In April I had my first Crewe Hall wedding photography. This splendid Gothic country house hotel was the setting for Diane & James’ reception and it is one I am really looking forward to re-visiting. it is tailor-made for photographers.
There are just so many fabulous backdrops to use that you run out of time before you get a chance to use a fraction of them. Wanted – a Bride & Groom with an hour to spend on their wedding pictures alone!
Because the interiors are so wonderful the weather is not so important and to fully do them justice I really could have done with a full day booking. Nevertheless I was very happy with Diane & James’ pictures and look forward to designing their album which I know will look fabulous.
Diane looked stunning and the style her wedding dress was a perfect march for the architecture. Good co-ordination was evident everywhere. The roses in her bouquet matched the bridesmaids’ rich blue dresses and the bridesmaids’ sashes matched the Groom’s tie. These little details make all the difference and are always very apparent in the album, lending the group shots in particular an air of stylish cohesion. Top marks Diane and her team!
The weather was of real consequence for Rachael & Andy’s wedding Liverpool wedding photography and it rained non-stop all day. Bride’s always worry about this possibility but no worries, just look at their album! Emotions are the most important ingredient in wedding photography. A good photographer will always be able to turn a disadvantage into an advantage, and bad weather won’t spoil your wedding pictures.
At our pre-wed meet I had planned soaring wide angle shots outside the St. 
Nicholas Church and dramatic pictures on the Albert Docks but all these had to be shelved. Instead I came up trumps with the stylish interiors of The Hard Days Night Hotel where they held their reception.
This Beatles-themed boutique hotel is situated in the heart of Liverpool city centre and the accommodating staff were happy for me to commandeer the Alice in Wonderland over-sized couch and chair in the foyer to do the smaller group shots.
The lighting and colour schemes throughout the hotel are moody and theatrical, excellent for adding some drama to pictures, and the Bridal Suite also gave us some different photo opportunities. Of course it helps when you are photographing such an attractive couple. Rachael looked drop-dead gorgeous and Andy’s no slouch in the looks department either!
In June I was a Tissington Hall wedding photographer. Nicole & Alexander are both busy professionals working and living in Paris. They needed a photographer they could trust from a distance to deliver outstanding pictures and I was their man.
This is such a stylish venue, and so well run as well (very attentive staff I noticed). When I came for the pre-wed meet earlier in the season the tulips were out and the grounds were overrun with gardeners. It is hard to fault, and both the interiors and the formal gardens are beautifully maintained.
Nicole & Alexander were married at All Saints Church in Bakewell and were chauffeured in a silver (for a change) 1929 Rolls-Royce coupe which looked perfect in front of Tissington Hall. The elegance of the venue was matched by the elegance of the guests who literally came from all corners of Europe as well as America and Russia to celebrate this charming couple’s happy union.
My brief was for a very natural and reportage approach with the minimum of interruption to spoil the flow of the day and this is reflected in the photography which has but one group shot. Of course there are formal shots of the Bride & Groom but we made these as natural-looking as possible. Their evident happiness was a joy to behold and you would never know that their pictures were in any way set up. This is another album I am really looking forward to designing.
Jacqui & Anthony’s Derbyshire wedding was held at St James Church in Taxal and the reception at The Palace Hotel in Buxton. St James is tucked away deep in the countryside (a great starting point for walks) and always feels special. From there the drive (a superb 1927 Studebaker Dictator sedan from Avril’s Cars) over the tops to Buxton is spectacular and gives the Bride & Groom a few minutes alone to savour the moment in true “Bonnie & Clyde” style.
The Palace has recently undergone a major 
refurbishment and was looking spic and span for the reception. I really like shooting here, not only because of The Palace Hotel itself, but also because of the variety of backdrops available, especially with the Pavillion Gardens just a stone’s throw away.
Jacqui wore a fabulous fitted dress with a long train in a pale cafe au lait colour which flared out from the waist downwards, and with her dark hair and long veil she looked enticingly Spanish. Her Bridesmaids’ dresses were in a darker coffee colour and the Gentlemen wore dark brown.
Lisa and Chris
