★★★★★
I’ve been to a lot of weddings, but I’ve never come across a photographer quite like this.
Melissa ByrnesRing of Kerry Wedding Photographer | Waterville, Caherdaniel & Derrynane Weddings
The Ring of Kerry feels bigger than a normal wedding location.
The roads twist around mountains and coastline, the Atlantic changes mood by the hour, and places like Waterville, Caherdaniel, and Derrynane never feel overly polished or staged.
That’s what makes weddings here so memorable.
Some couples want windswept portraits beside the sea. Others want quiet moments overlooking Derrynane Bay or relaxed celebrations tucked into small villages along the coast.
I photograph weddings along the Ring of Kerry in a relaxed documentary style that lets the landscape, atmosphere, and people shape the story naturally.
No over-directing. No stiff posing. Just real moments with one of the most dramatic parts of Ireland wrapped around them.
★★★★★
An honor and a pleasure. Extremely talented wedding photographer. An eye for all the beautiful things. A fun person to be around. Excellent excellent AMAZING!
Casey KleinThe Ring of Kerry is one of Ireland’s most iconic drives — winding roads, wild coastlines, mountains rolling down into the Atlantic. For weddings, it’s nothing short of spectacular. Couples travel here from all over the world to marry in places like Waterville, Caherdaniel, and Derrynane — spots that capture the heart of Kerry’s beauty.
As a wedding photographer, I’ve spent years exploring these landscapes with couples. The photos we create here aren’t just pretty backdrops — they’re memories that feel alive every time you look at them.
Why Choose the Ring of Kerry for Your Wedding?
Couples tell me the same thing again and again: there’s nowhere like the Ring of Kerry.
Scenery: rugged coastlines, sweeping bays, mountain passes.
History: ancient ruins, abbeys, and castles.
Atmosphere: Kerry’s warmth and hospitality.
For weddings, it means variety: barefoot vows on Derrynane Beach, an elegant reception in Waterville, or portraits on mountain roads above Caherdaniel.
Top Wedding Venues on the Ring of Kerry
Here are the venues that stand out:
Butler Arms Hotel, Waterville – A seaside hotel with charm, history, and Atlantic views. A favourite for couples who love classic Kerry hospitality.
Smugglers Inn, Waterville – A hidden gem, with food that rivals any top restaurant and sunsets over the sea.
Derrynane Hotel (seasonal) – Tucked beside Derrynane Beach, ideal for relaxed weddings.
Private houses & Airbnbs around Caherdaniel – Perfect for elopements and small celebrations.
No matter the venue, the landscape always plays its part.
Wedding Photography Collections · Cork & Munster
Choose the coverage that feels right for your day.
Weddings don’t all run to the same timetable, and I don’t think photography should feel like it does either. These collections give you a starting point, from a smaller celebration to the full story of the day. Whichever you choose, I’ll photograph it in the same relaxed, natural way.
Collections start from€600See Intimate ↓
Travel Included in MunsterAnd I photograph weddings right across Ireland too, for a small travel fee
Sneak PeeksOften the very next day, a first look at your photographs
4–6 Week DeliveryPromised within 4–6 weeks and, as my reviews say, almost always far sooner
Private Online GalleryUnlimited high-resolution downloads while your gallery is live
Intimate
Small celebrations
Small, simple and meaningful.
For elopements, civil ceremonies and smaller weddings where you don’t need a full day of photography, but still want the important people, moments and atmosphere remembered properly.
Collections start from€600
- 150+ professionally edited photographsThe people, the moments and the atmosphere of your day
- Relaxed, natural storytellingYour celebration as it genuinely unfolds
- Private online galleryView, share and download in one place
- Unlimited high-resolution downloadsWhile your gallery is live
- Gallery available online for 3 months
Moments
Part-day coverage
The heart of the day.
For couples who want the excitement beforehand, the ceremony and everything that happens afterwards, without needing photography into the evening.
- 300–400 professionally edited photographsThe main story of your day, beautifully told
- Relaxed documentary coverageReal moments, just as they happen
- Folio presentation box with USBYour photographs, presented properly
- 50 professionally printed 6×4 photographsTo hold, share and frame
- Private online galleryWith unlimited high-resolution downloads while your gallery is live
- Gallery available online for 3 months
Most popularMemories
Full-day coverage
The complete wedding story.
From the nerves and excitement in the morning to the dance floor that night. This is for couples who want the whole day remembered naturally, without turning the wedding into a photoshoot.
