New Bride Top Tips just in!

So today's favourtite picture and Top Tips come from Adele and Larry who were married on the 5th September last year. Adele and Larry got married in St Andrews Church in the picturesque village of Blagdon in Somerset and then it was back to Larry's family home and a huge curtain marquee for their reception. The theme of the wedding was 'Festival' and Adele and Larry's day certainly lived up to it with face painting, fire eating and fab live bands to name but a few of the things going on.
Today we have two sets of tips as Adele and Larry decided to respond to us separately, funnily enough though, they both picked the same picture before they realised they had...must be fate!


Hi Courtenay

My favourite image is this one..

The dress in the English countryside looks awesome and we're walking away from the wedding into marriage.


Tips: Keep calm and carry on. Use your friends as much as possible to keep costs down. Choose the top two or three things that are most important to you and concentrate time and money on those.

Cheers
Larry

Hi Courtenay,

My favourite image is the same as Larry's and for the same reason: The church wedding is only the starting point of our marriage and we're heading out into the rest of our lives.


My top tips for brides would be:

1) Forget what the books say about what your wedding 'should' be like and decide what kind of wedding will reflect your personality as a couple.

2) Ask friends and family for help to keep costs down but hire serving staff so they can relax on the day.

3) Don't waste your wedding day being stressed. Of all people, you're the one who should be enjoying it!

Thanks for all your hard work, you really captured our day beautifully.

Best wishes

Adele.


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The Happy Couple... well Groom anyway!

Well we love it when our couple's are enthusiastic about about their wedding, perhaps this guy takes it to the next level though! Well at least his bride can't complain he wasn't keen ;-)

Eshoot with Marnie & Ben Montacute House Somerset

Had a great Eshoot today with Marnie and Ben, they live in the village of Montacute so it was very natural to just pop over the road to the fabulous Montacute House for their shoot, what a backdrop! We had a few heavy showers but it didn't spoil our fun and in fact the dramatic skies just added an extra dimension to some of their pictures. Marnie and Ben are getting married soon at the lovely Summer Lodge in Dorset, can't wait!

Some of my favourites from the shoot...

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HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

Happy Mothers Day to all you Mum's :-)
xxx




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New Bride Top Tips just in!

Today's favourite picture and Top Tips come from Sarah and Matthew who got married on the 22nd August Last year at the lovely Eastwell Manor near Ashford in Kent. Sarah and Matthew were married outside in the courtyard garden and we were very lucky that whilst around the rest of the UK the weather was a bit dodgy, we had a beautiful warm sunny summers day.

This is what Sarah and Matthew had to say...


Hi Courtenay,


Our favourite picture is probably this one, but that is a very tough question to answer!

I guess the reason that it is our favourite is because it tells the story of our day in just one photo: it is a beautiful depiction of the venue in all of its glory, Matt and I look really happy, I can almost feel the emotion between us and on top of all this you can see our guests in the background, which I think has a nice symbolic meaning to it- the day was ultimately about us and everyone was focused on us, but if it wasn't for the people who are in the background (our friends and family), none of it would have been possible.

My three tips for brides-to-be:

1. make sure that any scary, annoying relatives do not know where you are getting ready on the morning of the wedding- I had three of mine barge into the room just as I was putting my dress on and my attempts at remaining calm were wearing very thin....especially when they each started trying my veil on and drinking the champagne meant for the bridesmaids!

2. take half an hour right at the end of the day (if you can stay awake!) to discuss the day's events with your new husband- it is amazing the different things which you each notice and it's really fun discussing all of the elements that you worked so hard to bring together. It gives such an amazing feeling of solidarity as you begin your new life as husband and wife!

3. in the months running up to the wedding, I invested in a little notebook to keep in my handbag with a list of all the things which needed to be done and in which month. I ticked the things off as I did them and made sure I had done all items by the end of the relevant month- it really broke things down into manageable chunks and really made me feel that as each month went past, I was really getting somewhere.

Best wishes

Sarah & Matthew



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Eshoot with Sam & Darren Poole Quay & Old Town Dorset

So a lovely sunny late afternoon and I head down to Poole Quay and Old Town for Sam and Darren's eshoot. The light was absolutely fantastic and there were so many wonderful photo opportunities I could have stayed all night - well maybe not all night ;-)
Sam and Darren are getting married very soon at the wonderful Rhinefield House in the New Forest, I am really looking forward to it.


A few of my favourites from the shoot -

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Wedding of Michele & Tom Plumber Manor Sturminster Newton Dorset

A cold slightly overcast but at least dry day, a shame because the sun has been shining so much recently, still I'm sure it won't dampen any spirits. Today is the wedding of Michele and Tom and I am lucky because Tom's family home (Plumber Manor) is right on my doorstep near Sturminster Newton in Dorset, no long journey's for me today. Michele and Tom actually met and fell in love some 13 years ago, and today at last they get to declare and seal their love by finally getting married.
So, its off to Plumber Manor first to find Michele and the other girls and to cover the usual morning preparations and to capture those important details such as the dress, flowers and shoes etc. Time flies and soon it's time for the short Journey back to Sturminster Newton itself and to St Mary's Church where the ceremony is to be held. I park up and wander back toward the town as I am well aware that the boys have been holed up in the local Inn the Swan, I round the corner and lo and behold Tom and his army of Best men and Ushers are already heading towards me and St Mary's. We walk back to the church together and soon more and more guests arrive and its time for Tom to go inside and take his place.
Michele soon arrives and its down the aisle to Tom to finally make their wedding vows. Outside again Mr and Mrs Prideaux-Brune at last! Tom and Michele climb into the family vintage Rolls and amid a torrid downpour of confetti head off back to Plumber Manor for their reception.
On arrival at Plumber manor guests are formally greeted and we then proceed from the marquee into the beautiful gardens to get those important family pictures. Group shots now over, the family and guests head back into the marquee, there is a definite chill in the air, Michele, Tom and I however take this opportunity to slip away for a few quiet moments and to capture a few more romantic images for their album.
Time for the wedding breakfast, in the beautifully decorated and lit marquee, followed by the traditional weeding speeches and of course the cutting of the wedding cake. Dark outside now, the gardens beautifully lit, its time for Michele and Tom to take to the dance floor for their first official dance as husband and wife. The DJ then steps up the tempo and the dance floor quickly fills and the real partying can begin. My time to leave, and in ten minutes, I will actually find my way to my own bed for a change! What a fantastic day.

A few of my favourite images from the day..

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