Best in 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

N1 Wedding Photographer of 2020

Ray Sawyer

Newcastle upon Tyne

Photos participating in the competition

A beautiful silhouette taken in the Lake District on top of Latrigg, Keswick. We were the only people up there so it was a very cool shoot and managed to get a number of great shots.
I brought a few smoke bombs with me to Sophie and Joe's wedding and before the reception started we heading out onto the cathedral green for some fun. Just before the bombs were exhausted I said to everyone run at me and jump in the air. They had so much fun.
One of my most fun weddings to date, everything was like a festival, sitting on straw, food fans and ice creams, what a wedding. We just did the formal group shot of the girls and thought let's get funky with it, girls dancing throwing the wellies in the air? Of course, they were game.
I love to capture fun, moments and emotion at weddings. This wedding was brilliant, they had there owned custom made beer pong table and they were about to start playing so for the first thrown I sipped out the 14mm and boom. Image heaven.
This image was captured in the Lake District. My favorite place. Onto of Walla Cragg looking out over Derwentwater and onto Cat Bells.
This double exposure photo is actually around 6 shots. 1 shot of a silhouette and 5 different shots of a wall light at the wedding venue. It was a cool wall light and thought of something like this straight away.

About Ray

Ray Sawyer is a multi-award-winning wedding photographer and filmmaker based in the North East of England, known for his honest, moment-driven storytelling and relaxed, documentary-led approach. With over 300 weddings photographed and filmed since 2015, Ray delivers timeless, soul-filled imagery through hybrid photo and film coverage. Twice named overall Photographer of the Year by Wedisson (2020 & 2021), and winner of the Wedding Category at the 2021 British Photography Awards, his work has also been featured in Tatler and Vanity Fair. Ray’s philosophy is simple: It’s a wedding day, not a photo shoot — and his mission is to preserve each couple’s story exactly as it felt.

Participation dates

Collections49 — 60

01 Apr.2019

05 Apr.2020

Winners in 2020

Jordi Tudela

Spain 🇪🇸

Andrey Julay

Russia 🇷🇺

Tom Tomeij

Netherlands 🇳🇱

Marnix De Stigter

Netherlands 🇳🇱

Chris Marogg

Switzerland 🇨🇭

Julian Garcia

Spain 🇪🇸

Ray Sawyer

The United Kingdom 🇬🇧

Bobby Bandz

The United States 🇺🇸

Top 12 photographers of 2020

5886
33 photos, Number One

Past engagement

33 photos, Number One

Past engagement

I loved capturing this romantic golden sunset portrait of Amber and Matt in the Lake District. Captured from WallaCrag looking over Derwentwater with the splendor of Catt Bells across the lake.
The bar at the hotel had an interesting shape so I added some full CTO gels to my flash and created a silhouette shot of the bridegroom and friends raising a glass to happiness.
This double exposure photo is actually around 6 shots. 1 shot of a silhouette and 5 different shots of a wall light at the wedding venue. It was a cool wall light and thought of something like this straight away.
What a beautiful sunset in the Lake District. Shot from Latrigg with a view of Bassenthwaite in the distance and Keswick to the left out of frame.
A beautiful silhouette taken in the Lake District on top of Latrigg, Keswick. We were the only people up there so it was a very cool shoot and managed to get a number of great shots.
I love this photo. I captured it on Cat Bells in the Lake District - The clouds were turning and a storm was setting in. I think this was the last shot before we decided to go back down. Just as well as it rained quite heavily just as we got to the bottom.
One of my most fun weddings to date, everything was like a festival, sitting on straw, food fans and ice creams, what a wedding. We just did the formal group shot of the girls and thought let's get funky with it, girls dancing throwing the wellies in the air? Of course, they were game.
Well, this shot took quite a few frames to get perfect as you can imagine dealing with jumping, position, perspective, etc. But very happy with the final image and most importantly the brides loved it.
Loved creating this minimalist image for Jess and Dave. Such a lovely couple. Captured at Walworth Castle in Darlington using the curtains in their bridal room.
Last shot of the night - Couple posed for 10 seconds then let them go back to the party. Captured 3 other shots to make the building red and then composited all 4 images into one final photo. the couple loved it and so do i.
673
28 photos, TOP3

