Wedding Photography
Like great writers, great photographers love what they do and I am passionate about my role. My focus is always to take bright and colourful photos filled with natural emotions of happiness and fun, while letting you and your guests enjoy the day as much as possible.
2021 will be my thirteenth year of photographing weddings and I am always honoured when a couple chooses me to photograph their day. I enjoy helping each one to have the best day possible, both in the planning stages where I can advise based on my experiences, and on the day by helping to ensure it run smoothly, while always wishing to go above and beyond.
I am proud to be a qualified Licentiate Member of the Society of Wedding Photographers and to have reached the Regional Finals of the ‘Wedding Industry Awards‘ in the last four years! Equally, it is heart warming to have received so many kind words from now married couples and a selection of these can be found on the ‘Reviews’ section of my Facebook page, which is also shown beneath my Portfolios.
My Photographs
Here are a selection of galleries for you to look through! To begin with there is my Portfolio showing my best work from the last 13 years, followed by two of my ‘Best of’ collections featuring my best work from 2018 & 2019 and photos showing off my ‘Into the Night’.
Beneath these are four Real Weddings so you can see how I have documented each couples’s day from the morning preparations into the evening!
Venues
I enjoy working at many venues throughout the South East and here are some of these that I regularly visit:
Facebook Reviews
Below are the Reviews that have kindly been left on my Facebook page by couples who have booked me to photograph their wedding days.
About Me
Me at weddings
My first ever wedding was my Aunty’s wedding! I was 17 years old and was absolutely terrified, but I got the bug for weddings on that day. Being able to provide a couple with photos that allow them to relive the best day of their life is such a privilege. People often ask how I deal with the stress… well when I have such fun and produce unique pictures that are going to be treasure, I really don’t feel it!
Horses and Dogs
I would say that at least half my couples are either horse or dog lovers, and I enjoy nothing more than when either four legged friends attend the wedding! To me, they’re just as much as your family as your blood relatives and the memorable portraits I take of my couples with them are often their favourite pictures from their wedding!
Countryside
As you can probably tell, even with my wedding photos, I love the countryside! Often my couples are also big fans and using the natural surroundings of a venue for couple and group photos, making the most of the sunshine, flowers and foliage is a key part of my style and approach to telling a couples story.
Fun
Weddings are fun, you’re marrying the man or girl of your dreams after all! I feel your pictures should be filled with smiles of joy, laughter that hurts and tears of emotion. As such, I enjoy being a fly on the wall for those special, natural moments while also getting stuck into the vibe of the day… such as buying you an ice cream ahead of a five min walk!
LSWPP
On 25th March 2016 I was delighted to be awarded a ‘Licentiateship in Wedding Photography’ with the Society of Wedding & Portrait Photographers. It is great to know they feel my photography is worthy, although I am keen to continue to grow my creative skills and overall production quality to please my couples while also reaching higher grades within the SWPP.
More about me
Want to know more about me and my photography over the last ten years? Please do take a look around my website to view my Equine and Rural Life work and visit my ‘About Me’ page by following this link…
The Collection - £1600
I have created a Collection that brings together the modern day flexibility of digital images with the tradition of physical outcomes, so you can cherish your photos in both prints and on screens! For, as I truly believe, ‘pictures should be printed and admired, not just seen on phones!’
The Collection includes all of the following,
A Sneak Peek Gallery of 80 photos with in 48 hours of your wedding, so you can relive your day while on honeymoon
High Resolution Digital Images, supplied on a rose gold crystal USB
50 6×4 inch prints & a walnut print display stand
A linen coated walnut presentation box to store your USB and prints
40 Thank you Cards featuring a photo of your choice on the front
An Online Gallery, Digital Downloads & Printing Service, so your guests can view & download your photos and order their own professionally printed copies from me
A Video Slideshow of your best photos to music
Full Day – £1600
(from three hours before the ceremony to half an hour after your first dance)
Optional Extras
Into the evening coverage, staying til around 10:30pm, to take twilight couple portraits, sparkler light trail couple photos, plenty of dance floor shots and more, then this will be an additional £300.
