This is one location in the UK where I have always wanted to photograph a wedding so I was delighted when Andy and Kate chose me to cover their day. I often hold pre-wedding photography shoots at the actual wedding venue – it gives couples a chance to get comfortable with me and also with the venue. Quite often it is at a different time of year to when their wedding will be and is a great opportunity for an intimate and probably rare moment of time together in what is usually a hectic schedule in the run up to the big day. 

Woburn is truly a beautiful wedding venue and on a very cold but bright day we met for their pre-wedding shoot. The stark winter beauty of the grounds of the park at Woburn provided a great backdrop for the shoot and the light was just right particularly as I work predominantly with available natural light rather than relying on the use of flash

Blessed with a natural ease in front of the camera Andy and Kate made my job very easy, walking and sharing a few happy moments together as we made our way around the grounds. I particularly like the relaxed feel of the images taken on the bridge and black and white still remains my favourite medium for images – ever the photojournalist!

So if you are planning your own engagement or pre-wedding shoot here are a few tips:

I would normally recommend doing the pre-wedding photography shoot 6 to 8 weeks prior to the big day, this then gives time to edit and process the images whilst also giving you time to review and feed back. It also allows for rescheduling if the weather is bad.

For me the essence of the shoot is for a couple to relax, enjoy and get some advice from me on the basics how to stand and generally how to be relaxed enough to interact with each other naturally – I find this part usually helps couples come the day, if they can remember any of it!!.

Trust your wedding photographer to know the best locations to shoot – a good wedding photographer will know when and where the best light, best backdrops etc are.

Don’t let the fact that they may have not photographed at your venue before deter you from booking a favourite photographer – a good photographer always researches the venue before your day if that is the case and will know how to get the best from it!

If you have your own itinerary that you want to do let your wedding photographer know in plenty of time so that they can advise you on whether it will work.

Make the most of your pre-wedding photography shoot from a style perspective – it’s a great excuse to dress up!

It is of course very important to feel comfortable but there are a few tips that I normally give anyway as follows:

1. Decide as a couple what type of image you want to portray – for example pared down glamour or urban chic as a prelude to your wedding or something more country casual.
2. Coordinating with/complementing each others ‘look’ will give the shoot a more elegant feel (even if your style is more outgoing and quirky normally and you want to ‘strike a pose’ in the style of Vivien Westwood so long as the pair of you do it, it can work!)
3. If you are wearing a shirt I advise avoiding checks unless contained under a plain sweater and I would advise making sure it is ironed properly
4. If you are wearing make up it doesn’t need to be heavy but I advise brides that a slightly enhanced version of your normal look is a good idea – not a good idea to try anything new for pre wedding or wedding day!

You might wonder what the purpose or benefit of a pre-wedding photography shoot is and why you should consider having one! In my experience that is exactly what most couples initially think when offered a pre-wedding photography shoot!

When a couple gets engaged they have so many things to consider, not least of which is choosing a great wedding photographer that is right for their individual style and wedding.  Once booked however, most couples forget about their wedding photographer until a few weeks prior to their wedding day, when they are likely to meet with them again to go over the details of the day. From my point of view, I feel I can deliver a better wedding photography experience if we’ve had a chance to get to know each other better.

Great wedding photography takes skill and creativity – whenever I photograph a couple during a pre-wedding photography shoot, I use my skill and creativity to capture great images and put a couple at ease in readiness for their day, banishing any nerves they may have about being in front of a camera! After all most people have never had professional photos taken since they were at school!

As a documentary wedding photographer I aim to tell the story of the day in images that are candid and capture the moments as they happen. Unlike more formal styles of photography I will only give a direction where needed but there will be some times during the wedding day where you want a little more direction, for example photos with parents and grand parents. Since posing doesn’t come natural to most people, and as we generally have more time than on the actual wedding day, the pre-wedding photography shoot is a great opportunity to practice! I guide couples and give them some basic rules to help them look comfortable, spontaneous and of course romantic – to look as good as they really are; with a few simple pointers here and there which can make a world of difference to the end result.

The whole pre-wedding photography experience may feel awkward initially, but there is no pressure and pretty soon the fun and spontaneity of having a rare moment together before the wedding soon takes over. At the end of the session both the bride and groom are usually totally at ease about the photography on their wedding day and I have got a unique insight into how they interact and the type of images that the bride and groom really love.

To get the absolute best from a pre-wedding photography shoot I encourage couples to go to a little bit of effort when planning their time with me. Doing things a little bit different in terms of outfits and location will ensure you have a gorgeous pre-wedding photography shoot – for inspiration take a look at the romantic autumn pre-wedding photography shoot in Paris. Of course Paris is one of the most romantic locations in the world but your pre-wedding photography shoot can be done just about anywhere – at a favourite spot, the beach, the city or even your wedding venue!

Finally, when your pre-wedding photography shoot is completed your images will be finished using my own processing technique to provide you with a set of timeless beautiful portraits that will be uploaded to a secure website gallery for you to view and purchase if you wish.

This summer we are running two specific weeks inFlorence, Italy for pre-wedding photography – surely one of the most romantic places in the world to be photographed! You can find more details in the pre-wedding photography section of the website

I look forward to seeing you soon!

