A Wedding at The Mount Without in Bristol

UK Weddings Are Different from French Weddings

In case you haven’t browsed through my About page, I’m a French wedding photographer who moved to the UK in 2023 for love. I’ve been a professional photographer since 2019 and have photographed weddings throughout Europe—France, Italy, Finland… In France, I often worked with Anglo-French couples thanks to being fluent in both English and French, and I loved it. Plus, France is a very popular destination wedding location. But even when couples had international influences, they usually embraced French traditions.

So, when I started developing my business in the UK, I had to get familiar with a whole new way of working, with different norms than those in France. I’ll write a full blog post on the subject someday, but for now, it’s relevant because second shooting in 2024 really helped me understand British weddings better. A huge shoutout to James from Birches & Pine for his help and trust during this process—he also introduced me to UK vendors, helped me build a network, and gave me the chance to create a portfolio of local weddings to show you!

Why I loved Second Shooting

Second shooting is absolutely brilliant. The main photographer is responsible for all the mandatory shots—group photos, key moments, etc. But as a second shooter, my role was to get different angles, be creative, experiment, and capture moments the main photographer might not be able to—like candids during the cocktail hour while they’re doing group shots or groom prep while they’re with the bride. And at the end of the day, I hand over my photos for them to cull and edit—my job is done! I love that it allows me to be less stressed, more creative, and not worry about my editing pile growing in the middle of my own wedding season.

I’m still learning the do’s and don’ts of second shooting etiquette—having a second shooter isn’t as common in France as it is in the UK—but James was kind enough to let me use some of my photos for my portfolio, which is incredibly helpful! So now that I’ve culled and edited a selection, let me tell you more about this gorgeous wedding at The Mount Without in Bristol.

R & R’s Wedding: A Laid-Back Celebration with All the Good Vibes

I was so excited to shoot at this venue. To be fair, I have a soft spot for Bristol—it reminds me a lot of Nantes, my hometown in France. When I first looked up The Mount Without, I was in awe. This venue is such a vibe! It has that deconsecrated church aesthetic—blending the traditional feel of a church with an effortlessly cool, slightly abandoned, ethereal atmosphere. I love that it can be styled in so many different ways, from ultra-romantic to a bit more gothic.

R & R made the space look incredible, choosing plants instead of flowers to decorate. But what truly made the day special was their energy—their smiles, their laughter, their relaxed and joyful approach to the whole celebration. The bride didn’t want a full-blown Asian wedding, so they leaned a bit more toward British traditions. However, instead of a registrar-led ceremony, they opted for a celebrant ceremony officiated by one of their friends. I have to say—these kinds of ceremonies are my absolute favorites. They feel so much more personal, focused on the couple and their love story, rather than just the legalities of marriage.

My Favorite Wedding Detail? The Crumpeteers!

For their evening food, they hired The Crumpeteers, a food truck specializing in crumpets with all sorts of sweet and savory toppings. It was such a brilliant idea—looked amazing, tasted even better, and was a perfect, unexpected touch!

Shooting Alongside Other Talented Photographers

James is a local photographer who was recently included in the 2025 Professional Photo UK Top 50 Wedding Photographers List—and for good reason! He’s really talented. What I love about working with other photographers in general is that we all have different approaches—different ways of composing shots, telling stories, capturing emotions.

My own focus is primarily on connection and emotion, but James also has a real eye for composition and aesthetics, and it’s inspiring to watch him work. I also primarily use on-camera flash for evening photos—partly because I love the look, but also because, with all the travel I do, carrying a big lighting setup wouldn’t make much sense. James, however, masters off-camera flash and lighting setups, and I learned so much from helping him set up and watching him work his magic! As much as I am confident in my craft, continuously learning and finding inspiration wherever possible is essential as a creative.