I really love photographing at West Tower, it has a lovely relaxed feel and the staff are wonderful. It was a pleasure to join Laura & Jay on their special day, and even though the weather outside was a little on the cold side (it was February) Laura’s shoes alone were enough to warm the whole place…

Wow!

A very proud Dad I think!

I loved the colour theme, just what you need at a winter wedding!

This is as close to outside as we got

I hope it’s not long until we return to The West Tower. I think Laura & Jay did the right thing and tried really hard to place colour and warmth all over the place to brighten any February day!

This was the last wedding we did before the birth of little Lara, who may be starring in her own blog post soon

I was really chuffed last night to be awarded a Merit with one of my favourite pictures of last year. The competition was really hot this year and it was a real honour to see my work next to some of the best in the region.

This simple and natural image taken at Abi & Andrew’s wedding ticks all the right boxes for me, Abi looked stunning in her dress supplied by Emily Bridal Wear in Sheffield, I am over the moon that it won a merit…

Sometimes it’s the small details that count, and the judges commented on the intimate gesture that Andrew is making to Abi. Making entires to competition is a learning experience in itself and it’s always interesting hear hear the judges feedback, overall my work was really well received but it was this image that stood out for them, and I can’t really argue with that!

The ever wonderful Annemarie King pipped me to the post again this year, with a double win this year! She is both Traditional and Contemporary Wedding Photographer of the year 2012 for the Yorkshire Region. Quite an achievement, but hardly surprising with the stunning quality of her winning entries. Well done Annemarie

I was pleasantly surprised by the reaction from lots of the lovely couples featured in my last blog post. So I have put together all the replies and the favourite pictures they picked themselves and made this follow up post…

They are not in any particular order, just as I found them in my inbox basically. We’ll kick off with Abbie & Mark…

“We received our photos and slideshow in a delightful package the weekend we got back from our honeymoon – it made our return from New York bearable….when we saw them we were literally blown away. We have so many favourites, the photos capture the chilled vibe of the day and prove that it was actually a beautiful summers day!!”

Our favourite bits of the wedding day…

from Abbie: “Seeing my dad in the morning and standing on the steps of the church before going in – first time I felt nervous…”

from Mark: “The obvious, seeing Abbie for the first time in her dress and getting to go in a fantastic car!”

“We loved the way Cris and Nicola caught the small, fleeting moments- a cheeky smile or a quick snog, not posed but still special. We chose this photo as it was our first kiss that we had that we weren’t told to do!”

Next up is Alex & Simon. Alex has been a little naughty and picked a few favourites…

“These just capture the fun and hard work we all put in to the day – i love how relaxed we all look (especially Simon)”

“I just LOVE Jim’s (best man) pose and facial expression in this shot!

“ I love the bales in the background and the funky sign we made”

“This is my favourite shot of Simon and I . The time we spent alone between the church and reception was so special and time to just let it all sink in and I think that this shows this really nicely, and we just look so happy!! It’s really nice to have a few silent seconds alone in the day inbetween all the madness”

“One of my favourite memories from the day included the excitement of waiting just outside church ready to go in to get married, the seconds alone with Dad at the door – He was more nervous than I was!!!”

I found it especially hard to pick just one shot from Alex & Simon’s wedding so I’m secretly quite glad she picked a few more for me

Here is another wedding I found it really difficult to pick form, Danielle & Mike…

“We’d had to postpone our wedding by a whole year due to the arrival of our baby boy Jake! However, it was well worth the wait and having Jake with us made it even more special!”

“Being a total Monica, I had everything planned for the 2010 date, therefore the venue had been chosen in 2009!! Peckforton Castle was a cut above the rest, and we knew after our first visit that we had to get married there. Given that our wedding was in December, we went for a real Christmassy theme, silver and red, with reindeers, christmas trees and lots and lots of candles!! I loved setting up the rooms the night before, putting out the table plan, name cards and the cake!! I was so excited for our family and friends to see the Castle and what we had done to dress it up. Everything we had worked so hard on seemed to all just fall into place, even the decorations the Castle had up, reindeers at the entrance and massive decorated trees in every room, fell into our theme and colour scheme.”

