Wow, what a year 2024 has been! I’ve had the absolute joy of capturing so many unforgettable moments, from large celebrations in stunning venues to intimate ceremonies filled with love and laughter. From multi-day back garden marquee weddings to small intimate city nuptials followed by a local pub, it’s been a whirlwind of confetti, happy tears, and incredible dance moves, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Highlights Reel
Before I dive into all the details, I’ve put together a little something for you—a 2024 highlights slideshow featuring some of my favourite moments from the year. Grab a cuppa and hit play below to take a look! If you fancy a delve into the archives, you can also take a look at previous years summaries for 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, and 2017 by clicking whichever of those links most takes your fancy.
Top Moments of 2024
This year has given me so many moments to treasure, but here are a few that stand out:
- My 200th Wedding! – September 2024 saw me photograph my 200th wedding since becoming a wedding photographer. That is A LOT of weddings, of all different types and sizes! Quite a milestone!
- Golden hour magic: Whilst I had my fair share of rainy weddings this year, I definitely lucked out with some incredible sunsets at several of them! There’s a few bits of golden hour magic peppered through my highlights reel and gallery below. Do you have a favourite?
- A hand-knitted wedding dress and hand sewn bridesmaids dresses – A special mention MUST go to bride Jaz who HAND KNITTED her entire, incredible wedding dress. I called in to visit them at their flat in London for a pre-wedding shoot a month and a half or so before the wedding day in June and the dress was still on a pair of knitting needles, and she worked SO HARD to finish it, bead it and it honestly looked absolutely incredible. I think Jaz and her dress deserve their own dedicated blog post so I will make that happen soon! However, we can’t forget groom Alex who also hand made all the bridesmaids outfits. Absolutely incredible. they are both so clever and I am in awe!!
- Happy Tears and emotions: Maybe there’s something in the water but I feel like this year I have photographed so many happy tears, particularly from grooms. The overwhelming moment when your other half walks down the aisle toward you is pretty intense, and I always feel myself get emotional when others do during a wedding ceremony, despite having photographed so many. It’s truly a privilege to be invited into so many special moments in peoples lives. Every couple I’ve worked with has reminded me why I love what I do—being invited into these once-in-a-lifetime moments is so amazing.
Personal Reflection
2024 wasn’t just about the weddings for me, it was a big year personally. My littlest started full time nursery, giving me a bit more time to think about work and get back to working out who I am and what I do outside of parenting! We also had a long-awaited house move, which was in equal parts incredibly exciting and incredibly stressful. I also started a little side hustle for mindful art and drawing which you can find over at www.ivys-corner.com.
Gratitude & Looking Ahead
To all my amazing couples: thank you for trusting me to capture your love stories. You made this year truly unforgettable. As we head into 2025, I can’t wait to meet new couples and photograph more incredible celebrations. If you’re planning your big day, please get in touch—I’d love to hear your plans! You can drop me a line at hello@beckyharleyphotography.co.uk or on my Contact Page.
