Lyndsey & Chris – Alnwick Castle 27th April 2012

An Alnwick Castle wedding is a special event, as the couple have decided to use one of the iconic locations of Northumberland to celebrate their wedding day. Chris and Lyndsey’s day started at Blackmoors at Alnwick where Chris and his best man had been staying the night before. The guys were looking very smart in their new suits (from Slaters)and fully ready when we arrived. We took some formal shots of the two lads, and then made our way to Greycroft  where Lyndsey was staying over with the bridal party.
Lyndsey was glowing and full of excitement when we arrived. While the finishing touches were being made to her hair, we busied ourselves by getting detailed shots of the dress, accessories and flowers, (supplied by Simply Flowers). We also took the opportunity to get some posed shots of the bridal party before they left for the castle.
Lyndsey’s “Johanna Hehir” wedding dress was fabulous and suited her perfectly. She was fitted with her dress at The White Tulip Wedding company, based in Prodhoe She couldn’t wait to get it on and was certainly fully enjoying all the preparations of the morning. It made for some great images too.
We went ahead of the bridal party to be at the castle to photograph their arrival coming over the bridge. While waiting for the bride there was the opportunity to get the images of Chris mingling with the guests and then capturing his anticipation while waiting for Lyndsey.
The moment arrived and Lyndsey made her entrance, which we both captured from different angles, me from ground level and Susan from a great vantage point above.
The service was beautiful with an emotional reading from Lyndsey’s mum which had everyone reaching for their hankies.
Ceremony over, the party moved outside into the castle courtyard. We love this time as while the couple are mingling with their guests and being congratulated we watch the scene and get fabulous candid shots.
Lyndsey, Chris and I then went back with their Vintage Car to the bridge to take shots we’d planned into the timings of the day with the Castle in the background.
Alnwick Castle is a fairy tale castle, and in the areas allowed for taking photos makes a great back drop for brides and grooms.
We photograph during the speeches. Having two photographers we can concentrate both on the wedding party and the guests, to capture the emotions and special moments that occur. We’d been warned the best man’s speech was going to be long; in fact one of the guests took bets on it. He was and there was a winner!
En route to the Gardens for the evening reception is the time when formal photographs can be taken. We were lucky with the weather so were able to take all the group shots at the armoury. While I was doing the formals, Susan was picking out the candids. A good mix of both gives the couple lots of options for the album.
The fountains were on at the Gardens, so we took more photos, again a lovely mixture of formal and informal, not to mention men in kilts (yes one of them did) and Lyndsey’s grandma showing off her legs!! The party was well under way!
The day eased into the evening and before the first dance, Lyndsey threw her bouquet. One of the girls caught it and we caught the “flight and catch” sequence superbly. The couple are now engaged to be married.
Our final shots are of the new Mr and Mrs Warren enjoying their first dance. The other guests needed no enticement and were soon on the floor too to dance the night away.
Our lovely couple had invited us to stay to party with them, but another wedding beckoned the following day so we had to say a sad farewell and leave.
Throughout the day, when greeting friends and family with wide open arms, we often heard Lyndsey say “give me some love”. We certainly felt the love on Lyndsey and Chris’s wedding day and captured it our images for eternity.

