Eithne & Helen's Ballydehob Bridge-Top Wedding

There was some sunshine during our 2-week trip to Ireland ... but only on one day! Luckily for Eithne and Helen that was the day they had chosen for their wedding. Eithne is my wife's cousin and she lives in west Cork, just about as far from the north east of Ireland as you could get with stepping off the Emerald Isle. After two days travel, we stayed in a cottage in Durrus, near Bantry (I'll be posting a couple of shots of Bantry by night some time next week, I hope).

Helen and Eithne's ceremony was truly special, held on the twelve-arch bridge in Ballydehob which towers over the river:



The sun may have been high in the sky but the wind was blustering for all it was worth, and that made standing on the walls that flank the bridge somewhat perilous. Still, it made from some pretty interesting images, such as this one of the guests as they spready along the length of the bridge:



Everyone formed a "tunnel of love" for Eithne and Helen who approached one another from opposite ends of the bridge:



Here's another shot taken from the wall on the bridge - what a fantastic backdrop for a wedding!



After the ceremony, I took a few shots of the happy couple back at sea level, this time lying on the edge of the sea wall - I guess the sun must have been affecting my judgment or something!



Another of the two ladies, this time taken from the relative safety of a picnic table:



Here's Eithne with her brothers and sister:



They had decked the village hall out in spendid style for their reception:



The cake was topped with a mini-Eithne and mini-Helen - no crazy vantage points required for this one:



And finally, an elegant shot of the newly-weds as they looked out over the river in the evening light:



It was a great day and I know all present wish both of you a very happy, long and fulfilling future together - congratulations to you both,
David

Amanda + Toby = The Perfect Match

I'm taking a quick break from my series of posts from the Ireland trip to display some images from the last wedding I photographed before dashing across the Irish Sea. Amanda and Toby's wedding was a real treat for music lovers. Highlights included a number of excellent performances in the church, a wonderful piano recital during canapes at the reception, Toby singing part of his speech, and a live extravaganza from The Duffy's which was accompanied by some fine dancing by the guests.

For this selection of images, I've chosen to start with a detail from Amanda's beautiful gown and shoes:



Amanda looked absolutely gorgeous in her dress:



Toby was pretty dapper, too, in his cream suit with cravat to match the trim in Amanda's dress:




Here's Amanda looking radiant as she arrived at the church:



The interior of St Mary's RC church in Woburn Sands is very light and airy, which was great for capturing wonderful images of the wedding ceremony:



Aah, did you ever see a happier looking couple as they enjoy their first few moments of married life together!




The reception was held in the Atrium at Whittlebury Park, which has a good range of backdrops for photographs:



This shot of the rings was set on the lower tier of Amanda and Toby's stunning cake:



I mentioned earlier that Toby sang part of his speech. Well, here he is in full performance mode:



But you'll have to check the video, Toby, to see if this was Amanda's reaction to your singing:



What a great day it was, packed with fun and laughs, as well as music and dancing. It was pretty late when I left and the party was in full swing, with everyone having a really great time. My congratulations to you both, Amanda and Toby. No one could doubt that you are the perfect match for one another. I wish you many many years of happiness together.

David

The Changing Face of Belfast

During our Ireland trip we had to spend a few hours on one of my wife's current work projects in Belfast. So on the way back, I took the opportunity to take a couple of images that record the changing face of the city. The "Troubles" have had a major impact on many parts of Belfast, in particular in some residential areas of the city. Murals paying tribute to the paramilitaries have been evident in these places for many years but as part of the peace process there is a move to replace the paramilitary-style mural with art work that celebrates other aspects of life in the north. I found these two examples of the old and the new in the east of the city. The first portrays a typical display of strength in honour of the Ulster Freedom Fighters, or UFF:




This, however, is more typical of the new brand of mural. As an Englishman, it's not necessarily going to go down as my favourite example for it shows David Healy's (in)famous goal that defeated England in 2005. In my defence, it was pouring down when I took these two shots and I just didn't fancy roaming the streets to find a less embarrassing design!




Next time I'm in Belfast I plan to photograph a couple of examples of murals from a republican area of Belfast - just for balance, you understand.

More from the trip soon,
David

20 Amazing Years of Marriage

The main reason for our recent trip to Ireland was to mark a very special occasion in the life of my wife Fionnuala and I: our 20th wedding anniversary. Our friends we were studying with at university all those years ago were stunned when we decided to get engaged; they all said it would never last. Well, wonderful judges of character they turned out to be! Fionnuala has been my rock since we met and we've enjoyed some truly great times together. I just hope the couples whose weddings I'm fortunate enough to record are blessed with a relationship as loving as ours. Fionnuala, I love you so much - you are my inspiration.

I want to thank you for all the years we've shared and to say I'm really looking forward to our future together. The plans we're working on are so exciting and I can't wait to put them into action with you.

I want to thank you, too, for organising a great holiday this year - even if you did forget to arrange any decent weather! Our stay at Castle Leslie in Monaghan was simply unforgettable. While there, Fionnuala and I took a stroll in the grounds and with the aid of a sturdy tripod and the camera's self-timer we took a few pictures of ourselves - just the two of us, which is something I'm determined to do more often from now on. Here are two from the set that I'd like to share with everyone as a tribute to my wonderful wife:





David

My Gold Award Landscape Image

Back from our holidays now and into the swing of work again - seems like we were away for no time at all! One of the most pleasing parts of getting home was discovering that I'd received a Gold Award from the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers for this image:

The photo was taken in February near Enniskillen in Northern Ireland and received the award in the landscape category of the SWPP's monthly print competition for August. I also received seven Silver Awards, including for the portrait and wedding images I submitted. Isn't that cool - I feel really lucky to have my work recognised by the judges.

