A Rain-Soaked Cotswolds Wedding, Shot on 35mm Film:

Ara & Akay

Some weddings are pretty. This one was alive — rain and all.

Ara and Akay were married at a honey-stone manor house tucked deep in the Cotswolds, the kind of place that looks like it was built specifically to be fallen in love in front of. And from the first pour of champagne to the very last note of the trumpet, it rained. Properly rained. Nobody minded in the slightest.

Two Families, Two Continents, One Very English Sky

Ara’s family flew in from New Orleans. Akay’s Turkish family arrived with their own traditions, their own warmth, their own way of celebrating — and somewhere between the two, under a soft grey English sky, it all just worked. That’s the bit I love most about shooting weddings across England: watching different worlds meet in one garden and instantly feel like they were always meant to.

It’s exactly why I shoot on analogue film. A wedding this layered — this many cultures, cities, and love languages folded into one day — deserves something with a bit of soul to it. 35mm film doesn’t try to make a day look perfect. It makes it look true, which is so much better.

The Venue: Quintessentially English, Effortlessly Grand

This Cotswolds house is the sort of place you picture when someone says “English country wedding” — ivy climbing right up the honey-stone facade, clipped box hedges tracing the gravel drive, a weathered stone urn standing sentinel like it’s been there for centuries (it has). Beyond the house, the topiary gives way to a walled garden and a circular fountain, framed by trees old enough to have their own opinions, where guests gathered to watch Ara and Akay say their vows.

Shooting a setting like this on film is one of the great joys of the job. There’s a softness to 35mm that makes an English garden look exactly as romantic on paper as it feels standing in it — something digital, for all its sharpness, rarely manages.

Rain, Confetti, and Real, Unfiltered Joy

The forecast had threatened rain for days and made good on every threat. But watch the guests lining that aisle as Ara and Akay walked back through a shower of confetti — laughing, soaked through, utterly delighted — and you’d never guess the sky had anything to complain about. A great wedding does that. It turns weather into a footnote.

This is where film earns its keep. The unguarded laugh, the veil catching the wind, a hand steadying a hat against the rain — these are the moments that get lost on a screen full of instant previews. Film asks you to slow down and trust what’s actually happening in front of you, and it rewards you with something that feels like a memory rather than a photograph.

From the Marquee to the Dance Floor

Inside, the marquee glowed against the grey evening — strings of fairy lights overhead, long tables dressed in trailing florals, kale and ripe tomatoes tumbling beside dahlias and orchids in a centrepiece that looked freshly cut from the garden (it very possibly was).

As the light dropped, a New Orleans-style jazz band struck up, and the whole wedding party spilled out in one glorious, dancing procession — trombone, tuba, and snare drum leading bride, groom, and guests down a lantern-lit path towards the drinks reception and cake cutting. A perfect, joyful nod to Ara’s Louisiana roots, dropped straight into the English countryside. It turned the walk between marquee and reception into its own celebration, rather than a gap between the good bits.

Why I Shoot Weddings on Analogue Film

I get asked often why I still shoot on 35mm film when digital can show you the result in a second. Days like this one are the answer. Film has patience built into it — it asks you to trust the moment instead of chasing it, and what comes back is something that feels like a keepsake, not a snapshot. A wedding that brought together New Orleans warmth, Turkish tradition, and English countryside charm needed exactly that kind of patience to hold it all without flattening a single part of it.

If you’re planning a Cotswolds wedding, a marquee reception somewhere beautiful in the English countryside, or a destination wedding anywhere in the UK or beyond — I’d love to tell that story with you. Rain or shine.

A Timeless 35mm Film Wedding at Tenuta Di Rota, Tuscany

An Editorial Destination Wedding in Tuscany Photographed on 35mm Film and Digital

Charlotte and Jackson left Texas behind and invited their closest family and friends to the rolling hills of Tuscany for an unforgettable destination wedding at Tenuta Di Rota.

Surrounded by olive groves, historic Italian architecture and panoramic countryside views, their wedding perfectly embodied everything couples dream of when planning a luxury destination wedding in Italy.

Photographed using a combination of 35mm film photography and digital, every moment was documented with an editorial yet honest approach—creating images that feel nostalgic, timeless and effortlessly elegant.

A Slow Morning in a Historic Tuscan Villa

The day began quietly inside Tenuta Di Rota’s beautiful villa.

Morning light spilled through tall arched windows, wrapping the room in soft golden tones as Charlotte stepped into her beautifully understated off-the-shoulder gown. Ornate plaster walls, antique furniture and flowing linen curtains created the perfect backdrop for photographs that feel as though they’ve existed forever.

These are the moments I love photographing on 35mm film.

Film slows everything down. It encourages intention over perfection, allowing each frame to preserve the atmosphere exactly as it felt. The soft grain, subtle colours and gentle imperfections complement destination weddings like this in a way that’s difficult to replicate digitally.

A Garden Ceremony Framed by the Tuscan Hills

Just before guests gathered outside, a summer rainstorm rolled across the Tuscan countryside.

Rather than disrupting the day, it left behind fresh air, dramatic skies and beautifully saturated gardens. White floral arrangements lined the ceremony aisle, framed by olive trees and distant mountains, while guests shaded themselves beneath elegant white parasols as the afternoon sunshine returned.

It was unmistakably Tuscany.

The changing weather created incredible depth and texture in both the analogue wedding photographs and digital images, giving the gallery the romantic, cinematic feeling that Italy is known for.

Aperitivo in the Italian Sunshine

Following the ceremony, everyone drifted towards the villa for aperitivo.

