Carrie Bugg Photography

New website and blog!

2011-05-24T11:45:00.000+01:00

After many years of putting it off - I've finally got a new website and branding! With big thanks to Lee (web designer) and Steph (graphic designer) - I've managed to build a new brand and a much better website to showcase my photography.

My website address remains the same: www.carriebuggphotography.co.uk and the blog is integrated in the site - so there's no need for this blogger site anymore, however I will leave it running.

Please do let me know what you think of the new site!

Elvetham Wedding Photography - Sam and Rossi

2011-04-20T12:50:00.000+01:00

I gave you a sneak peak to Sam and Rossi's wedding a few days ago, so as promised here are some more photos from their big day.

I was so looking forward to this wedding, as we all got on so well at the pre-wedding shoot (see here) that I just knew it was going to be a blast. Sam and Rossi are so obviously madly in love and so relaxed with it. The venue was new to me too, I'd been up to visit the Elvetham Hotel with Sam and Rossi a few weeks before and it's just beautiful - a stunning 19th Century mansion with 35 acres of picturesque grounds.

I started the day with Rossi, her mum and her sister all getting ready together in their room at the Elvetham.

Aren't Rossi's shoes amazing! She'd been telling me all about them - so I was so excited to finally see them!

Rossi's room had a balcony - so I was able to go out and spy on the boys from a distance!

And the guests arriving!

Hilary, Sam's mum makes stunning cakes - this is one of her masterpieces - I loved it as the colours were very similiar to what I chose for my wedding (Hilary also very kindly made our wedding cake too!)

I knew the boys would be more or less ready so I popped downstairs to see them for a bit and get some relaxed shots! I'm sure Rossi won't mind me saying, Sam looks gorgeous here I think!

Then across the lawn for some more shots in the gardens. Just look at that weather! Not bad for March in England!

I love this one, I think they all look so cool. The matching RayBans were planned - nice touch!

Then I went back upstairs to see how Rossi was getting on - she'd moved across to the bridal suite - which was lovely. Rossi's sister, Francesca was amazing all morning - so calm and organised - just what all brides need!

Such a perfect dress.

I popped my head out the window to see the boys having a sneaky pint in the sunshine - why not!

I had a few minutes, so popped downstairs again to photograph some more details with the boys. This is why I love it when bride and grooms get ready in the same place - I can get both sides of the story! This is Sam's Grandfather's pocket watch (which didn't actually work, so Sam set it to the wedding date and time of the ceremony!) a lovely touch.

Seeing as Rossi's legs and shoes were going to be under her dress for most of the day I took the opportunity to photograph them one more time! Love her tattoo!

A special moment between Rossi and her mum helping her get her dress on.

I love images like this when so much is going on with bridesmaids, family and friends before the ceremony.

I think Rossi looks stunning here.

Downstairs in the ceremony room, Sam was getting a bit nervous, but I'm glad I managed to get a smile out of him!

There were no less than four bestmen, but Peter was the guys with the rings - and a great job he did too!

I adore this one, it's so Rossi - a quick thumbs up when they were announced as husband and wife!

And then a little dance too!

Then... the all important kiss!

It was emotional.

We then had a little wonder off for a bit for some couple shots.

Sam's nephew, Casper was enjoying playing in the grounds. It was nice to see them again as I'd done a family portrait for Sam's sister, Laura only a few weeks before.

Eric, the toastmaster mentioned there may be some daffodils out at the bottom of the garden. It was well worth the walk - amazing thanks Eric!

Meet Hilary - of cake fame.

The boys (bestmen) were so much fun - this shot just has me cracking up!

Rossi and her mum, Valeria.

Here's Eric - he was lovely, I do hope I get to work with him again.

Sam and Rossi had the conservatory for their wedding breakfast it looked perfect.

Rossi's dad, Colin's speech was really funny.

Gary, Sam's dad seemed to enjoy it.

And even did some heckling! Typical Gary!

Rossi looking embarrassed!

Then it was the best men's turn to all say a few words - some very heartfelt speeches here.

Then last but not least Francesca (Rossi's sister) said a few words and even had props (told you she was organised!!)

I love this moment between Sam and his dad. Very special.

Then into the party - Sam and Rossi kicked things off with a traditional first dance!

So. In. Love.

I was told afterwards that the band were only put together for the wedding! They were AMAZING! They had so much great feedback though that they're going to do more now (let me know if you'd like details).

Later in the evening Sam got up and showed us his skills!

And said a few words of thanks.

What a fabulous day. Two people in love, celebrating in the best way possible on the most gorgeous day surrounded by the people that mean most to them. Thank you so much to Sam and Rossi, for being wonderful and making my job the best one ever!

Congratulations yet again and wishing you a long and happy marriage.

