FORGED IN LOVE

PHOTOGRAPHY

"2024 Top 10 Photographers Ireland" graphic by This is Reportage.
Pink badge featuring the text "2024 Top 50 Photographer of the Year," and the website "nine-dots.co."
2024 Top 100 Photographers in the World by This is Reportage

Why Documentary Wedding Photography?

In today’s world of staged photos and elaborate poses, documentary wedding photography offers a refreshing perspective. It’s all about capturing the real moments—the laughter, the tears, the fleeting glances that truly define your day. For me, it’s about telling the story as it unfolds, without interfering with the natural flow of the event.

I specialise in wedding photography in Dublin, Cavan, and Meath, focusing on storytelling that showcase the true emotion and actual moments of your celebration. My style combines the fun of photojournalism to the emotive moments that result in timeless, authentic images that reflect the essence of who you are, who you truly are as people. My images might not always be “pretty” but they will always be real!!! CAPTURE HOW IT FEELS, NOT HOW IT LOOKS !!!

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A woman in a white outfit and a man in a suit smiling at each other in front of an orange wall, with a boy beside them looking amused. Confetti is being thrown, suggesting a celebration.
Bride in wedding dress walking on grass, followed by woman in green dress holding the train, with trees and garden in background.
A wedding ceremony with a bride in a white dress, a groom in a white suit, and an officiant wearing a kilt and tuxedo. The bride is holding a paper and fabric bands, while the groom wipes their face. The background is decorated with greenery and flow
Bride getting ready surrounded by bridesmaids in a dressing room, adjusting her dress and veil. Several women in dark dresses assist with preparations.
A wedding ceremony with a couple kissing, a decorated Christmas tree, and guests seated, one taking a photo.
A woman with hair rollers peeks around a corner in a hallway as an elderly man in a suit enters through a doorway. A wooden sign on the wall reads 'Nana's Kitchen Where Memories Are Made and Grandkids Are Spoiled.' A lantern is on the floor near the
Two men in a kitchen; one steaming a shirt, the other drinking coffee.
Man in formal attire breakdancing on checkered floor at wedding with guests in background.

So What Is A Documentary Wedding Photographer ?

You will probably hear documentary wedding photography described as reportage wedding photography, wedding photojournalism, natural wedding photography, or candid wedding photography. And all of this is correct. They describe a photographer who likes to focus on capturing your wedding day without any intervention, direction, or influence. Basically a fly on the wall that focuses on genuine moments. The interactions between your guests, the tiny little gestures as well as the bigger moments that make up the real story of your day. But dat get me wrong I won’t be hiding in any bushes or under tables and im not the smallest person in the wold you will see me throughout your day but I will be subtle and this is all done without interrupting the flow of the day. I always say to my couples that you have to be unapologetically yourselves because even if I wasn’t there your day will still happen the same way. If this sounds like how you want your day to be captured, then my ‘hands-off’ style may be a great fit for you.

World Class Documentary Wedding Photography

After attending docday in 2023, I knew the direction I wanted to go in 2024. And describing my photography as world class still feels weird to me. But in 2024 I finished 5th in Ireland and 59th in the world for the leading body in documentary awards in the form of This is reportage. TIR is extremely competitive. There are 100s of photographers world wide, with 1000s of photos entered. Each round has 10-12 thousand photos entered with less than 3% of images awarded. And below is the even harder award to win known as a story award. A story award must tell the story of a wedding from between 15-20 images. But that is the goal of a documentary wedding photographer to tell the true story of your day. not a series of just pretty pictures thrown together in a gallery. Weddings are chaotic, unique and fascinating. I believe the wedding is about the people you invite, not about the venue or the flowers etc its about the relationships they have with you and eachother. 100s or little stories inside the bigger picture :)