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Tess and Andrew chose a wonderful venue in Horton Grange to hold a very intimate wedding.
Tess was getting ready in the room over looking the gardens when we arrived. She was radiant, full of smiles waiting to get married to the man she loves. Not a hint of nerves in sight. We took some detail shots of the dress, shoes, hair and flowers before leaving Tess and her bridesmaids to finalize their preparations.
Andrew, his attendants and family soon arrived. We took some pre wedding shots of the guys in suits and then stepped back while he mingled with his guests. This provided us a great opportunity to capture candids without disturbing the flow of the congratulations.
Everyone in place in the ceremony room, it was time for Tess to make her entrance. She did so in style, looking absolutely stunning. Andrew was overwhelmed. The ceremony was full of love and readings from special friends made it a memorable occasion.
Unbeknown to Tess and Andrew, there was a surprise for them during the signing of the register. Pre arranged with the key board player, and on his lead, the guests all sang a rendition of “Fly me to the Moon”. It was a magical moment.
We pride ourselves on getting wonderful sequence shots. During Tess and Andrew’s wedding there’s a beautiful set of shots following Tess’s mum. We caught the look of love from mother to daughter; the emotion welling up that then spills over and she wipes away a tear.
Tess and Andrew, followed by their guests spilled out into the gardens for drinks and canapés. We capture this time candidly then when appropriate start gathering the key members together for some formal group shots.
The wedding party was a fabulous crowd to work with. The ease at which we covered the formal photography was all down to them, and the images we captured perfectly reflect the day.
We always like to take our couple away from the main party for some individual shots and did so with Tess and Andrew using the back drop of the pavilion. We’d done their pre wedding photo shoot earlier in the year with them and knew they were not too keen on kissy shots. However, come the wedding day it was a different story and they were more than happy to be photographed having a smooch.
Tess and Andrew are a stylish, glamorous couple and their wedding day was a joy to behold, and a pleasure to be part of.

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Longhirst Hall is set within stunning, quintessentially English landscaped gardens and the magnificent Northumberland countryside.

Lorna and Rob’s wedding day was a lovely relaxed affair, so much that the groom decided to give himself an impromptu hair cut. Luckily it was Ok.
Rob was getting ready in one part of Longhirst Hall and Lorna in another part. Going between the two rooms we got some lovely preparation shots of both of them. Rob was ready early which gave him plenty of time to meet and mingle with his guests.
Lorna came down the stairs into the Grand Hall on her dad’s arm looking absolutely radiant, every inch the beautiful bride going to meet her handsome husband to be.
The ceremony was very intimate, with readings and personal vows from the heart. We captured the moment very discreetly, giving the couple lasting images of the emotion of their service.
Everyone spilled out into the gardens following the ceremony where we took a blend of candid and formal shots of the new Mr and Mrs Aspden being congratulated by friends and family.
Prior to the formal wedding breakfast, Lorna and Rob’s guests were served canapés and champagne and it was during this time that they had the speeches. The setting was informal, but the speeches were full of love, laughter and emotion, which we captured without disturbing the intimacy of the event.
After the formal wedding breakfast, just as dusk was approaching, we took Lorna and Rob outside to get some wow factor shots in front of the Grand Hall, showing off the couple and Hall to full effect.
Another lovely day with a lovely couple.
With every booking we offer a pre-wedding photo shoot, Click here to visit Rob and Lorna’s pre-wedding shoot at Longhirst Hall.

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We were at the newly refurbished Close House for the wedding of Claire & Dev. The redecoration of Close House was fabulous. The ceremony room was stunning with beautiful chandeliers and highly polished mirrors and floor to ceiling windows letting in lots of light.

Claire and Dev were both looking relaxed when they arrived at Close House. Claire arrived first looking absolutely radiant with her bridesmaids and shortly after Dev arrived looking very handsome with his three grooms’ men.

We took “before” shots, to capture the anticipation and any pre wedding nerves. Dev was very cool and calm. Claire was a touch nervous which added true emotion to the images taken of her before she left to join Dev at the ceremony, and captured beautiful images of Claire looking serene as she entered the ceremony room.

We pride ourselves with being able to get great images of the key moments during the service without causing any distraction, which family members and guests complimented us on throughout the day. Following the ceremony we arranged the group shots ably assisted by the “best men”.

Claire and Dev were more than generous with their time in between the ceremony and reception giving us the opportunity to get some couple shots of themselves. Speeches and reception over it was upwards and onwards to the evening reception. Our time with Claire and Dev came to an end after we captured their first dance, leaving them to dance the night away with their family and friends.

A beautiful couple and a beautiful day.

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Pre-wed shoot – 21st May 2011

We were at Bamburgh beach to do the pre wedding photo shoot of Adam and Angela who are getting married in Bamburgh Castle on 13th August. This really helps break the ice with the couple. They see how we operate behind the lens and we get to see how they are in front of it. We keep it informal and enjoyable, an hour or two with new friends. From experience this “time” investment prior to the wedding makes for stunning results on the wedding day.

