# J S Coates Wedding Photography > Award-winning creative Midlands wedding photographer specialising in fun, vibrant, and bold imagery. Based in Warwickshire, serving the West Midlands and beyond. ## About Jonathan Coates I'm an award-winning Midlands wedding photographer based in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. My style blends natural storytelling with bold, creative portraits, capturing real moments as they happen - no forced poses, no awkward smiles. For most of your day (about 95%), I work in a relaxed, documentary style, quietly capturing genuine emotions, laughter, and all the in-between moments that make your wedding yours. The other 5%? That's where we create something a bit special - fun, vibrant portraits with a bit of flair, without ever making it feel staged or uncomfortable. I believe the best photos come when you can just be yourselves. My job is to make you feel at ease, so you can enjoy your day while I capture it in a way that feels honest, natural, and full of life. Photography style keywords: Fun, Vibrant, Bold, Creative, Natural, Documentary, Candid, Relaxed. ## Services - Full wedding day photography coverage - Couples portrait sessions - Wedding highlight films - Printed wedding albums - Engagement shoots ## Service Areas Primary coverage areas: - Midlands - Warwickshire - West Midlands - Nationwide UK coverage - Destination weddings available ## Featured Wedding Venues Jonathan has photographed weddings at numerous venues including: - Pendrell Hall, Staffordshire - The Barn at Upcote, Gloucestershire - The Out Barn, Clitheroe - Sherwood Glade, Nottinghamshire - Homme House, Herefordshire - Foxtail Barns - Dodmoor House, Northamptonshire - Cluny Castle, Scotland - The Crazy Bear, Stadhampton Venue types covered: Grand halls, castles, rustic wedding barns, festival tipis, country houses, outdoor woodland settings, and destination locations. ## Awards and Recognition - Wedding Photographer of the Year - The Wedding Industry Awards West Midlands Regional Winner - Top 100 UK Wedding Photographers - Your Perfect Wedding Photographer (multiple consecutive years) - Rangefinder Top 30 Nominated - Masters of Wedding Photography Awards (multiple wins) - Fearless Photographers Award - GoHen Top 50 Wedding Photographer - Rock My Wedding Featured Photographer - Published in leading wedding industry blogs ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Before the day #### How can I check if you are available to photograph our day? The easiest way to get in touch is to fill in the contact form on the site. Jonathan will reply as soon as possible with his pricing brochure and current availability. If he is already booked for your date, he will also share a few photographers whose work and approach he truly admires and who he believes would be a wonderful fit for you. #### Can we meet before committing to book? Absolutely. Jonathan encourages every couple who is thinking about booking to have a meeting first. He wants you to feel completely confident that you are choosing the right person for your day and someone you will genuinely enjoy having around during such an important moment in your life. Most couples choose a video call for convenience, but he is also happy to meet in person when timing allows. #### How do we actually book? Once you have had your video chat and feel Jonathan is the right fit, let him know by email, text, or DM and he will send over the booking forms and contract. As soon as everything is signed, he will send your deposit invoice. Once the deposit is paid, your date is officially secured. #### Do you require a deposit, and when is the final amount due? Yes. There is a GBP 500 deposit paid at the time of booking. The final balance is due four weeks before your wedding day. #### After booking, do we have to do anything else, and what is the process leading up to the wedding day? Once you have booked, Jonathan encourages couples to follow him on social media and for him to follow them too, so you can get to know each other a little more before the wedding. This is completely optional. Between booking and the wedding day, he will send a few emails to check in and share helpful information, including tips on getting the best from your photos and recommendations for wonderful suppliers. About four weeks before the wedding, he sends the final invoice along with a questionnaire covering timings, group shot lists, addresses, and other key details. After that, you will have a final video chat to go over any last details before the wedding day. #### Do you only shoot photo, or do you offer video? Photography is Jonathan’s main passion, but he also offers a hybrid package where he captures small video moments throughout the day and brings them together into a highlight film that complements your photos. --- ### On the day #### What style of photos will I get? Jonathan shoots fun, vibrant, bold images. For most of the day, he captures natural moments as they happen: the special interactions between people and the emotions of the day. Some people call it documentary photography, some call it candid, but the approach is essentially unposed, real, and creatively story-driven. There is a little posing for portraits, but even then the goal is real smiles rather than forced expressions. He also captures family group shots and the details you have carefully put together. #### What time do you arrive, and how long do you stay? Jonathan focuses on capturing as much of your story as possible. He will arrive as early as you would like in the morning and stays until he has everything he needs. There are no time limits and no additional charges for extra hours. #### What extras are available on top of the standard package? Available extras include: - Hybrid shooting (photo and video together) - Pre-wedding or engagement shoots - Wedding albums and prints - A second shooter #### Do you travel for weddings or only shoot local? Although Jonathan is based in the Midlands, he