Florence Wedding Photographer for Couples Who Notice the Small Things

I'm Victoria van den Hoven, a documentary wedding photographer, documenting weddings and elopements in Florence and across Tuscany for couples who care about art, design and intimacy. The result is a wedding gallery that feels like a body of work rather than a checklist of shots.

Most wedding photography is built around the peak moments: the kiss, the toast, the first dance. I photograph those too. But the pictures couples tell me they keep returning to are usually the ones nobody planned. Your mother fixing your collar. The ten quiet seconds before the doors open. Your partner's hand finding the small of your back in a crowd. The after.

Florence is a city that rewards that kind of attention. It has stone corridors, shuttered light, laundry strung across the Oltrarno, espresso at a standing bar. It's ordinary life and some of the greatest art ever made, in the same street. That's the wedding I want to photograph with you.

Close-up of a young woman with long curly red hair and fair skin, wearing pearl and gold earrings and a lace dress, looking calmly into the distance with a soft expression.

An outdoor dinner party with people seated along a long table decorated with flowers and candles, set in a garden with tall trees and shrubs.

People raising glasses in a toast at a wedding reception outdoor dining table with white tablecloth, floral centerpieces, and elegant tableware.

A wedding dress on a mannequin with lace detailing, displayed against a dark ornate background.

Three women walking through a lush garden with trees and green foliage, one dressed in a white wedding gown and veil, others in colorful dresses, one holding a camera.

Paris-elopement-photographer-88 Large.jpeg

Woman in backless gown standing on balcony with ocean view in black and white

Two men dancing and laughing at an outdoor event with other people in the background, some holding drinks.

A small, white chapel with a tiled roof and a door, situated under large, leafless trees in a rural area. There is a bell tower with a cross on top to the left of the chapel, and a sign next to the door.

A woman in a wedding dress with a long train stands by a door in a stone-walled room, facing away from the camera.

Who I photograph for

I work best with couples who live inside a creative world: artists, architects, art directors, designers, filmmakers, writers, and the people who love them. You probably have strong opinions about typefaces. You'd rather hang a photograph than post it. You've been to the Uffizi and the Pitti and you'd happily skip the postcard version of Florence for a back street at 7 a.m.

Many of my couples are flying in from the United States. I know how much there is to organise from another continent, and I'll make it simple.

How I photograph a Florence wedding

Documentary first. I stay close and stay quiet, and I rarely direct. You won't be marched through a list of poses. When I do guide you, it's gentle and short, and it's there so you can relax into your own wedding.

Comfort is the real craft. People tell me they forgot I was there. That's the part of my work I'm proudest of. I spend time with you beforehand so that by the wedding I'm a familiar face and not a stranger with a camera. The best photographs happen when nobody is performing.

The sacred ordinary. I look for the poem inside the document: closed eyes, averted gazes, hands, hems, thresholds, the morning light in a rented apartment. These are the moments that disappear from memory within a year and that you'll most want back.

Photographs that belong on a wall. I think about composition, light and restraint the way I did in my earlier career in graphic and brand design. The aim is a gallery you could print, frame and live with, with the kind of images you'd happily hang in your home.

For me, connection comes first. Blending in as just another guest allows us to feel the rhythm of the day from the inside and document it with honesty. I move with your circle, and live the celebration alongside you rather than observing from a distance. Photographing a wedding as if it were a friend’s is what makes the cameras disappear and the images feel alive, natural and true.

People dining outdoors at a long table during a gathering, with trees and a tall, narrow cypress in the background at dusk.

Close-up of a woman with curly red hair, light makeup, and pearl earrings, looking slightly upwards with a gentle expression.

Coastal landscape viewed from a broken window, showing rocky cliffs, the ocean, and a distant island at sunrise or sunset.

A black-and-white photograph of a couple, where the woman gently holds the man's waist and they are sharing a tender moment, with the woman closing her eyes and the man leaning in.

A woman in a white gown with a long train, standing at an open doorway in a stone-walled room, looking inside.

A small yellow apple on a white lace tablecloth with intricate circular patterns.

A couple dressed in wedding attire standing outdoors on grass, with the man in a white tuxedo and the woman in a white wedding dress, holding a bouquet of white flowers.

A scenic view of a coastline with mountains and the sea in the background, and a blurred white ashtray with cigarette butts in the foreground.

Elegant outdoor banquet table set with white flowers, glassware, and plates, overlooking a scenic view of trees, ocean, and sky with floating glass bubbles.

Two women, one with curly hair and glasses, smiling and holding a woman with long blonde hair who is leaning back. The setting appears to be a social gathering or celebration.

A couple embracing and dancing on the beach with water and boats in the background.

Interior view of a grand, ornate building with multiple marble arches and columns, intricate decorative details, and a staircase in the background.

Close-up of a person wearing a white dress with pearl details, touching pink flowers with their hand, showing their shoulder and part of their face.

Close-up of The Creation of Adam fresco showing God reaching out to touch Adam's hand, with gold wedding rings placed on God's arm.

A woman in a wedding dress with lace details, wearing a veil, standing against a dark background, with her eyes closed and face slightly turned downward.

Narrow canal lined with tall, old buildings on both sides, with boats floating in the water.

A wedding ceremony with a couple kissing, surrounded by friends and family outdoors.

A black and white photograph of a hand holding a fish by its tail, with an empty sky in the background.

People walking through a lush garden with trees and bushes, one woman in a red dress holding a camera, a bride in a white gown with a veil, and another woman in a light green dress, all smiling and engaging in conversation.

A group of people sitting at a long outdoor dinner table surrounded by trees, listening to a man in glasses and a gray suit. The table is decorated with flowers, candles, and glasses.

