Whimsical Floral Anglo French Wedding in Berkshire

Whimsical Floral Wedding in Berkshire

An amazing floral inside outside Berkshire wedding day that I’ve been so excited to blog for a few months now. I was really pleased to hear that one of the wedding industries leading wedding ideas blog, the awesome Whimsical Wonderland Weddings chose Clementines and Nicolas big day to appear on their blog! With the bride and groom being French as well as the majority of the guests it was a wedding day that was a beautiful mix of Anglo French styles and cultures.

“We had our amazing photographer Kevin Fern who covered the wedding in pictures, we loved his photography style straight away. We wanted to go for a spontaneous, colourful and premium feel and we knew Kevin was the perfect photographer to achieve our goal”

Emotional first look for the bride and groom

Clementine and Nicolas explore the grounds of The Old House, Wolverton, Tadley

The day started with groom prep at The George & Dragon Hotel in Tadley to shoot Nicolas and the guys getting ready before moving on to The Old House in Wolverton, Berkshire where Clementine and close family stayed the night before and was also the location for the marquee wedding reception. The Old House was a fantastic wedding venue and one that I hadn’t shot at before. For some reason many couples think that they should hire a photographer who has shot lots of weddings at their chosen venue but that’s most definitely not the case. Someone who is a creative is inspired by new locations and that’s how you get the most creative wedding photography. The Old House was the perfect venue for Clementine and Nicolas and their big day with a vast expanse of amazing grounds to hold the marquee and evening party shenanigans, which there were many!

Clementine and her husband Nicolas during speeches

Showing off those jazzy blue shoes at The Old House, Tadley

I have never photographed a wedding dress quite like the amazing bespoke floral dress designed by Lisa Lyons Bridal! Wow! And then there were the blue shoes, awesome! Who says everything has to be white! It’s your day, make it spectacular and just how you have always dreamed it should be! I’m sure if there were any budding brides at the wedding they would have had dress envy! When Nicolas saw his bride to be outside the Old House during the first look his jaw dropped! I love first looks as it is an opportunity to capture genuine heartfelt emotion between just the couple while they share their moment together. The wedding ceremony itself was held at St Catherines church in Wolverton so everything was within a ten minute drive. This is always great news for a photographer and videographer as when we have to factor in driving between venues, traffic, parking, etc the closer things are to each other the better. Speeches were split with the bride and grooms parents saying some heartfelt words outside on the lawn while there was still some light and a few more later in the evening from the couples close knit friends. Speeches always make for great pictures and it’s a part of the day I look forward to as I know I’m always going to capture some spontaneous emotional moments. As the bride and groom hit the dance floor for their first dance they were swiftly accompanied by their guests to shake rattle and roll the night away! Did I just use an old Elvis Presley song in my blog post, I did! I’m really not that old :-)

From start to finish it was a brilliant wedding to photograph!

Please scroll down to view a large selection of my favourite images from the day!

Intimate Cotswolds Wedding at Pauntley Court

Intimate Wedding in the Gloucestershire Countryside

One of the first weddings I photographed in 2022 was Jasmin and Anthony who got hitched at the beautifully tranquil Pauntley Court in the Cotswolds! It was a small intimate wedding with 35 guests. The great thing with smaller celebrations is that the happy couple get to spend more time with each of their friends and family without feeling rushed. I also think venues such as Pauntley Court which is a truly unique country house set in the Gloucestershire countryside really lend themselves well to smaller weddings. The peace and tranquility of the location was really emphasised by the unusually warm March weather and created a chilled out, relaxed, fun vibe! One very cool and interesting fact that Jasmin and Anthony can share with everyone is that they were married at the birthplace of Dick Whittington, not many people can say that!

Jasmin and Anthony enjoy the warm evening glow at Pauntley Court, Cotswolds.

If you’re a guest at a wedding not only are you very lucky but quite often you get to participate in unexpected surprises! Jasmin and Anthony absolutely love wildlife, so they had arranged for a bird of prey demonstration! Not only did everyone enjoy watching the birds they also got to hold them, such as a stunning grey owl and what looked like a buzzard or kestrel. ( I don’t know much about my feathered friends )

A young wedding guest gets up close and personal with a bird of prey!

