LOVE IN ITS TRUEST LIGHT: Allison Eding of Lightbloom Photography

From the timeless beauty of 35mm film to joyful, laughter-filled wedding days, Allison Eding, owner of Lightbloom Photography, has built a reputation for creating authentic images that feel just as meaningful decades later as they did in the moment they were captured. A fine art photographer by training, Allison discovered early in her career that weddings offered exactly what she was looking for—creativity, variety, and the opportunity to tell a different love story with every celebration. Blending film and digital photography, her signature style embraces natural color, timeless tones, and genuine emotion over fleeting trends. We caught up with Allison to talk about preserving memories by hand, photographing unforgettable celebrations, and why finding a photographer you truly connect with is one of the most important decisions a couple can make.

Allison Eding, Lightbloom Photography

Can you share the story behind your photography business and what drew you to capturing weddings?

I went to college for 35mm film photography and studied fine art for 4 years. I graduated completely unsure of what to do with that art degree. So I took the first photography jobs I could get, and that included doing school pictures (yes, for the yearbook, it was awful) and also assisting a wedding photographer. After doing my first handful of weddings, I realized how much fun it was. One thing I never wanted for myself was to do the same thing every day for the rest of my life. I’ve always wanted variety, and weddings really bring that. I get to be creative every day and try new things, try new gear and new angles, different lighting and different venues and different couples. No two weddings are the same, and I love the uniqueness of that.

How would you describe your photography style, and what sets your work apart?

My style is very fine art, natural color, vivid greens and blues, very film-influenced. I’m not too bright and not too dark. I still shoot in 35mm film as well as digital, and I edit all of my digital photos to look film-ish, too. I believe my natural look will hold up best over time, because it’s what the day actually looked like. I think that’s an uncommon photo style these days, and I love being different.

What’s one thing couples can expect when working with you?

I actually still do everything myself, by hand. I don’t outsource or use AI to edit my photos. I want to preserve memories the way they authentically happened. I also lead a wedding day with a lot of laughter. There can be tons of high-stress moments as well as emotional moments, and I bring a lot of couples back to Earth with lightheartedness. When we’re too busy laughing our way through the photos, you don’t even feel like you’re posing for them anymore. You show up more genuinely as yourself, and that’s what makes the best images.

What are some of the most meaningful or memorable weddings you’ve captured, and what made them stand out?

Being in the industry since about 2010, I have TRULY seen it all. I’ve seen important family members not show up, I’ve seen uninvited guests show up when they weren’t supposed to, I’ve seen a venue get ruined by weather an hour before the ceremony was supposed to start, I’ve seen hurricane weddings, I’ve seen Covid weddings, I’ve kicked people out of weddings myself. But you know what always stands out the most? When things go horribly wrong, and the couple shrugs their shoulders and has a great time anyway. One of my favorite memories was a recent wedding out in Emerald Isle; they had a live band playing at the reception outdoors, with a tent just big enough for the band. A huge thunderstorm opened up during the reception, and that bride and groom did not BLINK; they kept dancing through the downpour, and had the absolute time of their lives, and it made for some of my favorite photos I’ve ever captured. The huge smiles, absolutely soaked in rain, and no one cared at all.

What advice would you give to couples when choosing the right wedding photographer?

Do your research! This is a scary time right now with technology, people can fake a whole portfolio, and there are a lot of scammers out there. Read as many reviews as you can get your hands on. If you know a couple that the photographer has worked with in the past, ask them about their experience. Ask to see whole galleries. Get to know them a bit. Sure, they may have beautiful photos in their portfolio, but are they a kind person and fun to be around? Are they inclusive of every kind of couple? Pay attention to the verbiage on their website. Your photographer will be one of the people you spend the most time with on your wedding day; it’s important that you like them! I like to include totally non-wedding-related questions in my initial inquiry form for my clients to fill out so I can get to know them on a personal basis and see if we really vibe! Does their portfolio speak to you? Does it give you all the feels? Their work should definitely call to you, whether you know a single thing about photography or not.

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