Wedding Photography Dublin, Cavan, Meath
“For the ones who don’t mind getting their shoes dirty, Looking silly in love, Will give it socks on the dance floor, Who care more about how the day feels to how it looks, Who want real emotions, real moments and real memories to look back on. Stress free natural photography for couples in Dublin, Cavan and Meath (and any other locations)
Hello you awesome people…
Feel free to check out some of the awesome weddings I’ve had the absolute honour of capturing for some amazing couples but if you don’t have the time or patience ha you can check out my portfolio here.
Let’s work together.
Like every wedding photographer on the planet this is what we live for and if we could we would shoot weddings 365 days a year but that’s physically impossible. So if you think I'm the one for you don’t delay and ensure your date is available as space is limited. Instagram or Facebook will be the quickest response but for booking please fill in the form from the link below and check your spam cos your reply could end up there, I'm so excited to see what we can create together.
Why I Photograph Close up To Get The Images You’ll Love
Castleknock Hotel Wedding - Fujifilm XT-5 + Xf 18mm 1.4
There is a famous quote in the photography world - “If you’re photos aren’t good enough you’re not close enough” by the legendary and often mythologised war photographer and founder of Magnum Photo Agency - Robert Capa
When I first picked up a camera I always wanted my images to be about something instead of just something. When starting out I would photograph landscapes, you know churches, ruins, Poolbeg (if you don’t know Poolbeg is the famous red and white chimney stacks located on the south side of Dublin City). But this didn’t or couldn’t hold my attention cos it’s not what drove me. As a documentary Cavan wedding photographer I quickly realised why that didn’t hit me as a creative the way I wanted it to. I wanted to be know for something more, to give people something they could cherish to leave something behind and in those first few weddings I felt I was always holding back, like I was shooting the wedding from the outside. Now my coupes loved their photos and I did a good job but I wanted more from me as a photographer and I think that comes deep from my childhood more likely my teenage years into my 20s when I just wanted more from my life. My expectation of myself is always so high and sometimes Kerri (my better half) has to be the voice of reason for me, but for me I always have to be better not only for me but for my couples the ones who put their trust in me.
Dublin City Hall Wedding - XT-3 +Xf 18mm 1.4
My favourite lens I’ve owned as a documentary wedding photographer is the fujifilm Xf 18mm 1.4. This lens changed everything for me. It’s the equivalent of a 28mm focal length in full frame terms and to the non photography folk thats kinda like the 1.2x on your iPhone. So why 28mm ? This lens made me realised I needed to get closer to my subjects to be able to make people feel like they were back there at the moment of the photo, to get more of the story in the frame but also allowing me to crop if I needed to. whats out of the frame is sometimes as important as whats in the frame. As my mentor Phil Salisbury says crop it until you think you’re right and crop it some more. If you want to see more how I approach your wedding day then click here. The couples I tend to attract are people who love photos but hate posing. Fun Couples who want to do things differently like Suzanne & Ross’ crazy fun wedding in The Medley in Dublin on new years eve. For couples that look for timeless, moment driven photos that can be passed down to future generations.
Shoot How It Feels, Not How It Looks
This is so important to me as a Cavan wedding photographer. That myself and my couples are on the same page. If you want me to have you posed in every nook and cranny in your wedding venue you then I might not be the photographer for you. Now don’t get me wrong I will do some portraits I’ll always take my couples on a wander around the venue just a quick 10-15min break from the chaos but what want for my couples is for the in between moments to become their new favourite memories. That’s what drives me thats what I want my wedding photography remembered for.