Dramatic wedding reception entrance for Jasmin and Anthony at Pauntley Court, Gloucestershire.

The wedding ceremony was held outdoors in the stunning gardens which was fantastic and just what the couple wanted to happen. When it came to the couple portrait shoot we explored the grounds and surrounding area and found plenty of cool spots for pictures!

It was a pleasure to be a part of the day and to provide a gallery of images that capture the warmth, love and togetherness that I witnessed first hand!

Enjoy looking through some of my favourite shots from the day below!

Intimate Micro Wedding in the Cotswold Village of Stanton

Thank you! The photos are so lovely! We're thrilled 

I recently had the pleasure of photographing Eve & Matt get hitched in the stunning Cotswolds village of Stanton. The ceremony took place at St Michael and All Angels church before a short walk across the road to Matts parents house for the wedding reception. With the world turned upside down amid the Covid19 pandemic resulting in wedding numbers being restricted to just a handful, this didn’t deter Eve & Matt and they pressed ahead to make their special day happen! To many couples the thought of changing their wedding plans is not something they care to contemplate and instead opt to postpone the date, which I completely understand. For other couples they choose to go ahead with a smaller wedding ceremony and instead postpone their big party to next year.

Smaller weddings consisting of less than 30 people are often known as micro weddings. In my opinion there’s something uniquely magical about such a small number of people attending that everything becomes more focused and intimate. Weddings are often a whirlwind and fly by in an instant so with less people means more quality spent with each guest.

My day started with meeting Eve in her Air b&b in Broadway which is just a short drive from Stanton and equally as picturesque. Eves parents and brother were also there getting ready and helping to calm any nerves. I then hopped in my car and drove the short distance to Stanton to the amazing St Michael and All Angels church. One thing I noticed wearing a face mask whilst photographing inside is that it gets very warm and the viewfinder is constantly misting up, maybe I need to invent a new face mask for photography! After the ceremony we took a nice shots with the lovely Cotswolds stone houses as backdrops before walking across the road to Matts parents house. The garden was beautiful with a small pond situated at the bottom of the garden. The atmosphere was so peaceful and relaxed that I was determined to use every inch of the garden for pictures, even the greenhouse which took some people by surprise! :-)

It was a wonderful wedding day and I would thoroughly recommend micro weddings to any couples who are still determined to get hitched!

Intimate Garden Wedding Celebration in Congleton, Cheshire

“It was great to have you and the photos look so great!!
We’re really really pleased with them.
Thank you so much!!”

Having had to reschedule their wedding from earlier this year because of lockdown Lucy & Isaac finally tied the knot at New Life Church in Congleton, Cheshire. With their family and friends present the ceremony was a wonderful show of love and togetherness. The service was also live streamed for those that were unable to attend from around the world.

After the bride and groom ran through the confetti tunnel of love it was back to a family members garden for the evening reception. My wedding photography takes me all over the country and has enabled me to document large weddings with hundreds of guests and smaller mircroweddings with just a handful of people. Each one is completely unique and special which is what I love about wedding photography!

Holding a wedding reception in a garden doesn’t mean you can’t have speeches, a sit down meal, cake cutting, dancing or creative wedding portraits! With Isaac and his family being Greek the meal was a delicious Greek feast that went down a treat. The speeches took place on the patio just as the sun was setting and the first dance was the catalyst for the guests to create some crazy shapes! I love the challenge of creating great portraits in sometimes limited spaces. With a little bit of thinking outside the box I was able to come up with some creative images simply by using the natural environment around me. I even managed to squeeze in a large group shot! Garden weddings are simply awesome, what a wonderful wedding day!

Rochelle and Farook Stylish Wedding at Hedsor House, Taplow

“The photos look amazing, we’re so happy with them. Cant wait to show all our friends and family.”

Bridal prep was a hive of activity! Children excitedly running around, bridesmaids chatting and makeup artists doing their thing! When I walk into a bridal suite the energy of the room always hits me. I love it when I look around and there’s a million things happening. My brain is instantly in gear and I can’t wait to start shooting. As any photographer will tell you good light is key in capturing and creating amazing images. Thankfully the awesome wedding venue, Hedsor House in Taplow has huge and I mean huge windows in the bridal suite, perfect for my documentary natural light style of wedding photography.

