Why You Should Consider Wedding Film Photography

Shot on Kodak Ultramax 400

We recently shot our wedding on film, and I can honestly say it was one of the best things we did! Sure, we might be biased about film photography anyway, but if it's not something you've dabbled with since the 90's, or perhaps at all, this post is for you.

Wedding photography is arguably one of the most important parts to plan for your wedding day, and it can often be at a huge expense, but it's one of the best ways to capture the whirlwind of your day that you can peruse, smile at, and show others for years to come.

Many wedding photographers are adapting back to 35mm film, and shooting a combination. For us, our main photographer shot on digital, so we brought along a couple of our own cameras with film loaded for our guests to use in certain parts of the day when the photographer wasn't there - this was the morning of the wedding, ceremony and the evening celebration.

Keep on reading to see more shots from our wedding, and why you should consider this medium for your own big day...

Why You Should Consider Wedding Film Photography

In a world of instant previews and infinite filters, wedding film photography offers something rare: authenticity.

There’s a quiet magic in film, its soft grain, dreamy tones, and the way it captures light in a way digital never quite can. Each frame feels intentional, timeless, and unrepeatable, much like the day itself.

Film also brings a slower, more considered pace to your wedding day. Without the rapid-fire clicking of digital, your photographer is more present (or your guests if you choose to put them in charge behind the lens), observing the mood, the movement, the moments that matter. The result? A gallery of images that feel more like memories, raw, romantic, and utterly nostalgic.

There’s also the thrill of the unknown. With film, you don’t see the photos instantly and that’s part of the charm. Wedding blues are most certainly a thing, so when the scans arrive days later, there’s a sense of anticipation, like opening a time capsule from a day you never want to forget.

If you’re after photos that feel heartfelt, artful, and uniquely yours, wedding film photography is well worth considering. It may not be instant, but the memories it captures will feel everlasting.

Just be mindful that if you're putting guests in charge of handling your film cameras that they know how to use them, as professional photographers will be well versed and know exactly how to shoot effectively on a film camera. As you can see, not all of our shots are great because of the way they have been shot, but in some ways it makes them more memorable to us as I know exactly who shot them. They're imperfect, but perfectly natural and real to us.

Here are some more shots from the day, all shot on Kodak Ultramax 400 at Hotel Endsleigh - perfect for the beautifully sunny day in April that we were lucky enough to have!

I'm so glad we incorporated some film into our wedding day, I personally love the look and feel of grain and they add a really classic look to our photos. Disposable cameras are popular choices for a wedding day, but as they don't all come with a flash the result might not be what you envisaged when you get your photos developed.

If you do have a film camera lying around at home, or your wedding photographer shoots on film too, go for it, you won't regret it when you're looking back at your wedding shots in years to come.

Is film photography something you'd try for your own wedding?