If the idea of posing for hours, smiling on command, or feeling like you have to perform on your wedding day makes you uneasy you're not alone; it's a sentiment shared by most of the couples I work with.

In fact, it was one of the worries I myself had before my own wedding a few years ago! I wanted my wedding to feel real, relaxed, and like I was being myself instead of one big photoshoot with a schedule of it's own. That's exactly why capturing your wedding with a documentary approach is so important to me. To me, your wedding will always be a wedding first, not a photo shoot. This is the approach I bring to every wedding I capture across the Waterloo region and all of Southern Ontario.

What Documentary wedding photography actually means


In simple terms, it is capturing your day the way it organically unfolds. No interrupting real moments or awkward stiff poses. It lets you actually be present throughout your wedding day with the people you love, and lets me capture genuine moments of connection between the two of you, your family, and all your friends. This means your photos will reflect your relationships and the emotions that were present on your wedding day, not just the aesthetics of how it all looked.

What that looks like in real weddings



Even though I've only recently relocated to Waterloo, I've spent the last seven years photographing weddings across Toronto and Southern Ontario and the patterns are usually the same. The moments that end up meaning the most to the majority of my couples aren't posed, they are the little real moments.

Things like:

  • The little look your partner gives you when you aren't paying attention
  • Your dad trying to subtly wipe that tear off his cheek
  • The look on your fiance's face when they see you for the first time
  • The absolute chaos that unfolds on the dancefloor


None of that needs direction, it just needs someone to notice it.

But what about the portraits?!


This is where I may deviate a little bit from other documentary photographers. I understand that just because you don't want to feel directed or interrupted through the majority of your wedding day doesn't mean you feel like a model in front of the camera when it comes time for portraits. That is why I guide you through the portrait session utilizing organic prompts and movement-based direction instead of stiff poses and exact head angles. (This isn't a Sears portrait studio your parents dragged you to in 2003, let's have some fun with it!)

I find that this results in portraits that feel both polished and editorial, but also like you.

Planning a wedding without losing yourself in it


As someone planning a wedding you've probably notices that there are a lot of templates. Timelines, shot lists, "must have" photos. Some of that can be helpful, but a lot of it can put pressure on these idealized "perfect moments" that never actually happen on your wedding day, and pull you out of the beautiful moments unfolding right in front of you.

You are allowed to say no to that. You an skip what doesn't feel meaningful and build a day that lets you focus on your people instead of performing for a camera.

What it's like to work together


My role isn't to direct your day, it's to pay attention to it.

That means I am only stepping in when needed, and keeping it low-pressure when I do. I will never interrupt a part of your day where you should feel 100% in the moment, and I will help you feel grounded throughout the whole thing, never like you are performing for me.


If you’re planning a wedding in Waterloo Region and want photos that feel like you - you can reach out here.