A woman getting makeup applied by another person, standing near a window. The woman is in casual clothing and has hair curlers. A banner with the words "Almost Married" is hanging above, and a vase with white flowers is on a table nearby.
Person learning to tie a necktie using a smartphone tutorial, seated on a couch.
Black and white photo showing three men in tuxedos; two stand in the foreground with only their legs visible, while one ascends stairs in the background, looking towards the camera."}
People in formal attire at an outdoor event, with a videographer filming, surrounded by greenery.
A close-up shot of a professional camera filming a scene. A person with a beige dress and a pearl bracelet is holding a camera, standing next to a man in a suit. The focus is on the camera equipment and people interacting in the background.
A woman in high heels stepping out of a car while a man in black shoes stands nearby.
Black and white photo of a man in a suit standing at a wedding ceremony, with guests seated in the background inside a tent.
A group of people dressed formally, with a man in a tuxedo and bow tie, and women in elegant attire, looking emotional at an indoor event.
Child in suit and sneakers bending forward with two adults in formal attire sitting beside, on chairs on grass, with a plastic water bottle on the ground.
Close-up of a bride and groom's hands with wedding attire; the bride is wearing a lace dress and a bracelet, while the groom is in a black suit with a white shirt.
Wedding scene with two couples embracing, a woman holding a bouquet of white flowers, and a cameraman recording the event.
Three women in sunglasses taking a selfie outdoors, surrounded by trees, laughing and celebrating.
Two people in formal attire at an outdoor event, one wearing sunglasses and eating, the other partially visible. Sunlight and shadows create contrast.
Guests at an outdoor wedding reception in formal attire, mingling and holding drinks, in front of a large building.
Four children in formal attire sitting at a dining table, playing with small toys. The table is decorated with candles and a bouquet of purple flowers, with patterned wallpaper in the background.
A groom kisses an older woman, likely his mother, during a wedding celebration. The bride, wearing a white dress, is visible to the left. Guests in formal attire are clapping in the background.
A bride and groom dancing closely at a wedding reception, surrounded by guests in formal attire. The venue is dimly lit, featuring a blue and warm color palette.
A man in a suit performs the limbo under a horizontal rope during a party, surrounded by people in formal attire.
Woman in a ruffled dress dancing with a man, her eyes closed and mouth open, against a dark background.
A black and white photo showing a man sitting on a couch, holding a phone and covering his face with one hand. On the left, a group of people is gathered near a door, with a stroller in front of them. The setting appears to be a formal, indoor space.
Bride and groom smiling and interacting with a man during a wedding ceremony. Bride wears a white lace dress, groom in military uniform.
Women in formal dresses inside a room, one covering mouth in surprise and others smiling.
Outdoor wedding ceremony with bride and groom seated, focus on "Bride’s Father" socks worn by man sitting in foreground.
Two people at an outdoor shooting range, wearing ear protection, one with smoke around their face, surrounded by wooden structure and forest.
Children playing indoors; one child in a pink dress stands over another child lying on the floor, surrounded by chairs.
Group of people dancing in a warmly lit ballroom, featuring chandeliers and a wooden floor.
Group of people standing at the entrance of a building holding flowers, with stained glass windows, in a wedding setting.

“People will always eventually show you who they are. And thats the moment I wait for, whether that’s an emotional moment or humorous. My images might not always be “pretty” but they will always be real.”

Documentary Wedding Photography Gives Your Day A Little More

It’s all about the story cos it’s not all about just you two, well it is but not in the sense of the traditional way. Let me explain…. a wedding is about the bride and groom of course but there’s a whole lot more going on. You’ve invited maybe 80,90,100 people to come spend the day with you and those people will make up hundreds if not thousands of little stories inside a bigger story. Remember “Where’s Wally” or Waldo depending on the side of the world you’re from ? The goal was to find Wally right? He was the main character Well if you actually go back and look at the chaos in those pages, it’s actually tiny little stories happening right there in front of you. That on first glance you didn’t even realise and thats what a good documentary wedding photography aims to do. To question, To Intrigue, To excite,