Adam and Angela are proud owners of a VW Camper Van. We asked if they would bring it as we had some ideas how it could be used in the shoot. It was a bright breezy day; there was the threat of rain, making the clouds dark mean and moody, which gave dramatic effect to the shots. Adam and Angela were great to work with, happy to try our ideas, from sitting in the dunes to jumping on/off huge concrete blocks.  We reviewed the shots with Adam and Angela to show them what their poses would create and they we’re very pleasantly surprised, especially how the camper van in juxtaposition with the castle could impact an image.

Angela’s mum and dad had come along too, to sit with the dogs while the photo shoot was happening. We operate on the premise, “what’s important to you is important to us” and seized on the opportunity to have the dogs included too. This was an unexpected bonus for us and we got some great shots. We were very happy with how the shoot went and the images it produced will remind Adam and Angela of the fun time they had on the run up to their wedding day.

The Wedding day, Bamburgh Castle – 13th August 2011

Adam and Angela had decided on some interesting features for their wedding. They had chosen the beautiful location of Bamburgh Castle for the ceremony, with canapés and champagne on the battlements, followed by a reception in a fantastic Tepee on the lower lawns adjacent to the castle. Bamburgh Castle is a favorite venue for couples from all over the world, making it a top destination wedding location.  Transport used was their VW campervan. The campervan had been a focus on the pre wedding photo shoot and was to be a feature on the wedding day too.

We started the day with Adam in Bamburgh, taking some formal photos of him, his best man and usher at the Victoria Hotel then some informal shots of the guys outside with the castle in the background. We checked in at the Tepee and got some more informal shots of the guys.

Next was a visit to Angela’s mum and dad, out in the beautiful Ingram valley, which was a few miles from Bamburgh where Angela and her bridesmaids were getting ready. Outside the house was Adam and Angela’s VW Campervan decorated with flowers and ribbons in preparation to take the bride and bridesmaids to the castle. The girls were all in good form, sipping on champagne while the finishing touches to hair and make up were being applied.

We took detail shots of the dress, shoes (which had “I Do” on the soles), jewellery and flowers before the girls got ready.

Angela’s dress was a vintage design and suited her perfectly. She looked absolutely stunning and enjoying every minute of her day.

We got a head start on the bridal party, who were traveling in the VW Camper Van, to get to Bamburgh Castle in time for them arriving. Up at the castle Adam and guests were making their way into the Great Hall. Susan hid away up in the balcony to get the wide angle overall shots and I was up front to capture, discreetly, key moments during the ceremony.

Having worked at Bamburgh Castle over the years we’ve built a good working relationship with the staff. Following the ceremony there is a lovely shot I like to take of the bride and groom coming out of the Great Hall. It’s their first formal photograph as husband and wife and the Bamburgh staff assist by gently stalling guests from leaving the Great Hall until after this shot has been taken. This is great for me, but also gives the couple a moment or two for themselves before the celebrations continue.

Once all the guests had spilled out we took the big group shot and then stood back to give the couple and wedding party time to mingle and enjoy the canapés and champagne. We also mingled amongst the guests taking the opportunity to get some nice informal shots of small family groups and candids.

Weddings at Bamburgh Castle are governed by time and not wanting to waste the fabulous back drop of the castle we moved onto getting the formal group shots Adam and Angela had requested. Shooting list in hand we managed to get the wedding party organised and photographed before having to leave the castle grounds, with Adam and Angela using the VW Camper Van to go to the Tepee.

The Tepee had been closed up earlier in the day; seeing it opened up was absolutely amazing. We wouldn’t have believed from the outside structure (which was pretty amazing itself) what was housed inside. It was decorated with garlands and lights. There were log burning fires and a band, dance floor and bar.

Prior to joining the reception we whisked Adam and Angela away for a quick couple of shots on the dunes. We delivered them back just as everyone was finding their “Bums on Seats” as the seating plan was referred to. They made a grand entrance from the back of the tepee dancing as they came in to rapturous applause from their guests. Speeches were before the meal and Angela’s dad was first up. His speech was one of the funniest I’ve heard from a bride’s dad and dare I say a bit saucy in parts. It was heartfelt and full of sincere sentiments.

