3 of the best…
I married Mr Williams what seems like an awfully long time ago now. Straight out of college and working to a very tight budget, we didn’t have the time or the money to search for anything too elaborate for our day. As beautiful and memorable as our day was, there is one thing I do regret though and its that I didn’t search hard enough for some unique touches to set our day apart.
It was not until I started working as a wedding photographer and alongside other wedding suppliers that I realised what a fantastic array of unique options there are for a couple to choose from. It is for this reason I have decided every so often to feature 3 suppliers I have come across that have really made me think ‘wow, what a cool idea!’ and made me wish I could get married again!
Nevie-Pie Cakes
With an impressive art directing and textile design background, Natasha Collins is the brains and talent behind Nevie-Pie Cakes. She specialises in painting celebration cakes, cookies and cupcakes in her own fantastically original style.
I adore her all over painted floral tier wedding cakes which really have the wow factor and the beautiful autumnal cupcakes. She has some unique ideas for wedding favours and table name places too.
Kitty & Dulcie
Online boutique www.kittyanddulcie.com do a fantastic job of proving it really is possible to buy a beautiful unique wedding gown on a budget. Their 5 gorgeous designs cater for all tastes but at the same time offer that unusual flare that all brides crave.
At £285 the ‘Pearly Queen’ (shown below) is my favorite and nearly had me planning to renew my vows!
The Singing Waiters and Waitresses - Soprano Bella
Picture this… your guests have eaten the first two courses of the wedding breakfast and are getting into the party spirit. From the back of the hall what appears to be one of the guests stands up and belts out the first two piercing notes of ‘Nessun Dorma’. As the song continues a waiter joins in singing the accompanying male part, whilst your guests look on dumbfounded!
Soprano Bella have a selection of talented singers who can perform opera or modern classics, incorporating themselves into the wedding party or venue staff to make the surprise performance extra special for your guests. Pop over to there site and have a listen to their incredible talents.
Please note: I don’t necessarily know the companies featured and as I haven’t used them myself, I don’t endorse the products - but I just thought that it might save some of my brides the leg work of looking for something a bit different for their day.
Two at the Zoo
Alongside my wedding photography I will soon be offering family portrait shoots of a similar documentary style. To capture a moment in time of a child’s life, indeed a families life is a very special thing, but so often the photographs we choose to keep and frame are stiff and starchy and not representative of the person and the special memories surrounding that moment. I plan to shoot on location, be it in on a special day out or just in the back garden, a setting that is familiar and relaxed for the family, that way they can all just forget I am there and have a lovely time together!
Karen and her beautiful twin boys Reuben and Nathaniel were off to Woburn Safari Park for the morning and they invited me along for the ride.
Whilst taking photos in a car with a wriggly 2 year old on your lap isn’t the easiest thing to do (especially when they decide to try the door handle in the bear enclosure), Reuben and Nathaniel were an absolute joy!
After the safari trail it was time for a spot of lunch and then the obligatory soft play and playground fun so they could expend all that pent up energy!
And a lovely morning was had by all!
Later on in the year I will be putting more information up on the website about my new family portrait venture. If you are interested in me tagging along with you and your family for a morning or afternoons shoot, and you cant wait that long then please do get in touch!
Birthday in Brighton
This time last week my lovely other half took me out for my birthday day trip to Brighton. Its difficult to believe that I have reached the grand old age of 31 and it was my first time experiencing the opulence of the Brighton Pavilion, the quirky quaintness of The Lanes and the darn right windiness of Brighton Pier in all its glory! (and don’t get me started on all those amazing restaurants!)
This is my favorite pic from the day. You cant beat a bit of street photography, in my college days I used to lurk around street corners taking ‘hip shots’ of unsuspecting characters! I snapped this fella whilst he was just tucking into a very elaborate looking milkshake at JB’s American Diner on the seafront.
and the Winner is…..!
A big thank you to all the lovely brides and grooms who came to visit me at the Eden Wedding Fair, it was a pleasure to meet you all and I hope that I will be lucky enough to be part of all your wedding plans!
The competition to ‘Win your Wedding Photography’ proved to be a great success, however after receiving hundreds of entries there can only be one winner.
Selected from the hat by the lovely Nicholetta from BeeARTisan luxury wedding favours, the lucky bride was Kerrie Doherty who attended the show with her mum.
