COMBERMERE ABBEY WEDDING

Combermere Abbey! What an incredible place for a wedding. This wedding venue is nestled in the rural borders of Cheshire and Shropshire in the Northwest of England. This place is a real treat! I took another road trip to Shropshire to shoot the wedding of Kathryn and Jack along side my best buddy Teresa. My main job was to focus on the groom and assist capturing the day in my usual documentary style. Anyway, that is enough chatter. Here are some highlights!

See more wedding inspiration on my Instagram feed and feel free to pin your favourites on to your Pinterest Board. If you are looking for a wedding photographer who is more about capturing your day in a natural, fun and unobtrusive way, then you are in the right place. Get in touch and tell me about your plans.

WEDDING CEREMONY - QUESTIONS TO ASK

Whether you have already chosen the date and location for your wedding ceremony or still deciding, there are plenty of questions that you need to ask the person conducting your ceremony including a few about wedding photography. I asked friends, family and my past couples what questions they asked when planning their own wedding ceremonies.  Everyone was very generous in sharing questions and experiences, so much so that I had a tough time narrowing down a top ten. Instead I settled on the top twenty questions to ask whoever is presiding over your service!

1. Can you talk me through what to expect before and during the ceremony?

2. What do we need to provide before the wedding (for example, birth certificate)?

3. Are we required to take any premarital or religious classes prior to the ceremony?

4. How much does the ceremony cost?

5. How long does the service take? The average length of a church wedding ceremony is 45 minutes, however, ceremonies in a registry office can be just 20 minutes long.

6. How many guests can the church/venue accommodate during the service?

7. Where will everyone stand/sit during the ceremony…bridal party, readers, etc?

8. What are the legalities? A friend explained how her ceremony took place in a 700 year old chapel which was bound by ancient rules and customs.  Written permission was required from all members of the choir/organist in order to have a videographer. Fortunately, this didn’t cause a problem. Always check about copyright of any music needed, ask if venues have legal permission and relevant licenses to play the songs that you would like.

9. Can guests park at the ceremony location? “It may sound a bit practical but it’s handy to know about parking as the church we used had people to direct parking and they kept areas clear for us to arrive and leave.”

10. How can we personalise the ceremony? There are often opportunities for you to make your service personal to you from customising your order of service to writing your own wedding vows. Remember to ask for ideas and examples.

11. Is there another ceremony booked immediately before or after ours?

12. For an outdoor ceremony, what is the backup plan in case it rains?

13. Are there musical instruments available for use such as a piano or organ? Are there any bylaws or restrictions on when the church bells can be rung?

14. Can we have a rehearsal and who should attend?

15. Are there any photography or videography restrictions? Do you allow the use of flash photography? Some registrars or vicars object to the use of flash photography and have strict rules about when photos cannot be taken such as during the vows or at the signing of the register. Always check beforehand so that you and others can be prepared.

16. Where and when can photos be taken?

17. What is the cancellation policy?

18. What time before the ceremony can we have access to decorate?

19. Can we take our flowers from the ceremony venue to the reception venue?

20. Are we allowed to throw confetti?

21. And one more for luck and my personal favourite, which came up more than once…can you have tissues at the ready? “We had someone leave a bottle of water and some tissues in the front pew of the bride’s side of the church as bridemaids don’t have pockets or handbags!”

RUTH & JUAN'S OUTDOOR LANGTONS HOUSE WEDDING

What a cracker of a wedding! It was the hottest day of the year with the most gorgeous fresh summer styling. Ruth and Juan had an intimate outdoor ceremony in The Orangery at Langtons House in Hornchurch Essex. Check out the yellow and white floral decor at their reception, they are beautiful and perfect for the setting.

The Orangery is a beautiful location for an outdoor wedding and I feel fortunate to have photographed a wealth of weddings at Langtons during all seasons of the year. Anyway another from me, check out some of my favourite photographs from Ruth and Juan’s summer wedding.

For more Langtons House outdoor wedding inspiration, check out Millie & Bill’s wedding.

See more wedding inspiration on my Instagram feed and feel free to pin your favourites on to your Pinterest Board. If you are looking for a wedding photographer who is more about capturing your day in a natural, fun and unobtrusive way, then you are in the right place. Get in touch and tell me about your plans.

LISA & RICK'S MOOR HALL WEDDING

Lisa and Ricky were so much fun to spend a day with, and their wedding guests were an absolute hoot too! Their wedding ceremony took place at St Andrew’s Church in Hornchurch Essex which is beautiful. My approach to photographing weddings focuses heavily on a documentary style, therefore capturing things as they happen coupled with photographing the details that make your day unique to you. This is very much the approach I took on Lisa and Ricky’s day and I loved every minute.

