Sara and David were married about four years ago. It was a lovely occasion with a small number of guests invited to the big day. I was asked to take photos of the girls getting ready. The boys weren’t interested in having any pre wedding photos taken, so after an hour or so with the bridal party, I went straight to the venue to capture shots of the ceremony area and guests arriving.

I particularly loved the flowers and Sara’s amazing ‘crown’. She looked gorgeous, and David clearly thought so too as he watched her walk towards him. The ceremony was conducted underneath an awning, so it was lovely and bright with plenty of space to move around.

After the ceremony there was the usual hugs, kisses and congratulations, followed by lots of mingling and drinks. As guests enjoyed the celebrations, we made a start on the group photos. I like to get this part of the day done as swiftly as possible as I find it can interrupt the flow of things if left to drag on for too long. To keep things relatively short, I always like to give a list of the group shots to either a bridesmaid or usher or someone else who is good at organising people. It means they can be getting groups ready, leaving me to focus on taking the photos. It just speeds things up.

Taking time out with the couple is always a nice part of the day. It gives them a chance to catch up with each other, and provides an opportunity to get some lovely candid shots of them together.

I was booked for the full day and ended up taking over a thousand pictures. The couple received about half that amount, in both colour and black and white. The majority were candid, informal photographs of Sara and David enjoying themselves with their guests. It was an honest portrayal of their special day.