“SJ was by far the best decision we made for our wedding…”

SJ is a newcastle wedding photographer

wedding photographer newcastle | Sarah-Jane Ethan Photography

Bright. Fun. Natural

Are you a relaxed & fun-loving couple looking for a bright & natural wedding photographer in Newcastle, Europe or beyond?

Perfect! You’re in the right place.

Newcastle wedding photographer and Mallorca-based wedding photographer, SJ offers her unique style of bright, fun and natural wedding photography, combining her distinctive “bright & ethereal” use of light with her “quirky eye for detail”, to create images as “genuine and fun as she is!”.

Get IN Touch See PRices

wedding photographer newcastle | Sarah-Jane Ethan Photography

Bright. Fun. Natural

Are you a relaxed & fun-loving couple looking for a bright & natural wedding photographer in Newcastle, Europe or beyond?

Perfect! You’re in the right place.

Newcastle wedding photographer and Mallorca-based wedding photographer, SJ offers her unique style of bright, fun and natural wedding photography, combining her distinctive “bright & ethereal” use of light with her “quirky eye for detail”, to create images as “genuine and fun as she is!”.

Get IN Touch See PRices

50+ 5 Star Google Reviews

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“Her communication is the best of any
photographer I’ve worked with
She is so friendly and kind and didn’t
miss a moment we wanted captured”
Elizabeth Anderson
2 years ago
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5 star rating
5 star rating
5 star rating
There are few words that explain just how incredible SJ is! She is so attentive and warm, and went the extra mile throughout the whole process.”
Sarah Shorten
10 months ago
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5 star rating
Our photos are filled with so much love, laughter and happiness. We can’t recommend SJ enough; she was everything we dreamed and more”
Hannah Tremble
6 days ago
Check SJ’s Availability
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Fun wedding couple

As a Newcastle Wedding Photographer my style is unusually bright, fun and natural. Many brides find themselves being forced to choose between:

  • Dark and natural / or bright but posed
  • Fun and movement / or elegance and flattering angles
  • People and emotions / or pretty details

With Sarah-Jane Ethan Photography you don’t have to choose! I love to work in a gentle, ‘hands-off’ way, creating elegant, fine-art images that are also fun and full of laughter. All finished in my bright, dreamy, pastel style. 

Many wedding clients tell me how unusual this is and book their wedding around my availability because they can’t find anyone similar. I can’t tell you what an honour this is!

Please be aware: if you’re looking for a photographer who will rush you, making demand or pose you, I am definitely NOT the photographer for you. 

But if you would like someone:

  • Quiet and friendly 
  • Flexible and experienced
  • Gifted at capturing natural moments
  • A creative wedding photographer
  • Focused on laughter, emotion and pretty details
  • Fiercely protective of your rights and prioritising your preferences
  • Able to get everyone laughing and relaxing (even during your portraits!) 
  • And even be on hand to help with some last minute sewing (I think I sewed 5 emergency dress alternations and repairs last year alone!)

… then I am definitely the right photographer for you.

I’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch to tell me more about your big day.

Your Newcastle Wedding Photographer

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Your Newcastle Wedding Photographer

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Meet SJ
Wedding Photographer

Hello my lovely, I’m so happy you are here!

I have the honour of working all over Europe capturing fun-filled destination wedding photography for couples who love to laugh. They also want bright, natural wedding photos (but I’m a Newcastle Wedding Photographer, so I love to work locally too!)

I am a people-person who’s greatest joy is making sure every member of a wedding day feels instantly at ease so I can see their true personality.

Even during your portraits there will be no awkward posing with me. Instead I’ll get you moving and laughing, playing silly games and enjoying each other’s company.

SJ is a bright, natural newcastle based wedding photographer
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I believe this uniquely hands-off, natural approach is what creates images so full of life, emotion and fun, and helps me capture my couples at their best.

When not photographing beautiful weddings, whether as a Wedding Photographer Newcastle or in Mallorca, you can find me dreaming at the beach in Northumberland, engaging in various crafting projects, or teaching tricks to our crazy ‘half-dog’ cat Jeremy. I’d love to get to know you too.

If you are a relaxed couple creating an alternative, rustic or destination wedding, and would like bright, natural, fairytale images to match, I would be honoured to be there with you. Get in touch as soon as you can, and we will find the perfect date!

Manoir De La Foulquetiere

Wedding In Zante

David & Rachael

Newcastle Wedding Photography Portfolio

Why Newcastle?

