Editorial-inspired wedding photographs are quickly becoming a favorite for couples, bringing the energy of a fashion spread into real love stories. But how do you give your gallery that sharp, style-driven edge? What details matter most, and where should you look for inspiration? We asked top wedding photographers to share their best advice.
Leave Space to Create
The major secret behind editorial wedding photos that look straight out of a fashion magazine or movie is time, direction, and room for creativity. Photographer Jenna Martin knows this firsthand. “If you want editorial images, you need to create space in the timeline to allow more direction from your photographer,” she explains. “The moments that we get to ‘play’ and take our time with our couples, and not be constrained by time, it really makes a difference.”
Trust Your Photographer's Eye
Hiring a photographer with an editorial style means trusting their instincts and vision, not just their gear. These aren’t point-and-shoot moments. They’re directed, composed, and intentionally framed to tell an elevated and artful story. Italian photographer Annalisa Bombarda captures this balance beautifully. “When I talk about my language I always say it is reportage—a documentary approach with an editorial style that, in my case, reflects my past in fashion business and my love for narration,” she shares. “One of the most important thing is to be consistent and maintaining your style throughout the story.”
Cinzia Bruschini, Jenna Martin
Think Beyond Stiff Poses
Editorial images come alive when you’re in motion, when you forget the camera’s even there and just exist in the moment. Wedding photographer Serafin Castillo always reminds couples: “It’s not about stiff posing, but about guiding you into simple, elegant gestures: walking hand in hand, turning your face toward the light, letting the dress flow. The aim is to capture you authentically, yet with that extra touch of sophistication reminiscent of a fashion editorial.” So go ahead and treat the frame like a runway.
Channel Emotion, Not Perfection
Perfection is forgettable while emotion is forever. When you let go of controlling every detail and simply lean into what you’re feeling, your photographer has the chance to create images that are raw, stylish, and human. Photographer Liz Rainey encourages couples to embrace the beauty in the mess. “Embrace the imperfect. Allow the chaos or mess to help you set the scene,” she advises.
But capturing feeling doesn’t mean letting go entirely; it means choosing every element with emotion as the filter. Documentary and editorial wedding photographer Georgia Grace asks the kinds of questions that shape unforgettable frames: “What lighting best evokes that? What textures and colors help to further that narrative?”
Jenna Martin, Weddings by Maike
Make the Most of Your Location
The backdrop matters just as much as the moment. Thoughtfully chosen settings can add unexpected layers of style and atmosphere to your wedding gallery. “A great photographer doesn’t just document what happens,” says Serafin Castillo. “They also look for locations within your wedding that feel cinematic: a textured wall, the light streaming through a window, a minimalist corner of the venue. These little details elevate the final result and give your photos a more stylized look.”
Embrace Negative Space
You don’t always have to fill the frame. Sometimes what’s left out of the frame can speak louder than what’s captured. Wide shots, minimalist compositions, and intentional “emptiness” can make your presence feel even more powerful. Negative space draws the eye in, adds drama, and lets the subject truly stand out, whether it's you alone in a vast landscape, or the quiet geometry of architecture framing a stolen moment.
Draw Ideas from
The Fashion Scene
The more you see, the better you see. That cultivated eye can shape your wedding photos in ways you don’t even realize. And that means looking for inspiration beyond the wedding bubble. Think fashion campaigns, runway, film stills, and even album covers. Photographer Georgia Grace suggests couples expand their references: “Draw inspiration from outside of the bridal space. For me, that inspiration has always derived from fashion. I frequently turn to Chloè and Zimmermann.”
Experiment with Angles and Light
The difference between a nice photo and an editorial one? Often, it’s all in the perspective: a well-placed shadow, a shot through a doorway, or a dramatic tilt of the lens. As photographer Liz Rainey notes, the key is to “play with interesting light and juxtaposition” and look for lighting that adds “depth and narrative” to each image.
Serafin Castillo, Fedor Borodin
Use Details as Protagonists
In editorial photography, the small things are part of the narrative. When carefully styled, even the smallest details can carry major visual impact. As photographer Serafin Castillo explains: “In an editorial approach, every element matters: the bouquet resting on the table, the shoes photographed as if they were part of a luxury campaign, the invitation captured with a refined composition. Your wedding details become little works of art.”
Annalisa Bombarda, Alyson Bazan
Pick Your Format Thoughtfully
Film and digital each bring their own mood to a wedding gallery. "Film offers a softer capture with a sense of modern nostalgia, while digital offers a more intense capture with sharper rendering," says Georgia Grace. Both formats have their strengths—but when used selectively, they become more than just technical choices, they shape the aesthetic language of your gallery and influence how each image tells its part of the story.
