If you’d told me a few years ago that I’d be a full-time Yorkshire wedding photographer, I probably would have laughed… nervously… and then gone back to my very sensible, very safe job.
But here we are.
Running my own business. Photographing incredible weddings. Working with the loveliest humans. And building a career that actually fits around my life — not the other way round.
This is the real, honest story of how it happened (spoiler: it wasn’t smooth, linear, or particularly graceful).
The “Something Has to Change” Moment
Back in 2017, I was working in a corporate job that, on paper, was absolutely fine.
But in reality?
I was miserable.
Becoming a mum shifted everything for me. My priorities changed, my tolerance for nonsense dropped dramatically, and I knew I couldn’t keep doing something that made me unhappy.
So I did a very glamorous, life-changing thing…
I made a list.
A list of things I enjoyed. Things I was good at. Things that made me feel like me again.
“Taking photos” was on there.
Twice.
Starting a Photography Business (With Zero Clue What I Was Doing)
Here’s the bit that people always find reassuring:
I didn’t know what I was doing.
At all.
I didn’t have a fancy camera. I didn’t have a plan. I didn’t have a niche.
What I did have was:
- A stubborn streak
- A desire to work for myself
- And a growing obsession with capturing real moments
So I started small.
Photographing my kids. Friends. Families. Saying yes to opportunities. Learning as I went.
And slowly… people started noticing.
From Side Hustle to Full-Time Wedding Photographer
For a couple of years, I built my photography business alongside my job.
It was A LOT.
Working part-time. Shooting evenings and weekends. Editing during nap times. Wondering if I was completely mad.
But it gave me something really important:
Proof that this could actually work.
By early 2020, things had picked up enough that I made the decision to go all in.
Yes… April 2020.
Perfect timing, right? 😅
Going Full-Time in the Middle of a Pandemic
I handed in my notice and became fully self-employed on 1st May 2020.
Right in the middle of a global pandemic.
Weddings were cancelling. Diaries were emptying. The entire industry felt like it was falling apart.
And I’d just jumped.
Honestly? It was terrifying.
But it also forced me to get really clear on:
And how I wanted my business to feel
The kind of photographer I wanted to be
The kind of clients I wanted to attract
Finding My Style (And My People)
Somewhere along the way, everything clicked.
I realised I didn’t want to be the photographer who:
- Poses you for hours
- Interrupts your day
- Makes you feel awkward
I wanted to be the one who:
- Blends in
- Keeps things relaxed
- Captures the real stuff
The laughter. The chaos. The emotional bits. The dancefloor carnage.
That’s what people remember.
That’s what matters.
And that’s what I built my business around.
What Being a Full-Time Wedding Photographer Looks Like Now
Fast forward to now…
I’m a North Yorkshire wedding photographer working with fun, relaxed, camera-shy couples who just want to enjoy their day and have it captured properly.
I don’t double-book weekends.
I don’t treat weddings like a conveyor belt.
And I don’t disappear you for hours for photos.
Because this isn’t just a job.
It’s people’s lives. Their memories. Their once-in-a-lifetime days.
The Bit No One Talks About
Building this business hasn’t been easy.
There have been:
- Doubts
- Burnout moments
- “What am I doing?” spirals
But there’s also been:
- Freedom
- Creativity
- Proper pride in what I’ve built
And honestly?
I’d choose this path again every single time.
Thinking About Becoming a Wedding Photographer?
If you’re reading this because you’re at the start of your journey — wondering if you could do this too…
You can.
Not overnight. Not perfectly. Not without a few wobbles.
But you absolutely can.
Or are you planning your wedding?
And if you’re here because you’re planning your wedding and want someone who’ll keep things relaxed, natural and genuinely enjoyable…