Marlfield House Wedding - Fujifilm XT-5 + Xf 18mm 1.4
Like this tender moment between between Megan and her mom in one room and her sister Amy getting her make-up done in the adjacent room. for context as a wexford wedding photographer I’m backed right up against the wall in the hallway with the two rooms split by the door frame. Patiently waiting for things to line up and sometimes thats all you need to do as a moment driven photographer is to wait and let it unfold in front of you and thankfully thats what happened here. It doesn’t always pan out but thats ok the more you do this the more you'll see the moments that your couples will come to love. thank you for reading this far and enjoy a few more images
Like What You See? Click Below And Let’s Chat About Your Wedding plans
Wedding Photography By Andy @ Forged In Love
So, you’re thinking of hanging out with me on your wedding day to take some pictures? firstly - can I just say you’re a bunch of legends and secondly - Hi…i’m Andy a documentary wedding photographer based in Mullagh in Co. Cavan which is about 15 mins from where they found the Book of Kells all those years ago.
I photograph all over Ireland and abroad too. From someone who’s quite shy in front of the camera, I have a deep understanding and empathy for the couples I get the honour to photograph. thats why my approach is to let you enjoy your day and hopefully you forget all about the photos. thats why my photography has been described at still moments full of movement and emotion. For me the most important thing is that the phots are about the wedding, the wedding isn’t about the photos.
“He has a very special way of showing YOU in a photograph ”
A Few Images That Say A Lot About Who I Am….
Below you will find a few images…. I say a few its around 30 that show who I am as a photographer, an artist and a person. when I first picked up the camera, I always wanted my images to be about something and not just “of something”. They are also say so much about the couples that choose myself to photograph their wedding days. Relaxed and chilled couples who see their wedding day as an excuse for a good knees up, who want more from their photos than just standing around fake smiling. Real people, Real emotions, Really good photos. I hope you enjoy reading through this blog and looking through the images
A Relaxed Documentary Approach From The Very Beginning Of Your Day
The Pre-ceremony part is my favourite to photograph. I love hearing all the goss, the excitement of what is going to happen throughout the day, the human connection and behaviour and some ties a little bit of chaos. This part of the day allows people to get used to me being there. To change people expectation of what wedding photography is. As I don’t set anything up this can be a little confusing to some people but 99% of the time you can see the nerves leaving their faces as they realise they don’t have to be posing and been moved around. I want you and your guests to have the day you were meant to.
Authentic and real moments
I don’t pose or set shots up so that allow for real moments, the real of who you are and the people you love the most. I want to show people who they are. To let the in between moments become your new favourite memories. so i’m always ready for moments like below
“His personality shows in his work you can tell he truly loves what he does”
Spontaneous Moments Of Joy
Changing The Perspective Of Your Wedding Photos
I always knew what way I wanted to shoot weddings. I’m very influenced by street photography and telling stories so my approach to weddings is the same. I’m constantly moving trying to find that new angle, new perspective, If a vendor or coordinator tells me that a previous photographer took a photo here or there. I’ll take it on board and turn around because my goal is to give my couples images that they haven’t seen before. But if you ask for an image thats ok I’ll try my best to get but with my own take. But what i’ve realised over the last couple of years is that if you believe in something so strongly then so will others and most importantly surround yourself with people who believe in you even when you don’t believe in yourself because thats how you get to where you want to be. That transforms into your wedding too if you believe in what you want from your day then so will the people around you.
Still Moments Full Of Movement
One of my favourite comments I've ever got is that “my images look like they are full of movement or motion” even though they are still photos. I like to emerge myself into a wedding. constantly watching and listening to what is happing through out the day not only to the couple but t what’s going on around them.
Kids At Weddings…
Kids=chaos dogs even better in all the best possible ways. I get it, not everyone will want kids at their wedding and thats ok but I love being able to photograph the unpredictability of them. with two young nephews myself I know how to approach the photographing of them (bribing them mostly works) but I also now hen to leave them alone, when enough is enough.