A second experienced wedding photographer, to document the grooms preparations, the arrival of your guests, a second angle during the ceremony, plenty more informal photos during the drinks reception and more! – £300
Additional thank you cards, to the 40 cards you receive with your Collection
High Quality Wedding Albums and Parent Albums, in a choice of three different styles
Professionally produced mounted prints, in a range of print sizes from 6 by 4 inches through to 30 by 20 inches, and larger!
Would you like to know more & How to book me?
Please do get in touch via the contact form below, or give me call, to see if I am available for your wedding date. I will send you my Information Pack and we can arrange a video call and/or send across my Booking Form!
Please view my Recommended Suppliers via this link.
FAQs
How long have you been a wedding photographer?
How many weddings do you shoot a year?
Can I see some weddings from start to finish?
Have you worked at our venue before? If not, will you visit beforehand?
What information do you need from us before the wedding day?
Will I be able to give you a list of specific shots we would like?
Yes please do, as part of my Photography List I will invite you to ask for special photos and feel this is integral to my service. I want you to be as relaxed about your photography as possible and this List ensures that you can focus on enjoying your wedding, knowing that I am capturing those special pictures you have requested.
How would you describe your photography style?
For me, my style is natural, colourful and genuine. I want you to look at your photos and for all those amazing memories of the day to come flooding back, through the photos being full of life, happiness, colour and stories. Key to this is my approach of being personable and friendly, while blending into the background, so your guests and yourselves enjoy the day without realising you are being photographed!
Can I read some testimonials from past couples?
I am really proud that many of my couples have left reviews on my Facebook business page and my Google business page and you can easily find these by searching for ‘Craig Payne Photography’. Alternatively, I have set up a section above where you can read Facebook reviews that have been left by couples!
What time will you arrive in the morning?
So much happens on the wedding day morning and as such I arrive three hours prior to the ceremony to take photos of the dress with your accessories, the hair and make up being done, family photos and plenty of informal snapshots that sum up the fun of the morning!
Do we need to provide you with food and drinks?
I would really appreciate a main course and a dessert, as these really help to keep me going throughout the day. During the breakfast I will be taking plenty of photos of your guests mingling and joking at their tables (sometimes the best adhok photos of the day) and as such I prefer to eat on my own. I will only really drink water on the day.
Do we need to cover any travel expenses?
As long as you are in Sussex, Kent or Surrey then there are no additional travel costs. I tend not to shoot outside of the South East, but welcome enquiries, so please do get in touch and I can put together a quote for you.
How will you be dressed on our day?
Will other people be able to take photos during the day?
What equipment do you use and do you have back up cameras?
Do you have insurance?
Yes I do, and I am more than happy to send across a Certificate to yourselves or your venue, if they require proof of it.
How much is the deposit and when is the remaining balance due?
What happens if you are ill on our day?
How much time do you need for group and couple photos?
Ideally I like to have about forty-five minutes to take all of your group photographs, and these can be split between the ceremony venue and reception venue if you wish. This said, they can be over in a flash if you just want a few small family group photos, the choice is entirely your own! Likewise, some couples like to have lots of portraits of the two of them, while others are happy with just one or two really special photos. You tell me what you would like and I will go with this, it is your wedding day after all!
How do we book?
Contact Form
It would be great to hear from you and please make sure to list your wedding date, venue and any key details. I will be in touch asap with my availability and my Information Pack!
Alternatively, please give me a call on 07858 962889 and we can have a chat!
If you do not hear from me in 48 hours please send a direct email to me at craigtpayne@googlemail.com as sometimes emails go astray.
I look forward to hearing from you, Craig! 
10/10 Scored for both ‘Ability to Understand and fit into our wedding’ and ‘Value for Money’ by all couples that voted for Craig in the ‘Wedding Photographer of the Year’ Awards