“The weather for the wedding couldn’t have been better, we knew a winter wedding was a gamble, however, albeit a little chilly, the sky was clear and blue and there was no hint of rain!! Every bit of the day ran as smoothly as it could, even me coming down the aisle to greet Mike in a red dress(!) It is hard to pin point a favourite part of the day, obviously becoming man and wife was the most special, however, I think we both agree that our favourite bit was the wedding breakfast. The picture Cris picked for his blog shows how warm, cosy and welcoming the room was, and having all of our family and closest friends together in there was amazing and made both Mike and I appreciate how lucky we were. The brilliant speeches from my Dad, Mike and our Bestman, James, were simply the icing on the cake!!”

“It was hard for us to pick our favourite picture, there were so many, however, we both love this one. It was taken at the entrance to the Castle and just after we had taken our vows! Whilst Cris hasn’t asked us to harp on about his (and of course Nicola’s) photography skills, our guests have said that the photos really capture the essence of the day. Each and every one has a story behind it, makes us smile, laugh, or cry and reminds either myself, Mike or one of the guests of how special a day it actually was – they really are amazing”

“The only criticism I have is that there are too many nice ones!! We are really struggling to pick which ones will go in frames and whilst we have narrowed it down to 30, we think the walls of the house would struggle under the weight!”

I am so glad that Danielle picked that picture, I really wanted to put it on the original post but her room was so amazing I also wanted to share that. Sometimes that amazing artistic perfect moment isn’t the favourite memory of the day. The meaning and feeling behind a picture a very personal thing, and I know this shot is one of Danielle’s favourites too…

Jill & Andy had a lovely relaxed and intimate day, but I love the contrast the image they have selected shows…

Jill writes -  “It’s really hard to pick a favourite part of the day, it was all so relaxed, but I think for us it has to be the wedding breakfast – having all our friends and family around us, in the cosy setting with the open fires was just perfect. And your photos really captured this so well!”

 I picked a picture of the fireworks from Kate & Chris’ wedding, they had such a fantastic day (the weather was sooooo amazing) so I am glad they have picked a couple to share…

Kate writes - “I think my favourite photo is the one where we are on the other side of the lake and look a bit like dolls holding hands and then leaning for a kiss. It is so different than any photo I have seen before”

I am so glad Kate picked this picture, it’s hard to see on the blog, but printed wide this would look lovely on the wall. I took a strong dose of influence from my photographer buddy  Tom Arber for this shot

“Chris has a different favourite , it is where Chris and I are driving back in the golf cart and you have taken it from behind us as we drive back to the reception for the speeches and food”

“I think our best memory of the day is definitely having everyone we cared about in one room, this is probably the only time in our life’s where this will happen and it was so special. People always say you will love being the centre of attention but both of us being the opposite to this we were really not looking forward to that aspect of it. However we can say that it was the best day of your llives and loved every minute of being the centre of attention because you are surrounded by people that care about you”

“Cris as a photographer you manage to fit into the background and are so discreet whilst still maintaining control and capturing some amazing pictures. All of our guests commented on your manner and the number of comments we have had about the photos is unbelievable”

“We would highly recommend you and am so glad we chose you to capture the best day of our lives!”

Keep an eye out in Perfect Wedding Magazine, as I think you should spot Kate & Chris in an upcoming issue. Now for a day we’ll never forget, Kathryn & Stuart had a fab day in the Lake District…

Kathryn writes - “I think you captured the essence of ‘us’ beautifully in this shot! We love a bit of rockin’ out!”

Lauren has picked a pretty awesome photobooth picture as her favourite from her wedding to Peter, I’m just so glad we did this…

 Lauren writes – “I struggled to find a way of describing our day any better than my sister, so I think I’ll let her do the talking…”

“Your mum asked me today what I thought was the best bit out of the whole weekend and I couldn’t pick any, thats because from start to finish it was perfect, right from the wedding invites, the fantastic Castle, the nice weather, the yummy food, all your guests, the Scottish pipers, the DJ, the pretty flowers, the beautiful bridesmaids, the speeches, the wedding cake, the little favours, the look on Pete’s  face when he first saw you (priceless), the first dance which you both did beautifully, the photographs, and last but no means least you, Lauren you looked stunning, you both did an excellent job, the perfect fairytale wedding, thankyou for the memories of a brilliant weekend.”