I shot the day primarily with my faithful Nikon D750, Nikon 24-70mm 2.8f lens and Sigma 35mm 1.4f. I would encourage all budding photographers to start by using a prime lens. It really focuses your eye and makes you work around a subject. It also saves on gym membership, I wish I knew how many steps I take shooting a full day wedding..thousands I bet!

Farook was getting ready in another room with his best mates so the morning involved switching between rooms depending on what was happening.

Rochelle looked stunning in her dress and bought her father to tears. I was so happy to be in the right place at the right time to capture that moment. It’s these spontaneous moments full of emotion and love between a father and daughter that inspire and motivate me. If you asked them to pose straight after it just wouldn’t be the same. It’s why I love shooting the way that I do. Keeping things real and honest so whenever a couple looks back on their pictures it brings back the same real emotions and memories.

London Wedding at Old Marylebone Town Hall and The Swan Shakespeares Globe

“ Thank you very much for being with us, and for doing such an incredible job on our Wedding day. Your shots were stunning, really captured the day well, and now exist as the profile picture of a good number of our friends (which I can only assume is the highest possible accolade). “

- Yu Kyung & Chris -

I photographed Yu Kyung and Chris on their pre wedding shoot a month or so before their wedding day last summer. ( I’ll produce a blog post of the shoot in the next few days ) After feeling slightly apprehensive about the shoot they soon relaxed into it and we captured some awesome shots together. I couldn’t wait for their big day as I always love shooting in London.

When the big day arrived I met up with Yu Kyung in her bridal suite at the always impressive Park Lane Hotel next to Hyde Park corner in London. I love photographing bridal prep as you never really know what you’re walking into. Every bride is different, some have lots of bridesmaids with them, music pumping while others have their best mate and no music. Each situation presents a different challenge. Yu Kyung had her best friend/ bridesmaid with her as well as her mum and dad. The atmosphere was so peaceful and relaxed as I made my way around the room looking for great angles, details and emotion.

After hopping in a black cab together we made our way to Old Marleybone Town Hall for the ceremony. It was my first time at the town hall and it immediately struck me as being an awesome building, so many picture opportunities if you had the time. After the ceremony I captured the confetti shots on the steps outside as well as a few groups and portraits. We then boarded an iconic London red double decker bus to take us all to Swan at Shakespeares Globe Theatre on the Southbank. One of the great challenges of being a professional wedding photographer is your juggling skills. Trying to carry a bag and two cameras whilst capturing spontaneous moments on a moving bus without breaking anything is always a challenge I look forward to :-)

The Swan is a lovely restaurant to hold your wedding reception. Situated on the Southbank with incredible views of the London skyline including the majestic St Pauls Cathedral, you couldn’t wish for a more romantic place. Yu Kyung and Chris really wanted documentary style wedding photography and weren’t interested in anything too staged, formal or cliché. This suited me perfectly as I’m all about natural wedding photography. Letting the day unfold organically without a photographer jumping in and stage managing your wedding day is my idea of how a wedding should be. I mean who wants to think back to their big day and all they can remember is the photographer shouting orders or taking over!

We managed to nip out along the Southbank for some evening portraits, taking in great backdrops such as the Millennium bridge and St Pauls Cathedral before we made our way back for the evening party.

I loved being in the company of this awesome wedding couple as well as their super friendly guests. They were so easy to deal with from the first email to supplying the wedding album and much to my amazement gave me a little gift as I was leaving!

Best of luck for the future Yu Kyung and Chris!

Rustic Tipi Wedding Reception in Warwickshire

Last summer I was lucky enough to be asked to document Jade & Jamies wedding day in Warwickshire. I shot their pre wedding shoot a month before on their farm and couldn’t wait to get back for their rustic tipi wedding. I was booked to cover the whole day, bridal prep through to the crazy dancing in the evening and all the good stuff in between!

