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Hannah and Andrew's Wedding at Kingscote Barn, ...

a dy full of champage at Kingscote Barn

Hannah and Andrew's Wedding at Kingscote Barn, Tetbury
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Tilly: Part 3 of our One Year Package

Our third session photographing baby Tilly. Now she is one!

Tilly: Part 3 of our One Year Package
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Livvy's Christening

Candid photos for Livvy-Mae’s Christening

Livvy's Christening
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Paul's Graduation at the University of ...

Relaxed graduation portraits with his family…

Paul's Graduation at the University of Nottingham
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Sarah & David's wedding at Norton Fields ...
Sarah & David's wedding at Norton Fields Barn, Warwickshire

#21: Flowers, Flowers, Flowers



Even the cake was in tiers is our series tips for weddings. The title comes from an overused and not so funny wedding speech joke, "It's been an emotional day...". What advice did you wish someone had told you before your wedding? We're collating all the etiquette and expertise here.

Amanda from Amanda Refoy Flowers sent us this amazing set of tips about choosing your florist and flowers. Enjoy! 


Congratulations!! Your getting married......now the hard work begins
Choices , choices, choices, where to start huh? well here are a few tips on what to look for in your florist for your big day.
1) Visit your florist in their natural habitat....whether that be in their shop or at a wedding fair, it is important to see how comfortable you feel in their presence, if your on the same page and the right wavelength.
2) Ask to see examples of their work, this can be from their portfolio or a physical example that they have made especially to show you their, style and capability 
3) See what they can suggest....a good florist worth her scissors should be able to take you on a floral journey to excite you with their ideas and abilities - a good consultation is made up of input from you the bride and your floral designer in equal measure although sometimes we do have to steer the flower ship back on course if you know what i mean as we all get carried away sometimes.
4) be realistic...on design and most importantly on costing's. A wedding flower package including bridal party, 6 bridesmaids, church flowers and venue decoration WILL cost more than £200 - surprising i know!!??!!
5) Be open to experience- you are dealing with a professional, who has probably worked on a few weddings in their time - you are going there because you want a great job done with your flowers, trust them to exceed your expectations.
6)Recommendation!!! Ask around friends, family, lady on the bus - anyone who has been to a wedding recently if they can recommend anyone to do wedding flowers? Recommendation is the most powerful marketing tool and for a good florist its the best form of advertising and its FREE!!! We have around a third of our bookings now through recommendation which we feel as a business is a fantastic achievement.
So that's it basically, not so much a flower battlefield more like a walk in a park surrounded by beautiful flowers.
Good luck you wonderful brides out there and may the stems be with you xx


#20: Be Alone



Even the cake was in tiers is our series tips for weddings. The title comes from an overused and not so funny wedding speech joke, "It's been an emotional day...". What advice did you wish someone had told you before your wedding? We're collating all the etiquette and expertise here.

Today we've got a tip from Mark of The Big Day Productions. Here's what he said:

"My advice would be to make sure that they get at least 10 minutes to themselves at some point in the day. Especially if the wedding is taking place all under one roof, where the newly weds don't get a nice car journey together. Sometimes the day can go by in a blur so it is important to take a moment and just let it all sink in." 

It's so true! My Mum told us this when we were planning our own wedding and I'm so glad she did. 

If you're looking for a videographer for your wedding, why not have a look at some of Mark's work here. We'd really recommend him- he was a pleasure to work with.

Thanks for your contribution Mark. 

#19: Clear the Top Table

We're off to a wedding in the morning, so here's a little tip that doesn't need any extra preparations...


Even the cake was in tiers is our series tips for weddings. The title comes from an overused and not so funny wedding speech joke, "It's been an emotional day...". What advice did you wish someone had told you before your wedding? We're collating all the etiquette and expertise here.

By the time you've finished your meal there will quite likely be a lot of "stuff" on the top table: used napkins, discarded bouquets, empty glasses, water jugs, gifts, handbags... all sorts. It's worth asking your venue to clear the empties before the speeches start. Move other personal items behind the table, so that the floral arrangement and beautiful details can stand out for the pictures. 

#18: Order a Spare


Even the cake was in tiers is our series tips for weddings. The title comes from an overused and not so funny wedding speech joke, "It's been an emotional day...". What advice did you wish someone had told you before your wedding? We're collating all the etiquette and expertise here.


