Sunny Cumbrian Wedding

Pippa and Rob told me when I first met them, that they loved summer, blue skies and sunshine.  Unfortunately you can’t guarantee anything with a Cumbrian wedding – they don’t call it the Lake District for nothing! But, the weather came up trumps on the day and Pip and Rob were really excited to have one of the sunniest days of the year for their wedding celebrations.

Blencow Hall near Penrith is a stunning old castellated building which the couple fell in love with as soon as they saw it. They enjoyed staying there with their family for the whole weekend and it made a stunning backdrop to their fairytale wedding (well, there was a castle and a princess!!)

The wedding ceremony itself took place at The Roundthorn Country House in Penrith. The guests enjoyed basking in the sunshine with Bucks Fizz admiring the views across to the Lake District Fells. Pip and Rob had great fun with their family and friends throughout the day and we were all well looked after by the friendly staff at the Roundthorn. I really enjoyed the opportunity later in the evening to pop back to Blencow with Pip and Rob to catch the last of the light and capture some beautiful couple shots.

Wedding at Eden Lodge

It was a bright, sunny May day for Lisa and Martin’s small family wedding at Eden Lodge, near Ulverston. The groom and wedding guests enjoyed their morning with a trip to South Lakes Wild Animal Park followed by a picnic in the grounds, while Lisa and the girls got ready.

Lisa’s favourite things are anything purple and shiny, and this was reflected in her choice of bridesmaid dresses, flowers and table decorations for her wedding day. The table names based on the seven deadly sins were another interesting personal touch!

The day was relaxed, fun and made for some lovely candid photos. Lisa had set me the challenge of getting a good photo of Martin as he is renowned for hating having his photo taken –  but he was so relaxed on the day, that it wasn’t a problem – and their couple shots taken on the beach at Bardsea are some of my favourites this year so far.

Ullswater Outdoor Wedding

Aidan and Zoe got married at the stunning Inn on the Lake, Glenridding in Cumbria. They chose this amazing setting nestled on the shores of Ullswater for its beautiful views and the opportunity to get married in the open air. The weather held out for them and they exchanged their vows in the Lakeside Gazebo, which you can see (just!) on the left of this picture. The Inn on the Lake is one of just a few registered venues where you can legally get married outside in Cumbria.

They shared their wedding day with their close friends and family and after Scones and Pimms treated them to a Cruise on Western Belle – one of the Ullswater Steamers. The boat trip allowed the guests to really appreciate the amazing location in the heart of the Lake District.

After their wedding breakfast the party moved on to the Ramblers Bar to enjoy the evenings dancing and a hog roast.

I really enjoyed photographing Aidan and Zoe’s wedding – there was so much going on and such a beautiful location – we really made the most of it (Beccy even went on a 2 hour walk to take the first picture here, looking back across the Lake – there’s dedication!)

Vintage Wedding Cars Big Day Out

Donna and Paul fell in love with Winder Hall as their wedding venue before they even got engaged and were excited to be able to have it all to themselves for the whole weekend.  We first met Donna and Paul at a wedding fair, where they were exhibitors showing their 1964 VW splitscreen camper van, which Paul has lovingly restored. (Lake District Vintage Wedding Cars)  As they stayed at Winder Hall the night before they couldn’t arrive in the campervan, so we took some time out later to drive down to beautiful Crummock Water for some couple shots – and of course some campervan shots.

The wedding ceremony was a real family affair with a large bridal party of nieces, nephews and Paul’s 2 children.  They made the most of the marquee in the grounds of Winder Hall for their evening reception, with a coach load of friends arriving later to enjoy the BBQ, Caricaturist and special guest band ‘The Lottery Winners’ from Manchester.

Victoria and Alan’s wedding at The Chequers Hotel in Dalton-in-Furness was a real family affair and fun day. From the girls getting ready in the morning through to the evening reception, the kids were really involved. Victoria and Alan had put lots of thought into the details – from home made crispy cakes after the ceremony, to an easter egg hunt and egg painting in the afternoon  then glow in the dark sticks to play with in the evening.