- 500+ professionally edited photographsFrom preparations right through to the evening
- Natural documentary storytellingThe whole day remembered naturally
- Folio presentation box with USBYour photographs, presented properly
- 50 professionally printed 6×4 photographsTo hold, share and frame
- Private online galleryWith unlimited high-resolution downloads while your gallery is live
- Gallery available online for 6 months
The album collections
Your wedding story, made to be held.
Forever
Full day + heirloom album
Your wedding story, made to be held.
Everything you need from the wedding day, finished with a proper handcrafted album. Not something that lives on a screen, but something you can sit down with, pick up and keep.
Your handcrafted 30 × 30cm / 12 × 12" album, shown here with the acrylic cover- 500+ professionally edited photographsThe whole day, from preparations to the dance floor
- Handcrafted 30 × 30cm / 12 × 12" wedding albumMade to sit down with, pick up and keep
- Up to 80 photographs designed into the albumYour story, laid out page by page
- Your choice of beautiful album finishesIncluding my favourite, the Acrylic Prestige
- USB included with your wedding album
- Private online galleryWith unlimited high-resolution downloads while live
- Gallery available online for 6 months
Eternity
The complete album collection
One story. More than one home.
The complete wedding-day collection with your own handcrafted album and additional parent albums, so the story of the day isn’t kept in just one home.
Your handcrafted album and parent albums, shown here in linen finishes- 500+ professionally edited photographsThe whole day, from preparations to the dance floor
- Handcrafted 30 × 30cm / 12 × 12" wedding albumMade to sit down with, pick up and keep
- Handcrafted parent albums includedFor the people who will want to turn the pages and relive the day with you
- Up to 80 photographs designed into the albumYour story, laid out page by page
- Your choice of beautiful album finishesIncluding my favourite, the Acrylic Prestige
- USB included with your wedding album
- Private online galleryWith unlimited high-resolution downloads while live
- Gallery available online for 6 months
Moments & Memories
Presented to be picked up.
Both collections arrive in a Folio presentation box with your USB, alongside 50 professionally printed 6×4 photographs. The kind of thing you can put on a table, hand to a parent or slip into a frame.
Your full gallery is still waiting for you online, with unlimited high-resolution downloads while it’s live.
James’s Recommendation
Acrylic Prestige
The album I keep coming back to.
A wedding album should feel as good as the photographs inside it.
Albums are usually an extra on top of the photography price. In Forever and Eternity, yours is already part of the collection.
Forever and Eternity include a handcrafted 30 × 30cm / 12 × 12" wedding album, designed around up to 80 photographs from your day. You’ll have a choice of finishes, but if you ask me which one I’d choose, I’ll nearly always point you towards the Acrylic Prestige.
The crystal-clear acrylic cover gives the photograph real depth and the lay-flat design lets the story flow beautifully across the page. It feels substantial without being fussy, and it’s exactly the kind of album I want my couples to still be taking down from the shelf years from now.
- 30 × 30cm / 12 × 12"
- Up to 80 photographs
- Lay-flat design
- Handcrafted finish
- USB included
No long wait afterwards
See a little of it while it still feels fresh.
I aim to share a small selection of sneak peeks as soon as I can after your wedding. If I’m not photographing another wedding the following day, that can often mean the very next day.
Your complete gallery is delivered within 4–6 weeks, although, as many of my reviews mention, it’s almost always considerably sooner.
Your photographs are yours to keep
Download them. Back them up. Keep them safe.
Your private online gallery makes it easy to view, share and download your photographs in high resolution. Intimate and Moments galleries remain online for 3 months, while Memories, Forever and Eternity galleries remain online for 6 months.
You can download as often as you like while your gallery is live. Once it arrives, I always recommend downloading the complete collection and keeping at least one extra backup somewhere safe, as the online gallery isn’t intended as permanent cloud storage.
Make it yours
Enhance your collection.
Start with the collection that suits your day. Then add something only if it actually matters to you. There’s no need to squeeze your wedding into a package just because that’s how the price list was written.
01Second Photographer
Another pair of eyes on the day. Particularly useful for separate morning preparations, larger weddings and those moments happening in two places at once.
02Engagement Session
A relaxed session before the wedding, with no wedding-day timetable. A chance to get comfortable in front of the camera and come away with photographs you actually like.
03Parent Albums
Beautiful handcrafted versions of your wedding album for the people who will want to sit down, turn the pages and relive the day with you.
Something different
Your wedding doesn’t have to fit neatly into a box.
If none of these collections quite fits the way your day is planned, get in touch. I’m happy to talk it through and work out what actually makes sense for your wedding.
