Real Wedding · London, United Kingdom
Film Editorial Photography by VBA Studio
Two Parisians who found each other on a Berlin dancefloor and chose Hackney, London as the only honest place to say I do. Nineteen guests. A vintage motorbike. A double-decker Timebus rolling through East London. And a dinner cruise on the Thames to close the night — this is the kind of wedding that reminds you the most radical thing a couple can do is simply be themselves.
Iman and Jacques didn’t pick London for the pageantry. They picked Hackney Town Hall because it was already theirs — the canal walks, the Broadway Market mornings, the first date at Hill & Szrok. Their wedding ceremony didn’t recreate a fantasy; it celebrated the exact life they’d already built. As a film editorial wedding photographer drawn to couples who lead with intention, this is the kind of story I travel for.
Based between the French Riviera and Provence, I photograph weddings across Europe and beyond — including London and Dubai. London offers something that is genuinely rare: texture. The light in East London in January is flat and silver and completely unforgiving, which means every image has to earn its mood through composition, timing, and the quiet trust between photographer and subject. This wedding was a masterclass in that.
From the ceremony at Hackney Town Hall — with its grand civic architecture and intimate 19-person guest list — to the motorbike exit and the long golden hour aboard the West End on the Thames, every moment had its own rhythm. My approach is always editorial and film-influenced: I’m not directing a catalogue shoot, I’m following a story.
Iman’s custom sage green pantsuit — chosen because it was the only honest option, not because it made a statement — is exactly the kind of sartorial decision that makes for timeless photography. Green already lived in their kitchen. It belonged at their wedding too. Jacques matched her energy in a tailored Suit Supply suit; Bottega Veneta finishes; rings by Zeina Paris. No veil, no traditional white — just two people who dressed like themselves and looked extraordinary because of it.
This is the aesthetic I’m drawn to as a fashion-influenced wedding photographer: clothing with intention, styling that comes from the inside out, and couples who trust their own eye. Whether I’m shooting in London, Nice, Cannes, Aix-en-Provence, or Dubai, this is the visual language I work in.
I’m proud that Iman and Jacques’ wedding was featured by The Anti-Bride, a publication I deeply respect for championing couples who reject tradition for the right reasons. Being featured there is a genuine honour — it means the work spoke to an audience that values authenticity over convention.
Tell us a little about yourselves
We are both originally from Paris, met in Berlin (dancing through the night) and built our relationship between cities. Between our careers in finance, a family project organising rally-style journeys, and a shared love for travel, we live a life in motion: rarely in one place, but always together.
Why Hackney?
Hackney is a city we chose, our home away from home — so getting married here felt natural. Our relationship took shape in this borough: London Fields, Regent’s Canal, Broadway Market, Hill & Szrok for our first date, and now our home in Hackney Downs. When we first met, Jacques happened to live on the street next to the Hackney Town Hall, which made the choice feel quietly inevitable.
How did you experience the day?
We experience cities by moving through them. Arriving by motorbike, then travelling by bus and boat, felt perfectly aligned with who we are and with the way we wanted to celebrate. We wanted our family and friends to experience our London as we live it: in motion — which is probably why, after the boat, we ended the night dancing at Koko.
On Iman’s pantsuit
A dress and heels were never going to happen. The pantsuit wasn’t a statement, it was the only honest option. Green is classic, but in a wedding context it sits slightly out of place — which is exactly why it felt right. Almost everything was chosen together. I think we both wanted to please the other one on that day.
What was non-negotiable?
No elements were mandatory — except freedom. We didn’t want to do anything because it was expected. This wedding exists exactly as we are. But maybe the motorbike mattered … a lot.
No elements were mandatory — except freedom. We didn’t want to do anything because it was expected. This wedding exists exactly as we are.
— Iman & Jacques
Wedding Credits
Film Editorial Wedding Photography