Christchurch Wedding Photography - Laura and Andy - Sneak Peek

2011-04-19T16:12:00.000+01:00

A couple of weeks ago Laura and Andy got married in Christchurch, Dorset - it was a beautiful summers day - which was great for April in England! I've been waiting for them to get back from honeymoon to post their photos, so in the meantime - here's a sneak peek from their happy day.

Elvetham Wedding Photography - Sneak Peek - Sam and Rossi

2011-04-13T13:14:00.000+01:00

I had such a great day at Sam and Rossi's wedding at the fabulous Elvetham Hotel, in Hartley Witney. You may remember their pre-wedding shoot here. It was another gorgeous day - couldn't believe it was March! Here's a sneaky peek.

Forest Lodge Hotel Wedding Photography - Nathan and Jenny

2011-03-22T13:38:00.000Z

Meet Nathan and Jenny! This was my first wedding of 2011 and although it was on the 24th February - we were really lucky with the weather, it was a lovely spring day.

Nathan's dad booked me for their wedding photography, so I didn't get to meet the happy couple until the rehearsal. Which as it turned out, was just fine as both Nathan and Jenny are one of the most relaxed couples I've ever worked with! Nothing was stressing them out - they were just happy to be getting married - how it should be!

The day started at Testwood Baptist Church in Totton.

Nathan and his brothers.

Malcolm, Nathan's Dad. (I'd photographed his birthday party a few years ago).

Smart shoes or what!

Jenny's brother, Wayne and her sister, Amy gave her away.

I thought Jenny looked gorgeous...

I love Jenny's face in this one! So happy!

Leigh did a fab job of taking the ceremony.

The cake was scrummy!

Then we all headed onto Forest Lodge Hotel in Lyndhurst - I'd done a wedding here last year - so knew the good places for photos already!

We started off with some couple shots whilst we were waiting for the rest of the guests to arrive.

I love the colours in this one.

A big thank you to everyone at the wedding for making me feel very welcome and especially Nathan and Jenny - glad you had a great time in the snow for your honeymoon!

Carrie x

Inspiring Photography Workshops by 3B Media

2011-03-09T17:20:00.000Z

I've got some great friends in the photography world - in fact I'm going up north for a few days in a couple of weeks to catch up with them all - can't wait! A couple of photographers from Leeds are running some excellent workshops and the details are below, with links to full information and online booking.

If you're an aspiring professional or keen amateur photographer looking to improve your skills, then Leeds-based 3B Media are a company that are willing to help!

If you're a photographer looking at getting into the wedding photography market, or someone you know has agreed to let you try out your skills on there wedding then this is definitely a workshop you wont want to miss. 3B Media have photographed hundreds of weddings and know the business back-to-front. This one-day practical workshop based in a boutique hotel in Leeds is focussed around getting some stunning portfolio images and some real-life practice on a real bride & groom, whilst giving you the need-to-know basics on organising yourself before, during and after the big day.

You'll get some great posing techniques to get the best out of even the most nervous couple and leave them with some great pictures and lovely memories. You'll also leave with loads of invaluable information surrounding the planning and practicalities of wedding photography.

This workshop is not a gear-intensive course and will give you an amazing portfolio of images that will be repeatable on the wedding day. A basic working knowledge on how to use your DSLR will be required, as it's focussed less on technique and more on your style and approach to photographing weddings. At only £275 per delegate including lunch and refreshments, this is a great investment to your photography and your business.

You can view full details of the One Day Weddings workshop and book online via the 3B Media website here.

3B Media love sharing knowledge and love it when something just clicks. Flash photography is one of those things that once you know what's going on behind the scenes then everything makes sense. Their really popular course, Exposing Flash is for all those photographers who want to take control of their flash photography and learn to master their flashguns to create energetic, fun and funky portraits. You'll learn you how to take the flashgun off the camera, and be given the fundamental building blocks of flash photography using a variety of creative and practical techniques to take and make pictures you never thought possible with just one flashgun.

This really is an eye-opening day, and 3B Media believe there's currently no other course that gives you as much useful information on flash photography in the UK. If you're always fumbling with your camera and flash settings in the dark and still not getting the results you want, then this is definitely an investment you need to make.

The content of this practical workshop, based in the heart of Leeds city centre, will allow you to repeat the techniques you’ll learn with your own equipment and without the need of an assistant. There'll be a friendly 3B model for you to shoot on the day to create fresh images for your portfolio.

• The pros and cons of manual flash Vs E-TTL

• The relationship between ambient light and flash; know this and everything becomes clear!

• Great tips and tricks to get the most out of your flashgun

• Easy, impressive and repeatable techniques to take your off-camera flash photography to the next level.

Whatever the weather, you’ll leave with fresh, portfolio quality images, exciting and repeatable skills on how to shoot great portraits and a 3B Media worksheet pack so you don’t forget what you’ve learnt!

You can view full details of the Exposing Flash workshop and book online via the 3B Media website here.

