Wedding
Archives
Louise & Michael
Assuredly untraditional and definitely fun, Louise and Michaels wedding was a great day out in East London. The ceremony was at Hackney Town Hall. They have a room for weddings but Louise and Michael chose the council chamber which holds more people and has beautiful wood panelling and green leather seats with some stunning art deco lights. The reception was at the Tram Store in Clapton – usually a coffee shop it was perfect for a party and I loved all the greenery – who doesn’t love a healthy cheese-plant?! The day was completed at Clapton Country Club for plenty of food, drink and celebrations and some excellent speeches – along with more cheese-plants!
A great day full of colour and East End charm.
Archives
Archives
Archives
Archives
Cassie & Neil
I’ve a soft spot for The Roslin, fairly local to me and the weddings I have shot there are always laid back and relaxed, something about being by the sea I guess.
Cassie and Neil had an amazing day full of sunshine and laughter with lots of colour and music. A great couple who were amazing to work with. Not bad for good old Southend-on-Sea!!
Archives
Louise & Will
Kate and I were lucky enough to work on this beautiful wedding at the fabulous Houchins Farm in Essex. Louise & Will had a G&T themed day that was great to shoot because of the striking colours, awesome venue, friendly people and the sun shining – which was very welcome as snow had been forecast the previous week!!!
Some really great details here. I loved the Prosecco Pimping and the chalkboard is amazing. I’m also a fan of giant balloons, who isnt??
All supplier details at the end of this post.
http://www.sweetsuccesscatering.co.uk/
https://www.baytreepizza.co.uk/
http://www.finishingtouchesbyfaithgurel.co.uk/index.html
http://www.matchmakerbride.co.uk/
https://www.anthonyformalwear.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/edgehairleigh/
https://www.facebook.com/Lovemedoballoons
https://www.facebook.com/Harryandtheboysband
Archives
Archives
Jaqueline & Shane
Warm sunshine in March, who would have thunk it? Well it made for a wonderful day which I had a lot of fun shooting. Northbrook Park is a lovely venue, with pretty walled gardens and peacocks that didn’t mind showing off. Jaqueline and Shane created a beautifully colourful day which along with some heartfelt speeches and dubious dancing made for a very memorable occasion.
Archives
Archives
Laura & Neil
Laura & Neil aka Neil & Yoko aka Neil Pie & Yoko Pie aka The Pies.
The Pies are massive Beatles fans so for their wedding they hired The Hard Days Night hotel in Liverpool, just around the corner from the famous Cavern club. Its a very cool hotel, dark and retro (difficult shooting conditions!) with oranges, browns and reds and huge Beatles artworks everywhere.
A seriously cool wedding for a rock’n’roll bride and groom! I shot all night, and after the kids disco the party descended into a 90’s rave before oops-up-side-your-head (is that right?) and a fantastic cheeseboard finished off the proceedings.
Archives
Sophie & Chris
Posted this one a while back for Sophie and Chris but never got round to removing the password and writing some notes……
Going back over the blog to remind myself of the day took me back to the summer (seems so long ago already!). It was a sunny morning at the lovely old pub The Mole and Chicken in Aylesbury. Then onto the bride and grooms house in Cheddington which was a short walk for the groom through a field and a wood to St Giles Church. Just as the wedding kicked off the heavens opened, but luckily everyone was inside by then.
It brightened up again at Notley Tythe Barn where the reception was held and I was there long into the evening.
It was a perfect day with beautiful venues, stylish people and a couple of very cool VW’s! Going through the images again brings back the emotions of the day and reminds me how great my job is and how lucky I am to be involved in such an important day in peoples lives.
Archives
Hannah & Lee
Wow, what an amazing day this was. It started out at a beautiful little pub, The Oyster Smack in Burnham, then moved onto the stunning Creeksea Place. Its hidden in a little corner of Essex by the sea and its a wonderful location for a wedding.
The day was stylish and fun and the sun even made an appearance in the evening! Great makeup by www.katiepoole.com and hair by www.bridalhairbyjennie.co.uk. All in all a fab day and i’m sure Hannah and Lee had a great honeymoon at Glastonbury!!
Archives
Stephanie & Karim
Sometimes things come together on a wedding day to make my job very easy. Stephanie and Karim’s day was one of those occasions. Amazing venues, stunning colours, beautiful people and kind weather all contributed to a great day.
The ceremony was at Poplars Hall. It was my first time shooting here and I loved the colours and light in the room. Reception was at New Hall Vineyard in Purleigh which is somewhere I have shot before and is fast becoming my favourite place in Essex!
