Manchester Art Gallery Wedding Photography
The first place in Manchester that I visited on my own when I first moved here was Manchester Art Gallery. I had only just arrived to the UK to join my sweetheart after 2 years of loving each other long-distance from Hamburg. Before we were married, I wasn’t able to work so I’d fill my days with patching and painting our loaner-home, bike rides down the canal on my second-hand Raleigh and long, meandering trips from the suburbs into my new city via the Metrolink. We were living on Mike’s salary and money was tight - but the Art Gallery was FREE and this oasis of culture and collection and, for this wide-eyed transplant working out her place in this new country who had been virtually rasied in museums and galleries (cheers mama!), it felt beautifully, extravagantly familiar. I was to build my home here and this was a perfect starting point, a touchstone to memorise and breathe in deeply.
Why I love Manchester Art Gallery SO Much
When Hadley was born and I was once again job-less on maternity leave, we’d hop the tram into town and head straight for the Gallery - I’d whisper the names of the artists like they were saints and the colours and textures they used like they were prayers. Some weeks we’d visit three or four times. When she began to walk we’d take the lift up to the Clore Gallery on the first floor for whatever genius interactive kid’s exhibition was on and I’d cringe at the boisterous older kids running riot around my unsteady toddling girl who was drawn to light and anything mechanical she could grab. Another year and she began to notice these cavernous rooms actually had paintings on the walls, and we’d play our own ‘Where’s Wally’ - find the horses, find the dogs, find the fairies. When you’re in a space filled to the brim with neo-classical art and impressionist masters, these weren’t challenging tasks.
In more recent years, to my utter delight and astonishment, Manchester Art Gallery has become another EXTRAORDINARY place I get to play in for work. I almost cannot believe my luck when I’m there - that I get to explore and photograph and again, breathe in that familiar heady scent of dust and depth and SO much beauty. When couples get in touch with me after booking this iconic venue, I squeal and jump and say yes faster than they can ask. I should play it cool but it’s impossible when you know you’re going to get to spend the day in such a magical place.
A REAL MANCHESTER ART GALLERY WEDDING
Oh, Shania & Dan. WHAT a pair.
Their Manchester Art Gallery wedding was an absolute joy from beginning to end — gorgeous, emotional, full of laughter and with that brilliant feeling you get when you can tell that everyone in the room is completely delighted that these two people have found each other.
And honestly, Manchester Art Gallery is such a treat to photograph. One minute you're surrounded by incredible art and soaring gallery spaces, the next you're wandering out into the middle of Manchester with buses going past, people shouting congratulations and the city carrying on around you. I LOVE that contrast.
We slipped away for a little wander for portraits, made the most of the beautiful gallery itself and then got them straight back to their favourite people and their party. Because as much as I love making beautiful photographs (obviously), I will always believe that the best bit of your wedding is actually being at it.
A LITTLE WANDER AROUND MANCHESTER
One of my favourite things about photographing weddings in Manchester city centre is that we really don't need to go very far to find something brilliant.
Manchester Art Gallery is already beautiful, but step outside and we've got the whole city to play with too — grand old buildings, busy streets, unexpected little corners, gorgeous light bouncing between buildings and approximately seven million people trying to get wherever they're going while we merrily take wedding photographs in the middle of it all.
I don't tend to whisk my couples away for one enormous portrait session. I'd much rather steal you for ten minutes here, another ten minutes later if the light is lovely, and let the rest of your day belong to you.
It also means the photographs feel different each time we head out. And, crucially, you're not wondering why you spent half your wedding day wandering around Manchester with me.
WHAT IF IT RAINS?
Well, firstly: Manchester.
So.
There's always a chance.
But please don't spend the week before your wedding obsessively refreshing seventeen different weather apps. Manchester Art Gallery gives us plenty to work with indoors and a bit of rain has never stopped me making beautiful photographs outside either.
We'll find the light, work with whatever the day gives us and, if necessary, embrace the umbrellas.
Some of my favourite wedding photographs have happened when things haven't gone entirely to plan. Perfect is considerably less interesting than people having a bloody lovely time.
PLANNING YOUR OWN MANCHESTER ART GALLERY WEDDING?
My biggest piece of advice? Don't turn it into a photoshoot.
We'll make a little plan beforehand so we know roughly when family photographs make sense, when we might sneak out for a wander and whether there are any photographs or people that are especially important to you.
And then, on the day, you can forget about me for a bit.
Go and get married. Hug everyone. Have the champagne. Cry when someone you absolutely didn't expect to cry starts crying. Eat the food while it's hot. Talk to the people who've travelled to be there. Dance until your feet hurt.
I'll be somewhere nearby, finding all the bits you didn't even realise were happening.
Those are usually my favourites anyway.
AND IF YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED HERE…
I'd really love to hear about it.
I'm very lucky to be one of Manchester Art Gallery's recommended wedding photographers, and it genuinely is somewhere I'd happily come back to again and again.
So if you're planning a Manchester Art Gallery wedding and you're looking for someone who'll make gorgeous photographs without making your whole bloody wedding revolve around having them taken — come and tell me everything.
The date, the plans, the people, the bits you're ridiculously excited about. I want to hear it all.
