Autumn is Here

I love autumnal mornings, crisp and bright with the most beautiful light.  I took this image using my iPhone and the Hipstamatic App this morning just outside Stanley Grange at Knowsley Hall Park.  If only every morning was like this.

First Look Session at Your Winter Wedding

A couple of years ago I helped to photograph the wonderful wedding of Annika and Adam in Sweden and I was really taken with the First Look Photo Session that they had.  This wasn't about anything more than the need to make the most of the natural light for beautiful photographs.

It struck me over last winter that in the UK we have winter weddings, with the ceremony at 2pm or later, and the only way we can create couple portraits is using the flash or video light.

But what if you were to have a First Look Photo Session?  The positives of doing this, aside from having the chance to create beautiful photographs during the available light of the daytime, you also get to wear your dress for longer, and you get a private moment together before you get swamped by all the guests, a private moment to enjoy the beauty of each other all dressed up, and a private moment to prepare for the solemnity of the wedding ceremony together.

Why do people not do First Look Photo Sessions?  Mainly it seems to be that brides don't want to see the groom because it's tradition not to.  But do you know where the tradition started from?  In the past when marriages were arranged the groom wouldn't get to see his bride until after the vows, and many times he would discover he had been married off to the uglier sister, or worse still, the bride was who she was supposed to be but she was a very unattractive version of what the groom had seen in the painting he had been sent!

So if you think that tradition stops you from having a First Look Photo Session on your wedding day, think again!  It's actually a lovely way of making sure your winter wedding still gives you the chance to have beautiful photographs and you can enjoy that private moment of wonder at seeing each other before the ceremony.

One final thing - if you're worried that the groom will turn up, well, a First Look Photo Session makes it pretty clear he's going to be there!

Brides of 2011: Mood and Inspiration Boards for Weddings

I need help!  I want to work with a bride photographing the story of her developing the theme of her wedding - now obviously it would be best if I am already photographing your wedding, so please get in touch if you'd like to be involved in this exciting project!  But even if another photographer is photographing your wedding day, please get in touch if you would like to have a record of how you develop the them of your 2011 wedding.

I'm looking for what inspires you, what you buy, and how you pull it all together.

This is a personal project, nothing commercial related to it.  I would then like to feature the themes and how they are pulled together on our sister blog, The Bride's Survival Guide

You will receive a free montage of photographs that illustrate your theme and how it all links in together as a thank you for being involved.

Please contact me by email if you would love to be involved.  I look forward to hearing from you soon!  And if you're already married but have friends who are planning their own wedding please let them know.  If you're already married and have kept lots of things that illustrate your wedding day theme, please get in touch as well!

Jenny and Duane's Crosby Wedding and Racquet Club Reception in Liverpool

Some weddings are just so full of love it's quite overwhelming - and so I cried at Saturday's wedding, there, I'm not ashamed to say it!  The great feeling of love started at Jenny's parents house, where it was clear to see the close bond between them all, and it carried on throughout the day.  

This was a truly family affair - Jenny is one of those mum's that I wish I'd been able to be for my daughter, so calm and collected, and very assured as a mother.  She is surrounded by love and is passing that on to her 3 beautiful boys.

But this wasn't just a wedding about love - it was also about the shoes!

These two pairs of shoes really are to die for!

There was love, laughter and tears all through the day - tears of joy and love of course.

And being a family wedding, this one was definitely about the children too.

If you look closely you can see that this little girl is playing on her dad's iPhone - they start early these days!

And a beautiful couple - bringing together 2 families from separate parts of the world.

Finally, it didn't take much to persuade Duane, his brothers and his dad to have a quick game of snooker when everyone was taking their seats for the meal.

Knowsley Hall Designer Bridal Showcase

We are pleased to be exhibiting at the Knowsley Hall Designer Bridal Showcase at the weekend - 3rd October.  It would be great to see you there - we are in the State Dining Room (a gorgeous room for your wedding breakfast).  You can pre-book on the Knowsley Hall website for just £5, which is going to Lady Derby's charity, Alderhey Children's Hospital.  The showcase includes a range of wedding vendors, a catwalk show and guided tours around the Hall - what a treat!

Jo and Paul's Knowsley Hall Wedding

Jo looked like she was one of the calmest bride's I've come across when I saw her before her wedding at Knowsley Hall on Saturday - she claims to have been nervous, but she hid it extremely well!  Her dress was stunning, and fitted perfectly with the beautiful surroundings of Knowsley Hall.  It was definitely a day of laughter, particularly when the registrar referred to the groom as the 'wife' by accident!  Oops.  But it got everyone involved in the ceremony through the humour if nothing else.  Sadly though the weather put an end to the rounders and games that Jo had hoped to be part of her day, but it didn't dampen the day one bit.

Claire and Phil Marry at All Saints in Rainford and on to the Haydock Thistle

Claire and Phil's wedding was at a church I've photographed at before, one that is really peaceful to work in, which is just as well, because just as the ceremony came to an end, the heavens opened and we had to stay in the church until the skies cleared enough to get on to the reception.

I love the look of love on a mother's face just before her daughter gets married, it's priceless!

And it rained!

Ed and Louisa's Thornton Manor Wedding

Ed and Louisa had such a fun day at their wedding at Thornton Manor, and Dianne and I really enjoyed ourselves, helped by how welcoming the guests all were to us both.

Another shot that Dianne took when I set things up - I'm taking from one angle and she gets the better photograph from another angle!

Every bride should have a Bridesgay instead of a bridesmaid!  And every bride should have David!  He is just the most wonderful person and I'd happily adopt him, even though he is a grown man!  And every wedding should have a photobooth too!  This photograph of Louisa and David was taken when we were all playing around with the photobooth and it was a lot of fun.

I love first dance photographs, but after Ed and Louisa's first dance I captured this fabulous shot of Louisa enjoying her evening and I just love it!  Possibly my favourite photograph of the day, and it was the last photograph I took.

A Mad Men Themed Wedding at The Vincent, Southport

Laura and Michael created an amazing Mad Men themed day, bringing together the dream team of Shush Hair Company, Sian Louise Auld for Makeup, David Beckham Doyle for flowers, Dominic from Impressions of Formby for videography, and of course my good self, supported by Dianne, from Zoe Photography for their wedding at St Peters in Formby and The Vincent in Southport.

I'm rather envious of Dianne for creating this beautiful image - I took the same set up from a different angle, but her image just works so well.

I love the whole concept of not seeing the bride in full until she is just about to walk down the aisle, and it worked so well with Laura, particularly as she was wearing a Candy Anthony dress (my all time favourite dresses!)

And possibly my favourite image of the day ....