Lauren & Pete have a great page in their album of the photobooth, you can click the preview below for a better look…

Now, picking one picture from Lucy & Charlie’s wedding in Cyprus is super super difficult, but here is Lucy’s…

“Wow, choosing our favourite picture was really hard as we have so many amazing pictures of our big day. When we originally decided to get married in Northern Cyprus my parents were concerned that we may not have any guests!  The expense of flying out as well as accommodation costs may put people off, so we prepared ourselves for a smaller ceremony as we were determined to have a Mediterranean wedding.  Ever since we have been together Charlie and I have lived in the Sun and by a beach so it didn’t seem right to have our most memorable occasion back in the UK. Charlie grew up in Northern Cyprus from the age of 3 so to him it was his home. We didn’t need to worry, I think due to the amount of notice we gave our guests, they were able to mix our wedding in with their yearly holiday and were all excited to go to a country that almost all of which had not been to before. We ended up with 174 guests!”

“Northern Cyprus didn’t know what had hit it, our family and friends explored the beaches and many historical sites as well as experiencing a trip one evening on two Turkish Gulets (one which my dad called the SAGA boat and the other for the “youngsters” donned with a Foam Machine, disco lights and dance floor upstairs!) and then took over the ‘Bellapais Abbey’ and local restaurant called the ‘Archway’ on the big day.”

“The weather was amazing on the wedding day with the sun shining and a lovely cool breeze and the Abbey (ceremony) set up was so romantic.  After some pictures and Brandy Sours (a local favourite drink) we all descended on the Archway restaurant where we had dinner and speeches under the stars.  Some people said it was like a “Mama Mia” wedding which I took as a huge compliment as this is exactly what I had always dreamed of.”

“People travelled all over the world to come and join us and the one thing I will always remember is how overwhelmed Charlie and I both were standing there with people from different parts of our life….colleagues, family, friends…it was amazing.”

“After going through the pictures again I decided on the one which I originally chose as my favourite when we first saw Cris’ photos. It is of Charlie and I standing in the Abbey. Only ourselves and Cris and Nicola were allowed into the Abbey to take the photos so it was a great moment to have some time just the two of us after such an amazing ceremony. It had all gone to plan and we had both managed to say our vows without messing up, no one had tripped down the aisle and the sun was out….we were so happy.”

“Cris and Nicola, from the moment we met you we knew we wanted you to be our photographers. Charlie is a keen photographer himself so I was worried we wouldn’t find anyone that he approved of.  But as soon as he saw your portfolio he knew you were going to be great. Everyone in our group raved about how inconspicuous you were throughout the week and how well you just slotted into our group. Those who have already got married wished you had been there for theirs and those planning to get married were eager to get you booked for their weddings….well done!”

“I just wish we could do it all over again…no wonder people renew their vows!!”

Trust me, when you renew your vows Lucy, I’ll be there

Just so we know who wears the trousers in his house Craig writes - “The day was amazing from start to finish and you captured the whole of the day for us to treasure”

(Don’t worry Lyndsey we all know the truth )

 And last but by no means least Zenab & Ali have picked one of my favourites from their wedding…

Zenab writes – “The photo really captures how we both felt on top of the world at that moment. After saying our vows and exchanging rings, we knew that the months of preparation and planning had been worth it. It was the final of 8 (I know- 8!) wedding events and we were going to enjoy this one with the people we loved, as we had the rest of our lives- and a fabulous honeymoon- to look forward to with optimism and excitement”

“We truly had an unforgettable experience.”

I would just like to thank all the couples who responded to the look back over 2011. It was fascinating to see your wedding through your own eyes, and thank you so much for the lovely lovely comments

2012 has already started well, I promise I’ll get back to blogging once our new bundle of joy is here

At this time of year it seems popular to look back over the year you’ve had, so I thought I would take a look back at 2011 from the point of view of each wedding I have shot over the last 12 months.

I have chosen one photograph from each wedding that has a personal meaning to me, and written a little about why. They are not always the best technical pictures, or sometimes even shot by me, but I don’t really think that is what wedding photography is all about. To me it is about capturing the moments that happen in a day and the mood and feel that surrounded them.

I have learnt many many things over the past 12 months and it has been the busiest year yet! I have deliberately not picked out my “best” images, I hope you enjoy looking through my year. I certainly have enjoyed looking back through thousands of pictures to pick these out for you…

The year kicked off in February with Victoria & Andrew. I love the feeling of hustle and bustle in this moment, this wedding was going ahead whatever mother nature said! It also reminds me of the moment they got back into the car after the ceremony only to realise the Vicar hadn’t signed the marriage certificate and they were not actually married!

This picture of Nicola & Alex taken at Inglewood Manor really does sum up the goal I have at every wedding. Capture the bride looking stunning and having a great time.