Past engagement

28 photos, TOP3

Past engagement

These scooters are taking over our city streets here in DC so why not put them to good use during an engagement session....especially if you really use them in your day to day commute.
Wine anyone? Why yes, of course, we will take a whole barrel, but first let's do this first look and enjoy this kiss! Gotta love shooting at a winery in the middle of the city!
That moment when you finished the ceremony and everything just feels perfect. It is just the both of you looking at each other and realizing this is the first day of a completely new chapter in your love story. One that just never ends!
Saw this park with not much to it but when I looked up this hill and saw the light I knew my couples would love the final result even if they didn't like the walk to it! They are a photography couple so the end results sure outweigh the struggle to get there! As they say...we ill do anything to GET THE SHOT!
Trying to get this shot at the National Gallery of Art is like trying to steal the Mona Lisa or the Declaration of Independence! Seriously this shot takes a bunch of factors to all come together just for one click. There are rules getting in, cannot block the paths or stock traffic, and there is not a lot of light. And let us not forget timing the star lights as they cycle through a different pater on a timer but when you get that 1 shot it was all well worth the chase especially when your clients are dying for this one!
Key west sunsets are just priceless but what is even more priceless is sharing it with someone you love celebrating love, health, wealth, and happiness! So blessed to capture this! Family first!
I love these last photos of the night when things are less hectic and busy and you can just steal the couple for an experimental photo before it is all over! This location was the buffet spot that turned into a perfect ending to the perfect wedding day! So thankful for my clients trust!
New hotel in DC so I decided to use their new style of lighting around their ballrooms as a perfect setup for this shot. My clients didn't know what my vision was but trusted in it enough to capture this memory before hitting the dance floor again and partying the rest of the night away!
This sign says it all....LOVE! That is why we celebrate these big days! finding your loved on is monumental and doesn't happen for everyone. People may take these days lightly but for my team and I they are everything! Priceless memories need to be captured!
The ring is a circle for a reason. The love you both share should last an eternity and should always come full circle together as one! Every wedding day for me I try to make ring shots epic because of their meaning to the big day...not because of what they cost. That part is irrelevant.
6421
21 photos, TOP3

Past engagement

21 photos, TOP3

Past engagement

When the couple suggested this place for the shoot before the ceremony I was very pleased to see on Google Earth that there was this honeycomb-pattern which could be seen from the sky. Needless to say, I packed my drone :)
This awesome couple lives near these cube-shaped houses in the center of Rotterdam and absolutely love them. During this shoot, I wanted to create an abstract image where at first sight you are unclear at what you were looking at. I am very glad they absolutely loved the result also.
At the end of the evening, I managed to convince this awesome couple to leave the dance floor for just one minute to capture them in the reception room with this chandelier. Showing them the result directly from the camera they were really happy with the result
This awesome couple met at this bar, so we decided to do our photoshoot at this exact place. The reflection in the window, a glass of wine their hands and a fireplace right in front of them made for a really nice atmosphere :)
This couple got married on the hottest day in the last 75 years and as a result, we decided to not leave the parking lot for our shoot. It was by far the coolest place nearby and ended up giving some amazing shots with which the couple is extremely happy :)
With this amazing couple, we walked passed a parking garage that had this interesting shape. Since it was private parking we had to check with a local business to get in, but it was well worth the effort! Both the clients and I absolutely love the result that came out!
During this pre-wedding shoot, we came along this long escalator with funky colors. As they went up and I went down we had to time exactly when would be the best moment. Using flash they got isolated from the surrounds which adds an extra pop to the image! :)
This awesome couple had a beautiful wedding in the old city center of The Hague. The prestigious room where the got married had this big chandelier and large mirror so the moment I walked in the room I knew I had to take a shot with them later that night. Both the wedding couple and I are really happy how it turned out :)
Taken on the wedding day in the public library. Using a mirror to create two times the lamps and adding a flash to light the couple created this effect where the wedding couple really stands out in the midst of the sea of lights.
During this engagement shoot, this awesome couple fully trusted me to shoot on the strangest of locations. Adding some flash to make them pop really resulted in them standing out in this urban environment.
6012
21 photos, TOP3
6230
21 photos, TOP3

