Wedding of Emma & Andy Compton Acres

It's always lovely when a couple come to us through a recommendation from a previous client, in fact we are lucky that most of our couples come to us this way and Emma and Andy were no exception to this. A wonderful sunny day (at last!) arrived at Emma's house just before she returned from the hairdressers - soon the house was full - bridesmaids, make-up artists, Mum's and Dad, oh and of course me! The house was full of laughter as the girls prepared and everyone seemed really relaxed. Off to the venue - The Italian Villa at Compton Acres in Poole Dorset, a lovely venue and one we attend fairly frequently. Stunning gardens which definitely need the weather to be good to appreciate their beauty, friendly staff and a wonderful contemporary building for the service and reception. I found Andy with his best man Nathan (whom I also know very well as he is a manager at the Haven Hotel in Poole another venue we attend regularly - small world!) and also his guard of honour. Andy was considerably nervous, but looked very smart in his uniform, a stiff drink helped a little!
Emma finally arrived with her entourage in a stretch limousine and Andy finally got to see his beautiful bride as she processed down the aisle towards him on the arm of her very proud Dad. The service was very emotional and touching - at last they were married!
Canapes and drinks in the gardens, a beautiful meal, hilarious and touching speeches and a really great band to see out the night.
The whole day was a fantastic event, the sun shone from beginning to end - Emma and Andy are a really lovely couple and deserve all the happiness in the world

Wedding of Nerys and Pete, Athelhampton House

Now I love Athelhampton House, nestled in the heart of the Dorset countryside just down the road from the historic Tolpuddle (apt name as you will see). Once the home of Anne Boleyn, now a beautiful location for the perfect wedding. Wonderful architecture, stunning gardens, with pyramids of Yew and flowers to compliment all seasons. All thats needed to make the recipe perfect (apart from a loving couple of course!) is the gentle beams of delicate spring sunshine. Well that's an ideal of course, but what we had last Saturday was far far from the ideal (I think you will get the general idea from the theme we have running through the few taster images we have below - Umbrella anyone?), High winds and torrential rain, and then some! All day and all night it pelted down, with exception of a ten minute lull to at least allow a few outside images, even then it was cold and the brolly was never far away. Nerys and Pete are a lovely couple and their love for one another and their family and friends was evident from the very start, so no matter the rain and wind the occasion was a warm and happy one.

Emma & Andy E-Shoot at Upton Country Park Poole

Cameron, Joe, Toby - Win Green Dorset

Went for a wander this weekend with the boys to one of our favourite spots, Win Green just outside Shaftesbury in Dorset. Its the highest point in the area and on a clear day you can see for miles around. It was a beautiful sunny winter day and not wanting to waste this rare occasion we set off for a good few hours. Now there is a track known as the Sheep Drove ( for fairly obvious reasons) which runs from Win Green right along a ridge line for about 20 or so miles ending in the city of Salisbury in Wiltshire. We weren't attempting to go that far today, might be just a bit too much for small legs! But a few miles would be good. After about twenty minutes or so we came across this burnt out car - a real eye sore in such a beautiful spot - but a perfect opportunity for me to get some great shots of the boys. The juxtaposition of the very urban burnt out car wreck with the stunning and serene Dorset countryside made for some very eye-catching shots.

Louisa & Simon, Lulworth Castle

Ian had a fabulous day with Louisa and Simon, they were a very lovely laid back couple who had put a lot of time and effort into their wedding. Louisa had taken a lot of trouble over the little details of the day to make sure everything was just perfect and the flower arrangements were particularly stunning. The weather was kind with plenty of sunshine, which is just what is needed at Lulworth Castle. Louisa's family had all come over from China, which made for a lively mix with Simon's family, there was a lot of catching up to do and this added to a very emotional event, I don't think there was a dry eye in the house during the ceremony. It was a very relaxed day, with loads of small people running about adding to the excitement of the event. In the evening things heated up with a fabulous band who had everyone up and dancing almost immediately, the atmosphere was just wonderful. The day culminated with a wonderful fireworks display which lit up the grounds and castle with fantastic colours...a perfect end to a perfect day.

Sarah & Andrew, The Larmer Tree

Saturday was a perfect summers day, just what you need for the Larmer Tree, which is wasted as venue if you can't get into the gardens.
Sarah was driven to the Larmer tree Grounds by her dad in his classic TR6, where they were met by a piper (Sarah is Scottish).
Sarah and Andrew are a lovely couple, really relaxed and fun to be around. Andrews family all shipped over from Australia, and they mixed brilliantly (and noisily!) with Sarah's Scottish contingent.
The ceremony was held in the Victorian Pavilion, and had a very fun, warm and emotional feel.
The lawn games made for some fun entertainment during the afternoon for the young and energetic, whilst many also made good use of the deckchairs to sit in the heat with their Pimms and listen to the excellent Swing singer - exactly what the Larmer Tree grounds are made for.
Dinner was served in true Aussie style, of course - Barbecue!
The Larmer Tree Grounds are a beautiful setting for a wedding. Sarah & Andrew really created a day to remember, and one I throughly enjoyed being a part of.

Clare & Andrew, Milton Abbey

Milton Abbey is one of my favourite local venues, and one I'm lucky enough to visit frequently.
Clare got ready in the Abbey itself, which is great for the bride but often challenging for the photographer as the room is often dark - but it does have a great porthole window!
The weather was again miserable, which doesn't help - Milton Abbey is really at its best in a sunny Summers day, with a long warm evening watching the sun go down from its lawns. But still, the rain held off all morning and it was bright enough during the ceremony to make the most of the amazing windows in the Abbey. Despite threatening clouds building persistently we were lucky to escape any rain until early evening in the end.
But Clare & Andrew had arranged for a 12-piece soul band to liven up the evening, which meant the weather outside really didn't matter too much!

Emma & Lee, Haven Hotel

I always enjoy working at the Haven - but when you have a lovely couple, the sun is shining, and they're keen to get on the beach then the day is made for me.
Emma was one of those brides who never stopped laughing, and her smile was so infectious the whole day flew with the whole wedding party loving every minute.
Emma's dress was brilliant in the sea breeze, and we got some great shots down on the sand.