Next, I was joined by the ever amazing Tom Arber at Jenny & Lee‘s wedding. This wouldn’t be the last time I visited Sand Hole Oak Barn this year. I don’t often like pictures of myself but I love this one Tom captured of me looking especially manly I think

The West Tower will actually be the venue we kick 2012 off at, but in 2011 I was joined by the brilliant Neil Matthews (no relation) at Caroline & Graeme‘s wedding. This is a shot Neil actually took, and it always reminds me to look out for moments like this at a wedding. I think it’s a great shot and I only wish I had taken it myself!

The first real first of the year was second shooting for Stephen Gormley at a Hindu wedding. It was a great experience and I had a fab time working with Stephen. The ceremony was amazing to watch, but it was the dress that really caught the eye. Just Wow!

Ok, here is a photo I didn’t take and I wasn’t even at the wedding! Nicola took this picture of Megan while photographing James & Liz’s wedding. James is her cousin and it was a great shame I had to be elsewhere photographing another wedding. Megan has a lot to do with the reasons I became a photographer, and it is also great to see Nicola capturing great moments on her own!

Whilst Nicola was hard at work photographing her cousins wedding, I was joined on the first day of Dav & Raj‘s wedding by my friend Hayley Ruth. I love this picture of Raj as it reminds me that whatever the weather a little bit of flash can change the mood and add some much needed punch. I also think Raj looked stunning in the first of her 3 dresses!

Taken on the 2nd day of Dav & Raj‘s wedding, this picture of Raj’s grandfather reminds me of what is important about weddings. It’s great to have all the family around you and practice the traditions that have been followed for many generations. I learned a lot about the Sikh faith.

On the 3rd day of Dav & Raj‘s wedding Nicola and I were joined by Stuart James. Even though this isn’t a shot he took, working with Stuart was a real eye opener and he got some fabulous shots. I loved his style and the way he worked. In this shot Dav is waiting for the day to begin, and I think it really sums up the day. The weather was superb too

Here we see Kev giving away Lorna at her wedding to Paul. I like this shot not only because it’s a nice shot, but I worked for Kev back in the dark ages when I used to work for BT. I’ll always look back at my time as part of Kev’s team fondly, he is a great bloke to work for and did a top job of managing someone who clearly needed to go work for himself!

Certainly one of my favourite shots of the year. Taken way past midnight at the end of the first day of Zenab & Ali’s wedding. The family had been playing tricks on them after the ceremony and had blocked in the fancy wedding car they had hired. So after quite a wait, when they turned up in a Nissan Micra called Colette with it’s number plate hanging off I just had to get the picture. Still makes me smile just thinking about it.

The following day was far more relaxed, no family pranks, just a lovely day and a cracking meal. This is why I like to take a walk with the new Mr & Mrs, it’s nice to get away from the wedding for 20 minutes or so, I think this picture sums that up quite well.

It seemed such a shame not to actually include a picture of Clare & Lee‘s stunningBolton Abbey Priory Wedding at this point, but you can see lots over on their blog post. I think details are so important at a wedding, and this flower shot really stood out in my mind. It’s a pretty simple shot, taken on a glass table whilst the bridal party were getting ready around me. To get a bit of dress detail in there too was an added bonus.

I was honoured to be asked along by fellow wedding photographer supremo Tobiah Tayo to run a photobooth at his wedding to Laura. The fantastic Lawsons did a terrific job of shooting the day itself along with Mark Lenik on video duty. Out of the 900 or so shots I took this one of Tobiah and his Grandad is my favourite. I love doing photobooths, they are so much fun!

Towards the end of May good pal and top Leeds Wedding Photographer Barnaby Aldrick asked me along to Rudding Park to second shoot with him. Barns has a crazy work ethic, and here we see him working away on the pictures while everyone else is eating. I was playing around with my flash guns to see if I could do something a little different for the first dance shot. I just like the way Barns looks so serious in this shot, those that follow him on facebook or twitter will know he is the least serious person ever!

How stunning is Narda’s dress!!! I’ve been so so so lucky to photograph so many amazing dresses this year and I loved Narda’s brave choice of this short little number. I am using more and more ambient light in my work, and this picture shows a progression to looking for light and setting people against darker backgrounds. Richard and Narda got married at The Corn Exchange, which is one venue I really hope to return to soon.

