2011 was a year full of beautiful, emotional, happy weddings, so here is a slideshow of just some of the pictures. They are in no particular order or preference and will load randomly, but please do enjoy the fun this Hertfordshire wedding photographer had in 2011.
I am looking forward to 2012, meeting and photographing even more couples as they celebrate their marriage with friends and family. Have a great year everyone!
Last year I came across Kim through twitter when she asked me if I could write an article about photography for her website blog, which I was very pleased to do. Since then we have met and I hope one day to meet the ‘lil guys’ that daily provide her with the inspiration and motivation to keep providing her clients with some of the best quality and design in stationery for weddings and celebrations. So, I decided it was time I returned the favour and invited her to offer my readers some words of wisdom on those all important invites, orders of service, menus, table plans and thankyou cards. So over to Kim
Last year Yvonne gave some brilliant advice on my blog for anyone who hates having their photo taken and has asked me to give some stationery advice in return, so here goes…..
First of all if you’re thinking of making your own invitations you need to be honest with yourself about your abilities, the time you have available etc. I am something of a perfectionist and to get all the invitations to the same standard can be time consuming and frustrating. Shop around for the best quality materials you can afford – your invitations are very often the first indication your guests will get of the style and tone of your big day.
If you decide to hire a stationer to take the stress out of your stationery items I would advise chatting to them to make sure you can work with them. The stationery following on from the invitations is quite a big part of your day, from the Orders of Service/Day to the Table Plan, and working with someone who ‘gets’ you will be so much easier on your nerves! It also means that you’ll get the same quality right the way through your theme or colour scheme.
Fiona was a very organised bride and we started working on her stationery designs last January for her wedding on 23rd December. She’d seen one of my designs on my website in pink but wanted it re-worked in red and gold which I was more than happy to do. Giving your stationer plenty of time really is helpful, it means that your various items can be scheduled in and there’s less stress if certain items are temporarily out of stock.
Check your proofs very carefully before signing them off! Mistakes noticed after your invitations have been made up will not only cost alot to have corrected but may also affect your timescales as your stationer will probably have to fit the additional work in around other work already booked in.
You can find me on Twitter, join me on Facebook where you’ll get updates on my sometimes naughty LilGuys as well as stationery items, as well as contacting me via email if you would like to discuss your stationery needs or would like the full list of my Stationery Mistakes to Avoid.
I have been an avid user of Twitter for a couple of years now and have built up a great range of contacts, across the country, of wedding suppliers, bloggers and vendors. However, when I came across this weeks guest blogger, I was bowled over by her ideas and what she does. I am forever going on about how important it is to have your wedding day photographed and/or videoed, the day will pass in a haze and once it’s done, your memory will play games and be unable to find all the details of the day. What today’s guest does takes that principal and adds a whole new twist. I won’t say anymore, I shall leave Emma to explain it to you herself, just be prepared to consider an amazing option to add to your wedding ‘must have’ list.
The Wedding Reporter
You’ve probably never heard of a wedding reporter before. That’s ok, it’s something that I made up earlier this year in order to offer betrothed couples the opportunity to have a literary legacy of their wedding; a very literal story of their day.
Why would you want this service? Well, aside from the fact that it’s completely unique and entirely tailored around you, it adds an extra layer of texture to your memories. You’ve been planning this wedding for so long that you think you’ll remember everything about it, but I can assure you that in the hurricane of chaos that is emotion, adrenaline and maybe even a drop or two of booze, the whole thing will whiz past you before you have time to savour it.
That’s where I come in. I am essentially a professional wedding guest, mingling with your friends and family and jotting down everything that I see, hear and feel in my trusty notebook. I’ll undoubtedly burst into tears at the entrance of the bride and possibly during the speeches, too. All of this helps add context to your wedding report, I promise.
Afterwards, whilst you’re off sunning yourself on honeymoon, I shall be writing maniacally to encapsulate the entire ambience and tiny details of your beautiful wedding into an entirely bespoke creative non-fiction account. This will ultimately become your property that you can choose to have published into a hardback booklet that my affiliated designer will create for you.