I'll be posting some images from our trip soon, starting with something special as a thank you to my wonderful wife.

David

A Well-Deserved Break

This weekend I'll be shooting Amanda and Toby's wedding and then dashing off for a well-deserved break. At least, it's supposed to be a break but I'll be packing the camera and lights along with the other holiday gear as we cross the water to Ireland again. While away, I'm going to be shooting a civil partnership ceremony in Co. Cork for Eithne and Helen, and no doubt there will be an odd portrait to capture here and there. So if all's quiet on the blog for the next fortnight, you can rest eay in the knowledge that there'll be some new images to look forward to when I get back.

In the meantime, I thought I'd post these three shots of the band - Stax - that played at Eve and Christian's wedding at the beginning of August. Very good they were, too. If you're looking for a lively band with a great repertoire and plenty of energy then check out their website: www.menfromstax.com

See you all when I get back,

David

Amy & Alex's Big Splash Of A Day

August, with its long long days of shimmering heat and stifling humidity, lazing around with family and friends in bubbly conversation, enjoying cool drinks on the lawn: where o where art thou? Poor Amy and Alex, they might have paddled their way from St Peter's and St Paul's in Flitwick to Moreteyne Manor. The torrential rain played the role of uninvited guest at yet another of this year's weddings. But you know what? It couldn't put a dampener on Amy and Alex's big day, not a bit of it! The wet stuff may have been tumbling out of the sky, but this was undoubtedly one of the most cheerful weddings I've had the pleasure of photographing.

Moreteyne Manor is chosen by wedding couples for many reasons. It's a lovely venue with friendly and attentive staff. Shame we couldn't get many pictures in the garden, but this flyer served as a splendid backdrop for Amy and Alex's rings:



Amy looked absolutely stunning in her bridal gown:



As the time to leave for the church approached, she shared a tender moment with Dad:



Meanwhile, Alex's mum checked all was well with his outfit as he awaited Amy's arrival:



It was necessarily a bit of a dash for Amy and Dad along the church footpath, ably assisted by beautiful bridesmaid Catherine and a thoughtful chauffer:



The shelter of the church was much appreciated by all and a bit of hearty singing soon allowed everyone to set aside any concerns about the weather. It was an excellent service, conducted with great humour by the parish vicar:



I usually shoot the newly-weds in the church door whie standing outside, but this perspective is a great variation on that theme. It was a special moment as Amy and Alex emerged as husband and wife:



Once the wedding party was safely under cover at Moreteyne Manor, we took a series of portraits at the main entrance. At this point, I should thank Dave for being kind enough to hold a brolly over my camera so I could capture my images without worrying about water getting into the lens. Dave, you did a great job - as this, my favourite image of the day, shows:



What can I say about Ben and James, Alex's Best Men and brothers? It's best to let this photograph do the talking, I think. This was a part of their speech that they gave, expressing their feelings for Alex "through the medium of modern dance":



... which Alex appeared to appreciate:



Finally, in the early evening, I took a few extra portraits of Amy and Alex as their evening guests arrived. I think Alex was still thinking about the modern dance when I took this one:



Not sure what Amy had on her mind here - if you know, answers on a postcard to Amy and Alex, Deepest Devon:



And so ended another wonderful wedding party. Amy and Alex had a fantastic day, and I'm sure they'll enjoy a great marriage together - it was to all who attended that they are cut out perfectly for one another. Congratulations to you both on tying the knot and my very best wishes for a long and happy life together.

David

Eve & Christian's Fun-Packed Wedding

The rain was pounding off the tarmac as I plodded up the M1 on Saturday morning and it looked like Eve and Christian's wedding would be held amidst a flood. But, hey, guess what? For once, the rain relented and gave way to beautiful blue skies and sunshine; and the weather really matched the mood of this fun-packed wedding.

The wedding took place at the stunning Fawsley Hall in Northamptonshire. Eve prepared for the big day in a fantastic suite which made an elegant setting for her bridal gown:

This next image just makes me laugh. Look how much at home Eve has made herself - not only with the surroundings but also by making the most of her attendants (Catia in this case). Eve looks like she could enjoy this sort of service every day!




Eve look absolutely wonderful in her gown:



Christian had some portraits taken in the Grand Hall, a very fine setting indeed for a groom:



At Fawsley, the guests are afforded a great view as the ceremony unfolds:



Afterwards, Eve showed off her new ring to the obvious admiration of her friends:



The weather meant I was able to shoot lots of wonderful images outside. This one shows the bride and some of the guests enjoying the sunshine. To give a different perspective, I shot this image through the wrought iron gates at the entrance to the driveway:

While their guests enjoyed the Pimms and lemonade, Eve, Christian and I took a stroll through the grounds and captured a great set of images. Here's one at the entrance to the main house, which also features in the following image taken with the whole bridal party:

Regular visitors to this blog will know that I like to have a bit of fun at a wedding. Recently I showed an image of a bride with her friends where some of the guys had encouraged the girls to flash a bit of leg. The results were, well, let's just say slightly disappointing - though admittedly it was a bit cold that day. Eve and her friends were quite the opposite, though. Having captured a view of this scene square on, I decided to go for a different angle - you can almost hear the infectious toot and hoot of the Can-Can above the laughter:

The speeches were full of laughs, too. Christian especially had everyone in stitches, not least his bride:

And finally, to the first dance and this image of the loving newly-weds:

There's no doubt about it, this was a wedding crammed full of fun. I had a great time with Eve and Christian, and their family and friends were wonderful to work with, too. Congratulations to you both for a really great wedding day. I wish you both a fun-packed and very long life together.

David