Why Your Wedding Deserves to Be Documented Like a Story — Not a Photoshoot
Wedding Photography Isn’t About Perfect Poses — It’s About Real Moments
You’re not planning a photoshoot.
You’re planning your wedding day — one of the most emotionally powerful, beautifully fleeting days of your life.
And when you look back at your photos 10, 20, 50 years from now, you shouldn’t just see what your day looked like. You should remember what it felt like.
That’s where I come in.
I’m Brittany Sanders — a wedding and elopement photographer who believes in honest storytelling over stiff posing. My approach is deeply documentary, romantic, and film-inspired. And I truly believe that your wedding deserves to be captured like a story, not a Pinterest checklist.
What Is Storytelling Wedding Photography?
Storytelling photography, sometimes called documentary or reportage-style photography, focuses on capturing moments as they unfold naturally — without interference or forced direction.
It’s not about controlling the scene.
It’s about observing it.
Feeling it.
And preserving it exactly as it was — raw, emotional, beautifully imperfect.
Your grandma’s tears during your vows.
The quiet inhale before walking down the aisle.
The wind tangling your veil on the cliffside.
The champagne that spilled from laughter at the reception table.
These moments don’t need staging — they are the story.
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Why Storytelling Photography Creates More Meaningful Wedding Images
1. It Allows You to Be Fully Present
When you’re not worried about “smiling for the camera,” you get to actually live your day.
Instead of spending your wedding posing for endless portraits, we’ll create space for you to soak in the day, be with your people, and make real memories — while I work quietly in the background capturing it all.
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2. It Captures Emotion You Didn’t Even Know You Were Feeling
Some of the most powerful images come from moments you didn’t notice at the time — the way your partner looked at you during the ceremony, the way your hands intertwined during dinner, the little gasp from your mom when you walked out in your dress.
This is the type of photography that gives you chills years later.
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3. It Honors the True Vibe of Your Day
No one else in the world is having your exact wedding.
So why would your photos look like everyone else’s?
Storytelling photography captures the mood, the texture, the energy of your celebration — whether that’s a barefoot elopement on a beach in Mallorca or a black-tie soirée in downtown Virginia.
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My Approach: Documentary Meets Editorial
At Brittany Sanders Photography, I don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all style. I blend editorial direction when needed (think: naturally guided portraits with soft movement) with a deeply documentary eye.
I won’t put you in uncomfortable poses.
I won’t ask you to fake laugh.
I will gently guide you when needed to make sure you feel your most confident — and then I’ll step back and let the story unfold.
The result? Photographs that feel like memories — not just pictures.
Who My Photography Is For
Couples who care more about how their wedding feels than how it looks on social media
People who value artistic, timeless imagery that tells a real story
Those planning intimate weddings, destination elopements, backyard gatherings, or romantic getaways
Anyone who wants their wedding photos to feel like them, not a photoshoot
Where I Travel for Weddings
While I’m based in Virginia, I specialize in destination weddings and elopements across the East Coast, West Coast, and Europe.
A few of my dream destinations to photograph love stories:
Mallorca, Spain (where I eloped myself!)
Amalfi Coast and Tuscany, Italy
Iceland, Scotland, and the Swiss Alps
Coastal California and the Oregon coast
Intimate venues and backyard weddings across Virginia
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Ready to Tell Your Story?
If you're dreaming of a wedding day that’s relaxed, romantic, and documented with heart — I’d be honored to photograph it.
Let’s skip the stiff poses.
Let’s capture the real stuff.
Let’s tell your love story the way it deserves to be remembered — through honest, emotional, beautiful photographs that last a lifetime.
