Rosie and Ryan

Rosie and Ryan got married in 2018 at the beautiful Stanway House and adjoining barn. Some weddings really stick out in my mind and this is one of those. The weather was glorious and the couple and their guests were ever so friendly and accommodating towards me, which is always appreciated as it’s not always the case.

Rosie got ready at her parent’s house in Cheltenham, before being picked up in a gorgeous car to take her to the church at Stanway. I’ve done a few weddings at this location and it always provides a lovely backdrop.

All of the photographs I take are in colour. If the couple receive any black and white ones it is because they have been adjusted during post production. Some images lend themselves very well to being black and white, which produces a more classic, timeless feel.

As with all my photos, I adopt a very relaxed and informal approach. I find this method produces the best results. Natural, candid shots help to capture the essence of the day much better than images where people are very self conscious they are having their photo taken. My friendly, easy going manner also helps to put people at ease.

The church at Stanway is quite small, and as such the vicar requested I keep my distance and stay towards the back. This position can sometimes work in a photographer’s favour, especially when the couple turn around for an impromptu giggle with their guests!

Rosie and Ryan had gone to a great deal of effort to supply wedding props for their guests to interact with. The frames and polaroids were a real hit with the youngsters, while the stilts went down well with the older generation!

The reception always provides a great deal of subject matter to photograph, and this one was no exception. There was much merriment, and as the sun went and guests headed inside for the first dance, you could feel the party was just getting started.

Em and Rich

As a wedding photographer, I travel to all sorts of different places. I normally find myself driving down tiny little lanes to tucked away, unspoilt venues in the middle of the beautiful Cotswolds or surrounding counties.

When Emma and Richard booked me for their wedding back in 2013, I was thrilled to hear it was down in Cornwall and had a relaxed, beach theme to it. Sadly, the weather wasn’t playing ball, despite being July! It didn’t dampen the mood though, everyone was totally up for having a party!

The ceremony was held in the most beautiful, tiniest church perched on top of a small hill overlooking the bay. It filled up quickly and was soon jam packed with guests!

One of the things I enjoy about weddings is capturing the little details and moments that mostly go unnoticed. Very often, a lot of time has gone into making the place names, wedding favours etc, so it’s important to document this effort so that the memory isn’t lost.

I like to observe people - many behave very differently when they don’t know they are being photographed, and it’s in those moments that you can capture very relaxed, natural interactions. Once guests know they are being photographed, they suddenly become very self conscious and the moment is lost. I like to fall into the background, taking photos in a very subtle way, so that even the most camera shy person doesn’t know they’re on camera! It creates honest pictures that tell the true story of the day.

It’s always fantastic when I meet a meet a vicar who gives me unrestricted access to the wedding ceremony. It means I am able to get into the best position to take photos of the couple from the best angle. The image below sums that up perfectly.

The trick to taking successful confetti photos is to reel off as many shots as possible on a fast shutter speed. Confetti has a mind of its own and a terrible habit of covering people’s faces. I always make sure I take plenty on the basis that I know I’ll get at least one perfect shot out of the thirty that are reeled off.

Moving water is another example of when a fast shutter speed is useful. Obviously, to capture the feeling of movement within the water, then a slower shutter speed would be preferred, but in this instance, with the crashing waves behind the couple, a quick ‘open and shut’ was the better choice so as to avoid the couple also becoming blurry.

I was booked to stay on into the evening. No actual first dance, but lots of informal merriments, and the odd scooter ride down the road too!

Choo and Joon-Woo

I photographed this wedding back in 2015. It was held at Southrop Manor in Lechlade. Such a great venue with lots of lovely spots for couple photos. I was booked for the whole day, and as with all my full day weddings, this couple received nearly 500 photos. It’s so hard to choose my favourite shots. Below are just a few that I think sum up the day.

Couples sometimes like photos of both the boys and girls getting ready, but not on this occassion. The boys weren’t fussed about having any photos, so I just spent an hour or so with the girls before taking some time walking around the venue to get some detailed shots of it. I find it’s the little things that help to tell the story of the day.

I love it when couples do something a little bit different to the norm. On this occasion, it was the couple’s dog who was the ring bearer and had the very important task of looking after the rings! I’m not sure I’d trust my dog with the job, but this one, (whose name escapes me) did a great job!

I recall I was limited with the number of photos I could take during the ceremony. The registrar was fairly strict and would only allow pictures while the bride walked down the aisle and then walking back down once the ceremony was over. It’s always disappointing for the couples, but one has to respect the wishes of whoever is conducting the ceremony.

As I’ve mentioned, Southrop Manor has lovely grounds, ideal for couple photos. Taking the bride and groom away from their guests for twenty minutes or so gives them an opportunity to catch up and take a breath. Very often, couples can get to the wedding breakfast and find they’ve barely seen each other all day. This time is therefore greatly appreciated by many.

The evening reception always seems to have a very different flavour to the rest of the day. With the arrival of new guests and the free flowing drinks, the evening can descend into mayhem! It’s always great fun though, and when I leave after the first dance, it always feels like the party is just getting going!

Georgie and Craig

I have been photographing weddings for over 10 years and I still very much love the joy and positivity of the day. Weddings are really happy occasions that I never tire of photographing. I often come home at the end of a very long day with sore cheeks from where I have been smiling so much.

Georgie and Craig’s wedding was a lovely day, very simple and non fussy. The couple and their guests were very down to earth. The ceremony was poignant, with Dad clearly very emotional at giving his daughter away. I was pleased that the registrar allowed me to take photographs throughout the ceremony, and that she let me stand in my preferred spot - just to the side of the groom, looking at the bride. I love capturing the reaction on both couple’s faces.

I recall it was a very sunny day, which was fortunate as the grounds were gorgeous and the couple were keen to have photos taken. It’s always nice to take the bride and groom off for twenty minutes or so for some quiet photographs of just the two of them. It’s nothing like a photo shoot - I give minimal direction, preferring instead to let the couple be together. It produces lovely, natural intimacy.

I remember I was booked for the whole day, right up to and including the first dance. The speeches were great, with the best man not showing any nerves, (and I’ve done many weddings where that hasn’t been the case!) Before guests enter for the wedding breakfast, I always like to make sure I have taken pictures of the room - so much effort goes into decorating it and laying up the tables, often with lots of personal little touches. It’s important to document it all.

A live band always makes a first dance go off with a bang! Georgie and Craig got married in 2012 so I can’t remember if theirs was a slow or fast number, but going by the fact I used a flash, would lead me to think it might have been quite up tempo!