5 Reasons Why Unedited Wedding Photos Can Be More Beautiful

Having beautiful photos to look back on after your wedding day is one of the biggest joys of getting married. Snapshots of you and your beloved reveling in your big day mean that you can relive that special moment over and over again.

However, choosing a photographer and what kind of shoot you want can be a difficult choice if you lack experience in the field of photography. Fortunately, there are lots of different ways to approach wedding photos. What may surprise you is that not all of them involve heavy editing.

When most people think of wedding photos, they think of high-glam, multi-filtered images adorned with highlights and complex exposure techniques.

But increasingly, a growing number of couples are choosing a more authentic and simplistic route: the unedited wedding photo shoot.

Unedited wedding photos can create a more organic atmosphere for commemorating your big day and show off your best sides in a way that is more real. Plus, it can also be more affordable and have a quicker turnaround than other shoot types.

Sometimes, the simpler a wedding shoot is, the better the photos turn out.

Let’s dive into this trending new minimalistic approach to wedding photos by exploring the perks of unedited images when it comes to celebrating major milestones like tying the knot.

What Is The Difference Between An Edited And An Unedited Wedding Photo?

The difference between edited and unedited wedding photos is simple: the former has undergone comprehensive editing and post-processing development (light adjustment, color grading, cropping, Photoshopping, etc.), and the latter refers to a raw photo image.

There is nothing wrong with edited wedding photos – sometimes, they can help get rid of unwanted spots, distracting marks, background blemishes, or obscure lighting that hinders the beauty of the photo.

However, if a photo series is edited too much or in the wrong way, it can lead to a synthetic-looking image. Opting for a raw version of your wedding photos means a more honest depiction of your day can shine through, and there is no risk of overly manufactured images.

5 Reasons To Consider Unedited Wedding Photos For Your Special Day

The details of your wedding shoot will define the overarching style and atmosphere of your wedding when you look back on it in the future, so making sure you choose the right approach is key to snapping pictures that both you and your partner adore, no matter how many years pass.

Unedited wedding photos might sound like a controversial idea, but once you get a closer look at the reasons why others are making this choice, you may be convinced, too!

1. They’re more authentic

Edited photos can sometimes look sleeker and more formal, but when handled improperly, they can lead to artificial-looking results. Unedited photos, on the other hand, offer much more genuineness and visual honesty, showcasing you and your beloved in a (literally) more authentic light.

If you appreciate the “realness” of a couple free from dense Instagram filters or heavy Photoshopping, hiring a photographer who intentionally keeps things neutral and realistic is a great way to celebrate the natural beauty of your relationship – and of your one-of-a-kind big day.

2. Faster turnaround

Editing photos takes time. In fact, sometimes it can take several weeks or months to put wedding photos through the post-processing system, meaning that you have to wait extra long to see your pictures.

Most couples are beyond excited to see the photos of their wedding day after it has happened. But choosing a photographer who uses a traditional editing process can mean waiting a very long time for that to happen. With unedited photos, none of that waiting around is required.

Because the photos are raw and ready to be showcased, all the photographer needs to do is make a final selection of where you look your best and send them through. Impatient or easily excitable couples, take note!

3. It can be more affordable

In addition to being time-consumptive, photo editing can also be expensive. Many photographers have paid hundreds of dollars to have access to powerful editing programs and will therefore need to factor in those costs when giving engaged couples a wedding shoot quote.

However, if your photographer is not going to be editing your photos at all, they can charge you a much lower rate. This is ideal for couples who want to stick to a strict budget or focus on saving for other important things, such as a mortgage, a great honeymoon, or a child’s education fund.

4. More control over the image outcomes

If you or your partner happen to have creative or digital editing skills, you might like to choose unedited wedding photos so that you can adjust them to your own preferences in your own time.

You don’t need to be a professional photo editor to get creative about how you want to edit your photos – you could even have fun with it by adding unique designs that you or your partner have specifically designed. This kind of control over the shoot outcome is only really possible with unedited pictures.

5. Allows for a more unique expression of your love

Unedited wedding shoots are still an emerging trend that makes a powerful statement about self-expression and love. Photographers may not yet be as quick to load these photos to the portfolios they’re building as they don’t fit the traditional aesthetic, but that makes them even more special and unique.

You don’t need crazy filters or processes to alter how you look on your wedding day – your relationship is already beautiful, to begin with, and capturing it in its most natural state of being is an amazing way to say, “we love each other just the way we are”. What a way to start off a marriage!

Choose The Look You Love

The choice of whether to capture edited or unedited photos of your wedding day is ultimately a personal one – it really depends on your personal preferences, budget, and style.

However, more couples are choosing to opt for a more neutral and organic-looking route by selecting unedited photos for their big day, signaling a shift in the way modern couples are approaching memory-making.

Unedited photos can be more affordable, get processed faster, and add a more authentic atmosphere to your wedding shoot that can be looked at and appreciated for decades to come. If this sounds like you, then you know what to do!