Spritzes glowed amber in the afternoon light while guests wandered between the stone buildings, soaking in panoramic views across the Tuscan hills.

One of the greatest things about destination weddings is the pace. There’s time to pause. Time to talk. Time to enjoy the people you’ve travelled across the world to celebrate with.

These unscripted moments are where documentary wedding photography thrives.

Rather than directing every interaction, I focus on preserving genuine moments as they naturally unfold—capturing laughter, conversations and quiet glances that become some of the most treasured photographs in a wedding gallery.

Dinner During Tuscany’s Golden Hour

As the evening approached, long banquet tables stretched across the courtyard beneath festoon lights.

Golden hour flooded the venue with warm Italian sunshine as Charlotte and Jackson shared a quiet embrace between courses. The rustic wooden chairs, white florals and historic architecture created an effortlessly elegant setting that felt both luxurious and relaxed.

It’s easy to see why Tuscany has become one of Europe’s most iconic wedding destinations.

The light here is unlike anywhere else, making it the perfect place for both editorial wedding photography and 35mm film photography, where every frame is softened by warm tones and natural texture.

A Bespoke Outfit Change Made for Dancing

As sunset faded into evening, Charlotte surprised everyone with a second look.

Swapping her gown for a bespoke corset handcrafted by a close friend and a playful mini skirt, she embraced the relaxed atmosphere that destination weddings do so well.

After cutting a traditional Italian cream cake beneath the evening sky, the celebration continued outdoors with dancing, music and laughter late into the night.

Inside the villa, candlelight reflected from glasses of Aperol Spritz while guests embraced the slower rhythm of an Italian summer evening.

These are exactly the kinds of moments I love capturing on analogue film—honest, imperfect and full of emotion.

Why I Photograph Weddings on 35mm Film

There is something irreplaceable about shooting weddings on film.

Every frame is intentional. Every photograph carries texture, depth and authenticity that feels timeless years later. While digital allows me to document every part of the day seamlessly, 35mm film adds another layer of storytelling—one that’s nostalgic, artistic and deeply emotional.

For destination weddings in Italy, where the light is soft, architecture is timeless and celebrations unfold naturally, analogue photography feels perfectly at home.

Charlotte and Jackson’s wedding is a reminder that the most meaningful photographs aren’t about perfect poses—they’re about preserving how a place felt, how the light looked and how a moment was lived.

Looking for a Tuscany Wedding Photographer?

If you’re planning a wedding at Tenuta Di Rota, elsewhere in Tuscany, or anywhere across Italy or Europe, and you’re looking for a destination wedding photographer who combines 35mm film photography, analogue wedding photography and a relaxed documentary approach, I’d love to hear your plans.

My aim is to create a gallery that feels effortless, editorial and deeply personal—filled with honest moments, beautiful light and timeless photographs that only become more meaningful with time.

Lucy and Sam were married in Rome in October. It’s the perfect climate for a wedding, warm and pleasant with a cooling breeze in the evening. They married at Villa Aurelia.

Shot on a mix of digital and 35mm film.

Assisting Jack Henry.

They decided to keep it intimate and get married in Charm’s Lebanese Grandparent’s home just outside Melbourne’s city centre. They ate olives from the garden and enjoyed champagne in the hot sun.

Charm wore a vintage veil with here cream dress, perfectly complimenting the style of her grandparents home.

Their parents surprised them with a car to take them around the city for photos before heading into East Brunswick for dinner and traditional Lebanese dancing.

Sophie and Harry married on their parents estate on a beautiful farm in England. After a church wedding at the incredible Eli Cathedral, they headed back to their parents garden for champagne and canapés on the lawn and dinner in the sherry tent. Music was a huge part of the wedding, having acoustic musicians playing classics such as Fleetwood Mac.

They danced under the disco ball until the sun sank behind the trees.

They dogs made an appreance for a private session with just Harry and Sophie.

Sophie wore an Emma Beaumont Dress.

Married just outside Lisbon, Isabelle wanted to celebrate her father’s birthplace. They chose the venue for the colours, the yellows seeming to capture the couple’s energy and their friend’s loyalty.

Their vendors included Emilia Wickstead at Quinta D’sant’ana.

A fusion of French and Filipino culture, Katrina and Nico came together to celebrate at Cliveden house in England.

Cliveden has a royal history, including the Princess of Wales’ wedding morning where her bridal preparations began.

Katrina and Nico asked for a hybrid of digital and analogue images which worked magically on their September wedding day.

Her vendors included a wedding dress made by Viktor and Rolf, florals by Flavia Studio, hair and make up by Botias Hair and Make Up.

Three flights and six days in Arizona where Emmylou spent four days with these beautiful people feeding her soul.

Kelsey chose to honour her Turkish heritage and wear a red dress for her wedding day. Pomegranates were present throughout the day for guests to savour and cherish.

Followed by line dancing in a cowboy bar…it couldn’t have been any better.

All the way from the States, these two beauties lovingly couldn’t be apart from each other, creating the most stunning wedding gallery which I absolutely adore. Especially the analogue images.

They married in August, overlooking the Tuscan hills, followed by drinks in the olive garden and dinner under the stars.

Married at Casale di pasquinelli.

On a rainy day in Queenstown in New Zealand, Hannah and James married whilst the clouds started to clear and evaporate, creating the most spectacular sky and backdrop for the rest of their day.

Determined to capture an essence of Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world, they finally made it up the Remarkable’s mountains via a helicopter for the wedding images and memories of a lifetime.

Planned by Alexandra Kate Creative, Florals by Little Botanic, Dress by Kenny and Harlow at Vingard.