Originally from Sussex I moved to Newcastle over 15 years ago for a job. I thought it was a temporary move…yet here I am! I always tell people that Newcastle gets under your skin and you can’t leave, I just I love everything about it! The people, the coastline, the countryside, the food, and the super easy connections to the rest of the UK and Europe. If it was just a little warmer (!) I’d say it is the best location in the world! So allow me a moment to boast about the local places I love most.

If you are looking for a diverse and delightful region to tie the knot, look no further than Newcastle & the North East. This region is a treasure trove of natural wonders, cultural gems, and friendly folk. You can find everything from urban buzz to rural charm in counties like Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Durham, and Teesside.

One of the best things about Newcastle is its awe-inspiring natural beauty. You can say “I do” in front of majestic coastlines, lush hills, and scenic countryside. Imagine exchanging vows in Northumberland National Park, the Northumberland coast, or the North Pennines. These are just some of the places where you can find the perfect backdrop for your wedding photos.

But Newcastle isn’t just about nature. It also has a rich and proud cultural heritage. It has a fascinating industrial history, and many places still celebrate their roots. You can add some history and character to your wedding by choosing a landmark like the Angel of the North or Hadrian’s Wall.

Newcastle & the North East are renowned for its warm and welcoming people. The locals are famous for their friendliness and hospitality. They’ll make you feel right at home and help you have a fun and relaxed wedding celebration.

And last but not least, Newcastle has so many amazing wedding venues! Some of my favourites are Alnwick Treehouse, Fig House at Middleton Lodge and Shotton Grange

So what are you waiting for? The North East of England is a fantastic place to get married because it has everything you need: natural beauty, cultural heritage, friendly people, and venue options – and I’d love to be your Newcastle Wedding Photographer!

Newcastle Wedding photo of couple with sparklers

Frequently Asked Questions – Newcastle Wedding Photographer

7 ways to choose the perfect wedding photographer:

  • Style: Decide what style you like. Do you want dark or light images, focused on people or details, natural or directed? It won’t work to ask a dark photographer to do light images, or a serious photographer to take fun pictures etc, they are unlikely to meet your expectations. Choose a photographer whose style is already exactly what you want and if you haven’t found them… keep looking! My particular style is bright, fun and natural. This style isn’t for everyone but many of my clients say this is exactly what they’ve been looking for.
  • Budget: Decide how much you can spend. It’s important to remember that wedding day costs can quickly escalate however a poor photographer can make an expensive wedding look cheap, and a good photographer can make a cheap wedding look amazing. As the photos are all you’ll have left, it’s important to prioritise your photographer in your budget, if this is important to you. My photography is priced to provide an exceptionally high level of service and super quick delivery. It also reflects 10 year experience and ability to create stunning wedding images even in challenging weather conditions. I also offer significant discounts for local and out-of-season weddings.
  • Consistency: Check a good selection of past work. You are looking to spot consistent style, edit and technique. Many photographers experiment and change their style year on year, wedding by wedding, and sometime even picture by picture, so you’ll never know exactly what you’re going to get. Choose someone who has already settled on their style and can produce the same results consistently in different lighting and weather conditions. Ask if they have any plans to change their edit before your wedding. On my website you will find a vast selection of real weddings from start to finish, along with full year reviews going back several years, so you can feel confident that what you see will be exactly what you get.
  • Testimonies: It’s really important to find out what past clients say about your photographer. Once you receive the photos it is too late for a redo, so an abundance of happy past clients is a good indicator that you can book with confidence. Check out google reviews, social media comments and even contact their past brides directly for an honest opinion. I have many wonderful testimonies on google, social media and all over my website (I struggle to find space for them all!) to help you book with confidence.
  • Delivery times: Many photographers overbook themselves and can’t meet their promised delivery deadlines. You could find yourself waiting weeks and even months to receive your wedding pictures. This can be the most frustrating anticlimax to the high of the wedding day. So it is important to check delivery times and what guarantee you have that this timescale will be honoured. Personally, I am passionate about limiting my diary so I can provide a focused and energetic service to all my client, delivering images in lightening speed (4 weeks guaranteed, often much quicker!) 
  • Contingency: Ask your photographer what will happen in a worst case scenario. What if they get sick? What if the wedding is cancelled? What if the camera breaks? What if it rains etc? An experienced wedding photographer will have considered all these eventualities and many more, and already have a contingency plan (or five!) in place. Knowing what to expect if things don’t go according to plan, or even just knowing that your photographer is one step ahead of any potential problems, will help you relax and enjoy your wedding day. I am naturally a planner anyway, so considering worst case scenarios and creating back-up plans is second nature. I take the happiness and experience of my clients very seriously and make sure I am diligent in doing what I can to protect such a special day. 
  • Personal connection: The personality, work ethic and interpersonal skills amongst wedding photographers is as varied as any other group of people: some are flexible and respectful, some are anxious and controlling, some are diligent and hard-working, some do the bare minimum, some are focused on you and your experience, some are focused on themselves and their portfolio. This is the trickiest factor of all to navigate, and it comes down to trusting your intuition and reading the signs. What is the general feel you get from their website, correspondence and testimonies? Do they appear to be thorough, respectful, flexible, kind and motivated. Passion alone doesn’t guarantee professionalism so read between the lines and ask questions if you aren’t sure. I am a natural connector and exceptionally conscious to respect my client’s experience, preferences and limits. I am big-hearted and peaceful, and passionate about making sure my clients will have every photo they will treasure by the end of their wedding day. 

