In a few weeks time Julia and Deiniol are to be married at Fanhams Hall in Ware and as part of their wedding photography package we met today to run through the final details and do a few photographs. Rather than use Fanhams Hall we had a stroll through Hatfield Forest near Takeley in Essex and we were very lucky to avoid the fog and gloominess that had been prevalent all week. Quite a few laughs were had and I’m really looking forward to the wedding in December, fingers crossed for another day of lovely weather.

Earlier this year I was booked by Catherine for her wedding in January at the magnificent Down Hall Country House Hotel in Hatfield Heath, Hertfordshire and she and Saul wanted to do the pre-wedding shoot whilst there was still a chance of good weather. The other reason for the early shoot was thay they both work as performers on cruise ships and as such are not very often in the country. Luckily we had the weather when we met and had a wander round the grounds, they were so easy to work with and I am really looking forward to the wedding in a couple of months time.

A few days ago I blogged about Laura and Paul’s wedding album following on from when I their wedding photographer at Parklands Quendon Hall in Essex. Today I had a lovely letter from them, I do enjoy receiving these as it is not only a validation of the work I put in as a wedding photographer but also of my ethos of being very customer focussed. Here is what they said:

“….. from the first time we met you, to the day you gave us our completed album, we simply cannot fault anything you have done for us!

We knew straight after meeting you for the first time that we wanted you to be a part of our day, and we have definitely not been disappointed. All of our guests have commented on how professional you were and what amazing shots you produced for us. The album is stunning and there is not one thing that we would change.

You have such a great manner that really put us both at ease on the day, it was like having another friend at the wedding and that made having the shots taken so enjoyable. We felt so comfortable with you and that was such an important thing for us. We just wish we could do it all over again!

We can’t thank you enough for the wonderful memories you have given us, we’d have absolutely no hesitation in recommending you…in fact we would be slightly jealous of anyone who is lucky enough to be photographed by you.

Laura & Paul”

Thank you very much and I’ll see you soon!

Last August saw me at Kevin and Angie’s wedding at Crabbs Barn near Kelvedon in Essex and a few months later I had the pleasure of designing their album. I started with a very clean design but soon realised that a more boutique style would suit their wedding and the final version looked like this:

Following on from my post earlier this week where I shared the letter of thanks from Paula and Andy I thought I would share the album design from their wedding photography at Woolston Manor, Chigwell. This was a HUGE project as Paula and Andy could not whittle down the amount of images they wanted in there and in the end the album had almost 60 pages!

Thanks again guys for a great day.

Back in April I was honoured to be Laura and Paul’s wedding photographer at Parklands Quendon Hall near Quendon on the Essex and Hertfordshire border. Fast forward a few months and their album design was completed and on this occasion I went for a clean and elegant design as I felt it complemented their wedding perfectly, luckily Laura and Paul agreed with me and this evening I visited them at home to deliver their album.

Both Laura and Paul were delighted with the album and I hadn’t even got home when my phone pinged with the following message left on Facebook page:

“Just looked through our album for the 4th time in 15 minutes and I love it so so so much! Thankyou Colin, you are amazing x”

These are the moments that make this job so worthwhile and rewarding, thank you Mr & Mrs Whinnett and we will have that beer soon!

Here is the finished design:

You may remember I photographed Andy and Paula’s wedding last year at Woolston Manor near Chigwell in Essex and this wedding will be remembered by me for the amount of fun everyone had. A few months later Andy and Paula were struggling to whittle down the amount of photographs they wanted in their album and eventually I designed one for them with a whopping 60 pages in it! Yesterday I had a lovely e-mail from them and thought I would share it here:

“Colin,

Andy and I wanted to write to thank you for everything you’ve done for us, your patience, time taken from start to finish, your support and advice all of which has been very much appreciated.

We could not have wished for a better photographer!!

Our photographs are absolutely fantastic and the Album is a beautiful record, filled with photographs of the most important aspects of our day, which is why we had to have a picture of yourself inside!

Nobody has yet seen our Album without saying “your album is fantastic, I’ve never seen an album like it” “what stunning photographs” “makes me want to get married again to have an album like that”

If we could get married all over again we would, just to work with you!!!!!

You are simply the best!

Thank you so much again, you truly helped us make a beautiful memory of our special day which we will treasure forever.

Paula and Andy Skilton”

As one of Hertfordshire’s premier wedding photographers I never tire of receiving testimonials like this as it is a validation of the work myself and my team put into documenting every wedding. Thank you Andy and Paula, it was a great day and I am so pleased you are enjoying your album. Here is my favourite image from the day which just sums them up:

This weekend saw me travel to Hemswell Court near Lincoln for Vicky and Jason’s wedding. The weather was glorious and during the bridal preparations in the centre of Lincoln we were treated to some fly pasts courtesy of the airshow at nearby RAF Waddington. Vicky looked stunning in her dress and had a beautiful pair of Vivienne Westwood shoes complete with large red hearts. The ceremony was at Dunholme Church where we were entertained by a very funny vicar before moving onto Helmswell Court where family and friends celebrated the nuptials in style.

The happy couple leave for their honeymoon in Borneo tomorrow and I trust they will have a fantastic trip, particularly when they go to see the orangutans. Here are a just a few images from the day to give you a taster.

That was a wedding with a difference! Yesterday I was at the The White Hart Inn in Great Yeldham, Essex for Ed and Lexi’s Pagan wedding ceremony which was a first for me. The ceremony, or Handfasting ritual, is generally celebrated inside a magic circle, something that Pagans believe to exist ‘between the worlds’ and is conducted by a celebrant. Handfasting is a very old concept dating back to the days when most people could not afford expensive metals for their rings. In the ceremonies of old, the couple would come together to have their hands bound – thus the term “Handfasted”.

Ed and Lexi stated their vows to each other and then their hands were tied together using a piece of cord (hence the phrase “tying the knot”), they exchanged rings and this was followed by the eating of cake and drinking mead from the same cup. During the ceremony they moved around the circle to each compass point as each point represents an element and has associated objects or qualities. For example East is Joy and the symbol of Air and brings to the wedding “the power of mind”. Finally they jumped a broom to symbolically leave their past behind and make a fresh start with their lives “swept clean” of any past negativity and burdens.

I have to say it was one of the most interesting ceremonies I have attended and I would like to wish Ed and Lexi every happiness for the future.Here are just a few images from the day.

Day shoes….

Evening shoes….

THE PERFECT WEDDING RECIPE

Take one superb venue, add a lovely couple and a generous helping of friends and family. Mix in a warm and sunny spring day and a good sprinkle of fun and laughter then garnish with an Aston Martin DB6.

Wedding photography does not get much better than this when you you have all the right ingredients and this is what I had yesterday when photographing Laura and Paul’s wedding at Parklands Quendon Hall near Saffron Walden in Essex. Yet again we were blessed with great weather and Laura looked stunning as did the bridesmaids. A friend of the family brought his concours d’elegance award winning Aston Martin DB6 which was the same colour as the one seen the day before at the Royal Wedding and he very generously allowed us to use it for a couple of quick photo shoots.

Everyone had a fantastic time and here are just a few images from the day, please leave a comment to vote for your favourite photograph and I will ensure Laura & Paul receive a print of the winning image.

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