I wasn’t going to pick a “shot of the year” but I am going to and this is it! Lucy & Charlie flew Nicola and I out to Cyprus to photograph their wedding at Bellapais Abbey. Earlier in the year I treated myself to some new lenses, one of which was Canon’s simply sublime 85mm f1.2 I’m not going to bore you with the details, but take it from me this bit of kit is the real deal! For the first time with this lens I saw the shot, took the shot, looked down at the shot, and loved it right from the start. I knew from that point on I was going to have an amazing summer.

I feel like I could write a whole essay about Lucy & Charlie‘s wedding (don’t worry I won’t). It was such a great week, If I could do it all again I would, right now! Lucy & Charlie manage Necker Island, which is Sir Richard Branson’s private island. It was a real privilege to meet him briefly at the after party the following day. I am also grateful to ace wedding guest Alec Wilson for snapping the moment for me, Cheers Alec. Even after all these months, and looking over the pictures right now, I still find it hard to believe Nicola and I have been lucky enough to have highlights in our year like this.

There are lots of moments I could have chosen from Beth & Gareth‘s wedding, but I really like this unposed shot taken as Beth was leaving for the Church. I don’t think I could have posed them any better. Beth had gone for a stunning dress full of detail, and magic shoes to match! We had a fab time at their wedding, we got on with everyone really well. Beth’s Grandad gave us a tour of the Masonic Hall during the reception too, a fascinating insight into this secretive club.

Another shot not taken by me, but taken again by Tom Arber. I was really impressed with the commitment Tom showed in getting this shot of Rebecca & Chris. He climbed up an impressively huge tree then quietly asked me to pass him his camera. Well worth the possible broken leg and legal action!

I’m hoping that Annabel doesn’t get too upset that I picked a picture of Greg from their wedding. There are lots and lots of stunning pictures I could have chosen of Annabel, especially one of her coming down the stairs to meet her father which can be seen in their blog post, but I wanted to redress the balance and include a nice shot of a groom. I just really like this quiet moment captured during a busy day.

Unfortunately I was asked not to share any details of this wedding online. Which is a real shame as this shot taken by Nicola is one of my favourites from the year. But as you can’t identify anyone in this shot I just had to share it. We asked the Vicar about getting up onto the balcony and he said it wouldn’t be a problem. He opened a tiny door that looked like something out of Alice in Wonderland and said “It’s up there”. Quite clearly I wasn’t going to fit, so Nicola braved it and climbed up one of the columns to grab this shot, whilst having a mild panic attack! Well worth the effort dear

Number 1 rule of photography? Don’t photograph women from below. Rubbish! I love super wide shots taken from floor level, and in such a fabulous room as this one at Solberge Hall it just had to be done. Abbie & Mark chose a wonderful location for their reception and I hope to return to Solberge this year if I’m lucky.

I had been waiting for a while for a PapaKata wedding enquiry, and when Katie & Leo got in touch I was very excited, and even more so when they booked. There are lots of really nice images from this wedding and you can see them on their blog post, but this is the shot I’d had in my mind all day and I think it just shows how fab a teepee wedding can be!

Again it’s a real shame not to actually share a picture of Kate & Chris as they looked so so lovely, and Kate had done a fabulous theme for the day. But, fireworks are a big deal for me this year and I was so happy with this shot taken at Brocket Hall. The reason I am so interested is that I have set up Matthews Brother Pyro along with my brother Nick to deliver displays just like this ourselves. It’s been a long burning ambition of ours to get to play with big boy fireworks and here we are finally doing it. This display was the icing on the cake for a fabulous day, set in amazing grounds it was the perfect British summers day.

It was very very hard to pick just one picture from Abi & Andrew’s wedding, but this was a very close run second to being my “shot of the year” so it just had to be this one. We actually shot Abi & Andrew’s wedding on the day of my Grandad’s funeral, but he lived out in Spain so I wasn’t able to attend, I was determined to get some of my best work and I am pretty sure I did. So sure am I that I have put lots of them in my new Queensberry sample album, which I am still trying to do justice to so I can put some shots online. I’ve actually photographed Abi a few times since the wedding too, she has modelled hats & flowers for me and done an amazing job, I still can’t believe she is an accountant !!!