This time of year is always a time of excited anticipation of what lies ahead; we are lucky to have some great weddings booked for 2012 and dates are filling for 2013 already, I cannot wait for the season to get going.  But for now the time for wedding exhibitions begins and following on from the success of last years show we are again exhibiting at the Millenium Grandstand, Rowley Mile Racecourse, Newmarket on Sunday 22nd January.  With around 100 of the best suppliers from the surrounding areas of Suffolk and Cambridgeshire exhibiting on the day, you will have a fantastic choice for your wedding.

The exhibition is open from 11am till 4pm. We look forward to seeing you there!

As a another wedding season draws to a close I would just like to take time to thank all my clients from this year for choosing me to be their photographer and for helping to make this such a memorable year for me.

 I wish all my clients past and future a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and wish you all a wonderful 2012

Italyand France are favourites for pre-wedding and wedding photography, so I was delighted when they took up the offer. 

Venice is truly a beautiful city but even the best laid plans can be challenged. As the day of the post wedding shoot arrived the skies opened and threw rain down onVenice in biblical proportions. Combine that with bitterly cold high winds and the possibility of flooding we had no option but to call time on the shoot initially. However not to be beaten we reconvened in the afternoon – now dry, warmer and less wind! 

The weather was certainly a change to the blistering hot day at the beginning of September when I photographed the gorgeous wedding of Laura-Jane and Alessio in the autumn sun of Tuscany (although it was exceptionally warm at 37C!) 

Wondering around the calle of Venice you can almost forget we are in 2011- small narrow streets that evoke centuries past; fish markets alive with the cacophony of selling today’s catch and most intriguing of all a city that balances precariously on its lagoon, threatened by the very water from which it gained its economic power so many centuries ago. One could not ask for a more perfect backdrop andVenice is certainly a place I would love to have more time to visit and work in. 

I love doing what I do and not withstanding the various meteorological and logistical challenges we got some lovely shots that Claire and Mark loved. Says Claire, ‘the images of Venice are beautiful – thank you;’ 

So, between insane driving along mountain roads; adverse weather and the road closures that I had to negotiate at the wedding of Nichola and Adam at Castello di Vincigliata it has certainly been an interesting time working in Italy this year – oh, and lets not forget the sprint from Versailles to Charles de Gaulle in the unusual heat of Paris in the autumn but ultimately it has been great fun and I am very much looking forward to more next year.

Sami and Nicolas romantic outside ceremony was held in the gazebo / summer house which gave everyone great views over the lake and gardens, after the ceremony everyone returned to the marquee for drinks and canapés on the lawn.

During the evening Sami and Nicolas first dance was followed by a firework display, put on by Dave the owner of Minstrels Court. 

On meeting up after the big day with Sami and Nicola to hand over their preview book Nicola said “I loved all the images and I wish I could have them all in the album, we are really pleased thank you”

Meeting at Notre Dame I started with some pre-wedding photography shots of them along the Seine, before capturing some of my favourite shots around the Louvre – it’s a great place for reflections. The streets of Paris are always busy but I still found some quiet areas where they could just enjoy being together. The juxtaposition of Michelle’s brightly coloured parasol against the backdrop of the elegant architecture of Paris is fantastic and the café culture of the city provides ample opportunities for urban style shots. One area where I took particular advantage of the bright light was by taking Michelle and Jack under the arch of a bridge with Notre Dame in the background – the contrast of the darkness in the arch and bright light outside of the arch provided a perfect silhouette shot. 

In many Eastern cultures the pre-wedding shoot will be done very much like a full wedding shoot with the bride wearing bridal dress. Michelle and Jack opted to do this.  We had a short lunch and then Michelle had a change of dress ready for a pre-wedding photography shoot around Versailles. Although Versailles was exceptionally busy I did get some romantic pre-wedding photography shots of them around the gardens with the soft greens of the landscape taking the edge off the harsher afternoon light. 

So what advice would I give to couples planning a wedding shoot in Paris? Here are a few of my own tips:

1. Be aware that Paris is ALWAYS busy!

2. Book well ahead whenever possible.

3. Trust your photographer to know the best locations to shoot – a good photographer will know when and where the best light, best backdrops etc are.

4. If you have your own itinerary that you want to do let your photographer know in plenty of time so that they can advise you on whether it will work.

5. Make the most of your day from a style point – destination pre-wedding photography is often in the most glamorous locations in the world so it’s a great excuse to dress up!

and finally above all enjoy the moment!

Here are our top tips for a successful visit as It’s always best to go to shows prepared so that you get the most out of your time there and don’t end up with ‘fair fatigue’!

1. Plan ahead and highlight which suppliers you want to see – organisers often publish a list of exhibitors for the fair
2. Look at supplier web sites to find out which fair they will be attending  – this can help avoid fair fatigue by focusing on which fairs to attend to see suppliers that you are interested in and it will give you the opportunity to check out the different styles, services and price range of suppliers -  you can then focus your visit on those that suit your budget, style preferences and needs
3. When you visit a supplier take your time – for example when visiting photographers have a good look at the albums on display and take note of what you like and possibly don’t like.
4. Suppliers, especially photographers, are always keen to talk to clients so don’t be afraid of asking questions – they will often offer a 1:1 no obligation consultation that is free of charge so take advantage of this to give you more time to discuss your day and ask important questions about the service they provide.
5. Pick up a leaflet or some information whilst you are there – giving a star rating to each different supplier you visit can help you to focus your follow up afterwards, make a note about something that you have seen or spoken about that will remind you who they are later – you will see a lot of suppliers and it will be hard to remember specific details from all of them!