Past engagement

21 photos, TOP3

Past engagement

1345
20 photos, TOP5

Past engagement

20 photos, TOP5

Past engagement

This is the combination of different kinds of love, each one demonstrated to a different degree: the love of their profession, the love of their dog Drac and the love of the person that changed their life when they met.<br /> Jordi & Esther are a simple couple who enjoy each day to the maximum.
Sergi & Mireia’s wedding over the bridge that leads them to a new life, it’s the beginning of a beautiful love story where the couple is planning on living many adventures.
Fun is assured when you work with Jaume and Marta, determined to fulfil any proposal and grateful for it with a desire to live an ideal life. Under the umbrella, they feel protected and trust makes them feel good with each other. We will remember this moment for the rest of our lives, since in the end, they were exposed by letting the water wet them.
Elegance without limits, with Andrea I could work easily. The location, the simplicity of her dresses, and her friendliness. These are moments before the ceremony, key moments, moments that are not forgotten. Let yourself be carried like a leaf in the river.
The natural thing is to capture every moment, elegance in an image during the preparations. Let yourself go and you will find the magic: Laura is a woman who lives every moment of her life without wasting what life gives her. Happiness must be something like that.
A new experience for us, a couple where the only thing that changes is sex, the rest is pure love, details completed in a very exhaustive way, a couple with whom you learn to be happy in the face of any obstacle, a lesson in love.<br /> In this case, they gave prominence to their pet, a dog that has a very beautiful history if we say that they found him lost in the street and decided to adopt him and be part of their lives, it was he who brought them the rings for their link at the ceremony and as You can see in the photo, he wanted to participate in a part of the report. Carlos & Jolti is an authentic story without a doubt.
A little while after the ceremony to enjoy Aleix & Laura and the incredible tail of the dress, time to relax and enjoy a limited time before meeting again with the guests with whom they wanted to celebrate their day, a day where the most important link of their lives.
Zumaia (Basc Country), in a location where one of the famous scenes of Game of Thrones was filmed. Laura & Willy are fans of this saga and wanted to travel to star in the most unforgettable post-wedding in the middle of a magical place that reveals the force of nature in each bias of the rocks.
Twice a day the tide drops to let us see this wonderful cave with its different colors. We took the opportunity to take the last photos of the day with the newly married couple, Laura & Willy, in a very complete post-wedding, where we could enjoy a unique environment, one of the favorite areas of the television series Game of Thrones.
Carcassonne offers you a return to the past where it is hard to imagine how everything was. It gives you the possibility to mix the current with the old and capture the best memory in incredible photographs. Marc & Anna, fans of the board game Carcassonne, decided to live in person what they had only been able to see in their spare time accompanied by a sky that seemed to have been waiting for that moment for a long time.
6089
19 photos, TOP5