With a background in creative writing and training with the NCTJ, I have been fully coached in literary lessons from a very young age. I have always revelled in the way that the written word can invoke a memory or provoke imagination. I like taking time to think about the syntax of words and the structure of my sentences. This thoroughness is the very least that I can do when endeavouring to narrate what many people will consider to be the best day of their lives.
I recently got married myself, so I know exactly how manic a wedding day is and how much you want to cling to that little bubble of nuptial bliss. By combining my love of words with my passion for weddings I hope to provide you with a distinctive aide memoir to accompany your wedding photos or video, which you’ll want to pass on to future generations when you’ve finished reliving your big day.
More information about The Wedding Reporter can be found on her WEBSITE
You can also follow Emma on Twitter
I often find myself advising clients on all sorts of wedding issues, one of the main ones is sourcing suppliers. Today’s guest blog is from a very special lady who does a very important job – Wedding Planning. “Oh no” I hear you say, “they are for the rich and famous” – but that’s exactly why I have asked Alison Tinlin from Glasgow based Plans and Presents to write a few words of advice about planning your own wedding and how you can utilise a wedding planner without it having an ‘A-List Celebrity’ price tag. This is essential reading, I promise, so I will hand you over to Alison.
Today I am going to share some tips for your Wedding planning experience, and also explain how a Wedding Planner can help.
1 – Right at the start of your planning, it is important to sit down as a couple to work out the priorities you both have in respect of your Big Day.
You need to decide what elements you really can’t do without, and what you are willing to compromise on. It is highly unlikely that you will agree on everything, but it is important that both of you as a couple work together as this will be the most important day of your lives so far
2 – Set your budget and set a date.
With respect to your budget consider any savings you have and how much comfortably you will both be able to put towards the marriage pot per month.
Also consider any outside help ie. family input.
Remember that this is your day though, and family money does not automatically mean they get to make all the decisions.
With respect to loans and credit cards, this is best avoided if possible as better not to go into marriage in debt, you don’t want to be paying it off 5 years down the line.
With respect to a date, this may be a day that is particularly special to you like an anniversary or to commemorate a loved one.
Be aware however that a winter/off season wedding, a Sunday wedding or a Midweek wedding will usually bring you substantial financial savings in comparison to a high Summer Saturday wedding.
3 – It is important that you have people helping you that your trust implicitly, and who you know won’t let you down, whether it is family or friends [consider this when choosing your Bridesmaids and Best Man]. Remember too that it is lovely to involve family or friends in your day if they have a special talent as this can make your day more personal and save you money.
4 – Choosing your Wedding Suppliers can be difficult.
Personal recommendation is great, but what works for one couple might not necessarily work for you.
Take time, research at least three or four companies in each specific category of need.
If they are able to send samples of their work then that is great, this works particularly well for stationery, video companies etc.
It is always important to sit down and have a good chat with suppliers you are interested in.
If someone is being involved in the most special day of your life, it’s really important that you are on the same wavelength, and you feel that connection with them.
5 – Remember always, throughout the planning stages that all Brides and Grooms get frustrated.
Your planning will have its ups and downs and because it is such an important event, every issue can seem like a giant obstacle to overcome.
Remember when everything seems like it is spiralling out of control, that not getting the exact colour of napkins you want is not a National disaster, and what is really important is love, health and happiness.
In view of this, it’s important to take a step back to recharge your batteries.
As a couple it’s important to have regular date nights so that you remember the real reason you are getting married in the first place.
And it is also important as the Bride or Groom to take care of yourself. So try to take time out one night a week to pamper yourself or have a good night out with your friends where wedding chat is banned.
How a Wedding Planner can help
Statisitics show that it can take up to 250 hours to plan a Wedding.
These days people can have the commitments of work, raising children and running a home, and have little time to plan.
To a point, though not quite as time consuming, this applies to Events too.