When I asked top wedding photography newcomer Chris Milner along to second shoot Katherine & John’s wedding with me, I don’t think either of us was expecting the day to start quite like this. We both shot this moment, but this was my take on it. Katherine had picked out a superb dress, the detail was amazing, the flowers were also very original and were a theme that followed through the day. But it was the spirit of this wedding that impressed me the most, even this downpour didn’t dampen the spirits and we emerged to amazing sunshine after the ceremony!

Hands down, no contest, Victoria & James’ first dance was the best of the year! I can’t even imagine how much time and effort had gone into it, but it paid off. I had asked my budding photographer mate Andy Marriott along and he now thinks this happens at every wedding They really gave it their all, to the point I felt like joining in myself!!! A rare rare treat in itself.

This shot had to be in here! I was really happy with the way it came out. Caroline had told me that she was surprising Andrew with some fireworks half way through the first dance, which was to be held outside. It took me some time to come up with the solution, but I was happy with not just the technical aspect but the overall shot too. Just goes to show sometimes you really have to think hard to get the result you want.

I learnt a big lesson working on this wedding with Tom Arber, never, ever, have a baby during peak wedding season. Tom asked me along to Kate & Mark‘s wedding just in case he got a call from his wife Becky saying she had gone into labour and he had to dash off. Luckily that didn’t happen, but Nicola and I have made sure not to make that same decision. I have chosen this picture of the 3 (very brave) bridesmaids rather than one taken at the superb Middleton Lodge, because I don’t think I have seen such daring bridesmaids dresses before, and I just simply like the shot

I love this simple shot of Liza stood next to her new husband Peter. I snapped it when walking to the back of the church during a hymn and I’m so glad I spotted it. I love veils, they are a really important detail of the day I think. They seem to add a little drama to the occasion somehow.

Bianca & Phil! What can I say! New Hall was a real highlight as a venue, we loved it. Every box was ticked. But it was Bianca & Phil that really made the day, Bianca is an Aussie and approached her day with every intention of enjoying every moment. From putting me on the spot asking for a boudoir shot during the bridal preps to dancing like a mad thing in the evening, her energy was infectious. Love it! Phil on the other hand had a cool calm collected air about him, a modern Mr Darcy I feel. This is one wedding I would gladly shoot again and again.

Alex & Simon put soooo much effort into their day, the main event was held on Simon’s farm. They had sown a whole field of maize and sunflowers in a pattern to go next to the marquee, and this is why I have chosen this picture. I could have picked so many others, as Alex had really gone to town with the Alice in Wonderland theme. I don’t want to get all soppy and that, I see people who are in love all the time, it’s my job, but when I think back these two were really in love. I like that, it’s a nice part of what I get to do.

I took this at the end of the formal shot session with Sonia & Tom. I love the way this has come out, the sun was perfect and I was able to fill just the way I wanted to, so many times the sun isn’t out or you can’t get the background you wanted, but everything was just right out on the rooftop for this shot. Just great!

Again, shooting extremely wide and being very low really works for me, I think Lyndsey looked stunning and Craig certainly was a very lucky chap. I almost chose the famous tractor shot, but this one just took the edge! We had a lovely day at Sand Hole Oak barn again, the food is always fantastic. I have never felt safer in my life either, everyone I asked was a Doctor!!!

Laura & Chris had a fabulous day, the highlight for me was the pantomime-esque horse race held on the actual Cartmel Racecourse. Here we see Chris’ Dad shouting after his guest fuelled nag despite the overly soft going! It was a really memorable experience, and I certainly have never seen anything like it before. Cartmel Priory was also an amazing space to photograph in, and the guests really did fill the space with song, although I think half of that was coming from Chris himself

I know it doesn’t really look it but it was raining when I took this shot of Kathryn & Stuart. We had wrapped the equipment up in cling film and ran out to the jetty to get this shot over Ullswater. I’m really glad we did it too as it didn’t stop all day! The boat ride out on the lake was amazing, everyone got into the spirit and braved the bracing winds, with Kathryn leading the way without even a rain coat on. Loved it, wish we could go again!

The first dance shot is something we like to get right, and for Helen & Paul I’m not sure if it could have got more right to be honest. In the bottom right you can see Helen’s Mum and their son. I’d like to say I planned it that way, but it was a bit of luck really. We always shoot the first dance in this way, in the hope you can capture some lovely faces in the background. We always get a great shot, but this time we lucked out with that little bit of extra special.

Barony Castle! Lauren & Pete had chosen well, the grounds are what wedding photographers dreams are made of. I could have spent all day photographing this avenue. Lauren is a really good friend of Nicola’s so it was extra special to be there on their happy day. I’m just glad the Scottish weather was kind enough to let us wonder around the grounds and get the most out of the day.

