Bride and groom standing together on a curved wooden staircase in a modern architectural interior of AGO museum, captured in an editorial, elegant wedding portrait style

Candid black and white portrait of a bride and groom wiping away tears while laughing together, captured in an intimate, unposed wedding moment.

Editorial, Candid, or Photojournalistic?

How to Know Which Wedding Photography Style Is Truly You

(And Why You Don’t Have to Choose Just One)

Most couples don’t actually fit into just one photography “style” – and they don’t need to. A wedding day isn’t one-dimensional, and neither are the moments within it. What most couples are truly drawn to is a blend: candid photography that captures real, unscripted emotion as it naturally unfolds, editorial imagery that adds a beautiful and intentional visual layer, and a photojournalistic approach that documents the full, honest story of the day from beginning to end. The magic happens when all three styles work together, supporting the moment instead of competing with it.

At Purple Tree, this is exactly how we approach every wedding. We don’t believe you should have to choose between candid emotion and editorial beauty, or between photojournalistic storytelling and thoughtful guidance. Each wedding deserves all of it. Our role is to move seamlessly between these approaches so your photos feel natural yet elevated, intentional yet deeply real – a complete visual story that reflects not just how your day looked, but how it felt.

Bride seated on cathedral steps with groom standing above her under dramatic architectural arches, captured in an editorial wedding photography style with sculpted light and refined composition

Wide photojournalistic view of a wedding reception in a grand ballroom with guests seated, tall floral centerpieces, candlelight, and a couple sharing a moment at the center of the room under chandelier light

First, Let’s Decode the Words (Because They Get Thrown Around a Lot)

By the time couples come to us, they’ve usually heard these three terms:

Candid
Editorial
Photojournalistic

They sound clear… until you actually try to imagine how they’ll look in your own photos.

So let’s translate them into real-life moments.

Candid black and white portrait of a bride and groom laughing together in an unposed, intimate moment during their wedding day

Bride and groom standing together at sunset with the bride’s veil glowing in backlight, captured in a refined, editorial wedding photography style.

Photojournalistic wide shot of flower girls running toward the bride and groom outdoors, capturing spontaneous movement and celebration during a wedding

Photojournalistic: The Story as It Truly Unfolds

Photojournalistic photography is about observing, not directing.

It’s your sister fixing your veil without realizing they’re being photographed.
The eyes full of love as your grandparents watch you walk down the aisle.
Your mother wiping away a tear in the front row.
It’s your dad seeing you in your dress for the first time.

We don’t interrupt these moments. We don’t recreate them. We simply watch, anticipate, and document them as they happen. This is the backbone of your story – the part that feels honest, emotional, and deeply personal.

It’s the “this really happened” layer of your wedding.

Elderly couple holding hands during a wedding ceremony, captured in black and white in a quiet, photojournalistic moment of emotion and connection

Bride standing by a window as her mother gently adjusts her veil, captured in soft backlight in a photojournalistic, intimate wedding morning moment

Mother of the bride wiping away tears during the wedding ceremony, captured in black and white in a candid, photojournalistic moment.

Candid: The In-Between Moments You Didn’t Know You Had

Candid is closely related to photojournalistic, but slightly different.

Candid moments are often:
• Reactions
• Laughter
• Glances
• Small gestures
• The seconds between the “official” moments

It’s the way you laugh when your partner whispers something.
The way your shoulders drop once the ceremony is over.
The moment you realize, “Oh… we’re married.”

These are the images couples often say,
“I didn’t even know you caught that.”

They’re not posed. They’re not planned. They’re simply real.

Wedding guests raising glasses and laughing during a heartfelt toast, captured in a candid, unposed moment at the reception.

Candid black and white close-up of a groom’s hand resting on the bride’s back during an intimate wedding moment.

Father embracing his bride daughter in a tender, emotional moment before the ceremony, captured in a candid wedding photograph

Editorial: When Beauty Is Gently Guided

Editorial photography is where intention and artistry come in.

