shambala wedding photos

Thank You 2013, You Were All Kinds of Excellent

So. This is Christmas… Another year over… And with that in mind, I’m pleased to present my annual wedding photography round-up, a meandering wander down memory lane for myself and for all the wonderful couples I’ve worked with over the last 12 months.

This post originally started with me looking through 36,000 images. Yes, 36,000. I whittled it down to around 7000, and then to 500. And then I pretty much halved it again. It’s probably still too many, but I hope it shows you how I see the world and what I love doing. I hope it makes you smile.

What follows is a very unusual wedding day. A single day seen through the eyes of 40 different couples. 40 days compressed into 1. From start, to finish. From misty mornings and make-up through to late night revelry and laughter. I have had the pleasure of working with all these wonderful couples and their equally lovely families over the last 12 months. So first, a thank you for all the kind words, all the lovely comments about how you barely noticed me and all the warm goodbyes at the end of the night. It’s been such a pleasure to witness so many people coming together, saying their vows, making their promises and committing themselves to one another. The laughter and fun and speeches and dancing are all important, of course, but without fail I’m struck by the emotion and weight held within each quietly spoken sentence during the part of the day that draws everyone together in the first place, the reason we are all there.

Being a wedding photographer is not simply a great opportunity to take pictures, which is what I love doing. It’s a chance to continually witness the best in people. The most caring, gentlest, loving side of each of us. So a big heartfelt thank you from me, to everyone who I’ve met in 2013. You’ve been brilliant.