I have been honoured to photograph weddings as far as Mexico and regularly work all over Europe. However, as Newcastle wedding photographers I also love working close to home. For this reason I offer discounts for Newcastle, Northumberland, County Durham, North Yorkshire, Cumbria and the Lake District, along with additional discounts for mid-week and out of season weddings. If your wedding is further afield, no problem, I am experienced traveller and all prices quoted on the website include all travel and accommodation so you can keep a close eye on your budget. I allow plenty of travel time (2-3 days for destination weddings) to protect against plane delays and to ensure I arrive rested and ready to provide an outstanding service. 

Brides often ask me how long to allow for their wedding photography, particularly for the portraits. I am extremely flexible and happy to work around whatever preference you have. A typical wedding day has around 20 mins of portraits before dinner and 20 mins after at some point (weather and light allowing) however I’ve had as short as 2 mins (I think that was a record!) up to 2 hours (which was really fun as we were exploring outside the grounds of the venue). Plus several elopements which is usually 4 hours + exploring and taking pictures, so I am happy with whatever you would like. I am very sensitive and flexible around your wishes and needs, and am always keen to know what you feel and what want, even during the shoot. If you’d like to keep going I am more than happy, if you’d like to stop that is fine with me too. I try to make the portrait session feel relaxing and fun, many of my clients said they didn’t even feel like they were on a shoot.

How long it takes to get your wedding photos back after a wedding largely depends on the photographer. Industry standard is 3-6 months however I am very passionate about delivering finished galleries in lightening speed: 4 weeks maximum and often much quicker! To achieve this I do a number of things:

  1. Limit the amount of wedding I accept each month so I can focus and give an outstanding service  
  2. Save any less important business admin tasks for the quieter winter months 
  3. Design albums and pre-wedding shoots during quieter months so I am free to focus my attention solely on the wedding at hand and finishing the final gallery to a very high standard. My clients have told me that they love receiving their wedding images so quickly, and the attention to detail shows in the final results. 

As experienced Newcastle wedding photographers I typically arrive around 1.5 hours before the ceremony and leave shortly after the first dance. This is usually around 8-10 hours in total. The hours themselves don’t determine how many pictures you’ll receive as I have delivered some of my largest galleries from shorter 8 hour weddings. 

The number of pictures you will receive depends purely on how much there is to take pictures of. To get the most out of your wedding photographer I have lots of tips to get more wedding pictures in less hours:

  1. Get entertainment: Singing waiters are amazing and give great photo opportunities, as do magicians and any other form of interactive entertainment. Lawn games work really well too, giving wedding guests things to do, and creating lots of opportunity to take more pictures.
  2. Decorations: The more decorations you have, the more there is to take pictures of, and the more pictures you’ll receive. I will always make a point of getting lots of beautiful pictures of all decorations, flowers and personal touches you add to your wedding day.
  3. Portraits: Have fun on your portraits, throw yourself in and enjoy yourselves even if it feel a little silly at first. I promise you’ll end up having a great time and will have lots of lovely pictures afterwards too.
  4. Confetti: Having a confetti tunnel gives a great chance to create some beautiful pictures. Some times these can even be my clients favourite images from the whole wedding. 
  5. Receiving line: This can be a great chance to say hello to everyone at your wedding who you might otherwise have missed, but also a great chance for your wedding photographer to catch some additional pictures of your guests when they are all smiles.
  6. Sparkers: This is another chance to create additional and diverse images for your final gallery, plus it is a really fun experience to add into your wedding day.
  7. Get the party started: When it comes to the evening party, getting the dancing started and staying on the dance floor after your first dance is a great way to encourage your guests to get up and boogie, giving me a great chance to capture lots of fun dancing pictures (alcohol throughout the wedding day helps massively with this also!) 

If you’re excited to have bright, fun and natural wedding photos too, please get in touch to check if your date is still available:

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