My Portfolio of Documentary Wedding Photography Favorites

A Collection

As a pure documentary wedding photographer, my approach to every wedding is to recognize that it is completely unique. Because although weddings tend to follow a similar “script”, every couple is different, and therefore the photos will be, too. My goal is to capture your day as it happens, rather than imposing my idea of what a wedding photo “should” be. There is no “should” in documentary wedding photography. There is only “is”. Enjoy this look at some of my very favorite documentary wedding photos. From formal to casual, outdoor in summer to indoors in winter, documentary photography is a perfect choice for any setting.

A couple walk hand in hand down the aisle after saying I do at this Tuxedo Park Wedding, photographed by Amy Milstein.
A bride kisses her groom on the cheek during a private moment just before their ceremony in their Brooklyn home. Photographed by documentary wedding photographer Amy Milstein.
Eli lifts his bride in spontaneous joy after their wedding in Central Park.
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Candid wedding photo in Brooklyn on a rainy day walk to the wedding.
In this color documentary wedding photo, the guests play 'paparazzi' as they all take photos of the newlyweds.
Candid documentary wedding photo of guests dancing the hora, taken by documentary wedding photographer Amy Milstein
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The best man throws up his arms to welcome and encourage a guest to the dance floor during the reception at the NY Botanical Gardens.
The Bride and Groom descend the stairs in what used to be one of the bootlegging storerooms of Dutch Schultz but is now part of the distillery and event venue Dutch's Spirits in upstate NY. The crystal chandeliers and rough hewn wood of the walls cr
The couple 'run' to the Marriage Bureau in Lower Manhattan in this documentary wedding photo
The bride and groom sign their marriage certificate in this documentary wedding photo.
Amy Milstein's documentary style captures this candid moment of the bride and groom on their way to the wedding ceremony.
A Jewish bride holds her ketubah over her head as she is congratulated by friends just after her wedding ceremony, in this candid wedding moment captured by Amy Milstein.
In this documentary wedding photo, the father of the bride shakes the grooms hand as the bride laughs.
Wedding photojournalism on full display as this couple leaves their Cop Cot wedding in Central Park NYC.
Unposed moment between the grooms at a Brooklyn wedding.
Bride during candid pre wedding walk by documentary wedding photographer Amy Milstein

Your wedding day should be a time to celebrate with the people you love. You are unique, and your photos should reflect that. Why have posed shots that look like everyone else’s?

I recently spoke to a groom who said, “I don’t want to be an actor at my own wedding,” and I completely understood what he meant by that. Weddings, no matter how small, are productions of a sort, but they shouldn’t be a performance. The best weddings are gatherings of family and friends where two people just happen to get married. Once there are roles to play and marks to hit, the genuine nature of the moment gets lost.

Candid wedding photos by an experienced documentary wedding photographer mean you can enjoy your day, knowing afterward you’ll have images to treasure forever.

A bride reaches for her friend to join her in the middle of the dancing circle in this documentary wedding photo taken at a Jewish wedding by Amy Milstein.
At this micro wedding at Bethesda Terrace in August 2020, the bride & groom listen to the officiant/ best man as he begins.
At this micro wedding at Bethesda Terrace, the best man & officiant goes off script and we see the surprise on the brides face as the groom laughs.
At this micro wedding at Bethesda Terrace in Central Park, the bride leans in to kiss the officiant before kissing her groom!
At this micro wedding at Bethesda Terrace in Central Park, the bride and groom are officially married, and share a kiss.
Bride and groom during a candid moment by documentary wedding photographer Amy Milstein.
As the rain came down just before the ceremony at this wedding on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, a young guest takes shelter under a nearby umbrella.
The ring bearer is all smiles at this wedding on Manhattan's Upper West Side, as he waits to make his entrance.
The young female relatives of the bride and groom wait in their identical dresses and varying levels of interest at this Jewish wedding on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn.
Weddings can be tiring for kids, as evidenced by this young attendee who decided standing was taking far too much effort. He lays on the floor in front of the bride, who is seated next to her mother and soon to be mother in law.
In this candid black and white photo by Amy Milstein, we see the intertwined fingers of the bride and groom as they listen to the toast by the best man.
The bride and groom share a first dance, and smile as they lean in to touch noses in this candid photo by documentary wedding photographer Amy Milstein.
A moment between friends at a June wedding on Randalls Island, captured by documentary photographer Amy Milstein.
 
Candid moment of a couple captured by NYC photojournalistic wedding photographer
Unposed family moment at New Jersey wedding
Documentary wedding photo of friends celebrating, taken by Amy Milstein at this wedding in Israel.
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In this documentary wedding photo, the officiant helps the bride fasten a loose strap on her shoe while the groom provides support.
In this documentary wedding photo, the newlyweds headed to the Strand Bookstore to do some post wedding shopping. The bride is on the ladder holding a copy of Bette Midler's "A View From A Broad", while her groom look on.
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A bride and groom wander by a used bookstore in the East Village in NYC in this documentary wedding photo by Amy Milstein.
Unposed family & friends moment at a Long Island wedding, captured by Amy Milstein.
In this documentary wedding photo by Amy Milstein, the bride, groom and their family take the bus from the Central Park wedding to their reception at a nearby restaurant.

I’d love to hear from you!

No matter how many images you see or blogs you read, there’s really no substitute for personal contact and getting direct answers to your questions. Please reach out and I’ll get back to you within 24 hours. Looking forward to it!