3B Media have agreat one day workshop lined up which is all about image processing and creating a super slick workflow using the amazing Adobe Lightroom. We've been using Lightroom since it first came out in 2007 and it's completely changed our approach to editing. The speed with which you can edit a job, especially when it comes to a large edit like a batch of several hundred wedding images is incredible and 3B Media are sure that once you know how to use this software, you'll be shaving dozens of hours off your workflow.

The other major draw to this incredible application is the power and control you have over processing the images. The choice you have in turning your picture from an average one into a well polished and beautiful one is mind-blowing, but it can be daunting to the first time user with what to do with all those controls. You'll be shown what they all do, what order to do them in, and loads of great insider-tips to get the best out of every single image.

In short, Lightroom allows you to turn around your photography better, faster and more consistently than any other program out there. You'll wonder how you ever managed without it. If you haven't yet purchased your copy, you can download a FREE demo version here: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.

The workshop is classroom based in the heart of Leeds city centre and it suitable to all professional and amateur photographers looking to take their image processing to the next level. The price is £175 per delegate including lunch and refreshments, which is nothing compared to the hours you'll save once you've learnt what we've got to show you!

To book online and find out all the details of the Lightroom: Basics workshop click here!

Slowed down by shutter speeds? Agonising over apertures? Frustrated with focussing?

3B Media's photography evening class is called "Get To Know Your Digital SLR" and is all about learning the very basics of photography. If you've just got your first DSLR then this is the class that will get you on your feet and start shooting with more confidence and more creatively.

You'll learn the basics of: Aperture, shutter speeds, ISO, composition, lenses, focussing and lots of other tech stuff but without all the tech language.

The evening class is in Leeds and they have 4 dates lined up: 15th March, 21st April, 10th May and 21st September between 6:30 and 9:30pm.

It's going to be a lot of fun, with two 3B Media pro photographers on board to answer all your questions (even the silly ones) and will make an ideal gift if you're struggling for ideas for your wanna-be-photo-junkie partner. For online booking and all the information you need, head over to the 3B Media website at: http://www.3bmedia.co.uk/index.php/workshops/get-to-know-your-dslr

Pre-wedding shoot Bournemouth Pier - Sam and Rossi

2011-02-23T10:56:00.000Z

I had the pleasure of photographing my first pre-wedding shoot of the year with the lovely Sam and Rossi.

I've known Sam's family all of my life (his Dad used to teach at the same school as my Mum before any of us "kids" were born!) - but I hadn't seen Sam since he was a little boy - it's funny how he looked exactly how I imagined him to look (but even taller!)

Sam and Rossi are getting married next month at the Elvetham Hotel, in Hook, Hampshire so it seemed a great idea, as they live in Bournemouth, to do their pre-wedding shoot on the seaside at Bournemouth. The weather was horrendous for the first two dates we picked, so we postponed and in the end we couldn't have asked for nicer weather on the day of the shoot. The sun was shining and it was really warm (until it went in then we were reminded it was definitely February!)

I'm starting to do more and more pre-wedding/engagement shoots and each one is so much fun. But more importantly it's a great opportunity to spend some time with the couple before the wedding day, getting them used to being photographed, building up a rapport and ultimately trust, that on the wedding day, the couple know that I can take good photos of them! All of the shoots I've done so far have enabled the couple to be so much more relaxed on the wedding day.

As the sun was so strong when we arrived, we chose to go to have a coffee and go through the normal pre-wedding meeting plans first - where I'm going to be when on the big day etc etc. By the time we came out the sun had softened slightly, but we still seeked shade for some shots.

Sam and Rossi brought their very cool sunglasses (Ray Bans no less!) for some of the shots - which was a fab idea!

We started off on the pier...

Then we went under the pier!

Just look at that sun! How lucky were we?

I love this one of Sam (Rossi does too!) he reminds me so much of his Dad! (sorry Sam!)

That wave came in a bit faster than they expected! What you can't see is I was doing the same thing (running from the wave)!

As the sun was dropping it was just beautiful.

Sam decided to "dip" Rossi here - they've since told me they love this photo and apparently didn't even realise I took a photo at this point!

What a beautiful couple!

I sincerely hope that they think I'm this funny on the wedding day - the photos will be so easy!

Thank you once again Sam and Rossi for such a great afternoon we had a blast! Reminding me that I have the best job in the world! Can't wait for the wedding!

If you'd like to see the whole shoot - please look here.

Please feel free to leave comments below.

Hotel Du Vin Winchester, Wedding Photography - Sarah and Danny

2011-02-22T13:42:00.000Z

I'm so excited to share my last wedding of 2010 with you - it was for one of my best friends. You may remember their engagement shoot here. I've known Sarah since college - over 15 years! She'd only recently met Danny and I think they're such a perfect match - the love and happiness between them is contagious!

