So this was the year things really started to take off, plenty of portrait shoots, some good corporate and product stuff, but most exciting of all, the wedding photography started. I have worked with some amazing photographers, met some fabulous couples and listened to some very entertaining and emotional speeches. As I look back over 2010 and choose the images with which to live it again, I can’t help but smile, it’s been a brilliant year. In that time I had a bit of a face-lift, though only to my logo and website, not my face, which could probably do with one.

I have travelled to most corners of Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Essex, counties that I love and had the pleasure of working in some gorgeous wedding venues along the way. Hampshire and London have also featured a few times in my year and looking forward to covering all those areas and beyond again in 2011.

The following pictures won’t necessarily be the best of the day or the most technically brilliant, but they will be the ones that hold something special about the people involved. At the end of the day, photography of people should be about the emotions, the personalities and characters.

1 – from the wedding of Emma & Isaac, the boys and the picture taken just after the serious one, when they all laughed apart from the serious little chap on the end.

2 – Anne and Andrew were married at Tylney Hall in Hampshire which gave plenty of opportunity for romantic garden images, but the one I always look back on is this one, an intimate moment of shared peace after the guests had gone in to dining room.

3 – Clare and Mark had their reception at Orton Hall in Cambridgeshire and finally, a chance to do a veil shot.

4 – Claire and Oliver owned a farm and hosted their reception in a marquee outside. However, they wanted to entertain their guests and so ‘steam’ became the theme, with traction engines, gypsy caravans, fairground swings and of course, a merry-go-round. This is still one of my favourite detail shots of the year, the brides & bridesmaids bouquet with the merry-go-round beyond.

5 – Gemma & Mark were a wonderfully fun couple. Their pet dogs, 9 of them I think, attended the ceremony and the day ended with a dance off. However, it started with me meeting the boys at the inn they had stayed at and a group shot that pretty much sums up the light heartedness of the day.

6 – Becky and David were married in a garden ceremony at Creaksea Place in Essex. This picture of them both remains one of my favourites of the year, they just look so relaxed and happy in each others company.

7 – When Marit and Phillip got married, Phillip was not too keen on having his picture taken [I know exactly how he feels], so he took a little bit of persuasion, but once he was smiling, he has a face that lights up and a cheely twinkle in his eye that is irresistable.

8 – The pressure was on when I arrived at Matt’s house before his wedding to Emma – a keen photographer himself, had to be good. I love this picture of him with his daughter, they look so happy.

9 – Tannis & Matt chose the beautiful GreyFriars House in Surrey for their ceremony and reception – the rooms had been restored to a very high standard and were a dream from a photography viewpoint. A moment that often has the guests welling up, the exchange of rings, a very precious moment n my opinion.

10 – I couldn’t ignore this could I? Sian and Will were married at Dodmore House in Northamptonshire, and Will and his mates are avid cricket fans, so much so, the boys formed a guard of honour for the couple as they left the ceremony. Even Sian joined in the impromptu game of cricket on the lawn later.

11 – I am going to round this up with a couple from recent winter weddings. First, when Louise married Mathew in mid December, Christmas was very much on the mind, as was keeping warm as temperatures across the country plummetted. Louise made sure her bridesmaids were as warm as possible.

12 – and finally, the last wedding of 2010 was that of Laura and Phil and whilst it had been cold the week before, nothing prepared us for the downfall of snow during the ceremony in Redbourn. On the upside, it made for one of my favourite bridal portraits of the year. Narnia-esque, Laura loved getting out in the snow and showing off that beautiful champagne coloured dress in the grounds of St Michaels Manor in St Albans

It has been a wonderful year for wedding photography, I cannot wait to get started again in 2011. May I wish you all a very happy and successful New Year.