Helen and Paul's Sunny Wedding Day

For most of the week running up to Helen and Paul's wedding there was rain in the air - it seems to have been that way for all the weddings I've covered this year. But on the big day itself, the sun was out and it made for a very happy day. Paul had spared no expense in making this a special day for his lovely bride and he was full of excitement as he waited in the church for Helen to arrive:



Helen was radiant and enjoyed posing in the bridal car before the ceremony:



The ceremony itself was packed with humour:



The reception was held at Putteridge Bury, Hertfordshire. It's one of the region's finest venues and Helen and Paul were happy to spend a little time strolling round the grounds making the most of the photo opportunities it offers:



The wedding cake reflected the humour of the day. Here's a shot of one of the three tiers:



Helen's mother made a very moving speech which, as you can see here, was much appreciated by her daughter:



The evening entertainment began with a very atmospheric first dance. I was almost drowned in dry ice as I lay on the floor to capture this shot:



What a fun day - and I'm sure the evening was great too. Helen and Paul, I hope you get a chance to view this while you're on honeymoon in the Maldives. Thanks for being great to work with and I look forward to seeing you both when you get back.

David

Laura and Ben's Bump Shoot

Little beats the buzz of knowing a baby is on the way, and it's a great excuse for a photo shoot. Photographing Laura and Ben's bump in their stunning home last weekend was a lot of fun. Their modern decor made a great backdrop for a range of contemporary images:



Ben has some great tattoos and Laura asked me to make a feature of them in the photos:





I couldn't resist using their art work as a prop, especially with the appropriate wording on their mini canvas:




I'm sure Ben won't be as keen to listen out for little noises after a few sleepless nights:



For a photographer, there are fewer greater joys than photographing a beautiful expectant mother in fuli bloom - it's such a special time and great to be able to record it in this way:




I've really been blessed this year with the people I've worked with. Once again, with Laura and Ben, the shoot was a real breeze. I can't tell you both how great you were to work with. It was a real joy, and I look forward to seeing you again very soon,

David

Lauren & Jonathan

Lauren and Jonathan were one of the lucky couples who won a free Engagement Shoot when they entered my prize draw at February's wedding fair in Central Milton Keynes. We had a great time as we strolled around Woburn a couple of weekend's ago. It's a favourite place of mine to do outdoor portraits - there are so many different backdrops to choose from and despite being a popular tourist destination it is surprisingly easy to find quiet places to shoot.

Lauren and Jonathan were very easy to work with, nice and relaxed in front of camera, as you can see in this first image:



This is a variant of a shot I often capture at weddings. The main difference is that I usually have the groom hold one wedding ring and the Best Man holds the other - and they're not usually standing quite so close to one another!!!



An engagement shoot is as much about fun as showing the love and romance the couple share:



A couple of individual portraits:






Anyone who had their engagement shoot in the early part of the year missed out on lying in the grass due to the rain. Here's a couple of examples of my lazy shots - so-called because this is where I get to lie down on the job! The light in Lauren's eyes is stunning here:





And the final image is all about the reflection:



It was great fun working with you, Lauren and Jonathan. I hope you like the shots here and look forward to seeing you both soon.

David

Joseph's Baptism

Back in March I posted a handful of images from Zuzana and Gary's maternity shoot. The two of them have become really good friends of ours over the last couple of years and so it was a real privilege at the weekend to be able to capture some images of little Joseph's baptism. It was a fantastic day and Joseph looked like he was enjoying every minute of it - that is until Fr John poured copious amounts of holy water over his forehead! Needless to say, Joseph responded with floods of tears. These were eventually stilled and we had a splendid afternoon back at Gaz & Zuzaz's house.

To kick off with, here's a reminder of the bump:

Jospeh's well and truly his own little man now. Here he is enjoying the attention in the early part of the Mass:

The flood that prompted the flood:

All smiles again:

Very proud (and happy) grandparents:

And our happy little family - well, mum and dad are happy enough, though I think Joseph was more in the mood for food than photos at this stage:

Zuzana's parents weren't able to make it over from Slovakia but hopefully they'll see these photographs and it'll help bring them a little closer to the day.

Congrats to you all and see you very soon,

David

My Special Boys

One of the great advantages of being a photographer is building up a portfolio of wonderful images of your own children. A few weeks back I attended a wedding as a guest. Naturally, I had my camera with me and I can tell you it was quite difficult to resist the temptation to shoot away all day. It was also interesting to see the hired pro at work from the guest's perspective.

My main aim for the day was to get some great shots of Tadhg and Finn, my little treasures. Tadhg is seven, and Finn two. Having an opportunity to photograph them in some smart clothes instead of football kit is quite a rarity! Here are three images from the day. There's every chance the final image may find its way onto a wall in our home pretty soon:







David

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