I have fond memories of Chantal and Phil’s wedding. It was a DIY affair and the weather was absolutely glorious. The reception was in their spacious garden and the ceremony just a short walk down the lane from their house. They were a lovely couple, with older children. Very down to earth and extremely friendly.

I spent an hour or so taking photos of the girls getting ready, before heading over to the Church to take photos of the guests and groomsmen. On route, I found folk lounging around in the sunshine outside their camper and an extremely well dressed dog!

The ceremony itself was beautifully quaint, helped by the intimate setting created by the tiny Church. As such, there wasn’t much space to move around, but it did mean I was close to all the action. I try to be as subtle as I can when taking photos during the ceremony. You can normally hear a pin prick, so even the slightest thud of a camera case or lens change can disrupt the atmosphere. During Church weddings I make a point of not taking photos during the prayers. This is out of respect to the person conducting the ceremony and to acknowledge the solemn moment.

After any ceremony, one can always feel a great sense of relief - particularly with the bride and groom. It’s always lovely to see the outpour of happiness that guests bestow on them.

It was a lazy walk back to Chantal and Phil’s house for the wedding reception, where there was much singing, dancing and drinking. A few group photos were requested, but mostly I was left to document the afternoon as it unfolded in a very honest and natural way.

There was no first dance, as such, instead the girl’s performed an impromptu ABBA tribute number, which had the guests in uproar! I got the feeling the party was only just getting started when I left!

Alice and Mark booked one of my half day wedding packages for their big day at Ellenborough Park. Half day wedding coverage is a really affordable option for couples who want professional photos of their wedding. To couples considering half day coverage, I always suggest doing the speeches before the wedding breakfast, that way they get professional coverage of that part of their day too. I also suggest cutting the cake immediately after the speeches, or just before, again, to ensure that is also covered. It’s really only then the first dance that isn’t professionally photographed, but even that, if couples are clever about it, can be squeezed into a half day.

I’ve photographed a few weddings at Ellenborough Park, and the thing I love most about it is the beautiful spiral staircase. In this instance, the wedding cake had been placed directly in the centre at the bottom of the staircase. I happened to notice it on my way down from photographing the bridal prep, and thought it made a great composition.

As is usually the case, there was time before the ceremony to capture some informal, candid shots of the groomsmen and guests arriving. These are parts of the day the bride doesn’t normally get to see, so I always like to make sure I document it.

The ceremony itself was short but very sweet, and the registrar fairly relaxed in terms of photography. My preferred position is just behind the groom looking at the bride so I can capture her reaction and expressions. If room allows, I will try and move across to the other side to get a different angle and some photos of the groom.

After the ceremony is was time for group photos and informal mingling. I took many more photos than the small snippet here and I always invite prospective clients to view the full weddings on my computer when we meet face to face.

Group photos can be so much more fun than just people standing in a line. Some couples really embrace this, such as the lads below!

I always make sure I leave time to photograph the wedding breakfast room, ensuring that lots of the details have been documented. I understand how much time and effort goes into making the room look beautiful, so feel it’s important that everything is recorded.

Confetti throws happen so instantaneously, you never quite know what you’re going to get. My approach is a fast shutter speed and a high click through ratio. This guarantees a high number of crisp, sharp images.