Blog & News

MY FAVOURITE WEDDINGS & VENUES - SUMMER 2009 (Thursday, 15 October 2009)


In July I returned to Heaton House Farm as Kelly and Ian's Cheshire wedding photographer.

Wow, how things have changed! The choice of facilities has more than doubled and there are more areas to shoot in.




I particularly like the inclusion of the pond, and when the new garden areas have had a chance to gain a little more maturity things will be even better still. If only all venue owners were as pro-active and forward thinking!


Kelly and Ian chose my new Moderna 10x10 album. This allows a lot of design flexibility at a very reasonable price and is a perfect choice for couples on a more restrictive budget. They also ordered two matching albums for their parents in the 8x8 version and these look particularly cute at their smaller scaled down size.















Summer certainly arrived in style for Bonnie & Nigel's Derbyshire wedding at Cressbrook Hall in August.

It was a lovely day for a wedding and the light showed off the magnificent gardens to full advantage.

We shot the getting ready pictures at the venue and this is always a good idea for making the most of a half day booking.

The ceremony was held outside under the eaves, and among the guests were Bride & Groom's two Jack Russells, resplendant with their red ribbons which perfectly matched the Bridesmaids dresses.

There was another four-legged guest, somewhat larger and possibly even more beautifully turned out, but this time it was a complete surprise to the bride.

Shortly after the ceremony the bridal party were ushered round to the drive at the front of Cressbrook Hall where to the Bride's astonishment her golden stallion awaited, saddled up and ready to go, complete with very bling sparkly hooves and flanks. The Bride & Groom are both keen equestrians and Nigel arranged this magical surprise. It made a perfect photo opportunity.












You wouldn't have known what season it was for Joanna & Ian's Lancashire wedding. They chose me as their Samlesbury Hall photographer.


We had sun, wind and torrential rain, all in the space of a few hours. The sun popped in and out like a yo-yo and the shower setting was on random.

This didn't in any way dampen the B&G's spirits, even when we did finally push our luck too far. The rain gods cried enough and organised a deluge of biblical proportions just as we were shooting the Bride & Groom shots in the gardens.

Luckily the trees on the estate are plentiful, but after ten minutes no-stop downpour I had to make a break for it to retrieve umbrellas. I was soaked through, and by the time I got back to the B&G Ian was also drenched, having chivalrously given his jacket to his new Bride so she could stay dry.



I ran ahead to organise towels and managed to get a memorable picture of them coming inside with the wall of water pouring down behind them.


This was my first wedding at Samlesbury and I have to say that this venue has impressed me like no other on first appraisal. It has charm and atmosphere in equal measure. It is well maintained and has lovely grounds. Laid out the Great Hall had the feeling of a medieval banquet and the waiting staff were attentive but didn't rush you. Most importantly the wedding co-ordinator ensured that everything ran like clockwork and in an unobtrusive manner. If a period setting is your dream this may be the venue for you.












Claire & Tom are both keen photographers and wisely booked me as their Shrigley Hall photographer very early on, as do most couples who really value their wedding pictures. Just today as I write this blog I have had to turn away two enquiries for 2010 because I am already booked, and one at a fantastic venue that I could have translated into wonderful pictures.


As usual I arrived early at Claire's parents' house to shoot the getting ready pictures. Experience has taught me to allow plenty of time for the unexpected but on this occasion it wasn't necessary and everything fell into place perfectly.


Claire has natural good looks but I'd only seen her before without make-up and I wasn't prepared for the transformation when she finally put on her Ian Stewart dress. She looked wonderful. Getting in touch with my feminine side I think it is safe to say this was a dress for boys to appreciate as well as girls! Very romantic and very feminine.


Claire & Tom were married at St. Catherine's in Didsbury and held their reception at Shrigley Hall. This was another on-off day so we did all the group shots in the courtyard as soon as all the guests had booked in. Guys take note - look how the Groom and his mates all camp it up for their shots. Every one was a winner and a lot of fun. The Girls always have a giggle but often The Guys take a lot of coaxing.


As luck would have it the blustery showers curtailed the B&G outdoor photoshoot before we had finished. Shrigley Hall is wonderful inside however, and for me the single series of shots of Claire and Tom on the grand staircase makes up for ones we didn't manage to get done outside. Just look at that dress. (My feminine side again!)