Adam had a hard act to follow but did a wonderful speech too. He was followed by his best man, aka his brother who didn’t let the side down and pulled a great joke about “little black books”. Customer confidentiality prevents me from saying any more!!

The weather had been perfect and as evening fell we got some stunning shots of the happy couple with the castle as silhouette.

Adam and Angela’s day flowed effortlessly (all credit to their planning and organisation) and it was soon time for the first dance. We were in place to capture the moment and got some great images which captured the romance between Adam and Angela and their fabulous wedding day.

A memorable couple and a memorable day.

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Kirstie & Simon Kirkley – 22nd May 2009
There are not many times when a couple can have such an obvious choice for a wedding. Simon’s surname is the same as your wedding venue Kirkley Hall, it seems like a perfect match. The wedding went very well. Kirstie and Simon are a nice quiet couple, with a lovely family around them, so I knew it was going to be intimate and emotional.
The ceremony was sweet, and all of the guests were excited to see them getting together. I think Simon was trying his best to disguise his nerves with a lot of laughter and joking. But in the end, he was like every other groom I have met, very nervous. Kirstie held it together a bit longer, but the photo of her walking into the ceremony gives away it all away, giving her mum one last look.
The weather was perfect for them, a nice sunny day, but not too hot. We managed to get some nice shots of them alone away from the crowd, in the secret garden. These photos show an intimate moment when they were not in public sight and could relax. From our position, we caught a moment that they never knew could be caught. We like to do things this way, be unobtrusive and blend into the scenery.
The Evening was finished off with a release of Chinese Lanterns, into the still night.

Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Kirkley

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It was really nice to meet up with Lorna and Rob the other day, to have a catch up on how the wedding plans were progressing, and to do the all important Pre-Wedding photo shoot. Longhirst Hall is a very beautiful place to have a wedding, and we discussed how the ceremony would take place in the hall.

I think they were both very excited to have the shoot, and its easy to tell that they are so in love with each other. They both know how important it is to be totally comfortable in front of the camera, and we had a hoot during our shoot. I spotted a fun shot on the side of the cricket green, the massive Passionate about the North East sign. I thought it would be fun to change it to read Passionate about Lorna.

Looking forward to their fab wedding day in March.

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Wedding date 8th July 2011

Garry & Marilyn

It’s fair to say our groom today, Garry enjoys life and his wedding day was going to be no exception. Garry was getting ready at Horton Grange, while Marilyn was getting prepared at their home not too far away in Cramlington.

Garry was full of fun and mischief while putting the finishing touches to his suit and it was hard to keep a straight face ourselves while taking the informal pre-wedding photos. Garry is a great bloke to be around and full of surprises.

The beauty of having two photographers today helped as I nipped away to capture Marilyn getting prepared, Susan stayed with the guys to get some lovely candid’s when they thought they weren’t under the spotlight.

Guests started to arrive and again, Susan was on hand to capture some emotional reunions between Garry and Marilyn’s close friends and family. Their former neighbour’s had travelled from Australia to be there – now that’s what I call accepting an invitation!!!

Meanwhile back at Cramlington, I got great photos of Marilyn getting ready, shots of the finishing touches to hair and makeup, and picking up the details shots of the dress, shoes and flowers. Her daughter was bridesmaid and her dad was there to give her away. Marilyn is a naturally effervescent person with the most wonderful engaging smile and that came across in the images taken of herself with her daughter and dad before setting off for the ceremony.

Once at Horton Grange, the full emotion of the event caught up with Marilyn and for a moment she was overwhelmed. We pride ourselves on capturing such moments in a discreet manner and Susan was on hand to get a fabulous shot of the tears just pricking into Marilyn’s eyes. With the support of her dad and daughter she calmed and with that beautiful smile back, entered the ceremony.