The wedding ceremony and reception was held at the Hotel Du Vin in Winchester a stunning boutique hotel in the centre of the City. It's actually one of Winchester's most important Georgian buildings and it dates back to 1715. It was the 23rd December 2010 and as you probably remember we had an awful lot of snow - even in the south of the country and it had affected a lot of people. So we had our fingers crossed for the big day, but luckily it was fine - a lot of the snow had melted by the day before so noone had too many travel worries.

It was still going to be a challenging wedding for me photographically speaking as the ceremony was at 3.30pm which basically meant the whole wedding was going to be in the dark. I'm used to photographing in mostly natural light - so it was a great opportunity to master off camera flash!

I arrived at the hotel, with my friend Laura, the day before so we could spend Sarah's last night as a single lady with her. The rest of our girlfriends arrived early the next morning and we had the best morning, cooked breakfast, a stroll around Winchester, coffee, more food and a generally very relaxed few hours to be remembered for ever – we even skyped our friend Kate who couldn’t be there as she’s currently working in Abu Dhabi!

Winchester was all so Christmassy with decorations everywhere and the hotel was no exception. Lots of beautiful candles, wreaths, and no less than three Christmas trees! Everyone was so excited for what was going to be a very special day.

After I got dressed (into a dress and heels as I was a guest too – this was going to be interesting – I normally work in smart trousers and flats!) I headed into the bridal suite where Sarah was getting ready. Her hair and make up artist Nadia was also a friend – she was lovely and very talented too!

Sarah's dress was one of the most breathtaking dresses I've ever seen! It was absolutely perfect for both Sarah and the type of wedding this was.

Sarah's flowers were beautiful, complete with sparkles on the roses!

Love the VIP on the dressing gown!

I was told this was a makeup artists trick - I'd never seen this done before and I've seen a lot of makeup artists at work! Nadia must be good! It worked too - Sarah's make up was perfect all day.

The huge benefit of everyone getting ready at the same hotel, meant that Danny was only in the room next door - so I was able to pop in between them both to capture both their mornings! Here he is looking very dapper! (and excited!)

Danny is a pilot - hence the cool cufflinks!

He looked so cool! I especially liked his cummerband, which was a last miniute addition to his outfit. He popped into town that morning and bought it - much to the surprise of the shopkeeper when he asked,"Oh it's for your wedding - when's that?" Danny replied "this afternoon!"

Danny and his dad looking very proud!

Doesn't Sarah look stunning here? One word. Cheekbones.

To help things along a bit I gave Jenny and Tessa instructions on how to lace up the dress (normally done on the bride, but we were trying to save time!) and they did amazingly! It was perfect!

By the time Sarah was actually in it - all hands were on deck!

There was a lot of love in the room at this time!

Last minute hairspraying!

Ta dah! Doesn't she look beautiful?

Sarah had to pop downstairs to see the registrar - to check all the details were correct on their official forms.

Then she nipped back upstairs as Danny and her wanted to do a "first look". This is done quite a lot in America - where the bride and groom see each other before the wedding - it's a very intimate moment between the couple and it's great to document this with photos. Now, Sarah and Danny had decided to walk down the ailse together, so it made sense that we did this! It was hard not to cry! Danny was so excited to see his beautiful bride!

This was just before they went in!

There were a couple of readings, which were very personal.

A few tears...

Sarah's dad came up to deliver the rings.

Married!

Then we went through to the drinks reception. It was such a cosy venue, with the oak panelled walls and the Christmas tree.

The Christmas spirit continued through the rest of the evening.

Danny and his sister - looking very proud of her brother!

Bit of a sexy shot of Sarah by the tree!

We did some family portraits inside as it was all a bit cold outside! This is one of the happy couple with Sarah's grandma - one she'll cherish forever I hope.

Sarah looking all happy with her brother!

This is all of us girlies! I got my tripod out for this one as I couldn't exactly not be in it! This was the silly one of us with jazz hands!

Then it was time before dinner to get some quick shots of the happy couple!

It was such a romantic, cosy wedding that a shot by the fireplace seemed perfect!

Then we all went into dinner - here's some of the speeches which were all very moving and funny too! Danny started.

Then Danny's best man, Maung had a few words.

Then Danny's dad.

During his speech he got out a big red book, yes you've guessed it - it was "This is Your Life!"

Danny's mum is so sweet!

Laura decided to get up and say a few words about Sarah - she did us proud!

It got a bit emotional - even I was tearing up at this point too!

Sarah's friend, Robin also had a few words - I love some of his expressions - priceless!

The cakes tasted as good as they looked!

Later in the evening Sarah, Danny and myself decided to go up the bridal suite to take some more photos. Sarah got in the bath! Sexy or what?!

This one reminided me of that flake advert - do you remember?

I love this one of them infront of the antique wardrobe.

