Archive for the ‘Weddings & Venues’ Category

Two weddings in three days is a record for me, and they couldn’t have been more different.  I was a little worried about traffic and parking, but I need not have been, traffic was light, and I was able to find “rock star parking” everywhere I had to go.

This was a much more traditional wedding, a few photos of the groom preparing, and then a few more of the bride, before heading off to Chelsea Old Town Hall for the ceremony.

A much more intimate affair this was than the Indian wedding a few days earlier, with maybe 35 people to see the couple wed.  The big difference for me was witnessing the raw emotion.  Seeing the groom cry, hopefully because he was stupidly happy rather than “oh shit what have I done?”!

The wedding lunch was at the lovely Aubergine restaurant in Park Walk, Chelsea.  I was treated to the same menu as the wedding guests, although I had a special table of one, all to myself.  The food was great, as was the service.

After doing a few photos of the happy couple in Battersea Park there was a brief lull in proceedings before the evening celebrations at Mare Moto on the King’s Road.  Sadly I wasn’t able to sample the food there as I left with a hot date shortly after the cutting of the cake.

With perfect weather I thoroughly enjoyed shooting my first wedding in London.  Thank you to Marita and Jakob for allowing me to be a part of your very special day.

PS. The pigeon was eating the rice that had been throw over the couple. 

I’ve never photographed an Indian wedding before so when I got the last minute call to be the photographer for the grooms side of the family last week it peaked my interest.

I wasn’t familiar with the Indian culture, so I had no idea what to expect.   All the weddings I’ve shot before I’ve been there on one day, and that’s it.  This one I was there on and off over 4 days, including from 9am thru till 1am the following day on the actual wedding day.  Not quite my longest day of photography ever, but close.

For most of the time I didn’t have a clue what was going on, there were ceremonies and traditional stuff happening, so I did my best to get good photos.  Most of the ceremonies took place in the grooms and brides house, and that normally meant as many people in the room (small rooms at that) as possible.  Photographing wasn’t easy.

There were coach rides, two white doves, a horse-drawn cart, lots of colours, a marching band, lots of alcohol, and the loudest DJ ever entertaining 500 people at the Southampton Guildhall.  If I had to sum up the wedding, it would have to be that Indians sure know how to party!

Congratulations to Gurpal & Sukchan!

I’ve done some fitness shoots with couples before, but never a real couples / pre-wedding photoshoot.  So when my good friends Sam & Tina said they’d like some shots done, I jumped at the chance.

They took me to the amazing Bradgate Park near Leicester just before sunset after a very lazy Sunday.

I find myself shooting more and more with prime lens these days – all of these shots were taken with the Canon f1.4 50mm lens and a Canon 30D SLR.  It means moving a bit more, but I’m totally lovely the quality.

I have the privilege of photographing their wedding in November.  With an American theme, in a barn somewhere in the Midlands its gonna be a fun one!

I had my first wedding of the year on Friday, just up the road in the lovely little market town of Romsey.

The wedding took place at “The White Horse” hotel.  A lovely little hotel, perfect for a small wedding like Catherine & Jerrys.

Unfortunately the happy couple would have had to have found a “plan b” for their honeymoon.  Originally their plan was to fly to Italy, but with all the airspace over Britain being closed due to the Icelandic volcano that wasn’t going to happen.  I’ve no idea where they ended up, but I’m sure they had a great time!

It was my quickest ever wedding, the couple only wanted me there for just over an hour.

I really must visit Romsey more often, it’s only ten minutes away and really rather nice.

It was the first time I’d been involved in a wedding show from day one, so it was a little bit of a risk.  But I know the girls at Floral Enchantment (who were organising the show) quite well and I had the faith!

The TerraVina Spring Wedding Fayre was a small but perfectly formed event.  With just 12 exhibitions it was more about quality than quantity.  I mean how many florists or photographers do you need at a wedding anyway?

I shouldn’t have favourites, but anyone who gives me chocolate is going straight to the top of the list, so Fiona Ann you rock!

Best comedy moment, when I spotted the moisturiser the hair & beauty lady had.  It was simply called “hand job” and it came in two sizes, a mini and a regular.  I shall say no more.

Exhibiting, in no particular order were….

Gem Freeman – Jewellery Designer & Maker / www.gemfreeman.com
In These Shoes – Ladies Shoes & Handbags / www.intheseshoes.co.uk
Fiona Ann Chocolates – Hand Made Chocolate / www.fionaannchocolates.co.uk
Creative Catering – All things catering / www.thecreativecateringcompany.co.uk
Holistic Hidewway / www.holistic-hideaway.co.uk
Evolve Hair Professionals – Wedding Hair / www.evolvehair.net
Bojangles Brides / www.bojanglesbrides.co.uk
LM Designs – Bespoke Bridesmaids & Eveningwear
Creative-Plane Hypnotherapy / www.creative-plane.co.uk
Wight Ballroom – First Dance Tuition
Paul Newton – Magician / www.paul-newton.co.uk
Floral Enchantment – Florists / www.floralenchantment.co.uk
Simply Memorable – Wedding Cars / www.simplymemorable.co.uk
Michael Palmer – Photographer / www.michaelpalmer.com

Please enjoy this small selection of photographs from the show …

My favourite florists are organising their very own wedding fayre.

