Couples pay £50k for luxury wedding photos – even though they’re not married

Wearing stunning wedding gowns and staring lovingly into their groom's eyes, these brides look like their wedding day is everything they hoped it would be.

But all is not as it seems.

These are not couples on their wedding days – these are PRE-wedding shoots.

The stunning snaps are now a booming industry among wealthy Chinese and Asian couples keen to show off their love before the big day.

And the UK is one of the most popular destinations for these unusual photoshoots to take place.

One man who has cornered the market is Alex Beckett.

The 35-year-old is already one of the UK's top 10 wedding photographers and now he's gone global.

From shooting soon-to-be bride and grooms on London's Tower Bridge, to jetting off with them to the Italian Lakes, Alex will do whatever it takes to get the perfect fairytale picture.

He said: "Many of them are showing off something about the couple.

"They're taken before the wedding and then shown during the marriage banquet and form part of the whole day."


Alex now does two or three of the pre-wedding shoots every week and has worked for everyone from teachers to billionaires and everything in between.

The sets of photos can start at as little as £500 but can soar in price to a whopping £50,000, depending on what he needs for the shoot.

One couple opted for a simple set of photos, with them wearing football shirts and standing outside various stadiums across London.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, shoots can involve glamorous locations right across Europe, vintage cars and even speed boats.

Alex admits he fell into both wedding photography and pre-wedding shoots by accident.


The married father-of-one started his career as a computer hacker but admits he hated life behind a desk.

He said: "I thought I had to have a 'proper job' and that involved sitting behind a desk."

Alex had always loved photography and when a friend who had moved to Hong Kong asked him to shoot both her wedding and pre-wedding shots, he jumped at the chance.

It was a huge success and from that wedding alone, Alex secured another 25 bookings straight away.

But he says he learned a lot from his first pre-wedding shoot.


Alex explained: "I didn't really understand what was expected so I picked a derelict RAF vase just outside Cambridge but I realised they were looking for the glamour of England and Europe."

Many couples choose London, or other destinations in Europe, because it has a special significance for them.

Alex said: "Many of them studied or worked in London, or have a special connection to the place they have chosen."

One of his most glamorous jobs was a pre-wedding shoot at Lake Como in Italy. But there was one thing that caused problems – the weather .

Alex said: "It was one of my favourite shoots, it was very Audrey Hepburn-style.


"I didn't really realise how much budget I had, I'd given them my rates and we ended up with speedboats across Lake Como – but it also came with some drama.

"There had been a typhoon in Hong Kong just as the couple were preparing to fly over, which meant they were three days late.

"I was already booked into do a wedding, so I flew straight there after that, but when we'd scouted the location it was a really sunny day.

"By the time we did the photos it was raining but we still got some absolutely amazing shots."

And Alex makes sure he has several tricks up his sleeve to combat any adverse conditions – even a British winter.

He said: "It's all to do with lighting. Even on the greyest of days, I can make it look as though the sun is shining down on the bride and groom.

"Admittedly, if it's a lovely sunny day my job is a lot easier – but if it isn't, I can make it look as though it was."

One bride was so fooled by what Alex had managed to achieve on her wedding day she complained that some of the natural shots look grey.

He had to remind her that the day had been overcast.

But there is one issue even Alex's skills can't get round – the problem of permission to shoot in many of the famous London locations.

He said: "The capital isn't set up for these types of shoots. You need permission to shoot in all of the royal parks and you have to be very specific with timings and locations but it's impossible to work like that."

Taking professional pictures is also banned in many of the other iconic locations in London because of issues with land ownership.

Alex instead often chooses to film in the French capital of Paris – although timing is key.

He said: "The Louvre looks really amazing at sunset, and in the 20 minutes after sunset there is an amazing, blue twilight light.

"The Eiffel Tower is great at the break of sunrise but you have to get there very early, sometimes 4am, because after that it's packed with tourists."

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