travels across the whole of the UK for weddings and has also photographed celebrations in mainland Europe and the United States. #### Can we have group shots? Yes. Jonathan does take group shots, although he does not show many of them on his website because they are personal to each wedding. He likes to work quickly so you are not standing in line when you could be enjoying your day. Simply provide a list before the wedding and he will make it happen. #### We hate having our pictures taken. Is that a problem? Not at all. Jonathan hears this from many couples. For most of the day, he focuses on natural, documentary-style photography. When it comes to couple portraits, he keeps things fun and relaxed, guiding you in a way that helps create genuine smiles and moments without anything feeling forced. #### Do we need a second shooter? Most of the time, a second shooter is not necessary, but it depends on factors such as guest count and which moments matter most to you. The best way to decide is to talk it through during a video call before booking. --- ### After the day #### How many images will I receive? Jonathan does not set a strict limit, but on average he delivers between 700 and 1200 images from a wedding day. These are the images that tell your story and showcase how amazing your day was. #### How long until we receive our images? If possible, Jonathan will send a few sneak peeks just a few days after your wedding. Your personal slideshow is usually ready within five to seven weeks. After that, he will send your full gallery. #### How do we receive all the images? You will receive a personal private online gallery where you can download all your images in sizes suitable for print and social sharing. You can order prints directly from the gallery, and you also have a full print release so you can print your images wherever you like. You can share a guest link so guests can download images too, and you can hide any images you do not want visible to anyone using the guest link. #### Can we have a printed wedding album? Yes. Printed wedding albums are available as an optional extra. These are high-quality, sturdy books designed to become treasured family keepsakes. Parent albums are also available. --- ### General #### Have you won any awards? Jonathan says couples should choose a wedding photographer based on how much they love the images and whether the photographer feels like a good personality fit, not on awards alone. That said, he has received: - Best Wedding Photography in the West Midlands from The Wedding Industry Awards (TWIA), plus five Highly Commended mentions - Multiple Fearless Awards - Multiple Masters of Wedding Photography Awards #### Where are you based? Jonathan is a Midlands-based wedding photographer who often covers Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Herefordshire, and Shropshire, but he is not restricted to those areas and works across the UK and beyond. #### What areas do you cover, and do you travel to photograph weddings? Jonathan covers the whole of the UK and beyond. He regularly travels across England, Scotland, and Wales for weddings, and has also photographed weddings in the United States and mainland Europe. For most weddings within the UK, there are no additional travel charges, but very long-distance or destination weddings may incur extra costs. #### Are you fully insured, and can you provide proof to our venue if needed? Yes. Jonathan is fully insured with both professional indemnity insurance and public liability insurance. Proof can be provided to venues on request. #### How would you describe your wedding photography style? Jonathan captures unposed moments in a storytelling style. Some call it candid photography, others call it documentary. He looks for laughs, smiles, glances, connections, and emotions, and captures them as creatively as possible, combining that with beautiful portraits to create unique images of your wedding day. #### How long have you been a wedding photographer? Jonathan has been a full-time professional wedding photographer since 2015 and has captured hundreds of weddings across the UK and abroad. ## Contact Information - **Business Name:** J S Coates Wedding Photography Limited - **Company Number:** 12244371 - **Photographer:** Jonathan Coates - **Address:** 168 The Long Shoot, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, CV11 6JW - **Phone:** 07883072323 - **Email:** jsc@jscoates.com - **Website:** [jscoates.com](https://jscoates.com) ## Social Media - Instagram: [@j_s_coates_photo](https://www.instagram.com/j_s_coates_photo) - Facebook: [J S Coates Photography](https://www.facebook.com/jscoatesphotography/) - TikTok: [@jscoates](https://tiktok.com/@jscoates) ## Key Website Pages - Homepage: [jscoates.com](https://jscoates.com) - About: [jscoates.com](https://jscoates.com/about/) - Blog/Portfolio: [jscoates.com](https://jscoates.com/blog/) - Gallery: [jscoates.com](https://jscoates.com/gallery/) - Wedding Films: [jscoates.com](https://jscoates.com/wedding-highlight-films/) - FAQs: [jscoates.com](https://jscoates.com/wedding-photography-faq/) - Pricing: [jscoates.com](https://jscoates.com/info/) - Wedding Albums: [jscoates.com](https://jscoates.com/wedding-albums/) - Awards: [jscoates.com](https://jscoates.com/award-winning-wedding-photographer/) - Contact: [jscoates.com](https://jscoates.com/contact-me/) ## Testimonials > "His ability to tell a story in an image, truly capture the moment, the humour & the emotion. Absolutely magical." > — Ruth & Lee ## Additional Resources - [Top 10 Wedding Barn Venues in the Midlands](https://jscoates.com/10-top-wedding-barn-venues-in-the-midlands/) - [5 Awesome Tipi Wedding Venues in the Midlands](https://jscoates.com/5-awesome-tipi-wedding-venues-in-the-midlands/) - [Wedding Portraits Gallery](https://jscoates.com/wedding-portraits/) - [Wedding Moments Gallery](https://jscoates.com/wedding-moments/) - [Best Wedding Photos of 2025](https://jscoates.com/best-wedding-photos-of-2025/)