Bridal prep was held at Bobs Lodge, Winchcombe Farm Holidays. The chalet was spectacular with a cool igloo positioned on the balcony to sleep under the stars, as well as a slide that Jade and the bridesmaids made the most off ;-) After capturing the girls getting ready I whizzed off to the church for the ceremony. Church ceremonies can always present a challenge with lighting. This is something I love about wedding photography, constantly being challenged and thinking on my feet in pressure situations.

It was a summer wedding but the weather on the day was anything but summer! I think we had all the seasons apart from the winter snow! Jade and Jamie took it all in their stride with not a shred of worry, whatever will be will be! If things don’t go quite as planned on your big day the best advice I can give a couple is to embrace it. It’s your day and the most important thing is that you’re together with your friends and family! I actually think it makes for great pictures. My documentary style captures all the emotion, looks of surprise, commotion and the buzz of energy!

I’ve shot a few weddings where the couples have been farmers or have farming backgrounds and for some reason they’re always super relaxed and chilled out!! Maybe its something in the vegetables! :-)

Once we arrived in the neighbours field where the tipi was situated the heavens opened and everyone made a mad dash for cover and waited for the bride and groom to arrive for a second confetti shot! Everyone was then huddled together like penguins in the arctic which made easy pickings for me capturing candid shots.

When the weather isn’t great it’s a case of taking advantage of any moments when it stops raining, this wasn’t an issue for Jade and Jamie and luckily as the afternoon became evening the sun made an appearance so we nipped out for ten minutes to capture some cool couple shots.

It really was a great wedding and one I definitely won’t forget. Congratulations Jade and Jamie you were both amazing and I hope married life is going well!!

Romantic Outdoor Summer Wedding at Drakestone House, Gloucester

“Thank you very much. We had a look through them last night and we love them!

Thank you so much, they’re brill.”

Last summer I photographed Sarah & William get hitched at the awesome Drakestone House near Gloucester. I’ve travelled all around the Cotswolds and Gloucestershire photographing weddings but had yet to visit Drakestone. I really want to go back as it’s an amazing venue for a wedding!. As soon as I arrived I found Sarah upstairs in the bedroom and started shooting the bridal prep. You wouldn’t have thought a wedding was about to happen as the atmosphere was so relaxed and chilled out! William was having a drink with his best man and parents in the gorgeous gardens that swept down in front of the property whilst most of the bridesmaids were pottering around tweaking their hair and sharing selfies!

Documentary wedding photography is all about capturing moments and events as they happen, no re enactment, nothing set up or posed just real emotion. I love this style of shooting! in my opinion bride and grooms shouldn’t be worrying about the photography and group shots etc. They should completely relax and enjoy the time together with their friends and family and trust their photographer. How often is it that all of your family come together in one place, probably hardly ever so the last thing you want to be worrying about is photography! Sarah and William totally got this concept and trusted me to do my thing ensuring all they had to do was drink lots, dance and be merry!

I arrived with loads of time to spare before the ceremony and as the whole day was on the same site it meant lots more time for bridal prep pics! All of my packages let you choose the time I start, giving you plenty of flexibility to ensure I’m covering what matters to you! I love bridal prep as it’s the time of the day where brides can chill with their bridesmaids and mum. To share stories, chat and laugh about the old times before a whole new chapter begins. It’s these occasions that real need to be documented!

Woodland Themed Rustic Outdoor Wedding - The Walled Garden at Beestonfield - Nottingham

All i can say is oh my god!! You've done such a brilliant job with capturing the laid back nature of the wedding. We absolutely love the photos! You've managed to capture some great smiles and real laughter!

You're incredibly talented, the framing is fantastic and I have no idea how you had the eye for some of these shots. I love how you've made the colours pop too. I don't think I'll ever look this good again in my life so thank you!

I would say I'd love to have you photograph my wedding again, but that's a bit of a weird thing to say! I'll definitely be recommending you to people who are looking for a photographer though

Now we have the hard choice of picking which ones we want framed, there are so many amazing ones to choose from.

Once again, thank you for being our photographer (and putting up with all the weird slouching! 🤣) these photos will be treasured for our lifetime

Where do I start with the awesome wedding of Natalie & Thomas held at The Walled Garden at Beestonfield, Nottingham. Natalie and Thomas love animals and all things nature so opted for a rustic, woodland themed wedding. They decorated the inside of the beautiful marquee with animals..not real ones I might add! :-) From squirrels and birds to hedgehogs as well as lots of autumn coloured leaves. The tables really looked amazing! It’s these small but important details that help put a personal stamp on a wedding and make the day truly yours.