A newlywed couple walks along a street past a house with an upper balcony filled with people. The house is yellow with a fenced balcony decorated with plants, and there is a CCTV sign. The area is surrounded by trees under a clear sky.
Bride in lace dress holding a cocktail, excitedly showing two flower girls in white dresses with floral crowns at a doorway.
A group of people at an outdoor event enjoying appetizers, with one person wearing sunglasses and holding a drink, while another in formal attire serves food from a tray.
A woman sitting on a bed helping a young child with their attire while others are present in the background of a room, preparing for an event.
Bride and groom kissing at their wedding ceremony with guests clapping and smiling in the background.
A bride in a white gown getting a tattoo on her shoulder surrounded by people in a room with wooden shelves and silver objects.
Nine Dots logo with 'Official Member' designation on a pink background.
Logo with letter 'R' and text 'This is Reportage' on a black background.
"Keeping It Real Award" badge with bold blue text on a white background.
Logo with the word 'FEDWED' against a backdrop of horizontal purple, red, white, orange, and yellow stripes.
Black and white photograph of a busy city street with tall buildings, pedestrians, and traffic.
Golden rehabilitation center logo with overlapping 'W' design and text 'Recovery Whois Who'. Website URL at bottom.
Text saying 'Help me I'm getting married' with a heart symbol.

Capturing The Moments Of Your Wedding Big And Small

Every wedding has these contrived moments, the big beats of the day. The getting ready, the first kiss, speeches, first dance etc. but theres more to a wedding day than just the scripted moments. You, your family and friends are the unique aspect to every wedding so not every wedding is the same and shouldn’t be treated as such. Like the wedding car for example, when have you ever stood infront of a car and taken a portrait together? Never? Exactly! So there is so many more ways to tell the story of the wedding car like the image below of Mel waiting to go into her ceremony at the Anglers Rest in Dublin. The car is in the scene but as you can see there is so much more going on, excitement! Confusion! and the driver just chilling knowing he’s getting paid to just hang around haha. You don’t always need to do things the “traditional” way its your wedding and you are your own person.

Wedding scene with a vintage car, people in formal attire, holding flowers.
Group of people at an outdoor event, man in foreground holding a beer and cigarette, others forming a conga line.
Wedding reception scene with bride in white dress talking to guests on a lawn. A young girl and an older woman with a pink fascinator are interacting in the foreground.
Children playing on a carpet in a living room with a TV showing an animated show, toys scattered around, and a potted plant near a sliding glass door.
A lively group of people dancing and singing at a party, with one man kneeling on the floor wearing a loosened tie on his head.
A bride in a white dress with floral headpiece embraces an older woman in a blue dress on a wooden floor. Several women in colorful pajamas and one in a red dress stand nearby, smiling and chatting.
Person wearing sunglasses with reflection of a boutonniere being pinned on a suit, outdoors.
People taking photos outside, one woman posing on a stone step, her reflection visible in glass doors, surrounded by floral arrangements and greenery.

How did we miss that ? When did that happen ? HOLY SH*T that happened at our wedding ?

Yes, Yes it did!!! You can’t be everywhere on your wedding day. You can try but you’ll be exhausted by the end of it so there will be moments that you miss. Like the moment your future husband needed YouTube to show him how to do a bowtie. The extroverted friends celebrating behind you as you pose for a picture. How your friends see you entering the room like the superstars you are. The tender hug between a niece and her favourite aunt or your best friend snogging in the background as you have your first dance. These are the in between moments that matter so much to me as a Cavan Wedding Photographer.

