“Documentary-style wedding photography” has become a buzzword. Everyone claims to do it, but the reality? Most photographers who use the term are actually shooting editorial-style.

There are several terms used to describe documentary-style wedding photography, and are often used interchangeably: Photojournalism, Photo Reportage, and Candid Photography. These terms all describe an approach where moments unfold naturally, without interference or direction from the photographer. But here’s the thing—not all “candid” photography is truly candid.

There’s a difference between real candid and candid-looking photography. Candid-looking images (which, by the way, is not a phrase any photographer will actually use) fall under the editorial umbrella. That means the moment you’re seeing in the photo was set up and staged. It’s not a photo of a random, organic moment. It’s a moment that occurred specifically for that photo.

Clues to look for? “Guided” and “prompted.” These are the new, softer ways of saying posed. If a photographer needs to direct you in order to achieve an image that looks “candid,” it’s not actually documentary—it’s editorial with a trendy marketing spin.

If you’re looking for an actual documentary approach where your moments unfold naturally without interference, here’s what you need to know.

What Is Documentary Wedding Photography?

True documentary wedding photography is about capturing your wedding as it unfolds, without interference. It’s about the experience—how you spend your day, how you interact with your people, and what actually matters to you. It’s not about staged moments, perfect light, or aesthetic-driven shoots. It’s about telling the story of your wedding day as it happens.

The Documentary Approach:

✔️ Your photographer blends into the background, capturing the natural flow of the day.
✔️ Emphasis on real interactions, movement, and emotions—not curated perfection.
✔️ No forced posing or structured photoshoots taking up massive chunks of time.
✔️ The story of your wedding day is told in a way that feels authentic to you.
✔️ Creates a space where you feel safe enough to let go together. You don’t need to be told how to be you—you just need the freedom to do it.

What It Looks Like in Action:

• The way your partner white-knuckle grips your hand as they read their vows.
• Your grandmother’s emotional reaction when she sees you before the ceremony.
• The deep belly laughs during toasts, the messy cake-cutting, the spontaneous moments on the dance floor.
• The quiet in-between moments—your best friend fixing your dress, your dad sneaking a proud glance across the room.

A documentary photographer captures all of it—without manufacturing a single thing.

What Is Editorial Wedding Photography?

Editorial wedding photography is about crafting a specific, curated look. Its origins come from fashion and luxury wedding magazines, where every image is carefully planned to create a refined, visually striking aesthetic. It often involves a significant focus on portrait time, guided posing, and shooting in carefully selected locations to create an elevated, cinematic feel. It’s about creating a “look” rather than documenting an experience.

The Editorial Approach:

✔️ Strong emphasis on portraits and carefully guided “natural” moments.
✔️ Emotionally manipulative prompts strategically used by the photographer to elicit a specific response (AKA purposely making people cry… for a photo. This isn’t an organic moment—it’s manufactured… and kinda effed up.)
✔️ A structured timeline with significant chunks of time dedicated to posed sessions.
✔️ Direction from the photographer to create a specific visual style.
✔️ More about what looks good in photos than what feels real in the moment.
✔️ Reinforces self-consciousness by making couples feel like they need to do something specific in front of the camera, instead of just existing naturally.

What It Looks Like in Action:

• “Oh my gawd! You look SOOOOO amazing! *high-pitched squealing* Omg omg this is soooo good. You’re doing so great! You guys are rockstars!” (ya’ll ain’t show dogs. The constant praising is reinforcement that you have to perform a certain way in front of the camera. It’s also the photographer PERSISTENTLY inserting themselves into your ish and making it about them somehow. How are you supposed to let go and get in the moment when your third wheel is hijaking your vibes?)
• “Let’s do that again…” (I don’t really think I need to explain this one.)
• “Hold hands and slowly walk toward me, then look at each other and laugh.” (This is a common guided / prompted pose — but every facet of it was directed, including what to do with your hands, where to look, and what to do.)
• “I want you to give your mom a huge hug and think about all the things she’s done for you over the years and how much you love her.” (This is an example of an emotionally manipulative prompt. How and when you express your gratitude and love towards your special people should be your decision, thoughts, and words — not the photographer’s.)

None of these things are bad. If you love the editorial look and want a mix of portraits and documentary coverage, that’s totally valid. But if you truly want an unscripted, experience-driven approach, make sure your photographer isn’t using “documentary” as a trendy marketing term while still treating your wedding like a styled shoot.

The Main Difference: Experience Over Aesthetics

A true documentary photographer prioritizes your experience over the aesthetics of the photos. The goal isn’t to create a set of pretty images—it’s to tell a story that actually feels like your day.

It gives you permission to:

✔️ Spend your day how you want instead of structuring it around a photoshoot.
✔️ Do meaningful things in places that matter instead of picking locations purely for aesthetics.
✔️ Be fully present instead of following a shot list of must-have images.
✔️ Let go of self-consciousness and simply be together instead of trying to perform for the camera.

Your wedding photos should have a backstory that doesn’t start with, “The photographer told us to…”

Your Wedding Day is Not a Photoshoot

The biggest issue with editorial-style photography? It can be downright disruptive.

Having couples repeat “moments” multiple times, adjusting every detail, and making you hyper-aware of your movements kills the natural rhythm of the day. Instead of being immersed in your wedding, you’re suddenly on set for a production, constantly being “guided” (let’s be honest—posed) into moments that feel anything but authentic.

It also makes people self-conscious as hell. I can always tell when a couple has worked with an editorial photographer before because their movements are so stylized—they’re hyper-aware of their hair, their dress straps, their facial expressions. Instead of feeling the moment, they’re thinking about how they look in it. And let me tell you, it’s exhausting.

When people are worried about appearing perfect, they lose the ability to just let go and have fun. And that’s where the best photos come from—the moments you don’t overthink.

The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters

You have to be comfortable with yourself before you can make others feel comfortable. When photographers have a compulsion to curate absolutely everything, it often comes from a lack of confidence—both in themselves and in their clients.

I trust your ability to dress yourself LIKE yourself, and give you full permission to be nothing but yourself. I’m confident that y’all know how to hang out together and have fun. And I’m incredibly confident not only in my ability to give you the space to do that but also in my ability to make photographs that have emotional depth and composition.

You don’t need to be micromanaged, directed, or manipulated into a “better” version of yourselves. You are already enough, just as you are. Documentary wedding photography is about letting that truth shine through.

Choosing the Right Photography Approach for You

Documentary isn’t for everyone. If you love the look of carefully styled portraits and want your wedding photos to feel cinematic and editorial, that’s completely valid. But if you want your wedding day to be about experience first—fully immersed in the real, actual ish that happens during your day—documentary wedding photography might be exactly what you’re looking for.

At the end of the day, your wedding photos should feel like you. Not just a highlight reel of pretty pictures, but a story filled with real emotions, real moments, and real memories.

If you want a photographer who values your experience over a shot list, let’s talk. I’d love to document your day in a way that feels honest, effortless, and uniquely you.