Recently a friend of mine sent me a TikTok about how the new trend in wedding photography is having it be all about a “vibe”. According to whoever created the post, couples want a “look”, a specific “feel” to their images, more than they want them to tell a story. But why not have both? In fact, I would argue that without a story to back it, the “feel” will be that of an impersonal photo sampler, maybe tailored to color or location. Is that what couples want? None that I’ve ever met, for sure.

So I’ll say it. Documentary Wedding Photography is a VIBE! It’s the best kind, because it’s the kind that makes you feel like you’re back there again at the moment captured in the photo. A vibe doesn’t mean color matching. Though the urban dictionary defines it as a “pleasing ambience” (which is a little vague), other sites like Merriam Webster, Dictionary.com, Quora, The Guardian and multiple others say some version of the following: “A vibe is something that can only be felt, or understood emotionally.” It is, in other words, a distinctive feeling. It’s emotional. And that is the very definition of great documentary photography. It shows you how it felt, not just how it looked.

The newly married couple leaves their ceremony to the applause of friends, and through air filled with bubbles

And then, there is the look of the photos, as well. Most good photographers - I’m being forward enough to count myself among them - have a unique style and a look that defines their photographs. This is apparent no matter if the photos are in black and white, as in this blog post, or in color. So if you like the style of the photos you see, that means you’re into the vibe - my vibe.

Whoever created that TikTok saying that storytelling and vibe are incompatible, or even two separate things, is missing the plot. Great wedding photography, and particularly great documentary wedding photographer, is a vibe BECAUSE of the storytelling and the look. I’m here to show you how it felt. My goal is for the couples to look at these photos in 20, 30, 40 years and think “I can feel that moment like it happened yesterday.”

During a wedding reception, A man plays guitar and sings while a friend holds up a children's book, illustrating the song.

The bride, groom and a few friends watch a performance at the wedding reception.

If you’re planning your wedding and you’re reading this, all you need to think about is how the photos on my website make you feel. Do you connect to them? Do they draw you in? If so, you probably like the look, too. Weddings are all about expressing your version of your perfect wedding day. The photos should be a reflection of that. That’s what a vibe is all about!

At a wedding recption, two men take a break from dancing to pick up drinks from the bar.

Documentary Wedding Photography: It’s a…vibe?

“All we’ve been able to find are Wedding Photographers!”