All in a wonderful day that I was proud to be a part of!
Archives
Hayley & Matthew
Hayley and Matt had a beautiful late spring / early summer wedding at Marks Hall in Coggeshall, Essex. Its somewhere I have shot before and its a lovely barn with STUNNING grounds and gardens. If you ever visit, take a walk and find Gondwanaland.
I love more intimate weddings and this was one of them. Family and friends getting together to celebrate with the couple. I only shot the ceremony and reception but had a great time and i’m sure the party continued for long after I left. I did get a little carried away taking pictures with Hayley and Matt in the walled garden, and they had to send someone out with a megaphone to call us in for the wedding breakfast!
Archives
Andi & Andy
So, Andrea (Andi Girl) is my sister-in-law and I don’t think they were going to book me for their wedding as they wanted me to be a guest. Or that might have been a nice way of saying they don’t like my photos, but I insisted and they didn’t really have a choice! I suppose Andy (Andy Boy) is now my brother-in-law? Is that right?
Its strange shooting people you know. You have preconceptions about how they are as a couple which makes it difficult to direct them – but at the same time its easier for everyone as there is already trust.
Anyway – September sun, surprise transport, great company and a slice of Domino’s pizza made for an unforgettable day.
Archives
Nicole & James
To say I was excited about shooting this one would be an understatement. I’ve been aware of the venue for a while, famous for its vintage carousel, and knowing Nicole and James as stylish and creative folk I knew this was going to be a fantastic day.
I wasn’t wrong – and to add to the beautiful people and stunning venue, little miss September Sun came to the party as well!
Archives
Claudia & Ian
Another beautiful day at the seaside………
Claudia and Ian had a lovely intimate day with just a handful of friends and family. Calm, relaxed but also fun and emotional, this kind of days shows that all you need for a memorable wedding is people who love you.
Archives
Carrie & Paul
I met Carrie and Paul in Kenya, where they were guests at a wedding I shot. I was staying in the same hotel and got to know them well during the week, so was chuffed when they asked me to shoot their wedding.
And what an awesome day, full of the things I love – vintage cars and buses, beautiful details, lots of colour, an amazing church and stunning location for the reception.
London has a unique character and iconic buildings, and the reception at Westminster Boating Base had the backdrop of one of the most iconic views of the city, Battersea Power Station. The church was in Clapham and as many of the guests were not local to the city, they were taken on a tour of the sites in old Routemaster buses on their journey to Westminster.
Beautiful people, sites and sounds – what more can you ask for to make one of the most memorable days.
Archives
Jessica & Karim
A few photos from a wedding I shot at Parklands, Quendon Hall a while back. Its an amazing venue, located in a deer park somewhere in Essex. I especially liked the bridal suite, decorated deep red and gold, a nice contrast to the whites and creams of the ceremony. A beautiful couple and an amazing day, its one of those that stays in the memory so I thought it deserved its place on here. I hope you like it x
Archives
Katie & Neil
When I first started out in Wedding Photography I was doing some ‘second shooting’ (assisting/getting in the way of) for the excellent JMA Photography. She told me i’d have to shoot more than 40 weddings before I had come across all the things that can go wrong. Many years down the line and I still get caught out regularly!
Katie and Neil’s wedding was no exception. As far as worst nightmares go, this has to be pretty near the top of the list for a bride. Two days before the wedding, while decorating their country barn, a pile of trestle tables fell on Katie, fracturing her pelvis in several places. I don’t think anyone would have blamed them for cancelling, but Katie showed incredible courage and determination to push on with the big day, all be it on wheels!
It was a fantastic day and everyone could tell the bride genuinely enjoyed it, even though she must have been in some discomfort. She even went glamping with her guests for a couple of nights after! Once she is up and about I’ve promised to go back and take some shots of her in her dress, standing, without the zimmer frame!
Archives
Vicky & Marco
The week preceding Vicky & Marco’s wedding was a heatwave, but ‘torrential downpours and thunder storms’ had been forecast for the day of the wedding up to a week previously. I had a little panic after I couldn’t find my umbrella but needn’t have worried. The day turned out to be warm and bright and beautiful.
I love this kind of wedding, where the bride and groom have put so much effort into making everything perfect. The vineyard does not usually host wedding receptions, so the barn was just that, a barn, complete with resident mice and pigeons. Vicky and Marco transformed it into a gorgeous room full of light, colour and life.
A country church on a hill, a vineyard next to the family home and wonderful weather all contributed to a relaxed, fun and wondrous day.
