Blessed to be able to welcome this gorgeous new bundle into the world with her first photographs. A lovely family, and a joy to work with, wedding last year..new babay this year! x
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Kym & Ash 30th Of March 2013
Easter weekend! What a perfect day for a wedding !
Kym & Ash are in a great group of friends who I have had the privilage of photographing a few of their weddings…My name had been passed on between the couples and thankfully they liked what they saw and booked up their day. It has been fantastic and a bit surreal to see past newlyweds, the present newlyweds and future Bride and Grooms at the weddings over the past year.. something I will always remember. Makes you feel like you have connected in a lovely way.
This brings us to Ash and Kyms big day, the couple didn’t want a fuss..that was my first impression..they wanted it to be all about family and friends getting together to enjoy the day and with minimal intrusive photography. I don’t like intrusive photography either, I like to stand back and let the day be all about your wedding, not about pushing the guests around! 
…would I do that? ..
Reed Hall in Exeter is one of my favourite venues, as I said to Kym on the day..you would not think you were on a campus..you would think you were miles out into the countryside as they have gorgeous gardens and lakes surrounding the building.
I turned up about an hour before the ceremony to capture the girls all getting ready just adding the last finishing touches and to be able to pull aside the guys when they arrived for their photos. Kym was very calm, looked very happy and was all prepared to meet Ash. Ash on the other hand was just getting over an illness, and must of felt a bit worse for wear! Bless him, he didn’t let it affect their special day and Barry White soldiered on through.
Fashionably late Kym made her way down the stairs to meet her Groom at the end of the aisle.. The ceremony was lovely, its always lovely at Reed Hall and the registar was relaxed in terms of photography. Two takes of the ‘kissing the Bride’ moment and Kym & Ash were now Husband & Wife!
An easter egg hunt for the children continued into the gardens, while I took the couple down to the lakes and gardens for their personal photos…with Kym nearly stepping back into the water..my heart went for that moment! Ash originally wasn’t too keen on the photos with them on their own and wanted it over and done with quite quickly, but at the end it wasn’t too painful and we got all we need…secretly I think he enjoys it really.
The sun stayed out for the whole afternoon, we were all very lucky enabling those formal shots that all the parents love! As the cermeony was a later one, the afternoon soon ran into the evening and the speeches and the cutting of the cake all came upon us really fast.. I have to mention the gift that the best men got Ash, how could we forget…his little face lit up! A letter from Sir Alex Ferguson himself.. I really think that made the day for him !
What a beautiful day, Kym and Ash… it really was and I had such a great time..
Here are a few images of the day, I hope you enjoy these for years to come x
Matt & Emma – The Lord Haldon Exeter
I haven’t had so much fun at a wedding, thanks to the joker Groom and the great guests this was a fab day.
I knew Emma years ago when we both worked together..ten years ( many moons ago ) and it was an honour to be able to be involved with their big day. It is always lovely when people who were in your life so long ago pop up and you et to re-live that time again and also re-connect for a future friendship. CUE THE LORD HALDON.
The whole day was being held at this venue, I have photographed here a few times before in the past and it always a great venue in terms of the landscape, scenery and the way the days always flows so well. I really recommend it, and its so close to Exeter its brill for links.. I’m not being paid to say all this either!
I arrived early in the morning and the girls had already been up since 6 raring to go…nerves kicking in and prep in full swing. I have said it before and I will say it again…I LOVE THE MORNING SHOOTS. It gives me time to experiment and I go into my zone to portray what is going on in the room before the ceremony. Emma was calm as a cucumber and Matt…wasn’t ! I grabbed all the guys for a shoot when they arrived, and then followed them to the bar to get the more relaxed ones.
I should lose pounds in weight by doing weddings as I am always running up and down stairs to be able to capture the day as it pans out..I need an assistant photographer! But I love it, I love the rush of the last 20 mins when everyone is ready and just waiting to go..
The ceremony was beautiful, the little flower girl did a great job and being a light and airy room, I was pleased with the results on my camera. This wedding was one of the fastest…time seemed to go rapidly, and before I knew it the guests were ready to eat… I did steal Matt & Emma away for personal shots and managed to get everything I needed.
I always like to go away while the guests are eating and have some time to myself so skooted off to my car waiting for the speeches to start later!
The day flowed long into the night, and everyone was up dancing ( which makes my job alot easier ) including the Grandad of the Bride! Absolutely fantastic..all round perfect day.
