to blend elegance with genuine emotion, creating images that resonate beyond the trends. Real talk- your wedding day is going to fly by and you’re not going to want to be bouncing from posed shot to posed shot and miss out on the fun. Of course we will do all of the family and wedding party pictures, and your portraits, but it’s going to be blended in with the day in a way that makes sense and allows you to experience the day as you designed it.
2. Enhanced Candid Moments
What’s In: Authentic storytelling remains at the forefront. In 2025, photographers are moving beyond posed pictures to embrace unfiltered, candid moments that reveal genuine emotions. Couples are opting for fewer posed group photos and focusing more on capturing the in-between moments: the tears of joy, the shared laughter, and the quiet exchanges between loved ones.
Our Approach: Candid moments have always been at the heart of our work. Over 17 years, we’ve developed an instinct for capturing the subtleties that make each couple’s story unique. We strive to blend in seamlessly with the wedding day, allowing emotions to unfold naturally while we focus on documenting the joy, tears, and laughter that define your celebration. We’ve found that some photographers only do documentary coverage while others only do classic posed photography. We find the happy balance to take the reigns when needed, but also allow moments to unfold naturally. If we jump on a call with you to talk about your wedding plans, this is one of the key things we’ll be going over and how it sets us apart. Candid photography is absolutely a wedding photography trends in 2025 that we can get behind!
3. The Rise of Nostalgia: Film Photography & Vintage Edits
What’s In: Film photography is making a major comeback. Couples are gravitating toward the warm, grainy look that film offers, which evokes a sense of nostalgia and intimacy. Additionally, digital photographers are editing with vintage-inspired filters to recreate the film feel. These edits often feature softer contrasts, muted colors, and subtle light leaks that transport viewers back in time.
Our Approach: We’ve always believed in the timeless appeal of film photography, and while we appreciate the nostalgia that it brings, our approach emphasizes creating digital images with enduring quality and natural colors. We aim to evoke a sense of timelessness without relying on heavy filters or trend-based editing styles. Our editing process is crafted to preserve true-to-life colors and moments. Sure, we can absolutely have someone on our team capturing a few roles of film, or even have some disposable cameras available for you and your guests, but we don’t want to exclusively shoot film at the expense of what we’re able to accomplish with digital photography.
4. Drone Photography for Epic Shots
What’s In: Aerial photography is becoming a staple in wedding photography. Drone shots are being used not only to capture the scenic beauty of wedding venues but to create epic compositions that weren’t possible before. Whether it’s a cliffside elopement, a grand outdoor ceremony, or a creative group shot, drones allow photographers to take breathtaking, cinematic photos that highlight both the couple and their surroundings.
Our Approach: We incorporate drone photography thoughtfully, focusing on enhancing the storytelling of your day. While we embrace the beauty of grand, sweeping shots, we believe that intimacy and connection remain paramount. Our drone images are designed to add context to your love story, capturing the grandeur of the moment without losing sight of what truly matters—the emotions between you and your loved ones. We by no means build in drone coverage to every wedding. If it is something you would like to incorporate into your day, let’s talk about it ahead of time to make sure we’re working together on the timeline to make this a reality. What do you think about this wedding photography trend? Is it right for you?
5. Moody and Cinematic Lighting
What’s In: This approach involves capturing images with deeper contrasts, shadow play, and rich tones, reminiscent of stills from a movie. It creates an intimate and dramatic atmosphere that works beautifully for evening weddings or low-light venues.
Our Approach: Take a look at our galleries and blog posts from recent weddings. You’ll quickly see that we love all kids of light. Sometimes we shoot an entire wedding with only daylight and other times, we’re introducing artificial light as needed to get the shot. Other times, we’re using flashes for more dramatic shots. It really all depends on the situation. We’re not looking to fit a square peg into a round hole, but rather approach the day with a strategic plan for lighting. I can say this though- There’s absolutely zero situations where we won’t know how to handle the scene. We have the experience, gear, and talent to handle whatever happens on your day.