After the wedding ceremony, we headed to one of my favourite alternative Essex wedding venues, Moor Hall in Aveley for a lively wedding reception. We had an absolute blast especially when the party kicked off in the evening.

Awesome Wedding Suppliers
Wedding ceremony - St Andrew’s Church Hornchurch
Wedding reception - Moor Hall Aveley Essex
Bridal dress - Mori Lee
Bridesmaids dresses - Vive Grace
Florist - Daisy May Flowers
Makeup artist - Gemma Horner
Hairdresser - Jade Wells
Venue decorator - Love Lavish Weddings
Cake baker - Boutique Cake Studio
Catering - Relish Catering
Photobooth and DJ - Funkbox Productions

For more summer wedding inspiration, check out Chris and Lei’s wedding at Woodlands in Norfolk.

See more wedding inspiration on my Instagram feed and feel free to pin your favourites on to your Pinterest Board. If you are looking for a wedding photographer who is more about capturing your day in a natural, fun and unobtrusive way, then you are in the right place. Get in touch and tell me about your plans.

EMILY & LUKE'S CHENIES MANOR HOUSE WEDDING

Emily and Luke’s wedding was an absolute cracker. The people, the locations, the weather and the dancefloor action was on another level! I struggled with choosing images for this particular blog. I had too many favourites. Each image evoked a particular memory or emotion. Although, some might argue that this was a good problem to have, especially as I was smiling all the way through putting this wedding together. I hope my choices have done this wedding justice!

The marriage service was held at the Emmanuel Church in Middlesex, led by Johnny the Vicar a good friend to both Emily and Luke. Johnny was an absolute dream to work with. We felt very lucky to have Johnny’s company all afternoon as he took on the role of Master of Ceremonies with a trendy style and grace.

After a cake buffet at the church, we all headed to Chenies Manor House in Buckinghamshire for the wedding reception. It’s a stunning luxury wedding venue set in quite an idyllic part of the countryside. There was so much to explore and as we were treated to full sunshine all day, we were able to make the most of it. The speeches during dinner had everyone in hysterics. The animated dancefloor action with the help of the live band, rounded off the day perfectly.

Emily & Luke’s Awesome Supplier List
Makeup - Amanda Maria Makeup
Hairdresser - Zoe Norris
Florist - The Urban Flower Farmer
Ceremony location - Emmanuel Church Northwood Middlesex
Reception location - Chenies Manor House Buckinghamshire
Wedding car - Lord Cars
Cake baker - The Dandelion Bakery
Bunting - The Big Beautiful Bunting Company
Photography - Anesta Broad Photography accompanied by Jay Anderson
Caterer - Plenty of Thyme
Band - The Mesh Band
Bridal dress - La Boda Bridal
Bridesmaids’ dresses - House of Fraser
Groom’s Suit - Hugo Morris Bespoke Tailors

See more wedding inspiration on my Instagram feed and feel free to pin your favourites on to your Pinterest Board. If you are looking for a wedding photographer who is more about capturing your day in a natural, fun and unobtrusive way, then you are in the right place. Get in touch and tell me about your plans.

SARAH + STEVEN'S CRONDON PARK WEDDING

My last winter wedding just a few days before last Christmas was Sarah and Steven’s Crondon Park Wedding in Essex. Sarah and Steven incorporated plenty of rich wintry colours and nods to Christmas into their wedding day. The Baronial Barn was seasonally dressed with plenty of golden fairy lights and a huge beautifully dressed Christmas tree, plus the couples love for North London football team Tottenham Hotspurs was incorporated into the day too. Enough talking, check it out for yourselves.

Sarah & Steven’s Awesome Suppliers

Venue - Crondon Park
Florist - Stock Florist
Makeup Artist - Le Charlemagne
Hairdresser - Katie Petrie
Cake Baker - Linda Tattoo
Bridal Gown - Grace and Lace
Bridesmaids Dresses - David’s Bridal
Groom’s Suit - Next
Live Band - The Somebodys
Magician - Tony Steward
Guitarist - Glen Parish
Caterer - Crondon Park

MIKE & STEPH'S ESSEX BARN WEDDING

I am taking you back to the summer for Mike and Steph’s wedding at The Broadfields Essex Barn in Upminster. Prosecco, miniature ponies, a bright red MG, confetti, sunset, smokebombs and sparklers….that just about sums up their day!

Mike and Steph got married at Church of St Laurence in Upminster, which has a pretty cool history dating back to the 14th century.