Thank you Matt & Emma xx
January 2013
A new year, and many portrait sessions lined up. I like to have a mix of location shots and studio shots but the weather this winter has ended up with me staying to shoot indoors! I have a set studio and also a mobile set up which is especially helpful with younger children who like to be in a familiar environment…this makes them more happy and eager to get in front of the camera.
The families that I have photographed in th past few months have been brilliant, many surprise photo shoots for family members which always go down well..
I have grouped them together below to show a round-up of my work… I am slowly catching up to March!
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Graham & Louise 28th Of December 2012
This brings me to the Christmas/New year wedding of 2012
I first met Graham and Louise after photographing a friend of theirs wedding, and quickly realising when we arranged an initial meeting that we only live a stones throw from each other.. literally. We also learnt that we had alot of friends in common, having a knowledge of each other always helps as it relaxes the bride and groom and makes the experience all the more enjoyable. The brief from Louise and Graham was to keep it natural, not many formal photographs and just to capture the fun, relaxed side of the wedding day.
The whole day was being held at Woodbury Park, a favourite of mine as the rooms are so large, bright and ideal for capturing everything in the right way. Lou was a bit unsure about having the morning prep photographed but I kept out of the way as much as possible and I hope she is pleased with the results. The guys arrived and headed straight for the bar, so I managed to get a few of the guys chilling out ! The gorgeous bride and her girls were all ready very quickly, giving my lots of time to capture Louise on her own all done. Often it becomes a rush atthe last half hour but I was so pleased to be able to get her all relaxed and waiting for her Husband to be to leave the bar!
The whole wedding party looked beautiful, the outfits and colours all fitted with the time of year and the venue. It really was spectacular. I tried not to use too much flash throughout the day and upped my ISO to compensate. Sometimes, particulary during the ceremony flash becomes too much and I aimed to shoot the softer side of the day.
The afternoon rolled into the evening , and it was soon the reception with the epic speeches.. Poor Graham but the boys really did him proud. At Woodbury the reception room is stunning, huge drapes and feathers everywhere and the happy couple had a few surprises for their guests by having popcorn makers, candy floss and also a photo booth! There was so much going on, and with the hundreds of guests it was sure to be a great party. I managed to steal the Bride and Groom away on their own for a short while, and got some personal shots in another part of the hotel. It is always nice for them to come away and have a few moments to themselves, though we were soon joined by their lovely children who really stole the show.
Congratulations Mr and Mrs Isaac, it was a fantastic Christmas wedding, and what a great way to finish off 2012.
Here is a sneaky peak from the wedding album
James & Charlene 22nd Of September 2012
I have been excitedly anticipating this wedding for a few weeks, firstly because the Bride and Groom were SOOO relaxed about the day and were giving me a free rein…and also because I haven’t photographed at their venue before which is also nice to have a fresh change. The Fox and Hounds has been a hotel that I have always admired when I have headed past up to North Devon, an absolutely stunning setting and I was not to be disappointed.
Charlene wanted to be photographed from the morning prep, not overly confident in front of a camera but she knew what she had to do! There is a reason why I am behind a camera, so I know exactly how most people feel when I am snapping them.. I sat back alot on this morning and just let it all pan out…almost like ‘a fly on the wall’ .. not over pushy and in your face! The three hours before the wedding flew past so quickly and before we knew it was time to leave, the panic started ( which included me racing down to the Fox and Hounds to make sure I arrived on time ). And getting stuck behind a caravan
James (Jazz) was waiting calmly with his ushers, the ceremony was very serene and the registrar told me I could photograph anything I wanted…Result!
Charlene arrived, and looked absolutely beautiful.. and they both sailed through their vows.. One thing I have noticed about the couple which stands out to all, is that they laugh with each other and at each other… they are always smiling or just about to burst in fits. I did think at one point during the vows that this was going to happen The ceremony room at the Fox and Hounds was lovely and bright, so I packed away my flash much to my delight and captured all the natural moments.
The gardens and grounds I have to say are the best bit at The Fox and Hounds, a photographers dream. We definately made the most of it as I took them both away for a few moments to enjoy each other and to photograph their memories of their wedding day. The sun kept on shining through the trees and hopefully I have provided them with the memories they will crave.
I have to say the afternoon went way too fast, and the day rolled into the reception. I was on hand to capture the speeches, and to hear all about Jazz and his funny ways..He really is a lovely guy, they both are fab people and I wish them all the luck in the world..Such fun to work with.
Here is a preview, enjoy your honeymoon!!!
x
Amy & Gina 8th of September 2012
This is probably the hardest blog I will write, as one of the brides is my sister! I was asked to photograph G and Amys wedding last year, and was pleased to be able to do so…it was a great honour and one day I will never forget. I think I can vouch for quite a few people on that one.
