Including Instant Film in Your Wedding Photography Package
As the popularity of film is on the rise, more and more photographers, myself included, have begun to offer it as an option for weddings and elopements. But the prices can be steep, as film is not cheap to produce or develop, and requires a whole different set of skills than digital photography. Medium format and 35mm achieve the highest quality of results, but remain less accessible to those on a tighter budget. Instant film (think Polaroid and Fujifilm’s Instax cameras) has been my way of having a little extra nostalgia and whimsy to a wedding gallery.
My favorite time to use instant film? On the dance floor. Claire and Zac’s wedding at the Memphis Botanic Garden (pictured above) featured colorful wigs and sunglasses, and guests that were very into dancing, which always makes for a fun wedding gallery to scroll through.
Instant film and polaroids can also make a special addition to a detail flat lay shot, along with rings, flowers, table settings, and other personal or decorative details. Kailey and Ozan brought their own polaroid camera to their elopement at the James Lee House, which we snapped a couple of portraits on. Kristine and Marcos booked a 35mm and polaroid package for their wedding at The Parisian in Huntsville, Alabama, which gave us some extra pieces to add to their flat lay detail photos, along with some of their swan themed decor (which I obviously loved).
Some of my favorite instant film photos I took in 2025 were of Kristine and Marcos during their bridal portrait session, ahead of their reception at the Parisian, which is owned by Noella’s Flowers. Noella’s did some incredible florals and decorations for this wedding, but have also created a timelessly beautiful space for small events in Huntsville. The white walls and black and white tiles felt very intentionally and classically designed while still being a blank space for a variety of events and aesthetics.
When Bri and Harvey got married at Bonnaroo, in the House of MatROOmony Chapel, I wasn’t able to bring my full arsenal of cameras into the festival. The solution was to go a little lower tech with a point and shoot and my Instax for the majority of the photos, and the vibe was absolutely perfect for a relaxed, colorful elopement at a music festival. The capes were provided by Loulette Bride, who brought pieces for couples to wear for free for their photos and ceremonies. Just a cool brand with cool values.
Olivia and Jason got married at the timeless and vintage feeling Harvey House restaurant in Madison, Wisconsin, which felt like the perfect venue to grab some film photos.
I couldn’t share photos from Kristine and Marcos’s wedding without adding in a few photos from their karaoke session during their reception. Further proof that if you aren’t into dancing, or are hosting your wedding in a small venue, you don’t have to have the standard wedding dance floor.
There’s been many more weddings and celebrations I’ve brought my instant film cameras to, so I’ll wrap this blog up with a few more of my favorite shots from 2024 and 2025 weddings.
Mikey and Kat at Immaculate Conception.
Anna and Calvin at Church of the River.
Lydia at Spring Hill.