Every wedding is different, and there is no single way a same sex wedding should look or work.

You might walk down the aisle together or separately. You might get ready in the same place or in completely different locations. You might keep some wedding traditions, change them or leave them out altogether.

Your photography should work around the wedding you are actually planning.

I am a wedding photographer based in Leeds, covering Yorkshire and the surrounding areas. My approach is relaxed and natural, with guidance when you need it and plenty of space for you to enjoy the day as it happens.

If you are planning a same sex wedding, here are a few things worth thinking about when choosing your photographer and planning your photography.

CHOOSE A PHOTOGRAPHER YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH

You are going to spend a lot of your wedding day around your photographer, so feeling comfortable with them matters.

Have a look through their website, portfolio and reviews. Pay attention to the language they use and whether their work includes different couples and different kinds of weddings.

If you want to ask about their experience photographing same sex weddings, ask. Your photographer should be comfortable having that conversation with you.

They should also be willing to understand how your particular wedding will work rather than making assumptions about roles, traditions or family arrangements.

You should be able to explain what you have planned and trust that they will photograph your wedding accordingly.

PLAN THE MORNING AROUND WHAT YOU ACTUALLY WANT

There is no rule about how the two of you need to get ready.

You might want to get ready together. You might prefer separate rooms at the same venue. You could be getting ready in completely different locations because you want to see each other for the first time at the ceremony.

All of those can work.

If you are getting ready separately and would like both preparations photographed, tell your photographer when you are planning the day. Depending on the locations and timings, it might be possible for one photographer to cover both or you might decide that having a second photographer makes more sense.

The important thing is planning around what you actually want rather than feeling like you need to follow a traditional morning setup.

THINK ABOUT HOW YOU WANT YOUR CEREMONY TO WORK

The ceremony is another part of the day where you have plenty of options.

You might walk down the aisle separately, together or with family members. One of you might already be waiting at the front. You might have a first look beforehand.

From a photography point of view, it helps to know what you have planned.

Before your wedding, we will go through the ceremony timings and anything important I should know about. That means I can think about where I need to be and make sure I am ready for the moments that matter.

I will also work around any photography restrictions your ceremony venue or registrar has in place.

Once the ceremony begins, I concentrate on what is happening rather than trying to direct it. That includes the two of you, but also the reactions from the people around you.

YOUR COUPLE PHOTOS SHOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE

You do not need to know how to pose before your wedding.

When we take some time for couple photos, I will give you guidance when you need it rather than expecting you to work everything out yourselves.

That might mean finding some good light, going for a short walk or giving you a little direction to help you settle into it.

You do not need to copy traditional wedding poses or decide that one of you has to take a particular role in the photographs.

The aim is simply to create photographs of the two of you that feel natural while still giving you enough guidance that you are not standing there wondering what to do.

It does not need to take a huge part of your wedding day. We can get some lovely photographs together and then get you back to your guests.

PLAN FAMILY AND GROUP PHOTOS AHEAD OF TIME

Every family is different, so I do not work from a standard list of photographs that every couple has to have.

Before your wedding, I will ask which family and group photographs are important to you.

That gives you the opportunity to tell me who you would like included and anything I should know about beforehand.

This can be particularly useful if there are family circumstances you would rather explain privately before the wedding instead of dealing with them while everyone is standing around waiting for a photograph.

I also recommend choosing somebody who knows your families and can help gather people when we need them.

I have written a separate guide on how to make group photos easier on your wedding day if you would like more help planning them.

YOUR WEDDING DOES NOT NEED TO FOLLOW TRADITION

Some couples love wedding traditions. Others want very little to do with them.

Most probably sit somewhere in between.

You might both want to give speeches. Neither of you might want to. You might have two outfits, matching outfits or completely different styles. You might have a first dance or go straight into the party.

From my point of view, there is no checklist of traditions you need to include for your wedding to be photographed properly.

What matters is that I understand what you have planned.

If there are traditions, cultural elements or particular moments that are important to either of you, tell me beforehand. I can then make sure I understand what is happening and when.

LOOK AT MORE THAN A PHOTOGRAPHER'S BEST PHOTOS

A photographer's portfolio is a good starting point, but it is worth looking a little further before you book.

Ask to see a full wedding gallery.

That gives you a much better idea of how they photograph an entire wedding rather than only seeing a selection of their favourite images.

Look at the ceremony, guests, family photographs, couple photos, speeches and evening reception. Pay attention to whether you like how the photographer handles both the organised photographs and the moments happening naturally throughout the day.

Reviews are useful too. They can tell you what couples thought about the experience of actually having that photographer at their wedding, not just whether they liked the finished photographs.

QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK BEFORE BOOKING

If you are considering a photographer, ask the questions that matter to you.

You might want to ask whether they have photographed same sex weddings before, how they approach couple photos, how they organise family photographs or whether you can see a complete wedding gallery.

If there is anything about your families, ceremony or plans that you want to discuss before booking, you should feel comfortable doing that too.

I have written a separate guide with eight questions to ask your wedding photographer before you book, which goes into this in more detail.

PHOTOGRAPHY THAT WORKS AROUND YOUR WEDDING

You do not need to plan your wedding around what you think wedding photographs are supposed to look like.

Plan the day that suits the two of you.

Before the wedding, I will get to know what you have planned, help with the photography timings and understand the people and moments that are important to you.

On the day, I will photograph things naturally as they happen, organise the parts that need organising and give you some guidance when it is useful.

If you are planning a same sex wedding and like my relaxed, natural approach, I would love to hear what you have planned.