Combining 35mm Film Wedding Photography, Digital, & Super 8

If you’ve been wondering whether adding multiple photo and video formats to your wedding day is actually worth it, this is your sign that the answer is probably yes. There’s something so special about combining digital photography, 35mm film wedding photography, and Super 8 video because each one captures your day in such a different emotional way.

Anna and Ben’s wedding at The Manor House was honestly the perfect example of why this combination works so beautifully together. I was connected with these two through Riviera Creative, who I absolutely love working with and have collaborated with on creative shoots in the past. They always bring such an intentional and artistic energy to the weddings they design, and this one was no exception. Anna and Ben incorporated lush greenery and plant-filled details throughout the Manor House, from the ceremony setup to the decor woven across the space, which made everything feel organic, romantic, and full of life.

With a wedding day that felt this layered emotionally and visually, documenting it in just one format honestly wouldn’t have done it justice. Some wedding days beg to be documented in multiple formats because one medium alone can’t fully hold the feeling of it all.

Colorado bride and groom portraits at sunset

Digital Wedding Photography: Capturing the Energy as It Happens

One of my favorite things about digital photography on a wedding day is how well it keeps up with real life as it’s unfolding. Digital lets me document all of it in real time without missing a beat.

For Anna and Ben’s wedding, digital photography really became the foundation for telling the full story of the day. Their energy was so playful and carefree from the very beginning, and there were constantly little moments happening everywhere. One second, everyone was emotional during the ceremony, and the next, they were laughing so hard during portraits that we had to pause for a minute. Those are the moments I never want couples to forget because they’re usually the moments that feel the most like them. Venues also photograph beautifully in digital, capturing texture and natural light throughout the space.

I also love how digital and film work together. Digital captures the full pace and emotion of the day, while film slows things down and adds another layer of feeling to the story. Having both creates a gallery that feels complete, which is honestly why I love offering both so much.

Bride shows her bridesmaids her fully dressed

Chic wedding reception table decor at The Manor House

35mm Film Wedding Photography: Nostalgia You Can Feel

Okayyy, now onto one of my favorite parts, the film photos. Something about 35mm film wedding photography feels emotional before you can even explain why. The softness, grain, the way colors and light are rendered so imperfectly perfect, all create this sense of nostalgia that digital can’t replicate in the same way. Film will add so much depth and feeling to romantic lighting and slower, emotional moments. Soft movement, warm tones, tear-filled smiles, all of those tiny in-between moments are almost frozen in time.

What I love most about film is that you’re forced to slow down. It captures moments less like a perfectly polished production and more like a memory you’re holding onto years later. The images feel lived in, sentimental, and full of personality. That’s always the goal for me.

When film is mixed alongside digital photography, the gallery starts to feel really layered. You have the crisp, fast-moving storytelling from digital paired with these softer, nostalgic little pauses from film woven throughout. It creates such a balanced experience.

Super 8 Wedding Video: The Closest Thing to a Memory

If digital photography captures the story and 35mm film captures the emotion, Super 8 somehow captures the feeling of the day in motion. It’s nostalgic, imperfect, playful, and emotional, like watching a memory back instead of just watching a video.

There’s something about the little flickers, soft movement, and vintage texture of Super 8 that makes even the simplest moments feel meaningful. This format brings things to life. You get to rewatch the laughter, guests hugging, movement through the spaces, champagne toasts, dancing, speeches—Super 8 preserves all of those moments.

I especially love Super 8 for couples who care more about feeling than perfection. It isn’t meant to look ultra-polished or cinematic in a modern way. It feels human. A little messy sometimes, but in the way memories actually are.

And when you combine Super 8 with digital photography and 35mm film, everything starts working together. Digital holds the full story, film adds texture and nostalgia, and Super 8 breathes movement and emotion into everything. Together, they create a wedding gallery that doesn’t just show what your day looked like. It lets you step back into what it felt like to live it.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better wedding photographer than Samantha! Sam made us feel so comfortable every step of the way, kept us on timeline, and captured a mix of digital photo, film photo, and super 8 video that we will cherish forever. She was such an integral part of our day. We couldn’t recommend a better photographer for your special moments. Sam cares so much and it is reflected in the quality of her photos and the moments she captures <3”