2025 was full of noise, colour, hugs, chaos, happy tears, and dance floors that refused to quit.
I spent the year bouncing around Sussex, London, and places my sat nav kept warning me about, camera in hand, chasing moments that only happen once. Being a Sussex wedding photographer means I get to stand right in the middle of real life while it unfolds, and this year I saw so much of it. Big laughs. Quiet nerves. That look couples give each other when they think no one is watching. I don’t think I will ever get bored of that feeling.
This was my second year running Simon Butler Photography full time, and honestly I still have to remind myself that this is my actual job. No more juggling night shifts. No more squeezing editing in around exhaustion. Just me, my camera, and people trusting me with their stories. I also grew the business this year by pushing harder into branding photography, working with brilliant businesses and creatives who wanted images that felt human and not stiff. Seeing that side of the business start to take shape has been such a buzz.
2025 was also a busy one in numbers. I shot 28 weddings, worked 15 second shooting days, ran 2 branding shoots, photographed 10 family sessions, and covered 25 graduation and school jobs. That’s a lot of stories, a lot of laughs, and a lot of memory cards. Being a Sussex wedding photographer is still the heart of what I do, but I love that the business now stretches far beyond just weddings too.
This year I also brought the Insta360 X4 into my workflow so I could grab behind-the-scenes moments and create more content for my socials. It’s been fun, chaotic, and a total learning curve, but it’s helped me show what a wedding day really feels like, not just the polished final images.
I still catch myself thinking about where I was in 2023. Burned out. Working night shifts. Trying to grow a business while recovering from a knee operation. It was rough, but it also forced me to slow down and really focus on what I wanted Simon Butler Photography to become. I poured everything into it while I was off work, and somehow it worked. Now I get to photograph couples and businesses who believe in what I do, and that never stops feeling special.
I also added more graduation and school photography into the mix, which meant even more smiles, proud parents, and big life moments. One day I’d be shooting a wedding, the next I’d be photographing a room full of students celebrating finishing school. I love that no two weeks ever look the same.
Then there were the commercial jobs. Some of these still make me laugh when I think about them. Getting to work at the AMEX Stadium, home of my football team, was wild. I even got to go pitch side and actually touch the pitch, which felt like a proper “what is my life” moment. Stuff like that makes all the graft feel worth it.
I also racked up some serious miles this year. From a wedding in Falmouth to one in Margate, with loads of Sussex and London stops in between, I spent a lot of time in the car and even more time in Premier Inns. Late nights. Early starts. Driving home replaying the day in my head. It’s tiring, but it’s also part of the adventure.
So here we are, closing out 2025. I’m grateful. I’m knackered. I’m excited. Being a Sussex wedding photographer still feels like the best job in the world, and I cannot wait to see what 2026 throws my way. New couples. New places. New stories. Let’s go.