Despite another summer of rain, it was great timing that a bit of summer weather finally arrived this weekend for a one off sunny bank holiday weekend!

On Saturday I headed up to Gloucestershire for Helen and Luke’s wedding in Hardwicke. Helen and her bridesmaids were busy having the finishing touches done to their hair and make up when I arrived to take a few shots of them getting ready. With only half an hour to go before they had to leave, they were all surprisingly calm – which is fairly unusual!

After the church service, guests wandered up the road to Luke’s parents’ house for the reception. When I first saw it a few weeks ago, I thought what a perfect wedding venue it was and Helen and Luke had put an enormous amount of effort into making the marquee and grounds look fantastic.

Helen and Luke and their guests enjoyed pimms and canapes in the lovely grounds and then we headed over to a nearby cornfield to take a few shots of them together.

Here are a few shots from their day:

On Saturday I headed up to the Cotswolds for Laura and Nick’s wedding in Luckington. It was hard to believe it was August, with strong rain and wind, but luckily the rain stopped just long enough for some shots outside the lovely rectory where Laura and her bridesmaids were getting ready.

After the ceremony the heavens decided to open again, so we headed off to the reception at Chavenage House so guests could get inside and have a glass of bubbly by the fire. Luckily, it did stop raining long enough to take some lovely shots of Laura and Nick in the grounds.

Here are a few shots from their day:

I was reading an article in the paper on Friday about the significance of the date 08.08.08, which is apparently a very lucky date in many cultures, particularly for the Chinese, who chose it for the date of the opening ceremony of the Olympics. Apart from anything else, Catherine and Brian definately got lucky with the weather on Friday for their wedding at Thornbury Castle and the forecast showery rain didn’t materialise all day!

They had a small, intimate ceremony for close family and friends, in the candlelit lounge, before heading out on to the lawn for pimms and olives. Looking relaxed and happy, they enjoyed drinks with their guests before we took some shots using Thornbury’s lovely grounds.

Here are a few images from their day:

Jamie and I have just got back from a fantastic long weekend near Murcia in Spain. Our friends Maria and Ollie got married on Saturday in traditional Spanish style – with celebrations (involving an unbelievable quantity of food and wine!) that lasted at least 48 hours! I will post some pictures up if I get chance so watch this space.

In the meantime, last weekend, I photographed Jo and Len’s wedding at the Park in Wick. On Sunday morning I headed over to Jo and Len’s house, in nearby Stockwood, to get some shots with Jo and her eight (yes eight!) bridesmaids getting ready. As you can imagine, the house was busy with hairdressing and make up in full swing when I arrived and after some shots inside, we had some time to take a few in the garden.

Then it was on to The Park in Wick, to catch up with Len and the guys before Len’s meeting with the registrar. Jo, her family and bridesmaids made quite an entrance in two stretch limos and I think we just managed to avoid Len seeing Jo before the ceremony!

After the ceremony (when there were only a few dry eyes!) Jo, Len and their guests headed outside to enjoy the sunshine and have some photographs in the grounds.

Here are a few shots from the day:

ps Jo and Len – thank you so much for sending me some cake in the post – it went down a treat!

Amy and Nick were so lucky on Saturday and probably had the sunniest and warmest Saturday of the year so far!

They chose the lovely countryside setting of Wapley church for their ceremony and went on to Egypt Mill in Nailsworth for their reception.

After some shots at home with Amy and her bridesmaids, I went on to the church, by which time it was really hot! – so I took some shots with Nick his two best men and usher using a shady part of the churchyard before they retreated indoors to the cool!

Amy arrived looking relaxed and happy and they both seemed to really enjoy the ceremony.

Glasses of chilled pimms were ready for their arrival at Egypt Mill and we took some shots in the Mill grounds, before they greeted their guests.

Here are some of my favourite shots:

Last Saturday I headed up to the Cotswolds for Kathryn and Adam’s wedding at the Great Tythe Barn in Tetbury.

I arrived to find an extremely well organised set up (including walkie talkies!) and everyone’s preparations well under way.
Kathryn and her family were getting ready in one cottage, while Adam and the boys had taken over a different cottage and I spent some time going between the two to capture all the preparations.