I’m always prepared for the unexpected and this wedding day was no different. The plan all along was to have the wedding ceremony outside, after all that’s why Natalie and Thomas booked the Walled Garden at Beestonfield, for its incredible outside space. With dark storm clouds approaching and intermittent heavy rain it was looking doubtful if it would happen especially as the chairs had already been moved back inside because of the heavy rain. Thankfully as the registrar arrived the decision was made to go outside. The dream had now become reality for the happy bride and groom. Phew!

Having discussed the details of the wedding day during the booking process Natalie and Thomas were really keen to keep their wedding photography as natural and candid as possible to keep with their natural theme, plus they both said they felt awkward in front of the camera. I was certainly happy to oblige! My style when shooting a wedding is documentary and to make sure I tell the story of the day without imposing photography on the couple and guests. I’m there to document not to manipulate and become the centre of attention. Natalie and Thomas were brilliant during the quick portrait session. They really valued photography and wanted to make sure they had some great images of just the two of them.

I was really happy with how the day panned out and having such an awesome couple to work with. Very relaxed, very informal with lots and lots of warmth and happiness!!

Rustic Romantic Wedding on the Family Farm in Doncaster

“ The pictures are perfect, we absolutely love them and it has brought back so many amazing memories! Thank you so much.”

Ginny & Michael

What a day I had up in the Yorkshire town of Doncaster or Donny as the locals like to call it. Wedding photography takes me all across the country but this was my first visit to Doncaster! I was here to photograph the very awesome couple and two local farmers Ginny & Michael. After driving through the winding country roads I arrived at Michaels family home to take some pics of the boys getting ready before dashing off to see the bride to be at her parents working farm in Tickhill. This was also the venue for the wedding reception. It had the feel of a super cool rusting wedding with giant hay stacks, tractors, barns..just perfect!

After photographing Ginny being made to look even more amazing it was the moment I always look forward too. The tear shedding moment when the father of the bride sees his daughter for the first time in her wedding dress. It didn’t disappoint, there were tears and hugs and more tears and yet more hugs! it didn’t stop there because as soon as the bridesmaids peered around the door and saw Ginny in all white it started all over again! So many great emotions that all good photographers look out for and what makes a wedding day so special.

After the church ceremony something amazing happened to surprise the guests. A band appeared down the street and before I knew it Ginny and Michael had joined them in the street to have a dance! Back on the farm and the marquee was looking immaculate, with blue skies overhead and drinks being served it was time to escape for 20 minutes to take some cool couple shots. I never want a bride and groom to be away from their guests and the party for too long so keep it to 20/30 minutes. We jumped in the 4x4 and headed off to the farming fields that surrounded the family farm.

Another thing that made me smile during the day was Ginny and Michaels arrival into the marque ready to be seated for the wedding breakfast, They were accompanied by the band playing lung bursting tunes and also cheering wedding guests waving white napkins..haha. loved it!

A wedding with colour, guests that knew how to have fun, unexpected surprises and lots of emotion is my kind of wedding!

It really was a spectacular day from start to finish.

Relaxed Bristol Documentary Style Wedding at Kings Western House, Bristol

“ Dear Kevin, Thank you for being the best photographer for our wedding day! We had such a brilliant day and its so lovely to have so many amazing photos to remember all the moments with. You captured the day perfectly and it was a pleasure to have you with us on the day “

Having moved to Malvern in Worcestershire it was fun to head back down the M5 to one of my old stomping grounds, the beautiful city of Bristol to photograph Catriona & Pete get hitched last summer! At the enquiry stage Catriona & Pete made it clear to me that they really wanted candid/natural photographs with just a few more formal images which was music to my ears. I’m never happier than when couples trust me to crack on and document their day in my own unique style.

Catriona spent the morning with her bridesmaids getting ready at her parents home in Bristol. Natural window light is a godsend to a photographer especially documentary wedding photographers such as myself. I’m always looking for rays of light to illuminate my subjects and to create interesting dynamic, strong images so to walk in and see Catriona sitting in front of a lovely large window having her hair and make up done was great news.