A planner such as myself can help, and below I explain what I can do for you.
Time
My job is to act as your own personal Event P.A. I will do all the legwork, such as doing the research, making the calls, negotiating, and taking care of all the little details. With so much choice and possibilities you may become overwhelmed ie. What photographer ? Is this venue right for us ?
My job is to bring everything back to complete clarity.
With my contacts within the Events Industry, I have access to a multitude of fabulous suppliers, therefore making me well placed to assist you with choosing suppliers that are right for your needs.
Support
Sometimes organising a Wedding or Event can seem like an enormous and impossible task. My job is to be right there to lend support, whenever and in whatever way you need it. This can mean emotional support, as well as practical help. I pride myself on being a people person with a really good ear.
Affordability
Weddings and Events can be expensive, there’s no doubt about it. A planner such as myself can actually save you money through discounts obtained from contacts in the industry. I specialise in working within your set budget, and strive to work my fee into this through savings made.
Attention to detail
Everyone likes to be unique, and bring something personal about themselves to their event. I will help you bring about those little touches so that your Event will stand out and be truly memorable.
What a Planner can do?
A lot of the time people see a Wedding Planner as the domain of the rich and famous and this is mainly down to media perception. Yes, a lot of celebrities use planners but a planner can be for any person with any budget.
Our job is to work with clients to get exactly what they want at a price they can afford, and with contacts in the Wedding Industry obtain discounts so that any costs occurred by hiring a Planner are offset. Services can be from as little as Venue and supplier sourcing through to full planning , or the very popular option of On The Day Co-ordination.
To Contact Plans and Presents
Website: http://www.plansandpresents.co.uk
Email: alisontinlin@plansandpresents.vpweb.co.uk
Blog:http://www.plansandpresents.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/plansandpresents
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MrsPandP
Elly and Toby got married in Wandsworth yesterday in a very nice pub & hotel called the Alma. A traditional old London pub, their extended area includes a hotel and restaurant, but more importantly, upstairs in one of the original rooms, they are licenced to hold wedding ceremonies. Toby contacted me through a mutual friend and whilst I only did a short day coverage, we still had great fun and managed to capture some lovely memories for them. Elly looked stunning in a straight white dress, whilst Toby and his friends opted for dinner jackets and very dapper they all looked too!
So without further ado, some preview shots, starting with the guys. With only 20mins to go, they make the most of the Alma’s bar area. outside…
..and inside
So I took the opportunity to borrow the rings
Toby & best man James showed no nerves while they awaited the arrival of Elly
When she did arrive, there was gasp of admiration from the room
This is a couple that very much share a sense of humour and laugh a lot, perfect!
Officially Mr and Mrs…
All the men raise a glass to the happy couple…..
…and then raise the bride……
…and then the groom
We did get a chance for a few nice portraits to finish off with.
Each piece of jewellery has a sentimental attachment for Elly & Toby
Well if you are going to get married in a pub, a quick trip behind the bar is almost mandatory
Congratulations both of you and we wish you all the very best for the future!
Yesterday I was right in the middle of tourist London photographing the marriage of a lovely couple, Eleanor and James at the very grand Corinthia Hotel. The hotel itself is an amazing & new venue, and as the weather was with us, we were able to take full advantage of the adjacent Victoria Embankment with it’s views across the River Thames to the London Eye and the Golden Jubilee footbridge.
These two are a fun, relaxed couple and the photography was very much about capturing that. It is impossible to avoid the people and street furniture in this area of the city so instead they were used as a great contrast to our couple – Eleanor had great fun wandering amongst the tourist crowds in her dress and soaking up the good wishes from total strangers! Eleanor and James are off on honeymoon today and I hope they have a fabulous time and wish them all the very best for the future. Enjoy this little taster of your day and see you when get back.
It has been a busy few weeks here at Photography Towers, a lot of wedding photography enquiries to deal with, summer wedding album designs underway, planning for a couple of wedding fayres [more about those in another post] and, very unusually for me, 2 baby photography shoots. Here is the story of one of them.
