Tess & Andy's Wonderful Wedding Day

Congratulations to Tess and Andy whose wedding at the weekend was a truly romantic affair. The wonderful setting they chose for their special day was Kitley House, just outside Yealmpton in Devon. The house and grounds are a photographer's dream. It was a privilege to shoot there, but an even greater privilege to work with Tess and Andy who were a delight to work with, not to mention very good company.

The day began at Tess and Andy's stunning apartment at a former naval hospital in Plymouth. It made me quite envious, really, as I can't imagine a better setting for a studio! Tess's bridal gown was beautiful. In this shot, I set the shoes in the frame to the left and included Tess and Andy's portraits in the background to the right:



Tess was absolutely radiant in her dress and fully-deserved the compliments she received throughout the day from family and guests.



The next two images were taken in the former hospital grounds - the whole place is bursting with photo opportunities:




Every beautiful bride needs her handsome beau, and Andy had no difficulty at all in fulfilling that role. He was probably the most relaxed I've ever seen a groom before the ceremony, though I expect he was able to feel the presence of at least one or two butterflies:



Here's a lovely shot of the bridal party just before the ceremony. Tess is accompanied by her sisters Michaela and Isabelle, her beautiful little niece Jenny, and one very proud Dad (who later gave a really touching speech that was a veritable tribute to his daughter):



And so to the ceremony:



And then time for some photos as a newly-wed couple:

After the wedding breakfast and the arrival of evening guests, Tess and Andy treated everyone (and themselves) to a specially-choreographed first dance, set to Snow Patrol's "Set The Fire To The Third Bar". It was wonderfully romantic and a thoroughly enjoyable specatacle:

As the party got going, I slipped out to grab a quick shot of the venue as dusk fell. It was a beautiful still night and warm enough (at last) to be out in shirt sleeves:

Tess and Andy, thanks for being such splendid hosts. I hope you get a chance to see this while you are away. Have a great time on honeymoon!

David

Katie & Nick's Beautiful Wedding Day

Some days are filled with beauty and emotion, and Katie and Nick's wedding on Saturday 19th April was just such a day. The weather conspired to keep us indoors for most of the day but the occasion was filled with so much joy that the rain couldn't possibly have dampened everyone's spirits. Katie was incredibly radiant, and Nick the true gentleman right throughout the day. You make a wonderful couple and were a complete breeze to work with - thank you both!

As usual, the day started with the detail shots at the bride's home. These are so essential for capturing the essence of the day. Katie's dress was stunning:




And so was Katie!



This is a really elegant image - just like a fairy tale princess:




The family home is like a mini motor sport museum, there are wheels everywhere. I think I even spotted a Ducati 1098 parked up in the fish tank - OK, maybe not. But the gallery on the landing made a great backdrop for a colour-filled portrait.



While Katie was making her final preparations, Nick was already in place at Bletchley Park. Between a visit to the registrar and a few anxious calls to guide his parents to the venue, we found time for some portraits in the ballroom. This is a particular favourite from the day - the panelling in this room makes a fantastic feature for a protrait.



A chat with best man Glen and Katie's brother Richard helped Nick to keep those last minute nerves under control.



And so to the ceremony, which was brief but bursting with love and warmth:



After the formalities we took advantage of a short break in the rain to grab a few shots outside. Katie's Dad, Dave, joined the cast for this shot. Despite my pleadings for a mean and moody look, he was way too happy to keep the smile off his face:



This shot sums the day up for me. Katie and Nick, you were quite clearly made for each other:


Those who know me well will know that food is never far from my mind. Perhaps that explains why I like the cake-cutting so much - but I do like to get a funky angle when shooting this part of the day.



And finally ...



Katie and Nick, thanks for being such an easy couple to work with. I hope you are enjoying your honeymoon and I look forward to seeing you both on your return.

David

Congratulations Matt & Suzanne

From the moment I met Matt and Suzanne, I knew their wedding was going to be really special - and so it was! Their love for one another shone through all day, as did their great sense of fun. And that suited me down to the ground, as fun is one of the things I set out to have every time I go to a wedding. Suzi was absolutely radiant and, as these images show, she and Matt make a great-looking couple.

The weather kept us indoors for most of the day but it didn't stop us getting some super shots. The first two show off some of the wonderful detail in Suzi's wedding attire:








Suzi's bouquet was beautiful, and I loved the way it contrasted with this burnt-red wall in their living room:





Matt was looking radiant too - in a manly way, of course! This is him striking a Mr Cool pose shortly before the ceremony:





Here's a lovel shot of the newly-weds stepping out together for the first time as a married couple. Check out those happy expressions:





After a quick drink, we dashed off to a quiet spot in the hotel to shoot some romantic portraits:

Here's a shot of Matt and Suzi's playful little son, Joshua. He enjoyed himself running around the dance floor and playing with the toys, like this little ball-catcher that he turned into a hat. Now, I wonder who gave him that idea!

Flower girls Lilly and Millie were in great form all day. Here they are with Suzi's posse of bridesmaids-in-black as a wonderful background.





Not to be outdone by the girls, Jordan was looking very handsome too:





The theme Suzi and Matt chose for their table dressings was the movies. So it made sense to play around a bit with some film-inspired poses. In the case of these two shots, we got the groomsmen and bridesmaids to take part in a little James Bond role play - which one of these guys would make best 007, I wonder!





And here's seven budding Bond girls - funny how none of them were in the least bit reluctant to take part in this shot!





Finally, well after 9pm the weather relented and we were able to pop outside to grab a few shots in the cool night air (which was something of a relief at that stage for all three of us). This one has a very happy, romantic feel to it:

A special thanks must go to Simon, one of the co-Best Men, who made himself into a very able assistant with my reflector. And I should also thank the staff at the Bedford Swan Hotel who came to my rescue when I thought I'd lost one of my cameras! Panic was close to setting in when I discovered that it had been spotted lying around unattended and take to reception for safe keeping - a big thanks to you guys for that!

Congratulations Matt & Suzanne - I wish you both a very long and successful marriage!

David

Preparing for Suzanne & Matt's Wedding

Tomorrow, Suzanne and Matt will be married at the majestic Swan Hotel in Bedford, on the banks of the River Ouse. It's a lovely hotel with very friendly staff and I'm really looking forward to shooting there. When I visited earlier this week the sun was high in the sky but the forecast for the weekend is much less cheery. I'm just hoping we get a few dry spells during which some outdoor shots will be possible!

I spoke to Suzanne this morning and she seemed really excited about her big day. Matt was doing the housework in the background - so he's clearly adjusting well to being a hubby already! I hope you both have a great day tomorrow, guys. I'm really looking forward to creating some great images together.

Here's one of my shots of the hotel from my visit:



Earlier in the week I took a stroll around the grounds of Mentmore Golf and Country Club where my wife and I take our boys swimming (and occasionally we even grace the gym)! Mentmore Towers dominates the landscape:



And finally here's a quick shot I grabbed in the car park!



That's all for today. Must get back to preparing for Suzanne and Matt's big day. Have a great weekend,
David