Past engagement

19 photos, TOP5

Past engagement

When I met Ali before the wedding I told him that I'm going to take crazy shots of him and if he will be ready for it. "I'd love that." He said. This shot captured a lot of fun emotions and laughs from the groomsmen and bridesmaids around. He was scared to trust in his friends, but the expression he made was all about this photo. Everyone LOVED it.
I didn't plan for this shot. I always shoot what my eyes see. Ashley was all ready to go for the ceremony and the bridesmaids started to pick up her dress. This moment I saw how the texture of the gorgeous veil and the lighting coming out from the window into that dark room to give a dramatic look en mood to this image.
Ashley & Kevin wedding was one of my best weddings ever. The ceremony was at the beautiful St. Lucy Church. This shot was the last shot before we head to the venue. After we are all done with family photos, I asked Ashley and Kevin for 2-3 more shots for them only. I had my assistant on my left with a flash and I got this beautiful image in a few seconds.
6991
18 photos, TOP10
Isn't it A Romantic Fairytale Wedding? A Cinderella Inspired Photo of a missing shoe... The Magic is all around you. Believe in it, stay sharp for it, and you will find yourself in the midst of a magical moment. Live a beautiful life and so is our fantastic JOB! A special high-five to this lovely couple Jadie & Remco
Getting ready for an amazing, love full and insane wedding day! This was just the start of lots of good memories, not only for the bride and groom, but also for me and my father (videographer). One big party, filled with surprises for the bride, their daughter and the guests. What a great job we have!
I apologize to the bride and groom for getting them out of focus during their own shoot.
These were the colors of the wedding theme. So I wanted to give them this photo to make them extra happy with the reportage. I climbed on a chair and shot it with a 17-28mm side angle lens. "Chandeliers are marvels of drop-dead showiness, the jewelry of architecture"<br /> Peter York
It was a very rainy day, we could not take any photo's outside without getting super wet. So on our way to the next location, I made sure nobody was close behind me. Rolled down my window and shot a few on F11, 1/50 of a second to get the speed in there. When I saw the big smiles from the bride and groom during post I was very happy with the result.
During the day the light was way harsh. So we moved the shoot to before the party. When we walked back from the shoot. I saw this last potential photo, so I placed my camera as low as possible and exposed it to the sky. To get these crazy silhouettes, like an alien landscape! I was very happy to end the shoot like this. Photography gives me so much joy and energy. Love it!
When the sunshine, we shine together<br /> Told you I'll be here forever<br /> Said I'll always be your friend<br /> Took an oath, I'ma stick it out to the end<br /> Now that it's raining more than ever<br /> Know that we'll still have each other<br /> You can stand under my umbrella, Rihanna
I don't want to be your “favorite” or your “best”. I want to be your “only” and forget the rest.<br /> Tom, It was raining the whole day and try the make the most of the situation and think out of the box. A big thanks to the judges of Wedisson to award this photo!
What is a wedding without a good group hug? Nothing is better than sharing the love on such a beautiful and special day! Creating this shot was so much fun!
I had been looking forward to this wedding because I always wanted to go to this special location. In the heart of the Netherlands: Pandhof. Everything on this location breaths fairytale, made me think of Lord of the Rings. The light is so soft and warm, very romantic. I enjoyed this shoot very much. I love to come back!
2755
18 photos, TOP10
6423
16 photos, TOP10
The couple got married in the old Castle in Dussen (the Netherlands) After the ceremony I wanted to make use of the two chandeliers in the room. When everybody left the room, I made this picture using one of the camera flashes.<br /> Check our website blog for some more pictures of that great wedding day!
This lovely couple, Laura & Gert got married in the city of Hengelo. We had a beautiful day with the wedding at Castle Warmelo. The couple has two little dogs and these guys are really important to them. On this picture, the dog called 'Monster' wears a real bow-tie and gets a final handshake before the bride went downstairs to see her husband for the first look.<br /> Laura & Gert (and the two doggies..) thanks for your enthusiasm, we really enjoyed your beautiful wedding day!