6. Creative Black and White Photography
What’s In: Black and white photography is coming back with a modern twist. Couples are requesting creative black and white imagery to emphasize emotions and eliminate distractions. Photographers are experimenting with high-contrast edits and playing with light to create artistic, narrative-driven black and white photos.
Our Approach: We have always believed in the emotive power of black and white photography. Over the years, we’ve refined our approach to create black and white images that focus on connection and storytelling. Our goal is not just to create an artistic effect, but to convey the depth of emotion and significance of every moment in a classic and timeless way. We give you the option to get all of your final edited images in black and white so that you get to enjoy both the vibrancy of color and timelessness of black and white. Both are better! Black and White photography is absolutely one of the wedding photography trends for 2025 we love!
7. Personalized Details in Flat-Lay Photography
What’s In: Flat-lay photography remains a popular way to capture details like invitations, rings, and accessories. In 2025, couples are putting a personalized touch on these flat-lays, using heirloom items, handwritten notes, or keepsakes that tell their unique story. The more you add to this, the more iconic the shot.
Our Approach: Personalization is at the core of our work. We take the time to understand the significance of the details you’ve chosen to include on your wedding day. Our flat-lay photography focuses on capturing these elements in a way that feels authentic to your story, using compositions that reflect your unique journey and style. We also love capturing these details throughout the day- Detail shots are often an integral part of your wedding album as they give context and help you remember how the day looked.
What’s Out: Stiff Posing and Overly Staged Shots
Gone are the days of stiff, overly posed photos. Couples are no longer interested in spending hours in rigid group shots or being overly directed. In 2025, authenticity reigns supreme. What couples want is to look back on their wedding photos and remember how they felt, not just how they looked.
Our Approach: Over our 17 years of serving couples just like you, we’ve developed a natural, unobtrusive approach that allows your wedding day to flow seamlessly. We focus on creating an environment where you and your guests can be present, comfortable, and enjoy every moment. Our aim is to capture images that feel authentic and timeless, preserving the emotions and essence of your day. We’re going to get all of the “normal” shots, but we’re also going to get a lot of “wow” moments also. It doesn’t have to be an either/or thing.
What’s Out: Unnecessary Formalities
Back in the days of film, photographers had a limited number of shots they could capture based on how many rolls of film they had. They needed to stage so much of the day and in doing so, they created traditions that aren’t really needed anymore. Think of things like the garter removal, mom pinning the boutonniere on her son, cake cutting, etc. It’s not that we never shoot this stuff, and of course we will if you want us to, but most of our couples stopped caring about these things years ago and have different priorities.
Our Approach: We’re here for you and ultimately, we want to capture the day in a way you’ll love and cherish for a lifetime. If you want to do a bouquet toss, we’ll be all over it and capture it in a way you’ll absolutely love… but we’re not going to insist on you doing it if it’s not already on your radar. Bottom line, we’re there to capture what is important to you and the people who are important to you. We have no agenda or internal “must get” shots. We’re there to serve you- that’s it.
Conclusion- Which Wedding Photography Trends for 2025 Are For You?
The trends for 2025 focus on authenticity, artistry, and the importance of capturing the genuine moments that make each wedding unique. While trends may come and go, our mission remains steadfast: to create timeless, meaningful images that celebrate your love and connection for a lifetime. If you’re planning your wedding, consider these trends as a way to ensure your photos are not only beautiful but filled with memories that will stand the test of time- but on the flipside, don’t chase trends that aren’t meaningful to you. As we tell all of our couples, think about what is truly important to you and go with it. Don’t let others dictate to you what your wedding day should be like or what trends you need to follow.
If you’re planning a wedding and want it documented in an authentic and timeless way, we’d love to connect with you. Simply reach out via our contact form and we’ll be in touch asap. We can’t wait to get to know you and see if we’re a good fit! Whether you’re looking to follow some of these wedding photography trends for 2025 or you’re looking to pave your own path, we’ve got your back, and who knows, maybe something we cook up together will make our list of wedding photography trends for 2026 and beyond!