The ceremony in the barn had a really personal feel with lots of singing (and a few dance moves from Adam!) and the class Adam teaches at school performing a surprise song as they walked back down the aisle.

Guests enjoyed drinks on the lawn while listening to the strong quartet and – for some – a game of giant connect 4!

Here are a few shots from the day:

Sally and Richard had a fairytale summer wedding at Orchardleigh House last Friday.

After a very wet start to the day, the skies soon cleared and brought some welcome sunshine and warmth. Sally and her bridesmaids Briony and Elisssa had their hair and make up done while enjoying a glass of champange and admiring the beautiful bracelet Richard has given Sally as a present.

The church at Orchardeigh couldn’t be in a more romantic setting, in a secluded woodland at the edge of the estate, next to the river and approached over a little bridge, which Sally had decided to decorate with ribbons.

After a really intimate candle lit ceremony in the tiny church, we headed back to the main house for some photographs on the terrace and for guests to enjoy a drink and admire the view.

Here are a few of my favourite shots:

I am a bit behind with my blog (again!!!) after a very busy couple of weeks, so I’ll do my best to catch up.

On Saturday 5th July, I headed off down to the south coast for Annabelle and Harry’s wedding in Winterbourne Zelzton church and on to the Harbour Heights Hotel in Sandbanks.

Annabelle was getting ready with her niece, Charlotte, as I arrived in time for a coffee, before taking some shots of Annabelle and Charlotte in the conservatory. Then it was off to the church to catch up with a very relaxed Harry, his best man and ushers. Despite very black clouds, the rain held off during the service and afterwards, so we spent some time in the lovely grounds of the church, which was by a little brook, lined with weeping willows – very romantic!

Annabelle’s father’s other pride and joy (other than Annabelle!)- Betsy the red Morgan, was parked up for some photographs and then we headed off to the beach for a few shots of Annabelle and Harry. By this time the wind had really picked up and it was more like winter than summer, so a big thank you to Annabelle and Harry for braving the wind for a few minutes! By the time we arrived at the Harbour Heights, the heavens opened, but it wasn’t a problem as everyone was glad to sit with a drink and enjoy the lovely bar area with its views across the bay.

Annabelle and Harry had asked me to stay through the meal to photograph the speeches, so I tucked in to a delicious wedding breakfast with gusto! The speeches were very entertaining and, in the case of the best man, there had clearly been a lot of work to produce an alphabetical slideshow charting some more interesting sides to the groom. Harry – your secrets are safe with me!

Annabelle and Harry are away on a fantastically exotic holliday taking in several islands in the Indian Ocean – I hope you have a wonderful time guys and I’ll look forward to seeing you when you get back.

Here are a few of my favourite shots:

Last weekend was a fairly busy weekend for me, with two weddings to photograph. On Friday, I drove up the Cotswolds, for Natalie and Stephen’s wedding at Kingscote Barn.

Natalie and her bridesmaids Mel and Annabelle were busy getting ready, but still managed to have time to sit down for some lunch and a glass of two of bubbly. Natalie’s sister, Annabelle, did her make up for her and put some fresh sweet peas in her hair, which went with the overal flower theme for the day.

Stephen didn’t look at all nervous and he and Natalie seemed to really enjoy the ceremony, before heading out on to the terrace to greet their guests and enjoy some champagne.

Here are some of my favourite shots:

On Saturday I headed down to the idyllic village of Stoke Trister, in the heart of the countryside, for Jo and Wes’ wedding.

Jo was getting ready with her bridesmaids Amy and Vanessa and her Mum and enjoying a glass of champagne, while she had her hair and make up done. The house was a hive of activity, with the finishing touches being done to the marquee and a very efficient parking scheme in operation!

Meeting up with Wes at the church, he told me they had had a bit of a panic getting locked out of the house, but everything had been sorted out (I had a feeling it might have been mentioned later on in the speeches though!).

After a lovely service, Jo, Wes and their guests headed back to enjoy the reception in the grounds of Jo’s dad’s house, which was a perfect setting.

Here are a few shots from their day: