Emily and Cristiano celebrated their wedding at BAaD, right in the heart of Glasgow’s Barras. It’s a venue with a lot of character already built in — industrial, colourful and a little unconventional — which suited the relaxed energy of their day perfectly.
Cristiano’s family travelled from Italy to join Emily’s family and friends in Glasgow, making the day feel like a meeting of two places as much as two families. It was warm, busy and full of the kind of small interactions I’m always looking for: people catching up around tables, hugs between family members, glasses being raised and moments happening away from the obvious parts of the wedding.
I photographed the day predominantly on 35mm film, alongside medium format and digital. BAaD and the surrounding Barras are particularly suited to film — there’s colour, texture and character everywhere, from the market streets outside to the changing light inside the venue.
We kept portraits relaxed and uncomplicated, using the streets around the Barras rather than disappearing away from the wedding for a long photoshoot. The rest of the day was allowed to unfold naturally, with the cameras following what was already happening.
By the evening, the whole thing had shifted from an intimate celebration into a very busy Glasgow wedding party — exactly the kind of environment where I love letting 35mm film become a little looser. Flash, movement, grain, missed focus and all the imperfections that make the photographs feel like they belong to the night rather than simply documenting it.
A Glasgow wedding, an Italian family, a packed dancefloor and a lot of film. Pretty much my ideal combination.
Photographing a Wedding at BAad Glasgow
BAaD is one of those Glasgow wedding venues that gives you a lot to work with photographically without needing to manufacture anything.
The glass-covered main space brings plenty of natural light into what is otherwise a characterful industrial setting, while the courtyard, mezzanine and surrounding Barras give the day lots of different backdrops without disappearing away from the wedding for an hour.
For me, the Barras is a particularly important part of photographing a wedding here. Stepping outside BAaD puts you straight into one of Glasgow’s most recognisable neighbourhoods — old shopfronts, painted shutters, signs, murals and the streets around the market. It gives couple portraits a sense of place rather than making them feel disconnected from the rest of the day.
Inside, I tend to work much more observationally. BAaD lends itself to documentary photography because guests naturally move between the different spaces throughout the day. As the light changes and the evening gets busier, 35mm film brings another layer of colour, grain and movement to the photographs.
My advice to couples getting married at BAaD would be not to over-plan the photography. Give yourselves a little time to wander around the Barras together, then get back to your guests and enjoy the party. The venue — and Glasgow itself — will do plenty of the work for us.
Enjoy Emily & Cristiano's wedding gallery - I hope it inspires you for your day.