The wonderful couple Liesbeth & Maxime got married in the beautiful Castle 'de Boterberg' in Kalmthout, Belgium. This day was one as a wedding should be. Great couple, lovely friends & family, perfect weather, superb location and lots, lots of food & drinks. All very stylish and yet relaxed. In and around the Castle in Kalmthout we made some lovely pictures as the couple gave us a free hand to make the pictures we wanted. In this picture, we prepared our flashes with coloured gels during dinner. When everything was set up, we invited the couple to take their place in front of the flash, near the stairs. They only had to leave their party for 30 seconds :)<br /> <br /> Liesbeth & Maxime, it was an honor and pleasure to photograph your day, thanks for a great day!<br /> Albert & Claudia
The wonderful couple Liesbeth & Maxime got married in the beautiful Castle 'de Boterberg' in Kalmthout, Belgium. This day was one as a wedding should be. Great couple, lovely friends & family, perfect weather, superb location and lots, lots of food & drinks. All very stylish and yet relaxed. In and around the Castle in Kalmthout we made some lovely pictures as the couple gave us a free hand to make the pictures we wanted. <br /> Liesbeth & Maxime, it was an honor and pleasure to photograph your day, thanks for a great day!<br /> Albert & Claudia
A dream wedding, nothing else to say... Sjoerd & Sandra are a great, lovely couple and they got married on a perfect summer day. All-day we stayed outside, pictures in the flower beds, wedding in the sunset, dinner with friends & family in the shade of the trees, couldn't have been better than this. This award is the cherry on their wedding cake!
What a day! This loveley couple, Pepijn & Linda got married in a beautifull castle from the 13th century. This castle, called Castle Duurstede, is a perfect setting for an outdoor wedding and as you can imagine we enjoyed this day to the fullest :)<br /> Later that evening we used the light from the castle with our own flashes to create a nice backlight.<br /> <br /> Pepijn & Linda, thanks for this great day full of fun and love!
The weatherforcast for the day Marinde & Ferdi got married, was not the weather you wish for on your weddingday. But why not make use of the 9 Bft storm? This loveley couple got married on Castle Ter Leyen in Belgium and this privately owned castle is not only a photographers dream, its also a romantic and beautifull setting for a great wedding.<br /> <br /> Ferdi & Marinde, we loved your weddingday so much! So relaxed, calm and so 'ok lets do this', thanks for choosing us to make your weddingday pictures!
Theo & Tamara, the day we had a lot of fun! Both are in for everything so we went everywhere we could go for nice pictures. Theo works as a manager for the national supplier of drinking water. Therefore we could use a really great pumping station for a part of the photoshoot. Theo & Tamara, you rocked!
Patrick & Elise, our sweet couple from Utrecht. Patrick is born in Brabant (where we also come from) and his wife Elise is from Utrecht. We had a great day, even though the weather was not the best one could wish for on a wedding day. Near the famous Dom tower in Utrecht we made a series of great photos with our couple, this one is definitely our favorite :)
Our lovely couple Nick & Nancy got married at Mattemburgh in Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands. In their new glasshouse, we saw the possibilities with the light, shadows and this great couple. Thanks for the great day!
7285
16 photos, TOP10
This picture was taken in the wedding of Giulia e Massimo in Tuscany, Italy. It was a special wedding. They have found rice for all the day long. :)
This picture was taken at the wedding of Genny And Luca in Bolzano Italy, the groom preparation was really incredible and funny. I saw the exact building of the groom's house reflected in the window outside I composed and shoot it from outside the house throw the window.
This picture was taken at the wedding of Angela and Manuel, in Italy at Garda lake. It was taken with an off-camera flash with a blue filter, pointed on the wall behind the couple to make the right color contrast between the love write and the silhouette of them. I'm really proud of this image.
This image was taken at the wedding of Consuelo and Andrea in Castel Mareccio, Bolzano, Italy. I saw this window during the shooting of the couple... and it was perfectly framed in the architectural structure of the castle. I used one off-camera flash reflected on the wall behind them to make the right silhouette and contrast between the rest of the scene.
This picture was taken at the wedding of Elisabeth and Stephan, at Alpe di Siusi in Südtirol, Italy. I'm really proud of this image. When you can freeze the perfect moment, expressions and composition, you know that you are doing right as a wedding photographer.