Archives
Emma & Brian
I’ve never shot at a baptist church before and the singing and dancing took me a little by surprise! In hindsight its a baptist church so duh – obvious! The live band definitely made the hymns more engaging and the whole experience was very uplifting.
Brian and Emma enjoyed a perfect day of singing and dancing. This wedding had a real community feel which came from the fact that many of the participants were regular visitors to the church. The minister was at the wedding breakfast along with all the family and friends which created a very special day.
Archives
Samantha & Aaron
When I get a spare moment or two, I find it useful to go over old work. Looking at old work gives me an idea of how my style and workflow have changed over the years but also what things I used to do well that maybe I have forgotten. Composition that works well go into my ‘image bank’ (the only section in my brain that retains information) and occasional technical accidents can be revived by improved production skills and/or software.
As I was going through the shots of Sam & Aarons wedding, I started randomly opening the odd shot in Photoshop and going to work. To be honest, the differences are only slight from that which I originally delivered to Sam & Aaron, but I got excited enough to re-edit a selection of shots from the day.
The day was memorable (to me) for the torrential down pour just before the ceremony was about to start. Its always good starting a long day by getting all your clothes and equipment wet! My cameras weather sealing passed the test and the rest of the day was sunshine so there was balance at least I suppose!
Archives
Beautiful Books
These albums are designed to be enjoyed, not just now but by future generations too. They are made from fine art, archival quality papers and inks so your album will last a lifetime and beyond.
ITS GREEN!
The paper is manufactured from sustainable sources and wherever possible local companies are used. The packaging is eco friendly, designed to minimise waste and shipping is carbon neutral. These books are 100% made in Britain! The albums are 10″x10″ and have a quality matte finish with a vibrancy and clarity that traditional photographic prints and albums can’t match. Hand bound and encased in a fine cotton cover, they open out flat with an almost invisible crease, so each image is on full view. Images can be printed right to the edge of the page. The books come debossed with your names on the front and protected in an unbleached natural cotton bag and presentation box.
I like to put lots of pictures into your books and as such all books come with 30 pages (60 sides). The design is a collaboration. I’ll ask you to chose 40 or 50 of your absolute favourite pictures then I’ll add some more from the collection to balance the design. You will get the proofs to agree and we can make changes until its perfect. There are a number of colours to choose from for the cotton cover. Leather covers are available for a small additional cost. I’m a veggie so you have to ask really really nicely for these!
Archives
Dhow cruise Mida Creek
To give their guests a chance to get to know each other Abi and Andy organised a little boat trip. Many of their guests (including myself) flew into Mombassa the day before the wedding, so a few hours drifting upstream with a little food and a few drinks was a perfect introduction to Kenya and a great way to unwind after a long flight.
Floating past mangroves with the sun setting on the horizon made for a breathtakingly beautiful evening and a perfect prelude to the wedding the following day. An evening that will live long in the memory of those that were lucky enough to be there.
Archives
Abi & Andy
I met Abi and Andy a couple of times before flying out to Africa to shoot their wedding. They both have connections to Kenya and Abi grew up there, holidaying in Watamu where the ceremony took place. They were relaxed and comfortable together and both had an obvious excitement for the wedding and spending time with their guests.
Its an understatement to say that they worked hard, organising flights, accommodation, safaris and answering questions from their guests (and me!). Their excitement and love for the location was infectious and they had a genuine selfless concern for their guests holiday experience over their own wedding day.
The location was simply amazing and somewhere I will never forget. I’m already thinking of when I can go back! Ocean Sports Resort hotel was the venue. It was perfectly relaxed with amazing views over the sea. Abi & Andy had sourced much from the locals, including the favours and gifts and Kikoys for the bridesmaids. All this meant that it was fairly big news around the resort! Many local people watched the ceremony from the beach creating a sense of community and it was lovely that everyone knew that something special was happening and wanted to help and take part.
Due to the vagaries of flights to Mombassa I spent a week at the resort as it was cheaper than three days?! So a special thanks to all the guests that kept me company and indulged me in rambling about cameras.
Archives
Lisa & David
St Clements in Leigh was just round the corner from my old house and I managed to shoot there just before I moved. I’ve been a bit quicker in Rayleigh and was lucky enough to shoot Lisa & Davids wedding at the Holy Trinity church, just round the corner from my new house!
There was much talk of ‘the hottest day of the year’ in the week leading up to the big day (I think I check the weather as much as brides to be!) and it was pretty balmy, but not too hot, just right.
This wedding was booked via a recommendation and its always nice to see familiar faces. David was the best man at a previous job so I new his best side! They were an amazing couple to work with, very much in love and for a few moments there they almost forgot about me! A memorable day for everyone involved.