After the ceremony, we had time for confetti and some portraits whilst the guests jumped on the double decker bus to the reception venue. Mike and Steph drove themselves in a kick ass red MG, after being coerced into photographs with some miniature ponies who just happened to be outside of the church.

Essex Barn Wedding Reception
After the short journey through Upminster on the double decker bus, the guests were dropped at the Broadfield Essex Barn nestled in the woodlands of Thames Chase to kick off the afternoon reception. Dinner, speeches and a whole lot of prosecco ran into the early evening.

After dinner we headed back outside of the barn for a little walk and some relaxed photos. The guests hit the photobooth in the beautiful cute form of Winnie the Vintage Caravan. Just before sunset, cutting of the cake took place outdoors and then we all hit the dancefloor. We ended the evening with colourful smoke bombs, sparklers and a pretty cool sunset.

Mike & Steph’s Awesome Suppliers
Ceremony venue - Church of Saint Laurence Upminster
Reception venue - The Essex Barn
Florist - Victoria's Floral Designs
Makeup - Vibha Mistry
Hairdresser - Hair and Make Up by Carrie
Bridal gown - Justin Alexander at Bella Sposa
Bridesmaids’ dresses - Dorothy Perkins
Groom’s suit - Moss Bros
Caterer - Leave it to Us
Bus - Ensign Company
Photobooth - Winnie the Vintage Caravan
Videographer - Rapid Image
Band - Dirty Water

MEL + PHIL'S CLISSOLD HOUSE WEDDING

I had a full December of winter weddings. All were completely different and amazing. First up, I was back in Stoke Newington for Mel and Phil’s London wedding at Clissold House. #melwedsphil These guys need to be my neighbours. There, I have said it. Not even sorry. They had me at “there will be lots of cheese”.

In the evening we headed over to the West Reservoir Centre for speeches, vodka, thai food, cheese and epic dancing. Hats off to those guests who tore up that dancefloor. You know who you are. Absolute legends. A mention has to go to Mark Daly Events who was Mel and Phil’s wedding planner. I am in complete awe of his skills and he is so lovely, a joy to work. Here are some of my favourite photos of the day. Enjoy!

DAISY & RUSSELL'S GAYNES PARK WEDDING

This was my first Spring wedding of 2018. Daisy and Russell's Gaynes Park Wedding was superb. Perfectly timed, just as the winter was coming to an end and Spring was in sight! No rain or snow. Gaynes Park is a lovely barn venue in Essex and was an ideal setting for Daisy and Russell who both got ready at the venue and held their ceremony and reception there too. Here's are some highlights from their day!

NATASHA & PETER'S QUENDON HALL WEDDING

"Just wanted to say thank you so much again. You made us feel so relaxed and the photography felt like fun - it was as though you were just another member of our friends and family."

A fun filled Caribbean Indian fusion wedding. That was the theme of Natasha and Peter's Parklands Quendon Hall Wedding. After a brief chat on Instagram, I knew I was in for a treat. We had glorious sunshine, a beautiful rose gold colour theme and plenty of banter to keep the day upbeat and light hearted. Full of fun, shared love, and laughter, it was a pretty awesome day! Check out Natasha & Peter's awesome supplier list at the end of the blog post!

Natasha & Peter's Awesome Suppliers
Ceremony flowers - Ismay Williams
Reception flowers - Essex Flower Walls
Makeup artist - Makeupology
Hairdresser - Sarah Wade
Caker baker - Bakealicious Jan
Videographer - Third Reel Films
Bridal gown - Wed2B
Bridesmaids dresses - ASOS
Groom's suit - River Island
Musicians - Adam Amor & Stacey McCarthy
DJ - DJ Anju

EMMA & MICK'S SWYNFORD MANOR WEDDING

Emma and Mick's Swynford Manor Wedding was a very memorable day for me. I had been looking forward to photographing my first wedding at this recently renovated Cambridgeshire venue. It has a wonderful luxurious decor and feel to it. We were treated to some beautiful spring weather, sunset and sparklers after dark! Superb day!

Capturing your guests truly enjoying themselves on the dancefloor is something I love to do. Don't miss my forty perfect dance moments captured at weddings during my travels in the UK and Overseas!

