Sam Crathorne Photography

Sam Crathorne Photography Authentic & Story-driven Photography 🤍
Weddings, Events, Sports & Corporate

Limited 2026 Spaces | Now Booking 2027

11/09/2026

Meet Sam 👋🏻

Wedding photographer. Midlands based. UK wide. Professional photographer, questionable dancer.

Candid, documentary-style wedding photography for couples who want the real moments, the big emotions, the chaos and everything in between with a beautifully edited gallery to remember it all by.

2027 is filling up fast, so if you’re getting married, now’s a pretty good time to say hello 📸

Weddings are expensive, and I’m the first to agree that suppliers shouldn’t simply add a multiplier to their prices beca...
09/09/2026

Weddings are expensive, and I’m the first to agree that suppliers shouldn’t simply add a multiplier to their prices because it happens to be a wedding.

That said, there’s a big difference between a “wedding tax” and the genuine cost of running a professional wedding business. Behind the price of your photography is insurance, high-quality equipment and the cost of maintaining and replacing it, software, website hosting, marketing, financial advice, second shooters and travel, alongside all the time that goes into preparing for and delivering your wedding.

The hours on the wedding day are only one part of the job. There’s communication and planning beforehand, travelling to and from the venue, backing up your images, carefully selecting and editing them, and finally preparing and delivering your finished gallery.

So when you’re looking at the price of a wedding supplier, it’s worth remembering that you’re not simply paying for the hours you see. You’re paying for the experience, preparation, equipment, business costs and many hours of work that happen before and after your wedding day too.

That’s the reality behind the price tag. 🤍

04/09/2026

POV: you’ve waited months for the confetti shot and then everyone throws it directly AT the bride and groom 😂

A little photographer tip: throw the confetti OVER them, not at them. 🎉

It looks better, keeps the couple’s faces visible and gives your photographer a much better chance of getting that dreamy confetti photo you’ve been Pinteresting for months. 📸✨

So when the confetti moment comes… aim UP! 🙌🏼

25/08/2026

A weekend in the life of a wedding photographer 📸💍

Friday 14th August 🤍e.neale & beautiful wedding at Barn in Burton-on-Trent — a venue that’s extra special to me because it’s where I got married too 🥹 It was such a gorgeous day, and I had the best time capturing it. Congratulations to you both! 🥂✨

Saturday 💒🍕
Then it was off to Farm in Leamington Spa for & James wedding! The vibes were UP, the party was in full swing and the pizza was honestly incredible 😂🍕 Such a beautiful day for such a lovely couple. Congratulations, you two! 🥂

And then… the late-night editing shift 🌙💻 For both weddings, I stayed up into the early hours editing previews because I always try my absolute best to get a few images over to my couples the same day, or at the very latest, by the time they wake up the next morning.

So yes… if you’re one of my couples, there is a very real possibility you’ll get a text from me at 3am saying “your previews are ready” 😂

The only downside? Leaving for the airport at 2am on Sunday for a 5am flight after two very late nights was, not my finest moment 😂✈️

But it was SO worth it because I spent the next week in Seville with some of my closest friends 🇪🇸☀️🍊

Now I’m back to reality, back at my desk and ready to start editing these beautiful galleries!

I hope both couples are having the BEST honeymoons, I’ve been stalking the Instagram photos and I’m very jealous 😂🤍

18/08/2026

A few of you have asked me recently… “Do you do videography too?” 👀

The bad news? No 😂 I’m a photographer through and through. BUT the good news is I know someone brilliant who does. 🎥

I’m really excited to offer a combined package with Watkins Cinematography, where we work together on your wedding day to capture both the photos and the films.

If you book a full-day package with Sam Cradle Photography + Watkins Cinematography, you can get both for just over £2,000 🙌

We work really well together, complement each other perfectly, and because we already know each other and how the other works, you get a really cohesive experience from start to finish.

AND because apparently that wasn’t enough… you’ll also get a FREE first dance lesson with Simply First Dance 💃🕺

So if you’re looking for photo + video without the stress of coordinating two separate teams, this could be the one for you ❤️

And, as always, share the love with a recently engaged couple who need to see this 👀💍

22/07/2026

“Engagement shoots are just another photographer upsell…” 👀

I hear this one a lot, but I think engagement shoots are one of the most misunderstood parts of wedding photography.

They’re not essential, and I’d never tell every couple they need one. But if the thought of being in front of a camera makes you nervous, or you want to feel completely comfortable with your photographer before your wedding day, they can make a huge difference.

It’s your chance to get to know how I work, build that trust, practise being photographed, and come away with some beautiful photos before the big day too.

If you book a full-day wedding package with me, I always offer discounted engagement shoots.

19/07/2026

🚨 Big changes could be coming for weddings in England and Wales.

The government has announced proposals to reform marriage laws for the first time in almost 200 years. If they go ahead, couples could legally marry in almost any location, rather than having to use a licensed venue. Think gardens, family farms, pubs, beaches and other meaningful places.

As a wedding photographer, I think this could be a really positive step. Venue hire is often one of the biggest wedding expenses, so giving couples more flexibility could make weddings more personal and more accessible. Imagine creating your own venue, bringing in your favourite food vans and celebrating somewhere that genuinely tells your story.

That said, it’s worth remembering that traditional venues offer so much more than a beautiful space. Experienced coordinators, insurance, licensed bars, catering facilities, health and safety procedures and contingency plans are all things you’ll need to consider if you’re planning a wedding somewhere less conventional.

These are still proposals, not new laws, so nothing is changing just yet—but it’s definitely one to watch if you’re planning a wedding.

Would you choose a traditional venue, or somewhere completely unique? Let me know in the comments. 👇

WeddingIdeas WeddingPhotographer UKPhotographer WeddingInspiration SamCrathornePhotography

There could be a major change to wedding laws in England and Wales, giving couples much more freedom over where they leg...
19/07/2026

There could be a major change to wedding laws in England and Wales, giving couples much more freedom over where they legally get married, and the possibility is really exciting.

I’ve written a short blog on what’s being proposed, what it could mean for budgets, and a few practical considerations from a photographer’s perspective. Have a read here.

Whilst I took photo 1, my second shooter took photo 2. The same moment from your big day, two simultaneous points of vie...
18/07/2026

Whilst I took photo 1, my second shooter took photo 2. The same moment from your big day, two simultaneous points of view.

A second photographer isn’t just about getting more photos, it’s about getting more of your story.

When one of us is photographing your first kiss, the other is capturing your parents’ reactions. When one is with you walking down the aisle, the other is focused on your partner seeing you for the first time. The same moment, two completely different perspectives.

It’s also one of the most cost-effective upgrades you can make to your wedding photography. Hiring a second shooter is much cheaper than trying to book a completely separate photographer. You’ll still receive one beautifully curated gallery, edited in the same style, delivered together, and within exactly the same turnaround time as if you had booked a single photographer. No trying to piece two galleries together.

For weddings with lots of guests, separate morning preparations, multiple locations or couples who simply don’t want to miss a single reaction, a second photographer can make such a huge difference.

Because while one photographer captures the moment, the other captures everything happening around it.

And those are often the photographs that end up meaning the most years later. 🤍

Would you add a second photographer to your wedding day? If you’re planning your wedding and want to chat about whether it’s the right fit for you, send me a DM, we’d love to help.

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