"Thinking of Cliff, or Tom"

This is the only picture I’ve ever given a title to. It’s a bit of a joke between my good pal Tom Arber and I. We love the work of one of the worlds best wedding photographers Cliff Mautner, and often have long chats about his work. So I was very excited when I took this shot which is very much in his style at the wedding of Carys & Richard, where I was second shooting for Hayley Ruth. The sunlight was just perfect for about 30 minutes, I wish this happened everyday!

Danielle wore the most amazing Red Hollywood Dreams dress for Mike at Peckforton Castle, there are several pictures I could have picked. But I have gone for one of the empty reception room as I thought it was just the best one we’d seen all year. It was cold outside, but the room was warm and welcoming, it had a lovely Christmassy glow about it. In fact the whole Castle has this feel about it, the perfect place for a December wedding.

Sam must have thought he had won the lottery when Tara walked down the aisle at Oulton Hall in this simply stunning dress. I’d never photographed a bride in anything but white before, then I get two jaw-dropingly amazing ones in three days! I took this on Tom Arber‘s spanking new 50mm f1.2 which is now on my Christmas list for 2012, I knew it was a mistake to borrow it for the day!

Sometimes lying in the middle of the road getting dirty is just worth it, and for Jill & Andy I really think it was. They had picked the Belle Epoque restaurant which is a fabulous place in itself but this cobbled street in Knutsford really did it for me. A pretty simple shot really, but one I am really really happy with.

I wanted to finish on this shot. Again there were quite a few I was pondering about. I just really liked this shot of Vicki. The stairs at the Didsbury House Hotel are a great feature and I was lucky to just catch this moment. It just goes to show not all the good photos can be planned. Unfortunately it was far too cold to go outside for Vicki & Danny but it all worked out in the end, and it was the perfect end to an amazing year.

2011 truly was an epic year! I have been so lucky to work with so many amazing couples at so many beautiful weddings. I have also been really lucky to work with some super talented photographers, I have learnt so many things over the past 12 months and I think that is reflected in my photography. I feel like a very lucky person at this point.

2012 promises to be just as epic. I make a really good start to the wedding season this weekend with a nice warm up job 2nd shooting and then the season starts in earnest in February. 2012 will be the year I become a Dad for the first time too, I get the feeling that will be quite epic !!! So even though I know I am almost 3 weeks late may I wish everyone a Happy New Year and thanks for getting to the bottom of this very long blog post

We joined Vicki & Danny at the Didsbury House Hotel in Manchester for what would be our last wedding on 2011. It’s a lovely luxury victorian townhouse hotel and offers the perfect setting for a personal wedding service. Vicki & Danny are not too keen on tradition, their first dance was to the 12″ mix of I Feel Love by Donna Summer for example. All the elements were there, but they had put in a twist to make their day that bit more special…

I was quite taken by the dress, simple lines, beautiful detail and perfectly fitted…

Here we have Jenny one of the bridesmaids. You’d put a ring on that wouldn’t you? Dan ???

It’s so great to have a mix of old and new just within a few meters.

It had to be done !!!

The speeches were held on the main stairs, which made the perfect stage.

A slight change in lighting and filters can make a massive difference in a space. I couldn’t decide which one I liked best.

What a perfect way to end the year! We wish Vicki & Danny, and in fact all of our couples, a Happy New Year and hope that they had the best time on their special day.

We have a short break until February until our next wedding, so I’ll try an post some non-wedding work just to change up the blog a little. Until then you can see some more of Vicki & Danny’s wedding pictures on their slideshow…

The Belle Epoque is really special venue for an intimate wedding. That is the really lovely thing about winter weddings, they can have a lovely warm feel to them, and The Belle Epoque really helped Jill & Andy create that mood for their wedding day.

We started the day at home with Jill at her parents…

Just caught Dad finishing off the speech.

A Catholic ceremony then

A stunning and delicately detailed dress.

Nicola is getting very broody now (she is due in March), lots of nice pictures of the kids

Sunshine! Well for about  minutes anyway.

The room at The Belle Epoque has a lovely warm glow to it.

I had to get right down on the floor for this one, int he middle of the road. At this point you really value your assistant/wife

It was really nice to get the Christmas lights in a shot while the sun was going down.