Drop me a line
Derrynane Weddings
Derrynane Beach is one of the most beautiful in Ireland. White sand, turquoise water, islands dotted on the horizon — it’s incredible for wedding photos. I’ve photographed couples walking hand in hand across the sand, eloping by the dunes, and celebrating barefoot with the waves behind them.
It’s the kind of place you never forget.
Caherdaniel Weddings
Caherdaniel is a small village with big scenery. Surrounded by mountains and overlooking Derrynane Bay, it’s peaceful, authentic, and full of character. Many couples use Caherdaniel as their base while exploring the Ring, combining village life with wild portraits on the coast.
Waterville Weddings
Waterville has long been loved as a holiday town, and it makes an incredible wedding spot too. The Butler Arms Hotel is a classic, sitting right on the seafront, and couples often slip out during the reception for portraits on the promenade or cliffs nearby.
Waterville sunsets are something else — warm, golden, and perfect for photos.
Elopements on the Ring of Kerry
Elopements here are popular with couples from the US, Canada, and across Europe. Imagine driving the Ring of Kerry, stopping at hidden coves, saying your vows overlooking the sea, and finishing with dinner in a village pub.
I guide couples to the best spots: quiet stretches of Derrynane Beach, dramatic mountain passes, or ruined abbeys that feel like stepping back in time.
Real Weddings on the Ring
One of my favourite days was a couple who married in Waterville, then drove with me to Derrynane for portraits. The skies changed constantly — sun, showers, wind — and every photo had its own mood.
Another was an elopement at Caherdaniel. Just the couple, their celebrant, and the Atlantic. Simple, powerful, unforgettable.
That’s the Ring of Kerry: unpredictable, but always spectacular.
My Photography Style
I photograph weddings in a documentary style — natural, relaxed, storytelling. You won’t spend hours posing. Instead, you’ll enjoy the day while I capture the real story: your vows, your guests, your laughter, and your quiet moments.
For the Ring of Kerry, that means blending candid photos with epic landscapes — so you’ll remember not just how the day looked, but how it felt.
Planning Tips for Ring of Kerry Weddings
Travel: Roads are narrow and winding — allow extra time between locations.
Weather: Expect four seasons in one day. Bring layers, and embrace the drama.
Guests: Accommodation is spread out — book early in places like Waterville and Caherdaniel.
Timing: Golden hour at Derrynane is unbeatable — plan portraits around sunset.
Booking Your Ring of Kerry Wedding Photographer
If you’re planning a wedding in Waterville, Caherdaniel, or Derrynane and want photographs that capture both the scenery and the soul of the day — I’d love to hear from you.
Why Couples Book JOD Photography for Ring of Kerry Weddings
The Ring of Kerry is a dream for couples — and it’s just as much of a dream for me to photograph. Over the years, I’ve captured weddings from Waterville to Caherdaniel, with vows on Derrynane Beach and celebrations in the Butler Arms Hotel.
Couples tell me they book me because I understand Kerry — the light, the weather, the backdrops. I also keep things simple: fair pricing and clear packages mean no surprises, and my contact page makes it easy to check if your date is free.
Reviews From Real Couples
“We got married in Waterville and James was incredible. He knew the best spots for portraits and made the day feel effortless. Our album is stunning — it feels like reliving the day.” – Aoife & Brian
“We eloped on Derrynane Beach and James made it relaxed and fun. The photos are breathtaking. His pricing is fair and honest — no hidden extras. Highly recommend.” – Laura & Chris
You can read more on my about page where I share my story and client testimonials.
Working With a Ring of Kerry Wedding Photographer
There are lots of photographers in Kerry, but couples choose me because:
Relaxed documentary style — no stiff poses, just real moments.
Local knowledge — I know the quiet corners of Derrynane and the best light in Caherdaniel.
Trusted by couples — I’ve built a reputation with five-star reviews.
Fast delivery — sneak peeks within days, full galleries without long waits.
Clear pricing — check my packages and you’ll see what I mean
MOMENTS
Let’s Get the Craic Started
real, honest & completely unscripted
Whether you're planning a massive session in Cork, an elopement in Kerry, or a celebration somewhere further down the road, tell me everything. Share the details, the venue, the general plans, and exactly how camera-allergic you both are.
Kerry Wedding Photographer – Start Here
If you're planning a wedding anywhere in Kerry — Killarney, Dingle, Kenmare, or along the Ring of Kerry — the most important step is choosing a photographer who understands how the day actually works here.
This page is just one part of the puzzle. For full wedding coverage, real timelines, pricing, and how everything fits together, visit my main Kerry page below.
👉 Kerry Wedding Photographer – Full Guide, Packages & Real Weddings
Everything flows through that page — venues, planning, timelines, and how your day is captured from start to finish.