A beautiful bride always has to travel to her wedding in style which is why Catriona was collected in a bright yellow open top vintage Triumph Stag sports car, what better way to arrive! The wedding ceremony was held at Holy Trinity Church in Westbury-on-Trym followed by the reception at the impressive Kings Western House.

I shoot over 30 weddings a year and am not just a Bristol wedding photographer but a UK wedding photographer. I love the variety and challenge of shooting weddings in different venues all over the country and the creative spark this gives me. It was my first time photographing a wedding at the Kings Western House and it presented many great backdrops and ideas. I had so much fun during the couple shoot. I like to keep things natural, relaxed and free flowing without that stiff awkward feeling so many couples are worried about.

I worked my way around the venue photographing all the little details that mean so much to the bride and groom but could easily be overlooked and forgotten. After all they have spent many months organising the day, decorating the rooms and even making the decorations themselves so I always want to give them photographic evidence to help them remember how brilliant it all was.

I’m so pleased with the final set of images I provided but what was even more important was that Catriona and Peter were so happy with my work. A great day and amazing couple..more please!

Documentary wedding photography at Bath Spa Hotel, Somerset

We couldn't be happier that we chose to entrust our wedding photography to Kevin. We looked at a number of options, but looking back we are glad we paid a little extra to secure Kevin's services as he delivered exactly what we were looking for.

From the outset Kevin was extremely easy to deal with. We had a great intro call with him and his friendly personality shone through and put us at ease immediately. On the day, he did precisely what he said he would. For the most part he blended into the background - I hardly remember seeing him! - but when he was working more closely with the wedding party or guests he was flexible in his approach and affable and fun to be around.

We are delighted with the photographs he produced. They really are stunning, telling the story of the day and capturing the emotions of the occasion. He did amazingly well to get some creative shots too, making the most of the venue's surroundings despite less than ideal weather conditions.

In addition, we were very impressed with the speed at which he managed to process and edit the photos post wedding. All in all, he provided an excellent all-round service from start to finish and we would highly recommend him to any couples looking for a highly professional, yet personable photographer for their upcoming wedding.

William & Tomomi Fussell - Ota City, Japan.

Having moved away from the beautiful city of Bath many years ago I was really looking forward to going back to photograph the wedding of Tomomi & Will at the MacDonald Bath Spa Hotel. Tomo and Will are based in Japan and had already tied the knot in a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony. Their wedding day at Bath Spa was all about including their UK based family and friends in the wedding celebrations. Will booked me as he loved my wedding portfolio online and felt my documentary style would really capture the day in a genuine honest way. The whole day was held at Bath Spa which meant everyone could just kick back and relax. Despite the cloudy skies, heavy showers and windy conditions we were still able to snatch some precious time outside to take a few group pics and have a walk around the grounds for some fun portraits.

As you have seen from the lovely feedback I have received Tomo and Will loved the images I captured. I shoot dozens of weddings every year but when you come across such a lovely couple like Tomomi and Will who really appreciate the hard work and skill that goes into capturing a wedding day it really makes it worthwhile and reinforces all the reasons why I love my job.

Documentary Wedding Photography at the Swan in Wedmore, Somerset

Kevin, thank you so so much!

These are gorgeous and it’s so wonderful to see moments we didn’t witness on the ya, or had forgotten about.

We’re so glad we chose you, and really appreciate your hard (and quick!) work.

Thanks again,

This summer I photographed a small intimate wedding at the Swan public house in Wedmore, a quaint little village situated in the glorious Somerset countryside. There was a skittle alley at the back of the pub that Katie and Mark used for the wedding ceremony and it worked perfectly. They took the time to decorate it beautifully with a wall of origami birds at the the end where they said their vows. Katie and Mark were full of laughter and love for one another and really wanted their day documented in a subtle way focusing more on their friends and family enjoying the day than lots of posed group photographs, great for my style of photography! The day didn’t feel stiff and formal like you may see at some weddings, instead it flowed so naturally from bridal prep, to ceremony to people chilling out in the garden! There was nothing not to love about this wedding, mates, laughter, sun, and expressive, friendly bride and groom..more please! :-)

Colourful Woodland Wedding Photography in the Devon Countryside

“ The photos look incredible. We couldn’t be happier!