Who says a back alley can’t be a romantic location for a couple shot ???

The whole day was very relaxed and intimate, and it was a true pleasure to be there to capture it. There are even more moments in the slideshow…

When I walked in the room where Tara was getting ready I could hardly believe the stunning red dress that was hung up ready for her to wear. We have photographed some stunning dresses over the past few years, but to get two dresses so different within a week was very unexpected. Tara’s was totally different to the one Danielle wore just a couple of days before but just as stunning. I knew at that point we were going to have a fab day.

Tara & Sam had enlisted the help of a wedding planner, Linda Abrahams, to help organise everything at Oulton Hall. This is sadly not something that common here in the UK, but having someone who’s job it is to make sure everything runs to time and is organised to perfection can really take the stress out of a wedding day. So everyone was free to sit back and really enjoy a fab day…

Wow!

This picture was taken at 15:52, officially the sunset at 15:49 that day and I think this goes to show what is possible at winter weddings. The winter light whilst short lived can be beautiful, if you add a bit of luck and a stunning bride into the mix that is.

Just after 16:00 and it’s dark outside now.

I took this straight after the ceremony whilst the guests were enjoying a drink and I was setting up for the group shots…

There is always room for something new in the formal shots

I’ve seen this in Jewish ceremonies before, and it’s a great idea. Why not make a song and a dance about your entrance? Tara & Sam did and it really got the room going.

Don’t worry, that ceiling was higher than it looked!

Sam’s brother did an excellent speech, ending in a fake proposal to his girlfriend. A classic moment that left quite a few open mouths in the room, this is the reason I love Best Men speeches

A bit of a twist on the first dance shot, I think Tara’s dress needs to be seen in colour.

Oulton Hall certainly is a fantastic place to have a winter wedding, the interior is so nice that you wouldn’t really want to go outside anyway! You can see some more moments in Tara & Sam’s slideshow…

Danielle & Mike’s wedding at Peckforton Castle was quite a long time coming, they booked me ages ago and then there was a delay of a year after the birth of their little boy Jake. But is was definately worth the wait! I’d been keeping the secret about Danielle’s special dress all that time, and it was finally time for the world to see it…

Peckforton Castle is hidden away on top of the hill, it’s quite hard to get an external shot.

Yep! That’s a Castle alright!

Danielle’s dress is made by Hollywood Dreams, pretty stunning !!!

We snuck into the Chapel for a quick shot too

One of the most impressive rooms we’ve seen. A lovely feel and just the right size. Danielle had spent ages on the decorations too!

Here we have Steve the Toastmaster for the day. In all the weddings we’ve done there has never been a Toastmaster present, but I have to say Steve did an excellent job at keeping the day running and I hope more people use them in the future as it is well worth the little bit extra. You can book Steve via his website.

Peckforton Castle is a lovely place to get married, now one of my favourites. Danielle & Mike had such a special day, you can see even more pictures in the slideshow below… Friends & Family can order prints via Danielle & Mike’s Wedding Website.

It’s always a massive privilege to be asked to photograph a new born baby, and especially so when we also photographed the wedding.

Sarah & Chris got married a couple of years ago, and Nicola & I have always felt very very lucky to have been there. In fact you can still see their wedding slideshow here…

At just over a week old Lily was perfectly behaved and very patient. I think I’ll let the pictures do the talking, she is gorgeous…

Flash?

No Flash?

Deffo no flash for uber-cuteness

Winter weddings can be great fun! I have a few to blog and we kick off with Lauren & Pete’s Scottish wedding at the wonderful Barony Castle!

Nicola has played hockey with Lauren for years, and has been looking forward to this day for a while The drive up was lovely and we couldn’t wait to get started. The weather was just perfect, lovely clear skies if not a tab bit freezing!!!

I have no idea! Don’t ask

It wouldn’t be Scotland without a band!!!

The grounds are superb, and it gets better!!!

Like a Photographers wet dream !!!

We did a photobooth for Lauren & Pete, I love doing them and it’s always a great laugh, I can’t share all the pictures (this is a family friendly blog!!!) here is a taster….

Ummmm, like I said, family friendly blog !!!!

I always find some people like the photobooth just that bit too much

Yep, I’d look worried too!!!

We loved Barony Castle, and are so happy for Lauren & Pete too. There was a great feeling to the day and the walk in the grounds really made it for me.

Lots more winter weddings to come over the next week, and a lovely new born shoot…