JO + LIAM PHOTOGRAPHY - GAY WEDDING BLOG

PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF

Hello! We are Jo + Liam, a wedding photography + film couple from Glasgow. We shoot mad-in-love folks all over the damn place and love every minute of it. We are always looking for emotional, joyful and authentic images to tell your story, whether it’s a big wedding, a wee one or a tiny elopement. Our cat Buttz is the real brains behind the operation mind, just needs to be said ;)

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO START YOUR BUSINESS?

I (Jo!) have always been ‘that pal’, you know the one with the camera in hand, documenting the fun, real or embarrassing moments as I was growing up. Thankfully, since then I minimised the outrageously embarrassing photographs and found a real passion for shooting happiness. I knew pretty early on that weddings were where I wanted to be, so started building my business from there. Step in Liam years later – we met (through work!), fell for each other (at a friends wedding!), and then waaaay into the relationship I found out that he actually enjoyed photography too – he was also ‘that pal’ :-O. Bloomin’ git had kept it on the down low due to me being a ‘professional’ (Ha! A professional?!). He started by shooting an elopement with me, and as each year passed he shot more and more until BOOM! We decided to go full hog and go for it as a duo. Best decision we ever made. Except getting Buttz, that was also a brilliant decision. Have we mentioned our cat?

HOW DOES YOUR TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE?

If it’s an office day; coffee first (always coffee), make sure Buttz is fed and then crack on with emails, editing, and making ridiculous instagram stories, we also squeeze in dance breaks in the office, obvs. If it’s a wedding/elopement; coffee first (always coffee), make sure Buttz is fed, squee excitedly when we see our couples on their wedding day (me, not Liam), shoot the shiz out of all the happy, have a boogy on the dance floor and then head home. I usually back up our work and go to bed straight after, Liam catches up on match of the day before hitting the hay :D

WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF YOUR JOB?

Meeting awesome couples and doing what we love. Seeing their journey come together, and seeing what make them, them – and getting to document it. Best. Job. EVER.

AND WHAT IS THE WORST PART?

Being honest, it’s pretty anti-social for seeing our family and friends. We’re usually at a wedding when they are all off work! But, I like to think we are smart about it. We make mid-week plans where we can, we don’t shoot every single weekend of every month – and we don’t shoot more than one wedding on any weekend. This is good for us, but it also means that we get to focus more on our couples on their wedding day. We don’t want to feel like a conveyer belt of weddings, just’ churnin’ em out. Not our cup of tea at all!

WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN?

Be yo’self – and the number 1 rule in life; don’t be a d*ck :D

WHAT WOULD YOU WANT COUPLES TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT YOU DO?

Ooh. Um. How about what we don’t do? We don’t take awkward, staged photographs or films. We don’t make you stand for hours on end for lined up photographs. We DO capture all the joy and emotion at a wedding, and all the moments in between. The wee squeeze of a hand, or that blink-and-you-miss-it look from your other half, family member or friend. We like to capture the full story and we LOVE getting to know our couples beforehand – whether it’s a pub quiz, brunch or skype (pyjamas down the bottom, normal clothes up top ;D).

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR COUPLES PLANNING A WEDDING?

A lot of our blogs feature advice from our past couples, so it’s worth checking out! But our best advice would be to stick to your guns and have the wedding that YOU want, and not the one that society (or relatives?) tells you to have. Ooh and trust your gut – pick suppliers that bring you joy and have passion for what they do. You won’t regret it :)

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU DIDN’T WORK IN THE WEDDING INDUSTRY?

I used to be a youth worker and still volunteer, so probably something along those lines :) Or run a kick ass wedding venue! Liam used to be a children’s librarian however he would love to own a record store – I made him watch Empire Records for the first time. DAMN THE MAN, SAVE THE EMPIRE!

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR TIME OFF?

We love spending time with our families, our niece and nephews are the best! We also both love reading and going out a wee cycle. Liam is obsessed with music, and also watches re-run after re-run of Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiam. I love playing my PS4, bullet journalling and like to jog too.

DREAM HOLIDAY?

We travelled round Vietnam for 3 weeks a few years back, and it was incredible. We’d like to see more of Vietnam, or South America…anywhere where you disappear into another culture really :) Liam loves the logistics of planning, I like doing the research on things to see and do. It works well!

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS?

I mean, we’d love to still be shooting weddings! Hopefully in a house of our own (we live in a beaut flat right now), with some wains (Scots for kids), and a menagerie of animals.

You can find Jo and Liam’s directory page here, check out their website, follow on instagram or just shoot them an email right away!