The day has been in the planning for ages, we all heard about the wedding EVERY day and could’nt wait for it to come around!
But soon enough, time flew and September was upon us, Gina getting very anxious and Amy just waiting for the party ( well her cider ).
A small group of family and friends joined the brides the evening before at the venue, The Dartmoor Lodge Hotel where we enjoyed a lovely meal… best woman Danielle managing to nearly set fire to our table and the whole hotel Was great to relax before the next day came, and to ease Ginas nerves…poor Gill… enough said.
The Dartmoor Lodge Hotel is a gorgeous setting, and they have fantastic hosts Di and Trevor, they certainly worked very hard throughout and had everything ready and exactly how Gina and Amy wanted it. It really was a perfect venue for them, relaxing and it almost felt like we were all on a weekend holiday away for three days.
The morning started off really calm, I had to flit between the two rooms to enable me to capture every stage. I hope I managed to get everything they wanted, though I did miss a shot of the brides mother Hayley crawling around the floor trying to find Amys fake eyelash… though it was my fault for making Amy cry in the first place! I imagined the morning for me to be quite stressful, but in the end 1.30pm came around and all shots were complete. And tears started to flow.
Gina was especially nervous for the ceremony, I can imagine standing in front of guests is a major deal for anyone, so with a SMINT meltdown chair there ready just in case, she breezed through the vows and came out the other side still standing! I can honestly say everybody there was very proud of both of them.
The sun was shining so we had to make the most of the outdoor space that Di and Trevor have at the hotel, I took the brides away for a short while to shoot the personal shots, and then gradually worked into the group shots. As I was a member of the family, we cut it fairly short, though I don’t think anyone minded…there were plenty of great photographers there that could take over
Gina and Amy wanted their guests to feel comfortable throughout so opted for a lovely simple meal of Sausage and Mash! and carried out the speeches before eating so everyone can enjoy their meal. Danielle and Gill, the best women both gave fantastic speeches (breathe Danielle) , which were so emotional. Amy also gave a brilliant speech which had most people crying. All in all there were plenty of tears!
Time went so fast, I must admit and soon enough it was the evening reception. I had said I would take up until the first dance and then the camera was going to be packed hastily away, and in that time I had already filled up my memory card. I am lost for words when it came to the first dance, I am sure everyone there will remember that bit of entertainment
Gina and Amy very obviously have amazing friends and family, they are very very lucky to of surrounded themselves on that day with people that loved them. I just hope the photographs do them justice, I really do.
Here is a sneak peak ..
xx
Abbey & Rosie 11th Of August 2012
A beautiful day allround! I was photographing the wedding of Rosie and Abbey, and the ceremony was being held at my favourite place, Haldon Belvedere Castle ! I love shooting here, as you have so many options in terms of locations to photograph. It really is a gorgeous venue.
The two brides only wanted me to start from the ceremony and guests arriving , through to the evening party as it was a late ceremony start. Abbey arrived first and Rosie arrived much later! After getting a bit lost, Rosie and her family got to the castle with time to spare and the brides managed to avoid seeing each other before they conducted their vows. The ceremony itself was, emotional, beautiful and full of love from both Rosie and Abbey and from their families. It was plain to see how much they all care and love each other and I hope this gets portrayed in my images.
After they were finally declared civil partners and were legally married, we made our way up the TALL tower to the rooftop where we could get some more personal shots of the two brides. This gave them a chance to spend quality time together after the ceremony, and for us to make the most of the what the building had to offer. The weather was amazing, a little windy but sunny and bright. When I shoot at the castle, I always photograph the group shot from above, which means me hanging over the rooftop trying not to get blown off! Without any accidents I got the shots I wanted and could make my way back down the steps to join everyone.
As I said before the castle has perfect locations for photos, so I took the ladies down into the forest and on the bridge while all the guests made their way to the reception. The whole thing just flowed great, and made my job so much easier.
The lighting was great beneath the trees, so I left the brides to enjoy their time together chatting and laughing while I became ‘a fly on the wall’ .
The reception was being held at Finlake Country Park, which I have never been to before so this was definately a first. I was so pleasantly surprised when I arrived, as the room was laid out beautifully in this huge great room. Lots of opportunities to grab shots of the tables, cake and details of the room. At this part of the day while the guests are relaxing , and the speeches are going on, I like to blend into the background and capture the day in a different way. I tend to not do alot of formal shots, and just want to get the guests having a great time. The speeches were lovely, and quite emotional! I’m glad I have a camera in front of my face sometimes, as it hides any teary eyes!!