This is the layer that gives you:
• Beautifully composed portraits
• Thoughtful use of light
• A sense of fashion and elegance
• Images that wouldn’t look out of place in a magazine

But here’s the part many people misunderstand:
Editorial doesn’t mean stiff. It doesn’t mean overly posed. And it definitely doesn’t mean you suddenly have to become a model.

It means we guide you – softly – into flattering light, natural movement, and comfortable positioning, so you look like yourselves on your very best day.

We often say:
Nothing should feel staged, but nothing should feel random either.

Bride and groom seated together outside an ivy-covered historic building, captured in a composed, editorial wedding portrait style with soft natural light.

Bride seated in a vintage car wearing an off-the-shoulder lace gown, captured in a fashion-inspired editorial wedding portrait style with soft direct flash light outdoors

Bride and groom standing under a stone archway in Graydon Hall Manor with the bride’s veil flowing behind her, captured in a dramatic, editorial wedding photography style

Why Most Couples Don’t Belong in Just One Box

Almost every couple tells us some version of this:

“We want real moments, but we also want beautiful portraits.”
“We don’t want to pose all day, but we don’t want to feel lost either.”
“We love editorial photos, but we don’t want our day to feel like a photoshoot.”

And honestly? That makes perfect sense.

A wedding day is not one mood. It’s many:

• Quiet and emotional in the morning
• Intimate during the ceremony
• Joyful and relaxed during cocktail hour
• Energetic and bold on the dance floor

Why would one single style serve all of that?

Bride standing in her robe looking at her wedding dress hanging on a rack in soft window light, captured in a calm, intimate, editorial wedding morning moment in Arlington Estate.

Bride and groom holding hands during an outdoor wedding ceremony at the Graydon Hall as the officiant speaks, captured in a photojournalistic style with guests watching in the background.

Wedding guests waving napkins in the air during a lively reception under a large floral chandelier, captured in a dynamic, photojournalistic style at Arlington Estate

How the Blend Actually Looks on a Real Wedding Day

This is where our candid + editorial + photojournalistic approach really comes to life.

Getting Ready
Soft light, calm energy, documentary storytelling. We observe, capture, and gently guide when needed so everything feels natural and unforced.

First Look / Portraits
This is where the editorial layer shines. We guide you into beautiful light, give simple direction, and then let you be with each other. You get images that are elegant, emotional, and very much you.

Ceremony
Pure photojournalism. We don’t interfere. We anticipate moments, reactions, and emotions as they unfold.

Family & Group Photos
A mix of structure and ease. Enough guidance to keep things flowing, enough space for genuine interaction.

Reception & Dance Floor
Candid energy meets editorial boldness. Sometimes that’s soft ambient light. Sometimes it’s intentional direct flash that freezes the joy, movement, and excitement in a way that feels modern and alive.

Different moments call for different visual languages – and we speak all of them.

Why This Approach Feels So Comfortable for Shy Couples

So many of our couples start by saying,
“We’re not models.”
“We’re awkward.”
“We don’t know what to do in front of the camera.”

What they usually discover is that they don’t need to “perform.”
They just need guidance, space, and trust.

Because when:
• You’re not over-posed
• You’re not left completely on your own
• You’re gently directed and then allowed to be present

You stop thinking about the camera.
And that’s when everything looks natural.

Our Philosophy at Purple Tree

We believe the most beautiful wedding photography lives in the balance.

Your wedding isn’t one thing.
It’s a collection of feelings, energies, and memories.

And your photographs should reflect all of it – naturally, beautifully, and truthfully.

We blend:
• The honesty of photojournalism
• The emotion of candid moments
• The elegance of editorial imagery

So you receive:
• A full story of your day
• Real, unfiltered emotion
• And beautifully guided portraits that feel timeless, not forced

You don’t have to choose between looking natural and looking polished.
You don’t have to choose between real moments and beautiful ones.

You get both.