Yes I DO Take Group Photos
I am a documentary photographer – It’s what I am known for, it’s what I win awards for. And i know my skill at documentary photography is why you’ll choose me to photograph your day. However, if you do want some group shots, I’ll happily take them for you and keep these group shots relaxed and make sure they don’t take over your day. i’ll aim to take all your group shots within around 15 minutes, capturing all those key people in around six group shots. However, even with our relaxed approach, there is always some people you’re left standing around waiting for! so I might end up getting a bit loud ha Group shots are entirely optional – it’s completely up to you if you want some or not. but dont forget im there to serve you if at any point of the day you want me to take a photo for you just grab me, please avoid bums and hair though. But most of all tell about the people you want photos with and why
“We really don’t want to be away from our wedding for too long” “We are so awkward at posing” “We want enjoy our day” “We don’t want the posey style photos”
These are some of the of the most common things that pop up on my enquiries. That tradition of endless posing, endless portraits, endless standing around and endless interruptions of your day. That’s exactly what I avoid on your day and thats why my couples book me. My couples want to relax and enjoy their day. I don’t need you to be standing around your venue posing in every corner for instagram. I need you to be with the people you love. To hug and kiss them, to laugh, to cry and be the people you are. The way you feel about your photos in 20 years is so much more important than how they look to others on instagram for 5 mins.
Immersing In The Wedding
with out the distraction of posing and setting up images it allows me to stay involved in the wedding. watching for the moments that you think may have passed you by. Telling the story of the day is the most important part for me. showing what happened not only to you but your guests too.
I Love The Party !!!!
Although I will photograph the parts of the wedding y couples hire me too as long as we are aligned in what we want from your wedding photography. I’m there to document the day whether that is 6hrs or 12. But the little kid in me does a little dance when I know im gonna get to photograph the dancing. When people give up the inhibitions and just let go.
I absolutely love that I get to do this. its not a job to me its in every ounce of my being and I hope you love what I do too. thank you for supporting me and to all my futures couples we got this !!!
“For the ones who don’t mind getting their shoes dirty, Looking silly in love, Will give it socks on the dance floor, Who care more about how the day feels to how it looks, Who want real emotions, real moments and real memories to look back on. Stress free natural photography for couples in Dublin, Cavan and Meath and all over Ireland.
Best Of 2023 Wedding Photography Cavan
2023…. what a year!!! I can honestly say it’s been a year of absolute learning. Whether that is in photography or personally all know is I’ve definitely grown in both. I always stumble on these best of posts just because I put so much of myself into every wedding that I never know what to chose at the end ha but below is a selection of shots from this year they’re in no particular order. I’m so thankful for everyone who put their trust in me this year, but we are only getting started 2024 we are gonna go bigger and better.
Theres been so many wins this year. I got into the I.P.P.V.A, I went to my first DocDay conference and met so many amazing photographers. I can honestly say that this has been the biggest influence so far in my career. I got to do a work shop with the amazing Kevin and Annie Kheffache, two of my biggest influences in wedding photography. I met Dave Cremin who is up there with the best of street photographers in Ireland seeing that man work on the streets was amazing and I really should do a post about my street photography and I built so many relationships with fellow photographers and I feel like I finally found my people.
2023 has been the first full year of Forged In love photography after my rebranding and moving to Co. Cavan wedding photography, I discovered google is a full time job on its own when you own a business ha and I can say my mid year identity crisis is fully behind me. I moved more to a documentary style but I can’t help myself with the creativity sometimes ha but for 2024 my goal is to show people who they are at their wedding so focusing more on the connection and moments between the people in front of the camera.
Everything you see on my website is Real. Real People, Real Moments from real weddings happening in real time. There is no A.I trickery in any of these images (besides tidying up any distracting elements etc )
I’m so thankful to my couples for trusting me to capture the moments that matter the most to them. They are all shot on FujiFilm Cameras between the X-T5 and X-T3. I’m so happy to be going into 2024 with a camera system (I’ve upgraded to 2 X-T5s now :) ) that allows me to get up close and is unobtrusive to people allowing me to shoot weddings in the style I love and I’ve finally settled on my colours that I’m so happy with now. I’ll never stop learning and improving as much as I can as long as people want me to shoot their weddings I’ll bring my personality and style to every wedding!!!