Victoria and Alan love the beach, and we managed to slip away during the evening to catch the last few moments of daylight at Roanhead for some couple shots, and have a bit of an off road adventure in the Landrover – much to the delight of Alan’s brother.

Fun wedding at Armathwaite Hall

It’s always a pleasure to photograph a wedding at Armathwaite Hall, and Anna and Mark’s was no exception. It was a great day – full of emotion – with fun, laughter and a few tears.

I arrived early at the Boustead Suite to find Anna and her bridesmaids enjoying champagne (with orange juice, thanks to her sister!) and the great views from the balcony overlooking Bassenthwaite Lake. I really enjoy the getting ready shots – it gives me a chance to relax with the bride and her friends and family. I usually take my shoes off and sit on the floor, and make myself at home, to best capture all the little moments at this special time of the day.

From the moment I found them in the bar, Mark and and his best men were real quality! There was fun and banter and a real genuine friendship which all  made for some great candid photos.

After the ceremony the sun came out to play – and so did the guests! With its beautiful grounds and views over Bassenthwaite Lake, there was plenty of space for adults and kids alike to have some fun.

Anna and Mark took a bit of time out from the festivities to enjoy some quiet time together. We took them down to the shores of Bassenthwaite Lake to enjoy the sunset. The sun had just dipped behind the fells, but it was still a beautiful evening with some special moments. Anna looked stunning in her lace wedding dress and Mark looked dashing too – (when he could be prised away from his bottle of Bud!)

The speeches are often full of surprises and you never know quite what is going to happen next -which makes for some great photography. Anna and Mark’s speeches covered the whole spectrum from friendly banter to cringeworthy embarassment, but also some heartfelt  tender moments.

As the evening guests arrived the party was soon in full flow, with everyone enjoying the live entertainment from talented friends Daisy and Marc.

Anna and Mark really embraced my documentary style of capturing their day, just getting on with enjoying themselves, and sharing the day with their family and friends. It was a real pleasure to photograph their wedding.

My friend Penny’s wedding

It was a privilege to capture some special moments at Penny and Rory’s wedding last week. Penny and I have been friends since she first moved to England from Canada some 7 or 8 years ago and it was wonderful to share in her special day. The sun shone brightly  (extremely brightly!) on a beautiful Spring Day at The Westmorland Hotel, Tebay.

Every wedding and every couple have a unique story, and Penny and Rory are no exception. Before Penny had even bought her dress she had bought her special flowery Doc Marten wedding boots that she wanted to get married in – and these had to feature on the day! Penny is also a fantastic cook and a prolific cake baker (she made the cake for my wedding) – so it was no surprise that she made her own wedding cake too. In fact – she made 3!

The wedding was very relaxed, with a real family atmosphere. The kids were well catered for with afternoon tea, face painting and plenty of room to run around.

We took some time out with Penny and Rory and the rest of the bridal party and went to Shap Abbey just up the road. The boys looked dashing in their kilts with Rory proudly wearing the Yates tartan which was specially made for the wedding. Rory and his best man both have matching Landrovers – which also played a part in the day.

Westmorland Hotel has a fantastic aspect, with big glass windows making the most of the views and the setting sun.

Congratulations to the new Mr and Mrs Yates.  It was a real pleasure to photograph your wedding – cheers guys!

A chilled out wedding

…on an unseasonably hot March day.

Jackie and Mike celebrated their wedding with family and friends near Carlisle on one of the sunniest days of the year so far. They made the most of the weather, relaxing in the garden with champagne and suncream before the ceremony  and chilling out with their guests in the grounds of Skitby House. A real contrast to their official wedding in Finland just the week before  – with snow, ice hotels and dog sledding.

Jackie was very relaxed , enjoying time playing with her nieces in the garden  – it’s not every day you have a bride doing Hula Hoop in her wedding dress before she walks down the aisle!