Then last but not least we went out the front of the hotel for a couple more shots.

I then decided at that point to turn back from being wedding photographer and into a guest! (ie I might have had a couple of drinks to celebrate with my best friends!) It's not easy trying to work as a professional photographer and be a great guest too - I hope for Sarah and Danny's sake I did a good job as both. From what they've told me since, I think I did!

It was an amazing day and it's great to welcome Danny into our group of friends and I really wish both of them a very happy and long marriage. Thank you for asking me to capture your big day.

Wedding Showcase - Bridal photoshoot

2011-02-21T17:48:00.000Z

If you've been following me on Facebook and Twitter, you may have realised that I've recently been collaberating with a few other local wedding suppliers and discussing how we can all work together to help each other.

Mostly I've been working with Hannah from Sweet Dream Events and Natalie from Exquisite Bridal, the new bridal shop in Lymington. To start things off, we're running an event that's moving away from the traditional wedding fair. As well as showcasing a number of talented suppliers, we're giving brides a bit more by giving them something really useful that they can take away from the event. We've got six suppliers in total, as well as photography from myself of course - we have wedding dresses, wedding styling, hair, make-up and jewellery. We're running two events, the first one in Lymington 10th March and the second one is in Canford Cliffs in Poole 17th March.

Each business will be giving valuable advice to brides (and grooms!) to be. From talking about which dresses and jewellery may suit you and how to look amazing in your photographs, to tips on hair and make up and how to find your wedding style. The evening is going to be really interactive with live demos - oh and don't forgot the fizz and nibbles too!

The whole event is totally free of charge, but you do have to be on the guest list to attend - to do this please call Natalie at the shop on 01590 610433 - places are limited so hurry!

For more information please see our flyer here.

To celebrate this collaberation of great suppliers we decided to do a bridal shoot to showcase all our talents in one shoot.

We had a fantastic model Tori (one of Hannah's best friends) who very kindly took the day off work to help us out. She'd never done anything like this before - so I was very impressed how relaxed and amazing she was in front of the camera!

She started off the day early with Hayley who owns Elite Hairdressing who styled her hair to perfection! Then she travelled over to Lymington to Annabel's house where she was made up - Annabel has worked in TV and Film - so definitely knew her stuff!

Natalie and I joined them at this stage for some behind the scenes shots (that's a whole other blogpost!), then once she was done we all made our way over to the field in which we'd chosen for the shoot.

Hannah had been there for hours helping get all our props ready for the day ahead and setting the scenes up - we were totally blessed with the weather it was amazing all day - despite rain the day before and after! One of the biggest and best props that Hannah had been able to source was an AMAZING silver American Airstream caravan - I was so excited - this was like a southern california shoot!

The day went brilliantly Hannah, Natalie, Tori and myself worked really well together - it was a really positive day - noone moaned once, even when the sun went in and it started to get cold - and boy was it cold! Tori must have been freezing!

I did the shoot with my Canon 5d and 5dMK2 and a mixture between my 50mm 1.2L, 70-200 2.8 IS L and my 24-70 2.8L lenses. I used a bit of off camera flash (580 ex with a ST-E2) in a couple of them. This is the same equipment I take when I photograph weddings.

Anyway enough of me yabbering on - here's a selection of images from the shoot for you to feast your eyes on, I hope you enjoy looking at them.

Natalie provided some jaw dropping dresses from her bridal shop in Lymington.

And Annabelle from Beau Bijou in Westbourne provided all the bespoke and vintage jewellery.

Hannah seriously has some talent in styling - the scenes looked amazing!

Shoes model's own - stunning!

Who would have known it was a February in England hey?

Natalie worked all day making sure the dresses were just perfect on Tori.

In between takes I nibbled on some of the sweets! (Sorry Hannah!)

Loving the candy ciggies! Hannah had thought of everything!

Hope you liked them! To see the rest of the shoot look click here. To see Hannah's blogpost click here.

Massive thanks to all involved.

Styling and props by Hannah at Sweet Dream Events
Wedding dresses: Natalie at Exquisite Bridal Couture
Hair by Hayley at Elite Hairdressing
Make up by Annabel Hornsby
Jewellery by Beau Bijou
Airstream by Richard at New Forest Airstream

The Domus at Beaulieu Wedding Photography - Nicola and Simon

2011-02-16T14:37:00.004Z

This was going to be a very special wedding for me, as I'd already photographed Nicola's sister, Louisa, earlier in the year here, so I knew the family quite well already which was brilliant.

Such a lovely family deserved an amazing day and they definitely got it - the weather was beautiful. The Domus at Beaulieu is such a stunning place to get married. Here's a little piece taken from the Beaulieu website about it:

The Abbey is central to the history of Beaulieu. Founded 800 years ago by Cistercian Monks from France, the Abbey was destroyed by Henry VIII during the Dissolution of the Monastaries. This left only two buildings intact: the lay brothers' dormitory, known as the Domus, and the Monks' Refectory, now the Parish Church of Beaulieu.