I’ve known the mother and daughter team behind Floral Enchantment for some time now.  I’ve worked a fashion show on the Beaulieu estate and a wedding at Rhinefield House with them.   It quickly became clear to me that they are as passionate about all that flowery stuff as I am with my photo stuff.

So when they invited me to be a part of the wedding fayre they were organising I jumped at the chance.

“Floral Enchantment are coordinating a unique Wedding event, using local specialist businesses that offer that little something different as well as a bespoke service.

Our vision is that each bride to be receives a customer focused, luxurious and relaxed visit to a wedding fayre with a difference.  There will be a small entrance fee, which will  entitle each person a glass of champagne to enjoy whilst perusing the stands.

We visualize this Wedding Fair being very different to any of the current Wedding fairs, with an emphasis on luxury, something different with a more bespoke approach. We want you to come to the Wedding Fayre and see some exhibitors that will put that extra Wow factor into your special day.

The Wedding fayre is on Saturday 13th March 2010 11am – 3pm.  Hotel TerraVina, 174 Woodlands Road, Woodlands, Southampton, SO40 7GL”

I will be there all day on the 13th March.  Please pop in and say hello!

I don’t just cover weddings close to my home base of Southampton, Hampshire.  Sometimes I do also travel to far away lands to shoot them.

This was the case with the wedding of Valerie and Jason which took place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in August 2008.

In this case I didn’t quite travel all the way from England for the wedding, but I could and would.  I was in Vancouver, British Columbia at the time and I’d met up with Valerie a couple of weeks prior in Alberta on my road trip across Canada.  I should probably explain that Valerie and I have worked together on a number of occasions over the years.  I was wearing our fitness and bikini hat at the time, because in her spare time Valerie is also a most excellent fitness and bikini model.

The date was the 8th day of the 8th month in 2008, which apparently has some meaning, or maybe it’s just because it looks tidier on the wedding invites?

It was hot, we’re talking Las Vegas desert type heat here.  It was somewhere around 37-40 centigrade, or to put it into a language that my American friends will understand, god damn bastard hot.

I was driving around in the cheapest rental car I could find, a piece of crap Toyota Yaris.  I suppose with recent knowledge I should be grateful the car didn’t try and murder me.  All I remember was it was the most awful car I’ve driven in a large amount of years and the air conditioner was shite, really really shite.

The service, at St. Joseph’s church, was unique, a Ukrainian Catholic service with the vicar almost singing his lines.  I’m not at all religious but this really was quite beautiful.

We did our post wedding shots on the grounds of the Legislature Building which apparently is quite a famous landmark in Edmonton.  There must have been around 10 other wedding parties there, all being photographed, but there was no question that ours were the sharpest looking bunch.

The boys especially had come with their own set of ideas for shots, which I loved.  The Reservoir Dogs themed gangster walk is still one of my favourite wedding shots.   These photos are the most commented upon out of any of the weddings I’ve photographed, be it for the colours of the outfits, the stunning roof in the church, or just the slightly off the wall group shots.

Thank you Valerie & Jason for inviting me to be a part of your very special day.

Today I’m digging back into my archives to May 2008 and the first wedding I ever shot solo.

Although I was confident with my photography skills I was nervous.  This was something new.  Normally I’m photographing one person at a time, or maybe a small group.  I’d never been in front of a room full of people before while trying to capture the shot.

I couldn’t have asked for a better first wedding though, the couple Sue and Tony were two of the nicest people you could hope to meet, and they were both real characters so I knew the day was going to be fun.

After the service and reception at Winslow House in Southampton the reception party moved to “The Fisherman’s Rest” pub in Titchfield a few miles along the M27.

The customary group photographs were taken in the grounds of Titchfield Abbey before we all retreated back into the pub where guests and photographer were all treated to generous portions of hog-roast.

It may have been my first wedding, but it still ranks as one of my favourites.

This is my favourite picture from a trash the dress photoshoot with bride Libby. I’d had the pleasure of photographing Libby & Richards wedding and our follow-up shoot came several months later.  The chicken belonged to the happy couple.

I’ve lived within a mile or so of Rownhams House for most of my life, but it wasn’t until a few weeks ago when they had an open day to celebrate the opening of their new wedding venue that I ever knew it existed.

Having had the tour, met the owners and their dogs I can honestly say its a great venue.  As soon as their library has finished being redecorated it’s going to be even better.  If you’re looking for a venue for your wedding get your name in their book quickly because they are going to get booked up very quickly.

The house is just a couple of minutes from the M27 but once you are at the venue you couldn’t tell you are so close to civilisation.

Hopefully it won’t be long before I get to shoot my first wedding at this wonderful new venue.

Their website says, “Hidden behind trees, woodlands and an ancient garden wall, an almost forgotten world survives within an atmosphere that has been described as ‘quite magical’.  Rownhams House is managed by its owners who have been passionate about the place since childhood. The warm, old fashioned friendliness has gained the house very many friends.”

For more information please visit their website at this link – www.rownhamshouse.com