They captured the "I do's" of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi, and Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. Now, the photographers pull back the curtain for Yahoo, revealing what really happens at these private - and lavish - events. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Robert Evans/Handout via WireImage via Getty Images, Millie Bobby Brown/Instagram, Sylvain Gaboury/FilmMagic via Getty Images)They're among Hollywood's most trusted secret-keepers. They're in the room when the gown goes on and the bride is handed the bouquet. They witness first looks, kisses and dances. They're the wedding photographers behind the lens for some of the most famous "I do's" - and they're cordially inviting us into their world.
With privacy a rare commodity for celebrities, the team they assemble to carry out their wedding dreams is essential to a smooth, happy day. Photographers play a key role; not just documenting the occasion for the bride and groom, but capturing the essence of each love story in the handful of images that the star shares publicly.
Yahoo talked to Robert Evans, Sandra von Riekhoff and Lauren Fair about documenting star-studded ceremonies. The visual storytellers say their reputations get them a meeting with clients, but booking the job is about building trust, beyond the standard non-disclosure agreements, in addition to their shutter style.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNot only are they snapping timeless shots - the portraits a star might share on Instagram to mark their anniversaries for years to come - but celebrities are trendsetters, and the imagery will be shared all over social media and should stand out from the typical Pinterest fare.
Their work isn't merely done behind the camera. They're known to keep paparazzi at bay, blend in with guests at the reception - with a cocktail in hand - to be a friend with a camera and stay up all night helping pick which images make the final cut."Shooting what people call a 'wedding of the century' is always a fascinating experience," Evans, who shot Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes's Italian nuptials and Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's Malibu celebration, tells Yahoo. "The spotlight is enormous - and so are the precautions."A matter of trust - and NDAsCelebrity couples don't select their photographer on style alone. It's just as much about connection and choosing someone who will keep every detail private.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"Trust is a key element to making sure that everything runs smoothly," says von Riekhoff, who Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi hired to shoot their wedding in Tuscany in October 2024.
That begins with early conversations, in person or virtually, where photographers listen to the couple's vision and help them feel at ease about how the day will unfold."Anyone who gets to the point where they're shooting celebrity weddings ... probably has a good number of years and experience under their belt," says von Riekhoff. "So [it's] coming to the table and understanding their needs very well."Von Riekhoff, who also captured Princess Eugenie's 2018 royal wedding to Jack Brooksbank, storyboards in advance with clients. It aligns their creative visions, lets her see images they may want to emulate and helps identify key people they want photos with.
Not every shoot has that advantage. When Evans was hired for Aniston and Pitt's wedding, he was told he'd be photographing a corporate event. He only learned the truth about the assignment two days before the celebration.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSitting across from two superstars, discussing what they want at their secret wedding, you need to stay cool."I see celebrities as people who just want to be treated normally," Evans says. "I've always approached these weddings the same way: Capture authentic, emotional photographs that tell a love story."Once a couple selects their photographer, formal steps follow to legally protect their privacy."NDAs are always part of the process," Evans says. "While I'm the kind of person who believes in a handshake and trust, their teams and lawyers make sure everything is airtight."Paparazzi, superfans and the media - oh, myEven the most tightly run clandestine operations can be exposed. The press may catch wind of the event, paparazzi might stake out the venue or an eager fan could try to crash the wedding.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"At Brad and Jen's wedding, you could see photographers camped out on the hills above the property," Evans says.
An aerial view of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's 2000 wedding in Malibu, Calif. (Dan Callister/Online USA via Getty Images)There was a "million-dollar bounty" on the photos, Evans says, so he arranged a security escort to take him from the reception to the lab, where he developed more than 1,000 images through the night. The guard took the negatives, proofs and prints directly to Aniston and Pitt's team. Of al