Two men in suits laughing during a speech at a wedding ceremony, with one holding a microphone and paper while speaking. Decorated curtain in the background with string lights.
Bride and groom wearing sunglasses, dancing at a wedding reception with guests clapping and cheering.
A bride in a white dress and veil holding a flower bouquet stands on outdoor steps, with people in formal attire in the background celebrating at a wedding venue.
Old woman with pink scarf looking down in front, group of people laughing behind her at an outdoor event.
A wedding reception scene with a couple dancing in the foreground, wearing formal attire. In the background, several people are celebrating and cheering, dressed in formal outfits. The setting is indoors with dim lighting and wooden wall panels.
Close-up of a hand holding a bouquet of pastel flowers in focus, with a blurred background showing a person in a room.
A couple in wedding attire holds hands while a man on a blue scooter is in the foreground. They are positioned against a dark garage door with white walls, featuring a sign that reads 'Service Guard Gibraltar.'
A bride and groom cutting a wedding cake together. The cake is decorated with white and purple flowers and a "Mr & Mrs" topper. The background features decorative plants and a lit Christmas tree.
Two women laughing at a table in a warm-lit, elegant setting with wine glasses in the foreground.
A child in a dress enters a dimly lit dining room with long tables and floral centerpieces, wooden chairs, and art on the walls.
A groom in traditional attire stands in a convertible surrounded by a diverse group of guests wearing colorful traditional clothing during a wedding celebration. Some guests are taking photos and smiling.
People at an outdoor event enjoying appetizers and drinks, with a person in a tuxedo eating and another person holding a wine glass.
People enjoying assorted appetizers and desserts at a social gathering, including sandwiches, skewers, pastries, and macarons on a glass table.
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Bride and groom at wedding ceremony with guests
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Three children sitting together, one holding a snack, the others with candy bags and sweets.
Interior view from a tent with a draped table, a wedding cake, and a decorative mail box. The exterior shows a grassy area, a child with a ball, a man standing, and a view of the ocean with sailboats.
People celebrating at a party, two men enthusiastically pretending to play inflatable instruments, surrounded by other partygoers on a checkered dance floor.
Two women in lace dresses embracing at an event.
Wedding party scene with two men lifting another man. One man is wearing colorful socks.
People dancing under a colorful chandelier at a party, with hands raised and vibrant lighting.
Black and white image of a person in formal attire crawling on the floor at a party, surrounded by standing people.

Awesome wedding photos

DON’T NEED TO BE SET UP!!!

“From the moment we had our Zoom call with Andy, we knew he was the perfect fit for our wedding! He is an extraordinarily talented photographer with an exceptional eye for detail, capturing every moment with a level of artistry that truly amazed us. Beyond his incredible skills, Andy is an absolute gem of a person-so easy to connect with. He immediately put everyone at ease, feeling more like part of the gang than a photographer. His presence throughout the day was nothing short of fantastic, and he managed to make the whole experience joyful and stress-free. We feel so fortunate to have had Andy as part of our special day—he truly went above and beyond, and we couldn’t recommend him more highly!.”

— Alison & Oisin 2024

Expect The Unexpected

I put humanity at the forefront of everything I do, therefor I approach every wedding as a blank canvas and because every wedding is unique to the couple thats involved it means that images can’t be repeated. being part of awesome communities like NineDots or this is reportage has continued to push me as a documentary wedding photographer for Dublin, Cavan and meath and I strive to become one of the best in the Ireland at my craft. As a recent bride Megan said on receiving her gallery “We love that you captured people's best and worst sides. The photos feel very authentic of the day we experienced, and gave us a snapshot of some of the other moments we didn't get to see ie. Some serious shapes on the dancefloor!”

Man drinking from a glass in a kitchen with wooden cabinets and various kitchen items on the counter.
Group of men in formal attire laughing and embracing, with a festive light backdrop.
Bride with bridesmaids laughing on a lawn, wearing a white gown and holding bouquets, with bridesmaids in rust-colored dresses.
A group of people are participating in a limbo game at a party. A man in a vest and dress shirt is leaning backward under a colorful limbo stick held by two people. The scene has a lively and festive atmosphere with a band playing in the background.
Children eating candy from striped bags at a party.
Bride and groom entering wedding reception, surrounded by cheering guests and applause, indoors, with festive decoration in the background.
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Bride and groom stand inside a stone-walled room with a large chandelier.

Let me start by saying we absolutely LOVE our pictures! There were tears and laughter as we went through the (huge amount of) pictures in the gallery. You captured some amazing moments and we are absolutely thrilled, we'll cherish them forever. Your style of photography was 100% the correct choice for us and we're so glad that you were with us on the day. We really can't thank you enough, we're so grateful to you and in awe of your skill. You fitted seamlessly into our day and our guests rave about you just as much as we do. You're an absolute gentleman with an amazing talent, we would recommend you to any future bride and groom!

All that's left to do now is choose the pictures to hang on the wall 😅

Wishing you all the best in the future Andy! - Eileen 2024

Top view of a young child in a pink dress standing at the bottom of a carpeted staircase, looking up. The stairs are decorated with white flowers.

If my hands off approach is something that resonates with you as people and you 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. Then feel free to get in touch to find out more

Let’s do this!!!