The Domus is licenced so you can have your wedding ceremony and reception in the same room - which is exactly what Nicola and Simon did.

Now I'm sure Nicola won't mind me saying, but just before Louisa and Nick's wedding in June she found out she was having a baby, so it meant that on her wedding day she was going to be 6 month's pregnant. She'd already bought her wedding dress, but as it turned out (after a couple of small alterations) it couldn't have been a more perfect dress, as on the day she looked like a princess!

I spent the morning with the girls at Stanwell House in Lymington, a very stylish boutique hotel in the centre of Lymington (so only up the road from me!) Everyone was in a great mood and Nicola was on top form, wouldn't have known she was pregnant at all, with all the energy that she had!

You may remember Louisa from my previous blog post here.

Don't you just love their matching hoodies with their titles on the back?!

Isn't that dress beautiful?

As is Nicola, indeed.

Sister's getting excited - love it!

Then I headed over to the Montagu Arms in Beaulieu to meet up with the boys, who were having a couple of drinks before the ceremony!

Simon had to have photos with his pride and joy (the car!) on request!

Nicola and her Dad Les looking very excited for the day ahead!

It was a lot of dress to get out of the car!

Stunning!

I love this relaxed shot of Simon, Nicola and Dad Les during the ceremony.

How proud is Les?

Mum Carol and Louisa just couldn't keep in the tears!

Married!

I love this one of both of the couples I've photographed their big day for!

I saw these two arches and thought of those little weather people on clocks (do you know what I mean?!), which is where I got the idea for this shot - I'm really pleased with it!

We wondered over to the gardens to get some more romantic shots.

They used this shot for their thank you cards - it looked fab!

The light in this one is divine!

Speech time! I even got a mention from Les - thanks Les! *blush*

Two best men, so a joint speech!

Then onto the first dance.

It was a fabulous wedding and I felt so welcome - it was really amazing that people remembered me from Louisa and Nick's wedding earlier in the year. Nicola - you looked beautiful and must have been absolutely shattered at the end of the night - you were still going when I left!

Most importantly congratulations to the new Parker family on baby Madison May - and good luck in your new family home too! Hope to see you soon.

Mottisfont Abbey Wedding Photography - Amy and James

2011-02-15T13:15:00.000Z

Still catching up on my weddings for last year - will get all of them done soon - promise!

When I first heard about the opportunity to photograph Amy and James' wedding at Mottisfont Abbey, I was so excited, it's such a beautiful location. All I had to hope for was the weather - and it was absolutely perfect. The sun was shining, it was warm and hardly any wind at all. It was shaping up to be a good day.

I started the morning at St Andrews Church in Mottisfont. It's a very old church dating back to the 12th century and it's one of the few churches that is Grade I listed - it's beautiful.

The flowers that Amy and James had chosen for their wedding - were just amazing, look at the size of this arrangement!

Just look at that sky!

James and the boys arrived in plenty of time so I could capture the last minute adjustments to buttonholes and be there for the guests arriving.

Introducing James and Mabel. Mabel is Amy and James' dog and they wanted her to very much be a part of their day. I think she had a great day!

Mabel even got her her own special flower dog collar!

Amy arrived in a very cool Rolls.

As she stepped out of the car I realised how stunning she looked. Her dress was breathtaking.

Married!

Then after the ceremony we headed across the road to Mottisfont Abbey - a national trust property, set in stunning grounds alongside the River Test. I was told this was the last wedding they were doing here, which if true, is very sad as it was absolutely gorgeous for a wedding reception.

They had a marquee out the back - so much room!

Whilst the guests were parking their cars and starting on the drinks, Amy, James and I went for a stroll around the grounds. We started in the walled gardens.

The colours of the blooms were fab. And that sun!

Mottisfont has everything - even beautiful tree lined avenues!

I love this one - Mabel's obviously very proud of her Mum and Dad!

In to dinner!

Speeches were before dinner, which is great for calming any nerves!

Alex was quite nervous before his speech - but he was great - very funny too!

James' mum, Joan's reaction here is priceless - don't you think?!

Mabel's even on the cake with them! Brilliant!

At that point I left them to their evening meal and celebrations. Thank you to Amy and James for making it a fabulous day - I hope you had an amazing honeymoon in Tanzania and have a very happy marriage.

New Forest Wedding Photography - Kate and Tom's wedding

2011-02-01T17:12:00.000Z

Kate and Tom live in London but decided to get married near the seaside, where Kate's parents live, with 100 of their closest friends and family. They had their wedding just down the road from me at All Saints Church in Milford on Sea and then went onto Walhampton School, a grand Queen Anne/Victorian building, with a galleried reception hall, beautiful lawns, lakes, lovely views and gentle sea breezes for the reception. It was a warm day in early September, which perfectly suited this classic late English Summer wedding.