Archives
Sarah & Matthew
Part insane line-dancing party, part student knees up, Sarah & Matthews wedding was as romantic as it was fun. A stunning church set the backdrop for the ceremony, with the reception at Southend-on-Sea’s famous Kursaal. As Sarah is from the US, the venues proved perfect examples of Essex life for the visiting Americans!
Sarah & Matthew are fresh out of university so really are starting their lives together. They kicked it off with a bang on their wedding day, both (understandably) a little nervous at the start of the day, but by the time they were doing the Macarena they were relaxed, having fun and obviously in love.
On the way home I heard something about a ‘super moon’ on the radio and as I was driving back past the church I had to stop for a few pictures. Apparently the full moon coincided with its closest orbit to the earth.
A stunning end to a magical day.
Archives
Charlotte & Adam
What a dizzyingly beautiful day. Full of colour and emotion, love and friendship. The Lawn in Rochford is one of my favourite venues, full of vibrant colour. Its the first time I have shot at St Clements in Leigh and I know the church well as I used to live round the corner. Its an amazing church in a really stunning setting.
Charlotte, Adam and their families made me feel very welcome and I even had a place at one of the tables for lunch (although I only sat down for a few minutes, scoff and go!). They were blessed with one of those magical days that don’t come along very often. I feel honoured to have been part of their day.
Archives
Lucy & Graham
So, a blast from the past here. This was the second wedding I ever shot, but its still one of my favourites. Salle Church is in the middle of nowhere, somewhere in Norfolk. So much so that I got lost on the way to the church! I still made it in time but bought a sat-nav as soon as I got home, its now one of my most valuable pieces of kit.
Lucy and Graham are friends of ours and put us up in a hotel near the church (Katie did the makeup). We met up with them the night before as they were preparing the church hall (cricket club) for the reception. On the way back to the hotel there was a forecast on the radio predicting a clear misty morning. I couldn’t resist the opportunity to get up and steal some shots of the church at dawn. A success even though my lens misted up (see the water tower shot) and I got very muddy.
The wedding itself was beautiful. Everything you see was made by the bride and groom and their family. The church was simply amazing, and the quaint little cricket club was perfect for tea and cakes. I have re-edited these shots for the blog which wasn’t easy as my skills were not as developed as they are now and some of the exposures were a little off! Its worth noting that I have experimented in a new colour space (Lab) so some of the colours are a little saturated. As naive as some of the composition is, some of my favourite shots come from this wedding. Would I shoot it differently now? Certainly, but I like it how it is. For me it captures both Lucy and Grahams amazing day and a step for me in my career.
Archives
Sian & John
I always find it difficult shooting people I know. You have preconceptions about your friends that can affect how you plan to shoot the wedding. I lived with John for a couple of years, and Sian briefly when she moved in and I didn’t take the hint and move out! So I know them very well and was a bit worried about how I was going to shoot them.
One of the things you learn very quickly photographing weddings is to not make judgements about your clients. A couples wedding day is the one day when they can show their true emotions to all of their friends and family. Its a day when you get to see the best of people, with all worries striped away.
Sian and John were honest and beautiful, loving and fun and put on a real party. I like to think that a marriage is serious, but a wedding doesn’t have to be. Sian & John clearly didn’t take their day too seriously, having fun with some of the pageantry and embracing the party. Any marriage that starts on a day with a double rainbow is destined to last.
PS – for some reason Sian & John felt it necessary to bring a bag of wigs and animal masks to their wedding? They made the photo booth go off with a bang!
Archives
Helen & Jack
Stylish and beautiful, relaxed and loving. Helen and Jacks wedding was the perfect mix of a traditional church ceremony and great celebration. The weather turned up to make this a perfect long summers day, what better for a beach party! They created something memorable and touching that i’m sure their guests will remember for a long time. Pictures cannot do justice to something this beautiful, just lift the heart with memories.
Archives
Sarah & Simon
Sometimes small is very beautiful. This wedding was unlike any I have ever shot before, just a handfull of close friends and family, a ceremony in a windmill and a reception in a back graden. The bride had put so much work into every part of the day, from making a cushion for every single chair in the windmill, to making her own dress! Sarah and Simon are a couple unlike any other I have shot. Unique yet unpretentious, friendly, and as kind as anyone you are likely to meet. Its one of those weddings where I feel truly honoured to be involved.
If you ever visit Leigh-on-Sea make sure to stop by their amazing coffee shop, Barlow & Fields, for lunch. You wont be disappointed.