Bride on bus from Arnot Hill Park to Morley Hayes - documentary wedding photography

Documentary Wedding Photographer Cambridgeshire

Natural, unposed wedding photography for couples getting married across Cambridgeshire.

Hello, I’m Simon — a Nottingham wedding photographer specialising in relaxed, documentary-style wedding photography.

Hello, I’m Simon — a documentary wedding photographer based in Derby, covering Cambridgeshire and East Anglia. Cambridgeshire is further from my home base than the counties I cover regularly, but it’s the part of the country I grew up in, I have family there –  and it offers something genuinely distinctive to photograph a wedding in.

The landscape here is unlike anywhere else in England. The wide fenland skies, the flat open horizon, the extraordinary quality of the light — it all gives documentary wedding photography a mood and atmosphere that’s hard to find elsewhere. And then there’s Cambridge itself: one of the most architecturally beautiful cities in the country, full of venues that carry centuries of history in their walls.

If you’re getting married in Cambridgeshire and you want photography that feels honest, emotional, and completely your own, I’d love to hear about it.

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Same sex wedding at Bridge House Barn
Confetti - West Mill Wedding Photographer
Same sex wedding - Wedding Photographer

Cambridge Wedding Photographer

I’m Simon Dewey. I’ve been photographing weddings in a documentary style for over 15 years and I’m still completely absorbed by it. My work has been recognised by the Wedding Photojournalist Association, This is Reportage, Fearless Photographers, and Photographers Keeping It Real, and has appeared in Rock and Roll Bride, Boho Weddings, and the English Wedding Blog.

I limit myself to 25 weddings a year — so every couple I work with gets my full care and attention.

I hold Rainbow Accreditation with Derbyshire LGBT+, and I’m proud to serve LGBTQ+ couples with the empathy and understanding your day deserves.

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Simon Dewey Documentary Wedding photographer
Thornbridge Hall Wedding Photography

”I cannot begin to tell you how much I love your wedding photos. You've honestly left us with the best gift ever. You capture moments, movements and most importantly, emotions. And then, you wrap them all up into gorgeous photos which tell story after story at every turn.

Claire & AdamArnott Hill Park 2022
Groom Changes Brides Shoes at The Carriage Hall - Documentary Wedding Photography

What is documentary wedding photography?

No posing. No staging. No asking you to stand a certain way or hold your bouquet at a particular angle.

Documentary wedding photography — sometimes called reportage or photojournalism — means I photograph your day as it genuinely unfolds. I work quietly, staying out of the way and paying close attention, so that the images take you straight back to how it actually felt.

The in-between moments. The looks that passed between you. The grandmother who danced when she thought nobody was watching. The chaos of the confetti that went completely wrong and was completely perfect.

That’s the story I’m there to tell.

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Documentary Wedding Photographer Nottingham

”Simon’s approach is thoughtful, focused on capturing weddings naturally and seeing past the pretty details so your memories will be of the atmosphere, the feelings, the emotions and of course ALL the love.

English Wedding BlogEnglish-wedding.com
Documentary Wedding Photographer Derby Slideshow
Derby Wedding Photographer

Why Cambridgeshire is such a rewarding county to photograph a wedding in

Cambridgeshire rewards the photographer who pays attention to light — and documentary photography is all about light and moment. The fenland landscape has a painter’s quality to it: enormous skies, long golden evenings, a stillness that makes portraits feel effortless when the conditions are right.

Cambridge itself is extraordinary. Madingley Hall, a Tudor manor house just outside the city, is one of the most quietly beautiful wedding venues in the county — the kind of setting where the gardens and the stonework become part of the story. Wimpole Hall, the National Trust’s largest house in Cambridgeshire, has a grandeur that suits a big, celebratory wedding beautifully. Elton Hall, on the Cambridgeshire-Northamptonshire border, is a gothic and romantic country house with real personality.

For couples who want something a little more intimate, Longstowe Hall and Childerley Hall offer that sense of private, unhurried elegance that documentary photography thrives in. And for something genuinely unique, the colleges of Cambridge — depending on your connection to the university — are simply unmatched anywhere in the world.

Wherever you’re getting married in Cambridgeshire, there’s a story worth telling.

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”Well, I honestly don’t know where to start. Thank you so much for our absolutely incredible wedding photos ♥️ You have, without doubt, captured the essence of our wedding day. We’ve cried & laughed so much this evening. My hearts bursting! I’m so incredibly happy we found you.

Amanda & DeanSt John’s Mexborough, 2022
Documentary Wedding Photographer Nottingham - Simon Dewey

Wedding Photographer FAQ

Do you take any formal portraits or group photographs?

I do – about half of my couples ask for group shots at their wedding. I like to do this quickly and efficiently so that it’s not too distracting from the day itself, so I ask couples to pick a maximum of 10 combinations where possible. It also helps to rope in someone loud and bossy to gather the relevant people for each photo!

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Do I have to have ‘wedding preparation/getting ready’ photography?

We certainly don’t need to take a load of photographs of makeup being applied if that’s what you’re worried about. But the morning of the wedding can be a wonderfully chaotic couple of hours where emotions are running high, and feelings are apparent. It makes for some fantastic relationship-focused photography!

Do you do Wedding Albums?

Yes – I use Folio Albums. They are beautifully crafted, locally and sustainably produced, and the people who work there are fantastic. You can read more about wedding photo albums here. 

Pricing

Full day wedding photography from £1,650. Smaller packages and hourly rates are available. Fine art wedding albums from £550. Travel and accommodation to Cambridgeshire are charged as expenses — I’ll always be transparent about costs upfront.

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Documentary Wedding Photographer Derby

Do we get all the wedding photos?

You get all the good ones! I take far more than I need to so that I can send the absolute best ones to you. The odd dud photo is a natural part of the process and one that you probably wouldn’t appreciate viewing!
For a full day’s wedding, I usually deliver a minimum of 400 photos.

What have documentary, reportage, and photojournalism got to do with wedding photography?

Documentary wedding photography, reportage, and photojournalism are just different words for the same thing. They’re fancy ways of saying I’ll photograph the day without trying to control it or affect the natural proceedings.

How long do we have to wait until we see our photographs?

Your wedding photographs are usually ready about a month after the wedding

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How do we book you?

We’ll schedule a chat (or a meeting if you’re local to Nottingham / Derby) about your wedding.
To begin with, I like understanding what you want from your day and your wedding photography.
If we get on and you’re happy with my approach to wedding photography, I’ll send out a booking form and contract and ask for a 25% deposit to secure your wedding date.