Nottingham Wedding Photographer

Natural, relaxed wedding photography and videography across Nottingham

If you’re looking for a Nottingham wedding photographer who can capture your day naturally, calmly and beautifully, you’re in the right place.

I’m Paul Heathcote, a wedding photographer and videographer based near Nottingham, covering weddings across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, the Midlands and beyond. My style is relaxed, candid and story-led, with a focus on real moments, genuine emotion and a few unforgettable wow shots that look amazing without taking over your day.

Most couples come to me because they don’t want their wedding to feel like one long photoshoot. They want to enjoy the day, spend time with their guests, laugh properly, cry if it happens, dance badly if required, and still end up with a beautiful set of photographs and films that feel like them.

That is exactly how I work.

Wedding photography in Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire has a brilliant mix of wedding venues, from elegant country houses and converted barns to city centre weddings, rustic spaces, modern venues and countryside estates.

I photograph and film weddings across Nottingham and the surrounding areas, including venues such as Swancar Farm Country House, The Carriage Hall, Walled Garden at Beeston Fields (Pippley Walled Garden), Cockliffe Country House, Goosedale, Colwick Hall, Norwood Park, Holme Pierrepont Hall, Hazel Gap Barn and many more.

Each venue has its own feel. A wedding at Swancar Farm has a very different rhythm to a city centre Nottingham wedding. A countryside venue gives us space, light and landscapes, while an urban wedding can create brilliant opportunities for documentary images, stylish portraits and atmospheric evening shots.

Wherever your wedding is taking place, my aim is always the same: to capture the real story of the day in a way that feels relaxed, polished and personal.

A relaxed approach for couples who don’t love posing

A lot of couples tell me they feel awkward in front of a camera. That is completely normal.

You do not need to know how to pose, perform, or spend hours away from your guests. For most of the day, I work quietly and naturally, capturing what is already happening. When we do take portraits, I’ll give you enough direction so you feel comfortable, but not so much that everything starts to feel stiff or staged.

The best wedding photos usually come from a mix of both: natural documentary coverage and a small amount of gentle direction when it helps. That means you still get the relaxed candid moments, but also the beautiful portraits that feel considered, flattering and worth printing.

Photography, videography and drone coverage

One of the main advantages of booking me is that I offer photography, videography and aerial media, either separately or as a combined package.

For many couples, having one creative approach across both photo and film makes the day feel easier. You are not dealing with separate teams working in different styles, competing for the same moments, or pulling you in different directions.

My wedding films are created with the same philosophy as my photography: natural, emotional and story-led. I capture the atmosphere of the day, the movement, the voices, the laughter, the speeches and the moments that photographs alone cannot fully preserve.

Drone footage can also be included where suitable, subject to weather, location and permissions. Nottinghamshire has some beautiful wedding venues and surrounding landscapes, and aerial footage can add a real sense of place to your final film.

Nottingham wedding venues I love photographing

Nottingham and Nottinghamshire are full of venues that suit different styles of wedding.

Swancar Farm Country House is ideal for couples wanting a stylish countryside venue with everything in one place. It has a lovely mix of indoor and outdoor spaces, which makes it great for natural coverage throughout the day.

The Carriage Hall near Plumtree has a warm, rustic feel with beautiful surroundings and a relaxed countryside atmosphere. It works especially well for couples who want a barn-style wedding without losing elegance.

The Walled Garden at Beeston Fields (Pippley Walled Garden) is a lovely option for outdoor ceremonies, garden portraits and relaxed summer weddings. It has a softer, romantic feel and works beautifully when the light is right.

Cockliffe Country House offers a more intimate country house setting, with woodland, gardens and a peaceful feel away from the busier parts of Nottingham.

Holme Pierrepont Hall is another beautiful Nottinghamshire venue, particularly for couples wanting history, character and classic surroundings.

Colwick Hall, Goosedale, Norwood Park and other Nottinghamshire venues each bring something different, from grand architecture to open countryside. If I already have a dedicated venue page or real wedding from your venue, I’ll happily send that over so you can see how I approach the space.

Creative portraits and wow shots

Although most of my coverage is natural and candid, I also believe every couple deserves a few standout images.

These are the portraits with a little more drama, shape and polish. Sometimes that means using beautiful natural light. Sometimes it means using advanced lighting techniques later in the day to create something more striking and cinematic like backlighting using off camera flash techniques (I have ran seminars on this).

This is especially useful in the evening, when venues often take on a completely different atmosphere. A few minutes outside at sunset, in the rain, under festoon lights, beside a dramatic building or in the grounds of your venue can create images that feel completely different from the rest of the day.

I never want portraits to dominate your wedding, but I do think it is worth taking a little time to create something memorable.

A calm, friendly presence on the day

Your photographer and videographer are with you for a huge part of your wedding day, so personality matters.

I’m not there to bark orders, turn the day into a production, or make everyone feel uncomfortable. I’m there to help the day flow, capture it properly, and keep things relaxed.

With around a decade and a half of experience, I know when to step in, when to step back, when to guide people, and when to leave a moment alone. That experience is especially helpful when timings shift, weather changes, speeches run late, or the light suddenly becomes perfect and we need to make the most of it quickly.

Featured Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Wedding Venues

I’ve photographed and filmed weddings across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and the Midlands, from relaxed barn weddings to elegant country house venues. Here are a few recent wedding highlights showing my natural photography, cinematic wedding films and full-day storytelling style.