WELCOME TO
the story of
LEIGH
HAYWARD
CHARLESTON WEDDING, ELOPEMENT & PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER
I’ve spent over two decades doing the thing I love most: being trusted completely by two people on the most important day of their lives.
That trust isn’t something I take lightly. It’s something I’ve spent a lifetime earning.
My story starts with a vintage film camera and a generous grandfather who placed it in my hands while I was studying fine art and visual communication in London. Somewhere between the museums, the light, and the city itself, photography became everything. I spent the next eleven years living and working abroad, traveling through Europe and Asia, shooting for a fashion studio in the UK, and absorbing a way of seeing the world that still shapes every frame I make today.
In 2006, I came home to the US, launched Leigh Hayward Photography, and found my people: couples who want to feel completely at ease, who trust me to handle every detail, and who want images that feel as alive ten years from now as they do today. This was also the year I met my husband on Myspace, of all places!
When I’m not behind the lens, you’ll find me deep in a podcast. Dateline and Armchair Expert are basically a personality trait at this point. I have a deep love of travel, born from a childhood of school holidays spent exploring Thailand, India, and South Africa. That early sense of adventure never left me, and it shows up in the way I approach every wedding – curious, present, and genuinely excited to be there.
What I bring to your wedding day is everything those years gave me: a fine art eye, a calm and confident presence, and a genuine love for the people in front of my lens. I’ll guide you, I’ll make you laugh, and I’ll make sure you look and feel beautiful. That’s my promise-every single time.
LOOK MOM. I MADE IT..