Skitby House, near Carlisle was a little gem of a wedding venue. The friendly staff looked after everyone really well, and the guests just enjoyed soaking up the sun in the grounds before the brief ceremony in the beautiful stone barn.

Shoes were a big feature of the day – with shoe maids – not bridesmaids – and high heels everywhere you looked.  Christian Louboutin made an appearance…  apparently… but I wouldn’t know, I’m more of a Clarks man myself.

Whilst the guests were chilling out in the sunshine, we managed to sneak off for a few couple shots to a top secret location! It wasn’t just the high heels that featured in this wedding.

I had a great day shooting Jackie and Mike’s wedding – they were so relaxed and great fun to photograph – and I’m really looking forward to their Rock the Frock Shoot.

Why have a pre-wedding shoot?

Great wedding photography is about more than just turning up on the day with a big camera. Its about capturing the emotion, the personality and the individuality of each couple on their wedding day. Building a rapport with the couple starts long before the wedding day. For me to get the very best shots I can, I’m happy to invest time into this process. Love them or hate them, pre-wedding shoots or engagement shoots can be an important part of this process. Here’s a glimpse into my take on pre-wedding photography.

It’s a cliche too often said in the wedding industry that ‘every wedding is special’ – but it is true, and more importantly every couple is unique with their own story. I always say to couples when I meet up with them and show them my portfolio, that if their wedding photos turn out looking like the album I have just shown them – then I have done a bad job! Not because they would be bad photos – but because they would look like someone else’s. So, learning a bit about each couple, what makes them tick, and what is important about their wedding is an integral part of the process for me.

A helpful part of this can be the pre-wedding photoshoot. I include this in each of my packages, but it’s not compulsory.  This is not an opportunity to take some cheesy, posed photos of couples in coordinated outfits and then try and sell them the images. But, this is another chance to spend some time with each couple, for them to see me working with a camera and to start to feeing relaxed having their photos taken. They will see that, like I tell them, I don’t formally pose them and I just want them to be relaxed and be themselves. I won’t make them ‘do’ anything that isn’t in their nature or personality.

The way I approach pre-wedding photography is informal, fun and very low key. We usually go to a park or a country lane and spend about 15-20minutes taking some shots, and then catch up with the couple’s wedding plans over a coffee afterwards.   As it is usually only about 4-5 weeks before the big day, the couples leave feeling relaxed and excited about their wedding photos. Then when they see me on the wedding day with a big camera, that trust and rapport is already built and they can just leave me to get on with what I do and focus their attention on having a fantastic day.

‘Dave, these pictures are great….we love them. Thanks you so much for making us feel so relaxed, we had so much fun. So glad we did this before our big day!’    Anna

Armathwaite Hall is the perfect venue for a winter wedding in the Lake District

Alyssa and Shane were drawn to Armathwaite Hall for their wedding venue as they loved its uniqueness and felt it had the character of a castle, with details like the stuffed animals on the walls, large open fireplaces, Christmas decorations and more wood paneling than you could shake a stick at.

 

Shane and Alyssa are a unique couple and very much in love. We had a lot of fun at the pre wedding shoot and I was very excited to share the day with both of them.

 The wedding was an intimate affair, allowing them to to be married in a lovely room with views down and over Bassenthwaite Lake to the fells beyond

After the ceremony and lots of milling we managed to get outside for a few shots, to make the most of the available light and beautiful grounds surrounding Armathwaite Hall. The light rain didn’t dampen their spirits and was a perfect opportunity for Alyssa to use her wedding parasol. It also entertained the guests who were looking from inside. I don’t know if they were just interested in the couple or wondering what the Wedding Photographer was doing lying on the floor!

Alyssa and Shane really embraced my approach of informally documenting their day taking relaxed, candid shots and I’m looking forward to creating their coffee table album for them.

A big thank you to all my couples who have booked me for 2012. I look forward to the opportunity to capture more moments, craft more images and tell more of your wedding stories.