This image was taken at Braies Lake, in Italy, really a stunning place. From the wedding of Ilaria and William with their beautiful Wolf Athena.
This image was taken during the engagement session of Emma and Martin, to show how big the ring was. They are really a great and funny couple that trusted in our different point of view for the shoot. The location is the Dolomites in Italy and the mountain in the silhouette is the Sciliar Mountain at the Alpe di Siusi, Italy.
This picture is from the wedding of Luana and Stefano, at the amazing location of Pinzonerkeller at Pinzano (Bz) Italy.<br /> The weather wasn't so good at that time but the guests made the party begin. I'm really proud that I captured the scene and the mood of that moment.
This Picture was taken during the wedding of Angela and Manuel at Garda Lake Italy at the sunset. It's really an amazing place. When the sun gets down it looks like a fairytale.
This picture was taken during the wedding of Lisa and Andreij in Bolzano Italy. I'm really proud of it because i used a common Italian kitchen utensil for doing it.... a spaetzle maker.... XD It's the proof of what photography is, just let the imagination work to trasform something common in a piece of art. It's like a magic tricks this picture for me.
7279
16 photos, TOP10
This picture was taken when we knocked on the tour in the early morning. Christine opened us with a huge smile on her face, not expecting that we are on time. The wedding was in a little tiny castle, located in vineyards closed to Frankfurt. Christine and her bridesmaids were waiting for the make-up artist and the photographer. Here we are! Let's Go!
We took this picture in a little spanish town. This was the first moment Danny saw his future bride Ines. Even he is more the funny guy, who can't stop making jokes, he was so overwhelmed by the look of Ines, that he can't hold back his tears. The both are such a wonderful, funny and lovely couple.
"Two Cappuccino, please!" - On our way to the next shooting location, Anastasia & Sergej needed a short break. The guest of that little cafe were so excited that they were starting taking pictures the whole time. I guess they have now more pictures of their special day, than the few from us!
We were looking for a couple for an outdoor love story in the woods around the Rheingau. With Christina & Stefan, we have found a wonderful, warm and lovely couple. The two are married for many years. But you do not notice this, as they are in love like on the first day.
Weddings are always loud, busy and hectic. Marie & Marc needed rest and we looked for a silent place for the couple shoot. Not far away we moved to a small forest and found this wonderful place. This was not the picture we wanted intentionally take. It was more a "Take your time, we need to set up our settings" picture. But as you see: Sometimes the simple shots are the best ones. Thanks, Marie & Marc
This was the wonderful wedding of Chiara & Philipp right in the heart of Frankonia. Chiara invited all her ladies for getting ready. It was a blast. All of her girls wore a pink kimono and celebrated her day. Hours before the official wedding we all, including me, the party mode was started. The picture seems to be faked, but it isn't. Pure emotion and a lot of love!
Walking down the street - hand in hand! These amazing two ladies got married 2 years ago in a wonderful winery in Rheinland-Pfalz. On our way to the main photo spot, I saw them, walking down the street like this. So I decided, that this could be the photo, they wanna have.
Anastasia & Sergej, an awesome couple, are more like 'let's try something totally different'. So we walked down the dunes to the beach and Sergej found this dead tree, which he would like to use for a picture. At the beginning, I was not completely convinced, but after taking the picture, I love it as well. The picture was taken in a little Spanish town, close to Marbella.
After a furious walkthrough Tarifa we found this wonderful spot on top of a little house. The owner of the house was sitting in his backyard and didn't know, what happens on his roof. Ines wanted that picture so that she climbed up at first and said 'That's the spot I was looking for!'. Dany and I followed her to take that grandiose picture.
This is Stephanie, Julian, and Sam.<br /> We took this photo during our lovebird shooting in the old town of Nuremberg. Walking hand in hand down their hometown with the most important part of their life (the dog Sam) was a wish. <br /> We took the chance to get the sunset in the right spot with them.
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