Emma and Mick's Awesome Supplier List
Makeup artist - Dani Rose
Hairdresser - Angel Cox
Florist - Tollys Flowers
Bridal Gown - Essence of Australia
Bridesmaids dresses - Sorella Vita
Groom's Suit - Moss Bros
Wedding car - Bentley Spur (Wallis & Sons – Cambridge Wedding Cars)
Ceremony Venue - All Saints Church Cottenham
Reception Venue - Swynford Manor
Caterer - Swynford Manor
Band - Get Carter
Venue decorator - Covers By Gill
Videographer - White Dress Films

40 Perfect Dance Floor Moments

A friend asked me recently how many weddings have I photographed. It dawned on me that I didn't actually know the answer but it wouldn't hurt to work it out. So I looked back and was surprised when the total came to 140! I have witnessed 140 couples get married across the UK and beyond. That is pretty cool!

With that in mind, it feels like a great time to pick out some of my favourite moments, starting with the dance floor.  For any couples who can't decide whether or not to have a photographer stay for the first dance and beyond, right here are 40 reasons why you should. Forty moments captured on camera from first dances with Elvis to brides getting their feet wet, to beer pints being spilt or guests doing the caterpillar! I love them all!

These are memories that everyone should have captured of their wedding day. Be sure to tell your family and friends to not be shy. Dance like no one is watching!

Get in touch to tell me about your wedding plans and to book your date in my diary.

MILLIE & BILL'S OUTDOOR LANGTONS WEDDING

What an amazing privilege it was for me to photograph Langtons very first outdoor ceremony during 2017! We had fantastic weather for Millie and Bill's outdoor Langtons wedding. Millie and Bill got married in The Orangery within Langtons gardens. It is a beautiful Georgian structure which was converted especially for this special occasion. The day was full of smiles, laughter and a few tears too during the speeches. The images tell the story. Millie and Bill's chose amazing suppliers to help create their wedding, which are all listed at the end of this blog post. Take a look and toast to Millie and Bill!

Don't stop here. Planning an outdoor wedding? Then you need to check out Zoe and Adam's tipi wedding at North Hill Farm.

Millie & Bill's Awesome Wedding Supplier List
Ceremony location - The Orangery, Langtons House
Reception location - Langtons Hall, Langtons House
Florist - Daisy May
Makeup artist - La Charlemagne
Hairdresser - Shelley Fairs
Groom's suit - Jack Bunneys
Bride's dress - Serenity
Pianist - Danny Mills
Band - Scooby
Caterer - Leave It To Us
Videographer - Simply Wedding Movies
 

NATALIE & SHARDARNE'S HOUCHINS WEDDING

During their wedding, these guys made me cry, not once by twice! That takes some doing and is a reflection of the beauty and power of their marriage. I had been looking forward to working at Houchins Wedding Venue. They opened as a wedding venue only two years ago. Natalie got ready in Houchins farmhouse, a stunning Grade 2 listed building full of character and space for some guests to stay overnight.  I started the day with Natalie, whilst Jay started the day in Braintree capturing the final stages of Shardarne getting ready with his bestman and ushers. After an emotional ceremony at St Peter ad Vincula Church in Coggeshall, we headed back to Houchins for the wedding reception. I love how Natalie and Shardarne made their day truly their own. It was lovely working with some familiar and new faces too including Sally from Halo Blossom florists, Wedding Planner Sian from Busy Brides and Limeberry Catering to name just a few. I have to say a special mention must go to Get Gospel Choir, finalist for BBC Gospel Choir of the Year, who were absolutely superb during the church service. So that's enough from me, here are the highlights from Natalie and Shardarne's Houchins Wedding!

NATASHA & STEPHEN'S GOSFIELD HALL WEDDING

As Essex country house wedding venues go, Gosfield Hall is quite spectacular. It was once a Royal residence and much of it's unique history has been retained throughout the grounds. Natasha and Stephen's Gosfield Hall wedding was a day to remember although their cute daughters stole the show as it was very much their day too! Here's a preview of their beautiful day. Congratulations again to Natasha and Stephen!

FENNES ESSEX WEDDING

In April, I returned to one of my favourite venues for the Fennes Essex Wedding of Helen and Nick. We had beautiful Spring weather for their relaxed travel themed wedding. Here's a preview of Helen and Nick's wedding day.

PRINCE REGENT HOTEL WEDDING

I headed to Chigwell for the Menzies Prince Regent Hotel Wedding of Sarah and Darrol in April. It's an Essex wedding venue that I have worked at many times over the last 3 years. 

I started the day with Sarah and her sister getting ready at the Hotel. Whilst my assistant Jay Anderson kept the groom company capturing lovely moments of Darrol spending time with his guests arriving. There were plenty of smiles, tears and laughter throughout the day. Sarah and Darrol's son proved that you are never too young to rock a bowtie! Here's a preview of their wedding story.