35mm wedding photography is not a trend!
Why 35mm Film Is Pure Magic for Weddings & Elopements
There is a certain kind of beauty that can’t be generated by tech. A softness that can’t be replicated. An honesty that only comes from something real, tangible, and crafted with intention. That is the beauty of 35mm film. And why I choose to bring it to so many of my weddings and elopements.
In a world overflowing with digital perfection, film slows everything down. It invites you to feel instead of simply pose. To just be present in the moment. It captures not just how a moment looked, but how it felt. And for love stories unfolding in intimate corners, nothing preserves emotion quite like film. And I despise the idea punted by socials that it’s a trend in weddings and elopement photography.
The Timeless Beauty of Film
Each 35mm film has a signature look that digital simply can’t imitate, no matter how many presets or filters are layered on top.
Soft, luminous skin tones
Authentic grain that feels organic, never artificial
Dreamy colors that stay true for decades
Highlights and shadows that roll gently instead of clipping harshly
Happy accidents and light leaks that can’t be replicated
Film photography feels alive. Every frame holds depth, warmth, and character — a timeless aesthetic that makes your wedding gallery feel more like a collection of memories than a collection of images.
Slowing Down to Capture What Matters
Weddings and elopements move quickly. But film encourages a different pace. Each click of the shutter is intentional, never rushed, never careless. Images have a natural unforced feel which captures real emotion over perfection and posing. I tend to creep around at weddings and elopements with several cameras with different length lenses. That quiet, unobtrusive energy allows genuine connection to shine through — the laughter between pals, the gentle moments between vows, the tenderness you and guests share when you think no one is watching.
Whether you’re eloping on a cliffside or saying your vows under soft morning light in the countryside, film embraces every kind of natural environment beautifully. If you’re planning an outdoor wedding or intimate adventure elopement, film doesn’t just photograph the scenery — it elevates it.
The Magic of Imperfection
Part of what makes film so special is that it’s not perfect at least, not in the glossy digital sense. There may be light leaks, soft blur, unexpected flares, or subtle grain. But these tiny imperfections are exactly what makes the images feel alive, emotional, and real.
Your wedding day isn’t staged or scripted. Your images shouldn’t feel that way either.
Film is physical. Tangible. Permanent. Long after your wedding day, the negatives still exist.
In a world where everything lives in the cloud, 35mm film gives your story a kind of permanence that feels rare and meaningful. PRINT YOUR DAMNED PHOTOS OUT!! Film images look AMAZING on fine art paper as giclee prints or on photographic paper. I’ve got both options available on your gallery if you’d like to order direct from there.
If you feel drawn to the softness, the depth, the poetry of 35mm film — if you want your wedding day to be captured with intention and artistry — I would be honoured to document it for you.
City weddings are full of movement - Edinburgh tourists mooching through closes, taxis sliding past sandstone and glass buildings, the ever changing light. The red brick and sandstone of Glasgow feels very different as does the ush light of the Sottish East Coast and film shows the character of the spaces you chose just as much as the moments that happen. Taking a wee second to breath it all in and feel the surreal magic of it all. It’s a wild milestone and a very personal moment to share.
Film creates photographs you don’t just look at. You feel them. And that is what makes them timeless and not just some trend to tickbox.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Visit my wedding and elopement pages.
I help hook couples up with local small indie brands and creatives around Edinburgh and East Lothian as well as spending the last 12 years + shooting weddings all over Scotland and beyond.