This one is a bit special, because this one is one of mine, sort of – my grandson Luca. I travelled back to my old hometown of Stockport, just south of Manchester to do this shoot for them as they still live there, but it was very much worth it. Daughter Bobbie has always been a very independently minded soul, doing her own thing, but the love she and Daniel obvious feel for little Luca is obvious and I have tried to capture that in the photographs.
It feels like a very long time since I first spoke to Amy and Sam early last year about being their wedding photographer and even when we did their pre-wedding shoot in Whitstable back in May, it still seemed like something of a wait. So when yesterday finally arrived, I was prepared for it being worth the wait. I certainly wasn’t disappointed.
Amy’s Mum had decorated the gardens at home with love hearts and flowers in the theme colours, ‘cadbury’ purple, white & silver. Amy’s dress was beautiful with a very 50′s feel to it, which her hairdresser Steve carried through into her hair style and when she met Sam at the altar, he looked very handsome in gray with matching purple accent colours. He was already on a high after his wedding day surprise had arrived earlier – a car he loves and was not expecting, to carry him to church, a Dodge Charger in full Dukes of Hazard General Lee bodywork. Boys Toys!
They got married in Maidstone at St Michaels Church by Father Paul [who has been in his position for so long, he taught the bride, her sister and my assistant photographer religious education when they were school children] and the ceremony was followed by a reception at Oakwood House – another childhood memory as it used to be their school.
Anyway, here are some preview images of the day – Congratulations Amy and Sam, have a fabulous honeymoon and a wonderful life together!
Last year I met a wonderful lady through business networking and more recently we met up for coffee and we chatted about networking and having to talk in public. This naturally led on to chatting about grooms, best men and fathers of the bride having to give speeches. Marilyn very kindly offered to write a guest blog post for me with some basis hints and tips for public speech writing and giving. So without further ado, here are the Marilyn Messik hints and tips for all you grooms, best men, business networkers and anyone that has to grit their teeth, stand up and talk.
GIVE A SPEECH? I’D RATHER HAVE A ROOT CANAL!
Statistically,publicspeaking ranks higher in stress terms than almost any other activity. Now quite what the parameters were, for research that produced this startling fact, I’m not sure. I find it hard to believe that addressing an audience could cause more angst than say, a visit to a man in a mask who runs out of the room whilst zapping you with x-rays before coming back and doing unmentionable things with a needle and drill.
However, there seems to be little doubt that whilst there are those who like nothing better than a captive audience, the reactions of many of the rest of us range from it being a minor chore to a knee-knocking, sweaty palmed endurance test. Let’s just look at a few things that might come to your aid when writing and giving a speech.
Of course before you stand up and give it, you have to write the wretched thing and if at this very moment you’re sitting in front of a blank screen, fingers poised you’ll be aware that this is often easier in theory than it proves in practice.
And obviously there are always horses for courses. What goes down a treat from the Best Man at a wedding won’t be quite as appropriate as a Keynote Speech at a business conference. Interestingly enough though there are some general rules which apply equally as well to one as to the other:
Thankyou Marilyn, I think we can all learn something from that, whether an absolute newbie to public speaking or a seasoned professional.
If you would like to contact her for advice or to use her excellent copyrighting skills, here are her details.
+ 44 (0)208-421-3328 0788-799-5749 | talk@createcommunication.co.uk | www.createcommunication.co.uk
On Saturday, in the 2nd of a wedding photography double header, I was in Cambridge helping photograph the wedding of Clare and Matthew. So I spent the morning with Matt and his groomsmen then we headed over to the beautiful Hinchinbrooke House for the ceremony and reception. Clare looked gorgeous and the couple were determined that their guests were there to help them celebrate, have fun and enjoy the day. Having used a wide angle lens the evening before for the fireworks, I decided to have another play with it today for some bride and groom portraits. The skies were as pretty as the venue and both only enhanced by adding Clare and Matt into the scenes. Congratulations you two!!
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