Shona & Ben’s London Wedding
Ben and Shona invited Jeff and I to their 30th birthday party in London at the weekend. We didn’t twig Ben’s birthday isn’t in December until we got the second secret invite- they were getting married that day and they had a favour to ask. The wedding was held at Islington Town Hall, an intimate ceremony with just close family present. After the nuptials everyone headed into Farringdon to the basement wine bar Vivat Bacchus for fizz and speeches before sitting down for the meal. It was nice to return in the evening minus camera and enjoy the evening with friends, when Mr & Mrs Murray revealed what they’d been up to for the day.
Ben & Shona- thanks for sharing the secret and may we wish you both the best of luck and congratulations on your marriage!
Here’s some previews from the day…
You are welcome to leave your comments and congratulations for the happy couple below.
Katie & Richard’s Beaulieu Abbey Wedding
What a Beaulieu-ful day! (Sorry, just couldn’t resist) Katie & Richard got married in the gorgeous surroundings of Beaulieu Abbey on a hot and sunny June day. The historic church was a grand setting for the ceremony and we got some great bride and groom pictures outside in the ruins of the old Abbey afterwards. (thanks to best man Gareth for the last minute check on access!) Somehow with the biggest zoom lens I could hold I did manage to get that shot of Richard’s shoes- don’t know if everyone spotted those 
After a speedy horse and carriage ride through the New Forest they celebrated with their guests at the Beaulieu hotel. My thanks to everyone for making me feel so welcome. All credit goes to Katie for her unrehearsed speech- Now I know why her dad was wearing those sunglasses coming up to the church. Evening celebrations kicked off with a classy choreographed first dance and I left as everyone was dancing away to the band.
Katie & Richard, hope you had a fabulous day and enjoyed every minute of it, and my very best wishes for luck and happiness in the future.
Here’s a selection of photos from their wedding. The full gallery is now online for friends and family HERE. The password is the bride’s maiden name.
You are welcome to leave your comments and congratulations for Katie & Richard below…
Your Wedding Photography Experience
Your wedding photography is as much about the experience on the day as it is about the finished result. I aim to work in a relaxed and unobtrusive manner to capture your wedding, not take it over, telling the story of your day in the photographs and giving you some beautiful images to look back on for years to come. Here’s a little about how I usually work…
Getting Ready with the Bride
It’s a magical moment when you step into the delicate folds of the special dress you picked out so many months before, your mum watching with a tear in her eye, and your bridesmaids fussing around excitedly. It’s one of the essential memories of your wedding you’ll want captured on camera. Its also the time when you will feel most comfortable to have a female photographer working discretely in the background, making sure that you will not need to feel self conscious.
I like to see the whole event unfold, and I will start in the brides dressing room, documenting your day so you can remember every bit. The morning before can be relaxed, fun and intimate, or absolute mayhem! I try to use this time to capture the beautiful details of that exquisite dress you will never wear again, the carefully chosen jewellery and of course those fabulous shoes. Hopefully we’ll have a little bit of time to get a few portraits while you are looking your most glamorous, but I will mainly work in the background, recording what is happening and keeping out of the way. This is a time for you to grow used to the camera and to relax and prepare for showtime.
If you decide to add a second photographer to your package, they will cover the grooms preparations from ironing the shirts to the usual nervous drinks and mickey taking at the pub before the service. These are the parts of the day you will not be together so it’s a great glimpse into what happened on the other side.
The Wedding Ceremony
This is what its all about- the moment you will become man and wife. Whether you choose to get married in church or have a civil ceremony, the rituals and rites of the marriage ceremony will be an essential part of your wedding story.
I will work as unobtrusively as possible, aiming for some quick photos of the groom and his best man, the guests taking their seats and the brides arrival before the ceremony. As the tension builds I step into the background and shoot pure reportage photography, capturing the ceremony from the sidelines. I’ll document the key moments, as the bride walks down the aisle, saying the vows, exchanging the rings and the kiss. Don’t think about the camera until you see me at the end of the aisle as you walk back down as man and wife.
Bride and Groom Photos
All the commotion and it’s easy to forget your wedding day is about just two people. Sometime before the evening reception we should get together for some photographs with just Mr and Mrs (and me!). Its good for you to get away from your guests and spend a bit of time together, and I’ll capture those essential bride and groom photos.
How long we spend is purely down to you and I think it is important that your photos do not interfere too much with the natural progression of the day. If you want to have a few key shots of the two of you and then get back to the party then I’ll make sure there’s definitely some keepers for the family album. If you have a bit more time we can sneak away and try something more creative, visit some different locations and take a more relaxed approach.
We’re not all models so I’ll try to help you feel comfortable posing for the camera and who knows you may even enjoy it! I try to give you some space, the time to yourselves will give genuinely romantic moments that make your photos seem more natural and real. My main aim is to ensure you have a set of photos that will make you feel great, even if you are one of these people that says ‘I dont do photos’
Group Photos
Most couples still want group photos and despite the trend for completely photojournalistic wedding photography I think a few posed group photos is still a great way to commemorate the coming together of friends and family. I’d suggest keeping your list of group photos short and succinct so the photos fit around your day, not the other way round.
I try to keep these informal and relaxed, so when you look back at your album you will see your friends and family enjoying themselves, not standing to attention. We can do fun, stupid stuff too, if you want something a little less traditional. Remember that group photos don’t have to be a formal affair- sometimes its nice to pull together informal groups of friends and family as they are enjoying the reception instead of having a long list of organised shots. If you’ve got a fun bunch of guests a Wedding Photobooth is great for capturing smaller groups without formality.
The Reception
The best photos of your reception will be candid ones as your guests laugh and chat, and you unwind and enjoy the party. I try to work unobtrusively and mingle with the crowd like one of the guests (without the champagne drinking and bad dancing) and hope you’ll feel relaxed having me around. Forget you’re on camera and ask your guests to do the same. No posing, just natural, fun photographs.
As the celebrations continue into the evening there will still be lots to capture. I offer all day coverage as the key moments are not over with by the time you sit down to eat. I ensure you have photos during the speeches, (my personal favourite!) as you cut the cake, throw the bouquet and take the floor for your first dance. During the day I’ll be sneaking around capturing the little details that you put so much effort into planning, from table centres and place settings to wedding rings and floral arrangements. I’ll grab your mum and dad for a quick picture while they’re dressed up smart, I’ll chase the kids around the garden to get the photos while they’re smiling, and I’ll catch your uncle with his tie around his head dancing to Queen. (well I’ll try..)
Read More: After the Wedding