Thanks so much for helping capture the special day, it’s great to look through these and be reminded of just how good it was.”

Meg & Mike

Devon brings back so many amazing childhood memories. A beautiful part of the UK with gorgeous picture postcard beaches and rolling countryside. When Meg and Mike contacted me to say they’re planning a rustic woodland themed wedding day at Streamcombe Farm in Dulverton I envisioned a wedding with a relaxed vibe and full of colour and fun, I wasn’t disappointed! I find outdoor weddings offer such a wide variety of picture opportunities especially when you get hitched in a forest or wood. My documentary style is perfect for this type of wedding!

It was a blistering hot day, one of the last of the year so the shade cast by the trees provided some light relief for Meg and Mike as well as all their guests. Megs bridal walk from Streamcombe Farm cottage to the woodland ceremony area was pretty long as it cut through the stunning woodland scenery so a comfy pair of shoes was required before the beautiful bride promptly changed just out of site of the expectant groom!

After the ceremony I would normally capture a few group and couple shots but as it was so so hot it really wouldn’t have worked as the light was so bright and harsh it was causing people to squint, sweat and run for cover into the shade. Squinty and sweaty is never a good look so I delayed the pics until later in the day.

I really enjoyed the couple shots despite almost falling flat on my face in a bog! I was trying to jump across a stream as I thought the view from the other side might have been good. Little did I realise that the other side was like quicksand and my foot promptly vanished beneath the squelchy, stinky mud! After letting out a few “ i’m sinking “ comments I eventually yanked my foot clear and splashed through the stream to safety! haha dedication to my job knows no bounds! The evening shenanigans started in style as fairy lights lit the forecourt and Meg and her mates busted some shapes that haven’t even been invented yet! ;-) A brilliant wedding day and one I will remember for a long time!

Rustic outdoor wedding at Temple Guiting Manor & Barns in the Cotswolds

I love photographing weddings in the glorious Cotswolds countryside with the beautiful rolling hills and quintessential English cottages. This is the charm that enticed Kristen and Hugo to travel from the United Sates of America to tie the knot at Temple Guiting Manor & Barns located in the heart of the Cotswolds. The wedding day was intimate, private and full of love, dancing and laughs!

With just 25 guests attending the celebration and all staying on site in the various incredible accommodation suites the atmosphere was incredibly relaxed and easy going, perfect for my style of documentary wedding photography The service was held outside at one end of the tranquil pond in the immaculately presented gardens..wow..it looked incredible especially with the beautifully presented flowers by Amamini Flowers! The evening was dancing, dancing and more dancing followed by a sit down meal in the main house surrounded by coats of armour and medieval paintings. As a wedding photographer I’m so so lucky and consider it a privilege to be invited to such important and beautiful occasions!

Documentary Wedding Photography at Painshill Park, Surrey

Sam & Mathans Fun and Laughter Documentary Wedding at Painshill Park, Surrey

In all the years I have been photographing weddings I haven’t encountered many more delightful, easy going, fun loving couples than Sam and Mathan! I photographed their pre wedding shoot not so long ago in Windsor which was great fun so I was really looking forward to being their wedding photographer on their big day. I remember Sam asking for a pre wedding shoot as she said they’re not naturals in front of the camera and barely have any nice shots of themselves together. I always recommend pre wedding shoots for entirely these reasons. If you don’t like having your picture taken or feel self conscious it’s a brilliant way to get used to the camera and understand how I work. It’s so relaxed and informal that there’s nothing to worry about.

I met up with Sam to shoot her bridal prep at the Premier Inn, Cobham before heading over to Painshill Park in Surrey where Mathan and his groomsmen were completing the finishing touches. The ceremony room at Painshill park was full of light which was great news for me! After the ceremony and watching Mathan strut his stuff back down the aisle :-) we moved on to do a handful of group photos before jumping on a golf buggy and whizzing around the gorgeous grounds of Painshill Park. It’s such a big venue that it was really the only way to get to the great locations like the lake, ruins and bluebell wood! As expected the evening reception was full of colour, laughter, great food and amazing dance moves with Mathan being hoisted onto his mates shoulders and paraded around the dance floor :-) For their first dance Sam changed from her beautiful white wedding dress into a traditional Indian red dress full of detail. I left later that evening with music in my ears and a smile on my face.