I started the day at Kate's parents house, where Kate, her family and her bridesmaids were getting ready. The flowers were just stunning, so vibrant.

Kate's so naturally beautiful.

Got to get the stickers off the bottom of those shoes!

Kate's brother playing an impromtu tune!

Aren't those dresses just gorgeous!

Introducing Thomas!

Kate looks so happy with her dad arriving at the church.

They left in their vintage car and headed for the reception, whilst all the guests piled into the double decker!

Isn't this room just amazing? You'd never believe it was a school!

The blue and yellow colour scheme ran all through the wedding decor - amazing!

What a fab cake! I do believe that the K and T were sparkers and were lit later on!

We went for a little wonder around the magnificant grounds to get some beautiful couple shots.

I love this shot (especially his expression!) not quite sure he knows what he's taking a photo of - wonder if it came out??!

The groomsmen outfits were really different - hadn't seen ones like this before, which made a lovely change!

Welcome Mr and Mrs Wilson!

Once they sat down to their meal I left them to the rest of their evening festivities.

Thank you so much to Kate and Tom for making the day so easy for me, you and your family and friends were so welcoming, making my job so much easier and more fun! Wishing you the very best in your married life.

Ballard School Wedding Photography - Annie and Jon

2011-01-11T16:46:00.000Z

Still catching up with my blog posts from all of the weddings I did last year! Annie and Jon got married in the summer, it was a typical English summer's day - drizzly! This didn't have any impact on Annie and Jon having the best day of their lives - it was an amazing celebration and everyone looked their very best.

I started the day with the girls at Passford House Hotel - a place that's very special to me as I stayed there on my wedding night! It's a beautiful hotel and Annie was in one of their lovely suites.

This ring has been in Annie's family for a long time - isn't it gorgeous?

This is Annie giving her Dad a little present in the morning - they look so happy!

Aren't the colours so vibrant?

Sensible girl, sensible shoes for dancing in later!

I love the way her dress was hanging over the bath.

This is Annie's sister Caroline, chilling.

Everyone was on hand to help Annie get ready on time!

This is the moment when Annie gave her bridesmaids gifts and cards - there wasn't a dry eye in the room!

Then I made my way over to the chuch in Eling, near Totton where the boys were waiting.

Jon and his best man, David were very relaxed!

Jon's grandma flew halfway across the world to make it to the wedding, it was also her first time abroad!

Annie's parents also came a very long way as they live in Texas!

Married!

Annie and her mum Val look so pleased!

Then it was off to the reception at Ballard School, near New Milton in the New Forest. It's a great venue - the wedding co-ordinator Rachel, is one of the best, friendliest and helpful coordinators I've ever met. Nothing is too much for her. She does everything in her power to make your day perfect. I would thoroughly recommend her and I know Annie and Jon would too.

Strawberries and icecream - yummy!

Annie and Jon had a marquee in the grounds - it was stunning.

They like scrabble, so everyone had their names as scrabble pieces - took Annie hours!

There is this cute little garden area with rockery and pond which is just perfect for couple shots.

Love this stained glass window!

These are during the speeches - I think Annie's expression is priceless in this one!

Lots more laughter!

David's speech was very funny.

Thank you so much to Annie and Jon for making my day so easy and enjoyable - I felt very welcome at your big day and wish you both a long and happy marriage.

Hadley and Erica's first photoshoot - newborn photography

2010-12-17T07:34:00.000Z

Hadley and Erica's parents, Sarah and Martin (also known as Briz) used to work at the same advertising agency as me in Southampton. They too have now set up their own companies here: http://www.flatfive.co.uk and here: http://www.flatfiveinvitations.co.uk/

But more importantly they have newborn twins! Hadley and Erica were born 3 months prematurely. The Brisdion family have been through a tough time - but the babies are now home and well. They are now three months old so they were actually due this week! They are the cutest little things and it was so lovely to see them looking so well, after they've been through so much, so early in their precious lives.

Adorable no?

Erica was a natural - I'm sure she'll be a model when she grows up!

I love this sleepy look!

Hadley has had a bit more of a bumpy ride than his sister, so it was nice to see some smiles!

Bless him - thank you Hadley for letting us move you about so much, don't think you liked it that much! Sarah said this one is typical Hadley though!

Then we all calmed down for a lovely cuddle! Makes my heart melt!

They're even pulling the same expressions in this one.

Sarah and Briz are obviously amazing parents. Look at the way Hadley's holding onto his mum.

His new game at the moment is sucking his mum's nose - cute!

This is the end of the session, where mummy and daddy were dressing them back up ready for a little nap. Everything has to be done double with these two!

Yes Erica, we know it's tiring being a model, but if you're gonna earn the big bucks!

