Finding Mr Right...

"Marriage isn't a passion-fest: its a partnership running a boring business" - Lori Gottleib, author. There was an interesting article in the Observer yesterday (24.01), that went under the headline of 'Find Mr Right before age 30 or settle for second best'. Now, setting aside the fact that I was well passed 30 when I got married so 'Mr Second Best' here is feeling slightly hurt, the article touches on some interesting points about modern expectations from marriage. Well worth looking up the article...

Wet Weather Weddings in Bristol!

Lots of couples ask 'what happens if it rains on our wedding day?' Well, bad weather does sort the 'men from the boys', or (recognising there are some female photographers too) it does separate 'those with experience from those who don't' (less catchy but more inclusive!). But beyond that, the light will be lovely & soft, which always makes for great pictures and we've taken some lovely bride / groom & brolly shots - it makes for a very different collection of images and often even more creative that usual as different visual solutions are employed. So we always reassure our couples that whatever the weather, we can deliver a great set of pictures - just celebrate the day for what it is.

But all of this is leading up to a very useful bit of information that I was given whilst on a shoot recently. Apparently, THE website for accurate weather forecasting is www.yr.no Its Norwegian (you probably guessed that from the 'NO' bit), but there is an English language service and it covers the uk and is spot one... So, when I'm shooting my wedding this saturday, I'm expecting a clear day, clouding over with rain from 6pm (when the guests are eating their meal). I'll let you know if the forecast is accurate!

Wedding Fever!

This week I have been mostly... talking to couples about weddings. And a question that keeps cropping up is "how far in advance should we book our photographer?" Its a tricky question because the business side of my brain is shouting "Me, Me" and "Now, Now"!!

But the reality is slightly more complicated. We always say to couples that, despite what the lists in wedding magazines might say, there are just three key criteria to consider when booking: style, personality and budget - in that order. Most photographers will have their own way of approaching a wedding shoot and its really difficult to step out of that and shoot in a different style, so you must love the pictures being shown to you. You've really got to like the photographer and be willing to trust them - they are sharing a big part of your day and if your personalities clash after five minutes it certainly won't get better after an eight hour shoot - especially with all the emotion and excitement of a wedding day! The day is too special to compromise with an obnoxious photographer, however low their price, so don't compromise in this key area. And finally, there is a budget. What can I say? You get what you pay for, I guess, so buy the best you can afford...

So when should you book? Well, if you've found someone who ticks those three boxes, book them asap - a year to go or a week to go, just book because it would be a real shame to find a perfect match and then miss out. But don't compromise - if you haven't found someone who really inspires you with their creativity don't panic, keep looking and definitely come and talk to us.

Christmas - Again!

Photographs make for great Christmas presents, but you need to order those reprints, frames and albums sooner rather than later in order for Father Christmas to sort out delivery...

Whilst we can usually turn orders around very quickly, we only use hand-made frames and the framers do tend to get especially busy as the 25th gets closer. Similarly, the album company we commission to create our beautiful hand-made albums is extremely busy, so please let us know if you are planning an album or frame as a gift so that we can place the order. Reprints in folders can be ordered up until the 12 December.

If you order after this, obviously we'll do our best to get it ready in time, but we won't be able to promise...

Bailbrook House

Incredibly busy few days so completely behind with the blog... had a fantastic day-long shoot at Bailbrook House in Bath on Friday. Aim was to update some of the website & brochure images, so we had chefs presenting amazing 'Master Chef' style plates of food; we captured some interiors of the recently-refurbished rooms and captured some lovely architectural details along the way too! Bailbrook is a lovely venue, with a very friendly team & well worth a look if you have a wedding or celebration to plan.

Bibury Court Wedding Fair - The Sequel!

Today's wedding fair at the Bibury Court Hotel was such an enjoyable experience. The team at Bibury Court organised a great event - it does take a huge amount of effort to make these occasions work and yesterday the attention to detail just showed every where; from the champagne fountain to welcome visitors and some delicious canapes to the mix of service providers invited to take part to - it was all just perfect. We met some lovely couples too and having the space and time to have proper conversations made such a difference. So a great day and for couples still planning their big day, I have to say 'watch this space' and we'll bring you the date of the next one just a soon as it is confirmed. So thank you to Rupert, Kirsty and all the team for a great event and thank you to everyone who stopped to say hello - we'll be in contact soon!

Pickwell Manor -Stunning!

I recently discovered a fantastic new wedding venue called Pickwell Manor in Devon. It boasts a lovely countryside setting, but more importantly, its just ten minutes from some great beaches - if the surfs up, what a great way to start your special day! If you are into surfing it has to be THE place to get married... I photographed Angus & Charlotte's big day there and it was perfeect. The house is beautiful and the team are incredibly friendly - a great destination - if you are planning to be married there, you MUST book me for the photos!!! Check out my site at for more wedding info.