Black and White Reportage Wedding at Hyde House, Cotswolds

I’m a big fan of black and white images so when I shoot weddings I always make sure I have a nice mix of vibrant contrasty colours as well as the smooth timeless tones of monochrome. Some scenes and environments completely suit the black and white medium, for example when you are indoors with lots of different artificial light sources. Each light source gives off a different colour temperature which can really detract from the image and play havoc with skin tones. You may be surprised to see some outdoor shots also converted. Overcast days with moody dark clouds really work in black and white, in fact pretty much any image can look awesome with great light in monochrome!

I photographed the amazing rustic wedding between Megan and Barney at Hyde House, Stow on the Wold in the beautiful Cotswolds and made sure I shot lots of black and white as the bride loves the look. I think monochrome really focuses the eye on the light and the details within. If you have never tried it why not pick up your camera and give it a go. You may be surprised with the results, I love it,

Danielle & Nick - Romantic Outdoor Wedding Ceremony at Arley Arboretum

It was the first time I had been to Arley Arboretum in Bewdley and it really didn’t disappoint. It’s a stunning venue so I could see why Danielle and Nick had chosen it for their wedding day! The morning consisted of photographing both bride and groom getting ready, thankfully they were in the same building so it made things easy! Despite persistent showers there was thankfully a break so the ceremony could take place outside under a pergola. To ensure the guests didn’t get drowned the umbrellas had to be kept up but that’s a small price to pay for an outdoor wedding! When it came to the couple shots I really wanted to make use of the wonderful scenery so as with all weddings I arrived in plenty of time to have a good look around to make a mental of note of some cool backdrops. Danielle and Nick were so friendly, easy going and happy to have a walk around the grounds for some great portraits. I loved the style and little details that went into making the wedding day so special. Congratulations to you both!

Katie and Anthonys Rock n Roll Themed Wedding at Kenilworth Castle

Rock n Roll Vintage Wedding at Kenilworth Castle!

I first met Katie while I was exhibiting at the National Wedding Show in Birmingham last year. When she told me about her wedding plans I knew straight away that it would be an awesome wedding to shoot. Vintage cars including a Plymouth Coupe that her talented partner Anthony had restored, a rock n roll wedding dress, rustic reception, castle.. what more could I want! !!

Fast forward approximately 9 months to the wedding day and it really lived up to all the expectations and more! Katie was so welcoming and friendly when I arrived for bridal prep which made me feel right at home. Her wedding dress was awesome..so rock and roll and perfect for the look and era she loves! After shooting the church service we arrived at Kenilworth Castle. It really is a majestic castle and well worth a visit. A lot of the grounds are ruins where you can visualise what it must have been like in its heyday. You can also venture inside the narrow staircases to the top for epic views. Luckily Katie and Anthony were completely in agreement about making the most of the venue and were eager to explore!

Thanks again to you both for inviting me to be a part of your epic day!

Kate and Tom - Natural and Fun Documentary London Wedding

I shoot a lot of weddings every year in all sorts of locations and always love travelling into London for a wedding in the capital. A certain type of adrenaline kicks in as i’m presented with awesome architecture, and famous landmarks. Last year I was honoured to shoot the amazing wedding between the lovely and super friendly Kate and Tom. They couldn’t have been more helpful and accommodating which always gets the best out of me :-)

I started the day shooting Kate getting ready at a hotel in central London whilst my awesome second photographer Lola met up with Tom and the boys at a local pub. After a short black cab ride Kate and her mum arrived at RSA house where the ceremony and evening reception was held. It’s a great venue with very atmospheric rooms down to the amazing vaults underneath perfect for a wild night of dancing and partying! After the ‘ I Dos ‘ we managed to find a break in the weather to dash out for the throwing of the confetti on the steps of the RSA before heading down to the river for some cool couple shots! What an amazing day with even better people!!