Thought I'd end with a gorgeous peaceful one of Hadley in mum's arms.

Thank you to the Brisdion family for letting me into their home and photographing them - hopefully I'll be allowed back soon before they get too big! To see all the photos from this shoot see here.

Engagement shoot in Winchester - Sarah and Danny

2010-12-15T12:09:00.001Z

One of my best friends, Sarah, recently met the man of her dreams and I couldn't be happier for her! We decided to celebrate the occasion on Sunday with an engagement shoot. Sarah and Danny met in Winchester, so we thought having the session there made sense. Their wedding is next week - so she was having her hair and make up trial in the morning, which was convenient as she was all glammed up for the shoot!

When we started the shoot the light was going fast, so we made the most of what we had, then turned it into a night shoot instead!

We started at Winchester Cathedral.

This was in the Christmas market behind the Cathedral, they had Christmas trees, stalls, ice rink - so romantic!

Then as it got dark we had a wonder around the city.

Some of the Christmas lights were beautiful!

Aren't they both so gorgeous?!

I love these twinkly lights behind them here.

Here's Danny doing his one of his model poses (and very good he was too - apart from when he decided to start lunging!! We were all in fits of giggles at that point!)

I love this one of Sarah - I think she looks amazing.

Time to warm up with a coffee!

Then we headed out again to get a few more. They're so in love - it's easy to see!

This one was taken up at the Great Hall - I believe they've just started doing weddings here too now.

I got these signs from Etsy - I think they're so cool!

Thanks to Sarah and Danny who made the shoot so much fun (they didn't even moan about the cold!) Can't wait til the wedding at Hotel Du Vin, Winchester next week!

Forest Lodge Hotel Wedding Photography - Caroline and Chris

2010-12-07T15:34:00.000Z

Caroline and Chris booked me two years ago for their wedding this summer. It was a long wait to see them again - but when I did, I remembered what a great, friendly, loving couple they are. Their wedding was at St Mary's Church in Southampton and then their reception was at Forest Lodge Hotel in Lyndhurst.

My day started with Caroline and her girls in the hotel getting ready.

Caroline's gran Beryl was lovely!

Chris and his best man, David.

Caroline is a teacher and all her pupils had learnt a song especially for the wedding! It was adorable! Not a dry eye in the house!

Married!

We stopped off in Lyndhurst for some couple shots before heading to the hotel.

All the tables were named after Disney film couples - how cool!

They had a table with other family married couple photographs on - what a lovely idea.

Speech time. There were some very heartfelt words here - I had to try not to cry myself!

Chris's wedding present to Caroline - I think it went down well!

After dinner Caroline and Chris asked if they could have more couple photos - of course I obliged - great!

Then drinks on the terrace - Caroline and Chris's friends and family were all so friendly!

First dance.

So much fun was had at this wedding and I had a great time too - thank you Caroline and Chris for letting me capture your big day (and thank you for treating me like a guest - I was honoured! GREAT FOOD!)

Highcliffe Castle Wedding Photography - Felicity and Terry

2010-12-01T14:13:00.000Z

Felicity and Terry chose to have their wedding at the fantastic Highcliffe Castle in Dorset. It's one of my favourite venues as the Grade 1 listed building is just beautiful and it's right on the beach too!

It was a warm summers day and I started the day off with Felicity at her mum and dad's house.

I could just tell that Harriet and Felicity are great mates.

Millie was so polite and well behaved.

Meet Bob! Very cute!

This is the moment the horse and cart arrived and Felicity was looking out of the window in sheer excitement of it all!

Dad seeing Felicity in her dress for the first time. Ahhh!!

Isn't she beautiful!?

As they finished getting ready and into the carriage - I whisked myself off to the castle to meet the arriving guests and the boys!

Terry was very relaxed it has to be said.

I'm sure Felicity won't mind me saying that there were a few tears on her arrival at the castle, it was all very overwhelming for her - but we got through it and by the time she walked down the aisle she was beaming!

Then she saw Terry and he set her off again! Bless!

Finlay did a fab job with the rings...

Married and VERY happy!

Felicity and Terry went off for a quick ride in the horse and cart.

And they're back!

I love these next 3 shots - really tells a story!

No confetti allowed at the castle - so we had bubbles instead!

Felicity had decorated the room beautifully.

Even little goody packs for the kids!

The food was gorgeous!

Felicity even made me my own little place setting - how sweet!

Speeches time!

Then after dinner and speeches we popped out to catch the remaining evening light and headed down to the beach!

Felicity and Terry wanted to practise their first dance - well Felicity is a dance teacher - so it had to be perfect!

First dance time! They were great!

The band - BB3 with Blaze were amazing!

It was a fab wedding - everyone was so friendly and welcoming I really was made to feel like a guest. Thank you Felicity and Terry - wishing you a long and happy life together.