If you spent any time picking out a beautiful, coordinating arrangement for the grooms buttonhole you'll want it to be captured in your photographs. Usually there's a lot of hugging in the time between the ceremony and the formal group photos and the buttonaire doesn't always survive well. 

A few solutions: 
-choose a robust flower and arrangement
-have a spare copy of the grooms button hole
-if all else fails borrow one of the groomsmens'! 

Malc's beautiful orchid had lost on of its petals by the time we got to our photos in the park! Ask your florist if they can chuck in a spare for free- it's worth a try.

#17: Have no regrets


Even the cake was in tiers is our series tips for weddings. The title comes from an overused and not so funny wedding speech joke, "It's been an emotional day...". What advice did you wish someone had told you before your wedding? We're collating all the etiquette and expertise here.
Listen up then lovely nearly-weds because this is my absolutely most important tip.

At some point near the end of the day take a moment to catch how you're feeling. Over-joyed, blissed-out and perfectly happy. And choose to come back to that feeling whenever you reflect on the day. Whenever some someone asks you what you'd change if you did it all again choose not to have an answer. Because things were as they were, and you loved them. Because your wedding captured both of you, your families and your friends as you were at that moment.

#16: Say your vows (quietly)


Even the cake was in tiers is our series tips for weddings. The title comes from an overused and not so funny wedding speech joke, "It's been an emotional day...". What advice did you wish someone had told you before your wedding? We're collating all the etiquette and expertise here.

At the rehearsal the Bride (and sometimes the Groom) is worried about being able to speak their vows loudly enough. But to put you at ease just focus on saying them to each other. In legal terms your words only need to be heard by each other, your witness and occasionally a registrar. So don't let your volume be something to worry about.

A little photography lesson


Yesterday I popped into the city centre for a bit of photography and learning with the beautiful Sarah, it totally made my day.

We hung out around some large decorated Easter eggs and some of Brum's other landmarks and talked all sorts of technical things like depth of field, aperture, focal length and long shutter speeds.

Humpty Dumpty (from Lindts Big Easter Egg Hunt)

Capturing motion with high shutter speeds...

...and blurring it with longer ones.



#15: Group photos can be really dull


Even the cake was in tiers is our series tips for weddings. The title comes from an overused and not so funny wedding speech joke, "It's been an emotional day...". What advice did you wish someone had told you before your wedding? We're collating all the etiquette and expertise here.

It's probably everyone worst bit of a wedding, huddled around in the cold waiting to be lined up with a frozen smile and snapped as a group. But for some relatives in particular its an essential for the mantle piece. 

Some tips: 
-Less is more and more is less! Less photos is definitely easier on your cheek muscles and the main way to reduce the number of photos on the list is to increase the number of people in each group. 
- Do the large groups which require several people and the bride and groom in this time slot. But for other groups such as the bride with her girls make a separate list for your photographer to gather throughout the evening, which will make things a lot more relaxed. 
- Aim for fun and relaxed photos (you'll prefer to look at those ones)
-Don't expect to walk straight out of your ceremony into group shots, people will want to stop you to compliment the dress and you'll be desperate to chat to the friends you spotted as you walked down the aisle. Make some time for mingling.
-If there's any length of journey between the ceremony and the location for groups shots then expect a delay as guests take the wrong route, pop to the shop or check into their hotel! 
- Choose a place for group shots that is near to where your guests will be congregated- having to run inside and upstairs to get guests who are at the bar will cause frustrating delays.
-Think through a wet weather location in advance- it will save you a panic on the day.
-Also know that there are always guests who will refuse to walk on grass in their heals.
-Talk through your list with your photographer to arrange the numbers so that they build people in and out of the groups in a logical way. Particularly avoid moving elderly family members in and out of the scene too much.
-Consider putting the shot list up somewhere so everyone knows the plan. And be sure to nominate a couple of helpful friends to gather the up coming groups.

Obviously if someones going to be offended by missing out one of your groups then don't miss it out! It wont take that long, and its better than regretting it later. You could even split your list of shots between your venues so that you get a bit of a break.

Wow, that went on a fair bit longer than I'd anticipated... obviously hit a photographer's nerve!

Would you like to know more? We’d love to hear from you.