Happy Christmas

I'll be enjoying the seasonal holiday for the next few days (it may even be a white Christmas for the first time in years!) so just a short note to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and New Year ahead.

Perfect Wedding - January 2010

I was delighted to learn that Contessa & Trevor are featured in the December issue of Perfect Wedding Magazine. They were married at the beautiful Buxted Park in East Sussex, one of my favourite venues. They have four lovely pages dedicated to their special wedding day. You can read their full wedding story via the Previously Featured Weddings on my side bar. Congratulations to you both!

Anna-Marie & John at Mansfield College, Oxford

The beautiful Anna-Marie and John were married in the amazing chapel within Mansfield College in Oxford. Our gorgeous couple met whilst studying at this College so there was no more appropriate venue than here to celebrate their wedding. With exclusive use of the grounds and buildings the couple and their guests enjoyed a unique and beautiful venue to the full, we even had time to take a few pictures in the library they spent most of their time together in whilst students.

Detail on Anna-Marie's dress

The bridesmaids enjoy the getting ready

Anna-Marie has some final touches

The guests await

As does John

Time to go in boys

Anna-Marie and her Father arrive

One of the lovely readings during the service

An emotional time

We've done it!

The lovely sounds of an acoustic guitar filled the grounds during the reception

View of the Chapel across the quad

Father of the bride welcomes his guests

A night view of the Chapel

A bit of an unusual one this, a bed of books

The beautiful Anna-Marie

I just love the atmosphere in this image

Shall we dance

Us too

Fireworks to end

Artistic Guild of the Wedding Photojournalist Association - Winner

Every quarter the Artistic Guild of the Wedding Photojournalist Association invite entries from their members for different categories of wedding images into competition. When the winners are announced it is always fantastic and inspiring to look at the beautiful and creative imagery from wedding photographers across the world.

I am therefore really happy that one of my images has come 9th in the "Sense of Place" category which is all about the architecture and feel of the venues that weddings are held in. My image was from a wedding this year at Mansfield College in Oxford and is of the reception that was held within the chapel itself (see below). I got some nice judge comments too.



If you would like to see all the winners then click here.

Perfect Wedding - Photographer of the Year Competition

Regular readers will know I was recently nominated for Perfect Wedding's Photographer of the Year. Well the competition officially launched today and it is up to the readers of the magazine and brides past and future to vote for their favourites. Looking at the list of nominations I am very proud to have been selected and as every good nominee states, just being nominated is reward enough. But I'm only human, I'd like to win as much as the next photographer. So if you like my work and think I deserve to be Wedding Photographer of the Year then here's what you do.

Follow this link, select your favourites from the various wedding supplier categories and then when you get to the photographer one (see screen shot below), select me :o) I'd be ever so grateful.

Just to sweeten the deal by entering the competition you will have the chance to win a £500 luxury 4* Spa break. Everyone's a winner - fingers crossed :o)

Stephanie and William at Rotherwick Hall

Regular readers will know I"m somewhat behind on my wedding updates on the blog so do not be surprised to see some lovely sunshine and warm looking people in this and the next bunch of wedding updates. I could probably keep up if I decided to just feature a favourite shot or two from each wedding I've shot but I just think the whole story is so much nicer and I hope you agree that it's worth waiting for.

This wedding was on a beautiful day with a service held at Holy Trinity Church in Church Crookham and a reception at Rotherwick Hall. After getting ready at home the lovely Stephanie made her way to the church where William who had arrived in a vintage Austin Healy was waiting for her. The church is a very visually deceptive building from outside with not much room to play about in but once inside the huge pointed roof and natural daylight made it a great place to photograph an emotional service.

Once married the groom drove his bride to Rotherwick in the Austin and the guests arrived to enjoy some croquet on the lawn, a jazz trio, great food and a big party.

Stephanie's dress

Stephanie does her eye make up

Some help with the tiara

Lovely dress detail as it goes on

Here's the veil

Love this shot of the brides shoes

Stephanie helps her Mum with her flower

The Austin Healey

Our dashing groom

Stephanie arrives, I love the light and atmosphere of this image

One of the little girls waits for the bride

Her Mum walks her down the aisle

The service gets underway



Some fun for the kids

A mini bride, amazing what petticoats can be used for with a bit of creativity

Some time together

Just makes me smile each time I look at this one

The emotional speeches kick off

Beautiful late afternoon light and beautiful back of the brides dress, a real talking point during this wedding

It was a very relaxed occasion

And now we dance

Anika & Nelson at Orsett Hall

Two celebrations in one day. After first having a beautiful civil service, both the bride and groom went through the getting ready experience once more to prepare for their second service in the grounds of the hotel. A gorgeous day blessed the couple and their guests and they were able to have their outdoor wedding celebration in the grounds of Orsett Hall under an amazingly beautiful canopy of flowers. After the service the couple enjoyed some time alone for some pictures and then onto the food market which had been set up outside for their guests.

Once the reception part of the day was complete the couple started off the evening festivities with more food, some great speeches and it all ended with a fantastic party.

Anika's hand henna design

Her bindi goes on

As chandeliers go this one was amazing, three floors long!

Jimmy Choo's

Some more bling

Nelson gets ready

Anika's bridal party all together

The beautiful bride

The ring exchange during the civil ceremony

Just time for a few pictures before the second stage begins

Some of the jewellery worn for the Hindu service

The outside ceremony space, beautifully decorated

Anika's Mum helps with some adjustments

Nelson's best man helps with his second outfit of the day

One of her bridesmaids awaits

The service gets under way




Confetti time

A classic feel with the bridge and Koi carp

A different view of the tables set up for the reception

You've got to love kids at weddings

Anika's Father kicks off the speeches

Followed by some other emotional family members

And now it's time to dance and party