The evening rolled on, and soon the evening guests were arriving for the party. It all went way too fast, and right on cue Rosie and Abbey had the cutting the cake moment followed by the first dance! They really do seem the perfect couple embarking on a new life together, it was such a privilege to be able to photograph their day for them.
I wish you all the best for the future, and here are a few shots from your day xx
Chris & Liz 4th Of August 2012
I have been looking forward to this wedding ever since Liz and Chris booked me earlier in the year, I first met Liz many years ago in our younger days when we used to work together. We had lost touch over time, and was very surprised when I had a initial meeting at their house in Exmouth and Liz opened the door!! It was surreal, but in a way I think I knew it was meant to be me there photographing their day Luckily they wanted me to do it too !
The whole day was being held at The Devoncourt in Exmouth, the hotel is a grand place overlooking the seafront. I have never photographed here before, which I prefer as it keeps the images fresh and I am always eager to get stuck in and get shooting. I was there from the morning prep up until the speeches and cutting of the cake.
The ladies bedroom was remarkably calm and quiet, Liz didn’t appear nervous and the two hours I had there flew past so fast. We did have a funny gasp moment when the champagne decided to go off on its own accord minutes AFTER it was near THE dress :/ The room was lovely and light with the most gorgeous view which enabled me to disappear into the corner and just capture the simplest images of the bride with her mum and maid of honour. 1.30pm came quickly and it was time to rush downstairs to get my place in the ceremony room.
The ceremony was very intimate, and Chris and Liz were finally Man and Wife. They just looked so so happy, and it was wonderful to see.
Keeping one eye on the weather as it had decided to rain fairly hard in the morning. The rain stopped just after the ceremony and it gave us our window to get out there and enjoy the gardens! Devoncourt have lovely secluded gardens, so I stole the happy couple away and took them off for their personal photos. Well I hid behind a few bushes and they just stayed relaxed in each other company!
We joined the guests after a shortwhile and held the formal photos, Thanks Rich for being ‘the voice’. It’s not very often I had the help of the bestmen but in this case they made my job easy! The weather held off, and in fact became quite hot outside so the drinks were flowing by mid afternoon. I was staying until the speeches so I made myself scarce and came back when Martin, Chris and the boys got going with their much anticipated speeches. They all didn’t fail, all a mix of love, appreciation, congratulations and embarressing Chris.!
I hope you enjoy your sneak preview Chris and Liz, and Congratulations !
Chris & Gemma 28th Of July 2012
After being on holiday for two weeks it was lovely to get back in the swing of things! I was especially looking forward to this particular wedding as firstly it was a church ceremony and secondly because the reception was being held in the grounds of Chris’s parents house. I had heard so much about the venue that I couldn’t wait to get started.
The bridal prep was taking place at Gemma’s Mums place, and only ever meeting Gemma a couple of times before the day I thought it would be very busy! How wrong I was, the prep went very smoothly, no hiccups and the beautiful bride was relatively calm! Straightaway I could see how close this family unit are, and how they were each excited and emotional in their own way.
I left slightly earlier than usual to enable me to arrive at the church and photograph the guys making their way up to Highweek Parish Church. It is a lovely secluded church perched high up on a hill , I have photographed here before so I had alot of ideas of where I wanted to shoot which is always easier. Chris looked so smart in his army uniform, as did the guys from his regiment and the groom was brimming with nerves!
He needn’t of worried as Gemma arrived right on time, ready to meet her groom at the end of the aisle. Now Highweek church are particulary strict on photographing inside, so I had to put myself in the corner and sneak a few shots here and there while the nice vicar couldn’t see. I managed to get all I wanted and more as afterwards we were allowed back in to get the shots we originally wanted. I always like to get the formalities out the way quite quickly so I took Chris and Gemma off along with the immediate family to a lovely spot and had a quieter shoot.
The reception as I mentioned earlier were in the parents grounds, and when I arrived I was pleasantly amazed, they had a huge marquee put up in the field, along with a bonfire and a hogroast. It was big but very intimate being in a family environment..and the guests kept on arriving! There were hundreds of people wanting to wish the happy couple all the best…and to get stuck into the hogroast of course. So many people gave me the chance to blend into the crowd and to capture all the natural shots that I so love. The music kicked off the night, and the dancefloor was NEVER empty. A perfect evening, it really was and I hope my photos do you both justice.
Congrats Gemma and Chris! Here is a sneak preview of your day!
