Winter weddings (and Christmas)

Christmas day arrived with the sun rising over the snow covered hills, yellow and bright....so it wasnt long before breakfast was finished and we headed outside dusting off the snowboards and skis to get properly hungry for the turkey that was slowly roasting in the oven.

I am so excited to be photographing a winter wedding this year. I know its becoming popular to have your wedding outside of the busy (more expensive) summer time, and it can be so lovely when you have a crisp cold day. In terms of photography you probably need to think about this more than if you have a summer wedding. My tips for making the most out of your winter wedding would be to have the ceremony as early as possible in the day, choosing a reception venue that is light (ie with lots of windows), and if you have candles its always good to have some other light too - eg fairy lights, oh yes and as ever - make sure your DJ or band have loads of disco lights! I try not to use a flash so none of these different atmospheric lights are burnt out. I hope this helps....

Here are a few photographs that I took at Christmas...

Coming home for Christmas

As the train quietly chugged towards home, darkness descended and the snow began to fall, enveloping the train as it swirled around outside. So by the time we reached our stop my bro and I jumped off and practically ran to the waiting car... as we climbed the hill out of town my bro began offering encouraging comments like "it's not really that much snow", and "we have got so far so a little less to walk if we get stuck"...This coupled with mum's rally driving skills got us over the Common (think Dartmoor type countryside) and down the other side. The final push up to the house involves going on an even smaller road and then track - slowly we crept closer and closer until a little spin on some ice and acceleration brought us to the house - where the fire was burning, the lights twinkling and Freddie the cat waiting to greet us....

Here's a couple of pictures taken today...(dont worry the Geese will still be around after Christmas lunch!).

Let it snow let it snow let it snow.....

So, like any intrepid Londoner over the last week I have been filled with excitement, as the cry goes up that its snowing, to the faint panic when faced with the journey home!! Crossing fingers for more at Christmas though...in the meantime here are a few pictures on the very first snowy morning we had.

Spanish Wedding at Almendrillo Villa

I've just got an email from Emma and Mike the owners of a Spanish villa where I was lucky enough to photograph Nik and Lisa's amazing wedding earlier this year....and it got me thinking about it. I remember stepping off the plane and being hit with a hot breeze, scorching sunshine and brightly coloured bougainvillea everywhere. After an hour's drive which ended in a small climbing road bordered with wild poppies and olive trees I arrived to be greeted by a cold beer from the barrel, white-washed walls of the villa, trailing vines and Lisa's laughter coming from the kitchen.

What an amazing couple of days, and a truly beautiful wedding, made all the more so by the little touches - like Lisa's hand-picked bouquet of flowers, beer bottles used as vases, cream-white ribbons everywhere and candles lighting the pathways....although I nearly didnt make it after getting side-tracked taking pictures of the wild poppies as I walked down the hill in the evening after the rehearsal and getting hopelessly lost!!

Christmas down Carnaby Street and Selfridges

It was with a mixture of love and fear that I hit the shops for a spot of Christmas shopping tonight....The Christmas songs, the faint panic that everyone seems to have bringing you all together, the free nibbles that you get given (sometimes) and the smell of roast chestnuts in the street....On the other hand its a bit of a mad dash around shops searching for that elusive present amid hundreds of other equally crazed people...arhhh, I still love it, it marks the fact that the "holidays are coming"...

Here's a few photos of Carnaby Street and Selfridges London all lit up this year.

Cake

My mum and my Nana both cook alot! And raspberry sponge cake was a favourite when I was growing up. Light sponge in a square tin with an ample dose of raspberries scattered over the top. Fresh from the oven was always best when it was still hot and only just cooked...yum.

This year my brides have been totally unique with their choices of cake and have gone from a three tiered white iced carrot cake (because the lady loves), to individual cup cakes made by the mum (and tested by the brother), to crème brule. Cake to us girls is important...make that very important, although not as important as the photographer (yes I've seen cakes more expensive than me)! And a few tips from me...girls put your hands on top of your husband's - you dont want to have squished hands, try to remember to look at your photographer first (before looking at all the other cameras that suddenly appear) and if you have a tiered cake put the knife in at the bottom tier...oh yes and dont forget to try some yourself.

Here's a photo of a a passion fruit and summer pudding cake you can pick up from Yauatcha which do the most amazing French patisseries packaged in cute little boxes.

My Birthday

Running in high heeled boots is never a good idea, but thats what I found myself doing last night on the way to one of my best friend's 30th birthday party. Breathless we found ourselves opening the door to the smell of tequila, raucous chatter and steaming pottery bowls filled with traditional Mexican food, finished with a rocking band. What a fab night (oh and it was my birthday too)...here are a few pictures.

Music

I am always totally inspired by my friends who work so hard to do something they love. Its never an easy road, and I think it takes a lot of bravery and shear determination. Jody is an amazing singer with a rich deep voice that seems to caramel coat the notes he sings, and together with the rest of The Gadsdens has just released a single "Sailor Song". Check out their version of "Halo" too which is fantastic and totally gives Beyonce a run for her money!

Music is always such an important part of a wedding, especially in the evening when either the DJ or Band start to play...ties are loosened, heels are kicked off and the break dancing or Fred Astaire moves begin. If your're a bride-to-be I would always suggest you have your photographer stay after your first dance to capture some of the fun.

Here are a few photographs of the party getting started...

I blame Jeff

You know when sometimes you just begin to well-up? You're not sad and you didn't think it would happen but it just does...the moment passes but it reminds you that you're alive! It happens every time I hear Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah...and when my bride and groom walk down the aisle and outside. At this moment its just them, experiencing everything that has just happened during the ceremony. Whether its a quiet look that they give each other or an all out whoop of joy this is what I love to capture.

Here are a few photographs that I hope have the same affect on you (maybe put Jeff Buckley on whilst you're looking at them)!

brand new sparkly blog

As the rain is lashing down outside I have cocooned myself in the den with a steaming pot of coffee and am tentatively writing these first words on my first post of my brand new blog...yeay!

So I decided to create a blog to share my journey as a wedding photographer, the new experiences I am having, the ramblings of my slightly obsessive mind on how I can create that amazing mind blowing shot that I am always striving for, and the incredible highs and pitfalls which are making my future.

Here's a sneaky peak at one of the photos I took of gorgeous Miranda in our Trash the Dress photoshoot.