Kerrie and her partner Emin are getting married in October this year and I am very much looking forward to being part of and capturing their special day.
I will be sure to report back on the blog when the time comes!!
WIN YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY!
To celebrate the launch of my newly designed website and brand new blog I am offering one lucky couple the opportunity to have me photograph their wedding completely FREE!
Normally priced at £950, the winners will have a preliminary consultation, my undivided attention for the full days wedding celebrations and will be given the final images from the day on a DVD disk.
This free prize draw is open exclusively to people attending the Eden Wedding Fair in High Wycombe this weekend, 3rd and 4th March. Entry to the fair is free, so why not come along and have a look at my display along with lots of other fantastic wedding suppliers that will be showing their wares!
I look forward to meeting you!
Ed & Sandrine - One Year On
12th February 2011
A year ago today I was shooting the wedding of Ed & Sandrine, an English and French union of epic proportions!
The celebrations started at the central Oxford registry office for the marriage and afterwards the close family and friends were welcomed to the small but perfectly formed village hall in rural Stanton St John. But that was just the start. The following weekend the larger wedding reception commenced across the channel in Avranches, Normandy with both English and French family and friends in attendance.
Sandrine had lots of creative ideas for her big day and the general mood was one of relaxed happiness which made for much merriment and a nice set of pics! Here are just a few of those happy memories.
Congratulations on your 1st Anniversary Ed & Sandrine!
Jess & Steve
23rd December 2011
The Christmas tree is up, the presents are wrapped, you have already eaten a stack of mince pies and the festive booze has started to flow… what a perfect time of year for friends and family to all get together to witness and enjoy the marriage of two people happily in love.
Fortunately I was one of those lucky people! Jess is my husbands cousin, so this was a rare occasion when I had been invited along to a wedding as a family member, to relax and enjoy myself rather than be the ‘official’ photographer. Those who know me won’t be surprised that the main accessory to my outfit was my camera!
Following the brides family tradition of getting married on the 23rd December, Jess and Steve were wed in the gorgeous St Bartholomew’s Church in the tiny hamlet of Oakridge Lynch in Gloucestershire. Prior to the service the vintage bridal car had broken down and the weather was not behaving, but nothing could dampen the spirits of the wedding party. The service was beautiful, with music provided by the energetic local choir and a special solo by Jess’ sister-in-law and talented opera singer Phillippa Green.
The wedding throughout resonated understated classical elegance, with a request to wear black tie all the guests looked extremely smart and the couple had a hint of sophisticated 1930’s Hollywood about them. Jess took everyone’s breath away in her graceful floor length fishtail dress, with a plunging back and beautiful all over lace decoration in ivory, pale gold and beige.
Once the couple were married the congregation and newly weds braved the lashing rain and made there way onto the reception which took place in The Kingscote Barn in Tetbury. Set in Gloucestershire’s beautiful rolling hills, the 17th century Cotswold barn has been restored into a resplendent venue that warmly welcomed the guests in for a glass of celebratory champagne and a canapé or two.
The wedding breakfast took place in the magnificent large barn with its impressive vaulted ceiling, decorated by chandeliers, Christmas fairy lights and stunning candelabra decorations on each table that had been especially created by a friend of the bride and groom. Following a classical 3 course meal the brides father, groom and best man took to the floor for the speeches which echoed the warmth and joy that all the guests felt for Jess and Steve’s union.
The celebrations ended with a fantastic live band covering both old and new hits which gave rise to lots of enthusiastic dancing by all the guests, myself included! Another popular decision (especially with my husband and brother in law) was the serving of ‘fish and chip’ cones and bacon rolls which was perfect to fend off those late night munchies.
Jess and Steve’s wedding day was elegant, honest and joyful which epitomizes them perfectly – a wonderful day for a wonderful couple. I wish them both all the very best of love and luck for their future together.
Hello and welcome to my new blog!
I have wanted a blog for I don’t know how long. Seen as the new year saw the launch of my brand new website, I saw this as the perfect time to get my blogging hat on!
In the coming months I hope to give visitors to my site more of an insight into my world as a wedding photographer, the couples I have photographed and other photography that has influenced my style.
From time to time I will also blog about other wedding related bits and bobs that I have come across in my travels, which will hopefully give some ideas to all those frantically planning their special day.