A white marble sculpture of a woman with a cloth draped over her shoulders, standing on a base, with her arms raised and her face partly covered, placed on a black countertop against a beige stone wall. To the left, there is a silver tray and to the

A woman in a white lace dress standing against a stone wall in an outdoor setting with classical sculptures and architecture in the background.

A detailed marble statue of a saint on a church wall with ornate architectural and painted decorative ceiling.

Close-up of a white garment decorated with pearl embellishments arranged in dangling patterns.

A bride in a wedding dress and veil holding hands with a groom in a suit, walking outside a building.

A bride and groom standing on a balcony overlooking the ocean, with large rocks below, in a black-and-white photo.

Close-up of a person wearing a white dress embellished with pearls and feathers.

A bride and groom holding hands outside next to a stone wall, dressed in wedding attire. The bride is in a white wedding dress and the groom in a white tuxedo jacket with a black bow tie.

A woman in a white dress standing by a window, looking to the side with a gentle smile.

Person in white clothing holding a small red box with white label on a white surface.

Two gold wedding rings resting on a red decorative box with gold ornate patterns.

A woman wearing white pointed heels and a sheer, polka-dotted dress standing on a black and orange patterned carpet.

A black-and-white photo of a smiling man with a beard wearing a suit, and a woman with long hair and sunglasses, in an outdoor setting with a blurred background.

Black-and-white photo of a young man in a suit, smiling and holding a drink at an outdoor event with people in the background, some with drinks, under umbrellas, and a building with a sloped roof.

A young woman in a white lace dress standing on a sunlit city street, shielding her eyes with her hand.

A young woman with shoulder-length dark hair sitting on a bed in a hotel room, wearing a white blazer and sheer polka-dot pants, with a gentle expression, touching her ear with her right hand, and a magazine on her lap.

A woman standing in front of a mirror, wearing a light-colored blazer and sheer, dotted wide-leg pants with a high waist. Her face is partially visible and she has dark hair.

A bride in a white wedding dress and veil walking with two women in colorful dresses, one in red and one in green, through a lush garden with trees and bushes.

A happy couple sharing an intimate moment outdoors, with the woman smiling and the man gently holding her, wearing a light gray suit, white dress shirt, and tie, against a backdrop of greenery and a clear sky.

Close-up of a white lace wedding dress with floral and scroll patterns.

A young woman with long dark hair and wearing a cream-colored lace dress, sitting on a pink chair in an elegant vintage room. Behind her, ornate dark wood shelves with decorative items, framed portraits, a classical sculpture, and dark green drapes c

A couple embracing and jumping in water outdoors with rocky terrain in the background, black and white photograph.

A silver tray with a pile of ice and fresh red cherries on a beige tiled surface.

Rows of wooden chairs with white cushions decorated with white ribbons at an outdoor wedding setup, with rose petals scattered on the grass.

Group of people at an outdoor event, interacts while holding small fans, surrounded by greenery and trees, sunny weather.

Why couples travel from the US to marry in Florence

Italy is a favourite for Americans because of the food, the history, the light, and the freedom to make a wedding feel more like a long weekend than a single event. Florence adds something specific: it's compact and walkable, easy to reach with direct flights, and visually extraordinary. Your guests can wander between a morning espresso, a museum and your ceremony without a rental car.

I'm based in Germany and travel to Italy regularly for weddings, so I'm easy to reach in your time zone and used to working with international couples, planners and venues. I speak English and German fluently.

How to book.

I document a strictly limited number of weddings each year to ensure you get the love & attention you deserve.

Secure your spot with the button below and let’s start planning.

1. Fill out the Contact Form

2. Schedule a Consultation Call

3. Lock-In your Date & Relax!

start your journey

A woman in a white lace dress standing on a city sidewalk with sunlight illuminating her and street background.

Packages

Getting married in Italy? Amsterdam? On top of Mount Blanc? I will follow you anywhere in Europe. Inquire to see the different collections I offer.

Starting from € 5,000
Project-based packages
Photos that connect you to your dream clients
starting from € 2375

inquire

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

How far in advance should I book a Florence wedding photographer?
Spring and autumn are busiest in Tuscany. For a wedding between April and October, I recommend reaching out 9 to 14 months ahead [adjust to your real calendar]. Smaller elopements can sometimes come together faster, so it's always worth asking.

Do you photograph elopements and small weddings in Florence?
Yes. Intimate weddings of two to thirty people are some of my favourite days to photograph, because there's room for the quiet moments I care most about.

What is documentary wedding photography?
It's a style where the photographer observes real moments as they unfold instead of staging them. You get honest, unposed pictures of what your day actually felt like, with light direction only where it helps.

Can you photograph a wedding in Florence if we're also getting married elsewhere in Tuscany?
Yes. I travel throughout Tuscany and can cover a city ceremony, a countryside celebration, or a multi-day weekend.

Do you work with wedding planners in Florence?
Yes, and I enjoy it. A good planner makes the day calmer for everyone. If you don't have one yet, I can point you toward planners whose taste I trust [add if true].

We're not comfortable in front of a camera. Is that a problem?
It's the most common thing I hear, and it's rarely a problem. Making people feel at ease is my strongest skill. Most couples tell me they forgot I was there.

Do I need a legal ceremony in Italy?
Requirements for foreign couples vary, and many American couples handle the legal paperwork at home and hold a symbolic ceremony in Italy. Your planner or the relevant Italian authority will have the current rules [verify before publishing].

What does a Florence wedding photographer cost?
My collections begin at 5000€ including all travel costs and a second photographer. The final figure depends on coverage, additional services and whether you'd like an album. Send me your date and what you're imagining, and I'll reply with a clear quote.