20 Years!

So today is the day, 20 years ago, that Rob and I vowed to be there for each other through thick and thin, to support each other, and to love each other .... well, I think he has done a better job than me! I am definitely a very fortunate woman to be married to such a great person for so long. And this morning he gave me 25 red roses - 20 to represent our years of marriage, and 5 in celebration of the next 5 years until our next milestone! He also bought me a Nintendo DS in red, which I love! I feel a bit guilty that I only bought him a pair of silver cufflinks - but I think he really likes them. And of course, I got him a card too - and this is what it says:

This card is straight from my heart to yours because I want to say ....
I love you. I need you more today than yesterday ....
I am glad you are in my life.
You make me smile inside,
You are amazing,
And you are always on my mind.
From my heart to yours,
I want to say ...
Here's to us, to all that has been said and all that hasn't.
Here's to the past and to the future, but most of all ...
Here's to the present - I am glad we are sharing it together.
I love you!

It was quite something to find a card that expresses my true feelings for Rob - I have nothing more that I can add. I love you.

The National Wedding Show, Earls Court

I have just been informed by The National Wedding Show that I have been allocated stand space at their Earls Court show on 26th, 27th and 28th September this year. I have waited quite a while to get a stand at this fantastic wedding show, so I'm really excited to have been able to get to the top of the waiting list and get the first available stand. So now it's hard work to design the stand space and all the brochures to hand out.

If you are going to the show, remember to look me up - I'm on stand J5, right next to the stand for You and Your Wedding and Cosmo Bride magazines.

More detail will follow nearer the time. And to get more information about the show and who else will be there, click on the title above.

The Designer Bride's Guide - Exciting Times

At the start of the year I began posting tips to help brides to benefit from all the knowledge I have gained over the years as a wedding photographer.  My concern was that this blog could get clogged up with a lot of writing when I really want to show you my pictures!  So I have entered into a partnership with some other vendors to bring you a fantastic new blog, and ultimately, in the coming months, an exciting new website.

What's it all about?  Firstly, it's called The Designer Bride's Guide - and we've gone for that name because we only want to deal with quality vendors, avoiding the hobby-ists who put themselves across as professionals, but who can't guarantee you a quality, assured product.  Each of us involved in this exciting venture are passionate about quality products, quality customer service, and we are passionate about bringing this quality to you through advice, guidance and support that we will post on the blog.  You can be assured that everyone involved has relevant information for you, the discerning bride, to help in organising your wedding.

So please visit the blog (click on the title above to go straight to it), and tell us what you think of our earliest entries - and if you would like to be put onto our email list for regular updates, Email The Designer Bride's Guide

Wedding Anniversary!

Rob and I celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary next week, on 25th June - quite something!  And last week when I was in Glastonbury I found the perfect card for him.  Obviously he hasn't seen it yet, so I won't share what it says until next week, but I'll at least let you know that I cried when I found it, the words are so beautiful!

The Woods Family

I photographed a lovely family yesterday as part of a gift certificate purchased for Caroline, the mum, by her hair stylist, Shush Hair Company of Birkdale, Southport, as a thank you for her custom.  It was lovely to work with such nice people - and here is a little selection of the photographs from the shoot.

Jack and Katy at Hesketh Park in Southport

I had a lovely morning today with little Jack and Katy, two little cousins who were such beautiful children to work with. We went off for a few adventures around Hesketh Park and had a great time. Here are some of the photographs from the adventures. I particularly love photographs like the first one, where children are engrossed in what they are doing.

Heather and Andrew in Glastonbury

I got home very late last night - not intentionally!  I was down in Glastonbury, staying at the Hillside B & B (definitely worth staying at if you are going down to Glastonbury - www.hillside-properties.co.uk) to photograph Heather and Andrew's engagement photographs.  I asked them both to bring something that means something to them - and as Andrew plays the piano, and Heather is a Wiccan covern leader (I hope I am describing that correctly, Heather!) so the piano and pentacle were the things they chose, along with their 'save the date' cards designed by Hannah at Little Fish Events (www.littlefishevents.co.uk).

So why the late night?  Well, we had such a good time that we just kept taking photographs - we started out at the Chalice Well Gardens, which was so peaceful, a real sanctuary in this busy world.  Then we moved on to the Piano Gallery on the High Street, where Andrew played the piano for us, and of course, I had to take photographs of him.  By this time, Andrew and Heather had changed into their finery - with Andrew in his DJ and bow tie, and Heather in a beautiful red evening dress.

After lunch at Lalune on the High Street in Glastonbury we went on to get photographs in Glastonbury Abbey - the grounds were amazing, and the old abbey was fantastic.  And then we finished off on the High Street.  Here is just a small selection of the photographs we took - I feel for Heather and Andrew, they have sooooo many photographs to look through when we get together!

The Pentacle and The Piano

The swing seat in the Chalice Well Gardens where Andrew proposed to Heather.
Heather and Andrew at The Chalice Well

Playing the piano in the Piano Gallery
Andrew looking cool in The Lady Chapel of Glastonbury Abbey
And a series of photographs from the Abbey



And just one from the High Street in Glastonbury

Glastonbury

I am so excited!  I have just arrived at Glastonbury to do a pre-wedding shoot tomorrow, and I am staying at the most gorgeous B&B - it's called Hillside, in Glastonbury, and the view is just amazing!  The decor is so tasteful, and Simon and Anna are the friendliest hosts you can imagine - I actually feel like I have come to visit some old friends, and yet I have only just met them!

I'm here to photograph Heather and Andrew who are getting married at Nunsmere next year, so I'll get some pictures up this week of our photographic journey around Glastonbury.

Go Carting at Pole Position with Tim and the Guys

One of the great things about being a photographer is that you get to go to things you'd never otherwise see!  And Saturday it was go-carting for Tim and his mates at his stag do for his Grooms Day Photographs.  Although it was a bit noisy I had a great time.  

Not sure I'd ever want to do the go-carting though - it looked really difficult and very tiring!  And one or two managed to spin ... I managed to catch one on the camera, not sure who it was though!  Maybe Tim and his mates can tell from the photograph 4th from the end of this selection.  

Anyway, thanks for a great morning, guys - hope you enjoyed the rest of the stag do, and I look forward to seeing everyone again at the wedding at Eaves Hall in July.

Chris and Emma's Wedding Part 2 - My Heart in Your Hands

Ceremony: All Saints Church, Childwall

Venue: Mere Golf Club

Friday was a beautiful day - the sun shone, love and laughter filled the air and Chris and Emma got married!  And I even shed a tear - twice!  I virtually never cry at weddings, but there was something about this one - and when Chris made his speech and told Emma that their wedding day was the day that he put his heart in her hands, well, I think he had us all!  Here is a small selection of their photographs, starting with the beautiful bride.

The moment father and daughter see each other when a bride is all ready is a very special one.

The guys were all very dapper in their top hats and tails.

All Saints Church, Childwall Abbey is beautiful - it's only small but it's full of history, and Neil the verger and Dick who came out of retirement especially to conduct the ceremony were such lovely people.

Emma and her Chief Bridesmaid, Missy have been friends all their lives.  And you can see here that Emma is a really happy person, she just laughs her way through life.

Celebrating the catching of the bouquet!

Specially for Nana!