devon wedding in dittishamchurch farm wedding in hampshiredittisham church wedding in devonwedding countdown signflowers being delivered on the morning of a weddingflowers being delivered on the morning of a wedding by the wilde bunch bristol floristwedding bouquet resting in a boxbride looking at her wedding bouquet resting in a boxwedding make-up humourwedding make-up laughterwedding preparations in the morningwedding hairdressing in the morningbride putting earrings inwedding hairdresser at Lyme Townhouse in Lyme Regisbride having her wedding makeup donebride in rollers at hyde barn wedding venuebridesmaid knickersbride having make-up appliedbride having make-up applied and laughinggroom needs help with his tiebride getting ready at charlton house weddingbride getting ready at great tythe barn weddingbride getting ready at assembly house weddingbridesmaid shoes in a rowwedding dress hanging upwedding dress hanging up at hyde barnwedding dress hanging up for a wedding at paintworks in bristolwedding dress hanging up at homeblack and white wedding dress detailgirl playing with wedding dress veilbridesmaid doing up a wedding dressmum and dad see daughter in wedding dressbride in her wedding dress at homebride going downstairs in her wedding dress at homebride hugging father in her wedding dress at homebride adjusting her wedding dress at homebride adjusting her wedding dress at homebride adjusting her veil at homebride laughing in her wedding dressfiat 500 wedding carvw camper wedding carrolls royce wedding car in bristoldaimler wedding car in norwichmercedes wedding car in devonvicar waiting at the church door before a weddingbride waiting at the church door before a weddingbride adjusting veil at the church door before a weddinggroom nervous waiting before a weddinggroom waiting before a weddinggroom and best man waiting before a weddingbride arriving for wedding at greenwich naval collegebride arriving for wedding at great tythe barn tetburybride arriving for wedding at charlton house in shepton malletbride arriving for wedding at crowcombe courtbride arriving for wedding at crowcombe courtguest sat in church for a weddingwedding at cirencester churchwedding at river cottagewedding in benfleetbest man holding the wedding ringsbride and groom laughing and exchanging wedding ringsbride and groom exchanging wedding ringsgroom pulls funny face while bride puts on his wedding ringbride and groom laughing during ceremonybride and groom first kissbride and groom first kiss in benfleet churchbride and groom first kiss at kelmarsh hallbride and groom first kiss at priston millbride and groom first kiss at priston millgroom does thumbs up while walking down the aisle in hampshirebride and groom smiling while walking down the aislebride and groom leave kelmarsh hall weddingbride and groom leave devon church weddingbride and groom leave church weddingbride and groom leave to confetti after church weddingconfetti outside lyme regis registry officeconfetti outside lyme regis registry office laughterbride and groom in morris minorbride on double decker busbride and groom in their wedding carbride and groom in their morris minor wedding carwedding sign at hyde barnoutdoor wedding at Barnsley House in the cotswoldsguest hugging the groom after his weddingwedding canapes at river cottagewedding at river cottagechampagne at river cottagecanapes at larmer tree gardens weddingwelly wanging at a weddingaerial stunt display at a weddingbride and groom wave at an aerial stunt display at a weddingchildren playing jenga at a weddingguest laughing at a weddinggroom hugging guest at a weddinglarmer tree gardens wedding peacockguests look at brides wedding ringguest hugs groom during a receiving line at cornbury park weddingguest with two drinks at a weddingguest lying down at a weddingskinny dipping at a weddingguests photograph the cake at a weddingchild plays piano at a weddingchild on a swing at a weddingman sticks tongue out at a weddinggroom and best man pose for a photo at a weddingbride shows grandmother her wedding ringguests chatting at a river cottage weddingbride and groom walk through the gardens at the matara centrebride and groom posing at priston millbride and groom posing at blaise estate in bristolbride and groom posing at coombe lodgebride and groom portrait at a hampshire weddingbride and groom portrait at lyme regis baybride and groom portrait at priston mill watermillbride and groom portrait at royal naval collegebride and groom portrait in clifton, bristolbride and groom portrait in lyme regisheart decoration at a weddingguests pointing at a table planbicycle table plan at a weddingdining room at barnsley house for a weddingan unusual wedding favoura wedding menu on the tablewedding table decorations at priston millwedding decorations at charlton house in shepton mallethanging wedding flowers at charlton house in shepton malletsweet table at charlton house in shepton malletbride and groom enter for dinner at charlton house in shepton malletbride and groom enter for dinner at crowcombe courtwedding meal at paintworkswedding meal at matara centre in the cotswoldswedding cake selectioncouple laughing while cutting wedding cakeheart decoration at barnsley house weddingbride and groom portrait at dittisham in devonbride and groom portrait at hyde barnbride and groom portrait at charlton housebride portrait at larmer tree gardensbride and groom portrait at paintworks bristolbride and groom portrait at kelmarsh hallbride and groom portrait at larmer tree gardensbride and groom portrait on the beach at southend on seabride and groom at hyde barnbride and groom at kingscote barnbride and groom at charlton house in shepton malletbride and groom at matara centrebride and groom at great tythe barn in tetburybride and groom at coombe lodgebride and groom in norfolkbride and groom sunset at charlton housebride and groom sunset at river cottagebride and groom sunset at southend on seabride and groom silhouette at hyde barnbride and groom silhouette at coombe lodgechampagne being poured for speeches at a weddinggroom's speech at a weddingbride wipes tear during speech at a wedding at royal naval collegegroom laughs during speech at a wedding at kingscote barngroom hides face during speech at a wedding at larmer tree gardensbride wipes eye during speech at a wedding at river cottagebride wipes eye during speech at a wedding in dittishambride wipes eye during speech at a wedding at barnsley housebride gasps during speech at a wedding at hyde barnbest man cries during speech at a weddingguests laugh during a speech at a weddingbride kisses groom during a speech at a weddinggroom and mother laugh during a speech at a weddingbride cries during a speech at a wedding at the great tythe barn in tetburybride during a speech at a wedding in norfolksunset at river cottagewedding first dance with mirrorballwedding first dance at hyde barnwedding first dance at coombe lodgewedding first dance at river cottagewedding first dance at great tythe barnwedding first dance at larmer tree gardenswedding first dance at paintworks bristolwedding first dance at assembly house norwichwedding first dance at ss great britain bristolwedding first dance at charlton housewedding dancing at river cottagewedding dancing at devon weddingwedding dancing at charlton house in shepton malletwedding dancing at larmer tree gardensbride dancing at larmer tree gardenswedding band at larmer tree gardensguests dancing at essex weddingwedding band at cornbury parkwedding dancing at paintworks, bristolwedding dancing in essexbride twirls wedding dressguests funny dancing at priston mill weddingbride and bridesmaids dancing at hyde barnbride and groom hug on dancefloor at charlton house weddingguest at matara centre weddingguests at great tythe barn weddingbride dances at assembly house wedding in norwichcoombe lodge at nightbride and groom portrait at night at hyde barn weddingbride and groom portrait at night at great tythe barn weddingbride and groom portrait at nightbride and groom portrait at night at a tetbury weddingbride and groom portrait at night at river cottage weddingbride and groom portrait at night at crowcombe court weddingbride and groom portrait at night in norwichbride and groom portrait at night at paintworks bristolbride and groom portrait at night at matara centrebride and groom portrait at night at matara centrebride and groom portrait at night at matara centre