Creative wedding, couple & family reportage photography covering Cornwall, London, UK and overseas
Why yes, yes indeed it is another sneak peek. I’m trying desperately to get caught up with everything, but I just had to share this one little glimpse from Rachel & Andy’s engagement session in Richmond last week. I promise (cross my heart) that later this week you will see much more stuff, starting with a beautiful wedding at Union Chapel in London. Stay tuned!
I had an amazing time with Saleema & David at their engagement session in Vienna yesterday. I have a wedding edit to finish before I get properly stuck into the images, but I couldn’t resist showing you one little sneaky snap!
We’ve been planning on doing this Beloved session with Kat and Gareth ever since I attended Life {as an artform} in Manchester last year, and I asked Kat to be my guinea pig while still on the train back home. It took us a while to synchronise our busy calendars, but finally, nearly a year later, we made it happen!
Since Kat & Gareth have been together for nine years, of which they’ve been married for 3, they were the perfect couple to explore the Beloved experience with. Beloved sessions consist of different exercises, called invites, which have a way of bringing the couple into the present moment and into a state where they are not afraid to show their true selves and explore the connection they have. I’ve used some of the more physical invites in my engagement sessions to break the ice, but this was the first session where it was 99% Beloved techniques as opposed to traditional posing, so it definitely felt like a big step.
The weather was grey and a bit damp when we headed out to Richmond Park, but that didn’t bother us much, the energy between Kat & Gareth would be enough to keep a small village warm! I had such an amazing time, and it was so nice to see how even the more serious invites work beautifully. I’ve always been most interested in capturing the genuine emotion and the authentic dynamics between a couple, and I love the way I can really explore those with these techniques.
Do watch the slideshow of this Beloved session if you have a minute. Be sure to have your speakers on if you do. :)
P.S. If you are a photographer reading this, and interested in the concept of Beloved and in encouraging genuine emotions and interactions in both your work and in your life, do join me and others at this year’s Life {as an artform} in London.
Sooo, how can I talk about Jane & Michael’s (British/American/Korean) wedding without using all the superlatives in my vocabulary (once again)? It’s a funny thing actually, I often get asked the question ‘Can all the weddings you shoot always be so amazing, awesome and lovely? Really now?’ The answer is a resounding ‘hell yes’! What makes a wedding special are the people present on the day, and all the emotions they experience – and at every wedding I get to observe a different set of people with different dynamics. It is fascinating beyond belief. And most of all, it is very very touching. Every. Single. Time.
Jane & Michael got married at Botleys Mansion in Surrey, which was an absolute delight of a place! There was an abundance of lovely details and clever spaces, and the atmosphere was really cosy but grand at the same time. I do hope I get to return there one day. Wedding planner Kim from Roseberry Weddings made sure that every aspect of the day ran like clockwork, and I have to say that she was an absolute star! Having a super planner present guarantees that the couple gets to enjoy a stress-free day, but as a bonus it also makes the life of us other vendors a million times easier.
Oh and I have to mention Jane’s stunning Vera Wang gown – swoon! It even went through a slight alteration during the day in order to create a different look for the evening. In fact, this was the first wedding I’ve been a part of where the bride got dressed three times. In between the day and night looks Jane paid respect to her Korean heritage by wearing a beautiful Korean gown, which complimented her mother’s dress beautifully.
Another thing that was a first for me, was the fact that Jane and Michael opted for a ‘First Look’, which meant they wanted to see each other in privacy before walking down the isle. It was a really sweet and special moment to document, and I think something that could be done more in the UK. The main benefit for me as a photographer was the fact that we could take some portraits before the guests arrived, which took the pressure off the schedule somewhat.
I should also say thank you to some of the other vendors on the day, who were a joy to work with, namely florist Sandra Gaikwad and videographer Mike Buonaiuto. Oh and the amazing cake was by Linda Fripp.
So yes, this was indeed a very warm and gorgeous wedding, and even the constant rain couldn’t dampen the spirit of the day. Thank you Jane & Michael for having us, we had an absolute blast soaking up the loving atmosphere. x
So I was supposed to do a sneak peek last week, but then completely forgot about it. Sorry about that! Despite the stubborn rain on the day, Jane & Michael’s wedding at Botleys Mansion in Surrey was the perfect kind of relaxed and joyous affair, which I adore being a part of. Add to that influences from Jane’s Korean roots, and you have a day that adds up to pretty special indeed. And what with Jane being a complete knock-out, these frames instantly caught my eye when backing up the images. Hopefully I can show you some more next week(ish)!