Two of Garry and Marilyn’s friends did readings, which summed up the love between the bride and groom. Only when it came to reading the vows did they realise that they both forgot their glasses. Garry took full advantage of the situation and had Marilyn, the registrars and everyone watching in fits of laughter. It didn’t detract from the solemnity of the occasion; in fact it summed up .

The weather held (there had been the threat of rain all morning) so the wedding party were able to enjoy being outside in the gardens for a champagne reception and formal photos.

Horton Grange provides a great backdrop for formal photos and has some interesting areas to use when taking creative shots. We took full advantage and got some memorable images.

Garry and Marilyn were generous with their time, which we truly appreciate,. This resulted in some great photography capturing the emotion and celebration of their wedding day.

Thanks to Garry our chuckle muscles had a good work out that day too!!

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Lynn & Jon’s Wedding on 28th May 2011

Here is some images at the beautiful setting of Gibside Chapel, Tyne & Wear to cover the wedding of Lynn and Jon.

First stop was Lynn’s parents home, where Lynn and her bridesmaids were all getting ready. It was a breezy day so extra strength hair spray was being applied as we arrived, and the girls were enjoying champagne and croissants. This is a special time for the bride and we love to capture the moments so the bride has a lasting memory of how her closest friends and relatives are making sure the day will go without a hitch. In Lynn’s case she had her three closest friends as her adult bridesmaids, her niece and another friend’s daughter for her younger attendants.  A quick check of the lip gloss and the bridesmaids disappeared to get their dresses on. Once on, we took the opportunity to get some formal portraits of each of the girls and also as a group while Marilyn was helping Lynn into her wedding gown.

Lynn looked amazing, her gown was fabulous, she radiated with happiness, and a little bit of nervous anticipation befitting a beautiful bride. This was a proud moment for Marilyn and Paul, and a beautiful image we captured without disturbing the emotion between them.

Jon was waiting over at Gibside for his bride, being supported by his bestman, usher, nephew and dad.  They made a good looking group and we got some fun shots of the lads on the avenue in front of the chapel before making our way into the chapel to wait for Lynn. We captured the hint of nervousness surrounding Jon when Lynn was a touch later to arrive than expected.

Unfortunately the vicar officiating did not allow photography during the ceremony. This was a shame, as the venue is a photographers dream, and the   service was very moving, naturally creating displays of emotion in Lynn and Jon we would have liked to have caught. But, we respect the rules and (with permission) managed to get those candid moments of Lynn and Jon at natural pauses within the service.

Vows and rings exchanged the guests followed the new Mr and Mrs Dawson outside. We step back from the couple at this stage but keep our cameras fully trained on them and their guests to get those special moments while being congratulated by friends and family. Lynn and Jon were looking extremely relaxed, revelling in greeting their guests – and the images we captured bring those moments back to life.

I took the group shots on the avenue with Gibside chapel as a splendid back drop, while Susan mingled with the guests, while they enjoyed drinks on the lawn, to get some great candids. We’re technically the eyes in the back of our couple’s heads, observing the whole scene and getting the shots they don’t see.

We took Lynn and Jon back into the chapel for some romantic couples shots showing off not only Lynn and Jon but the inside architecture too. We also did some creative shots amongst other things involving the doorway and a sheer curtain which worked extremely well. Both bride and groom were impressed with the results.

Jon had an Aston Martin for a few days over the wedding weekend and this was how they were going to get to the Copthorne Hotel for their formal reception. We usually like to get to the reception venue before our couple, but in this case knew it couldn’t be done. Being a petrol head myself I not only had the pleasure of photographing a wonderful couple in a stunning piece of machinery but got the added thrill when Jon pushed the throttle and the car roared away. For non petrol heads, it’s all about that sound!!

Lynn and Jon had their first date on the Newcastle quayside and were keen to have that memory included in their wedding day photography. They were more than happy to give us their time and be creatively posed, which resulted in WOW factor images being produced. Lynn and Jon are a very generous couple indeed. We had a thoroughly enjoyable day with them and were able to capture the anticipation, celebration and relaxation of their day with images that will last forever.

Gibside Chapel offers a wedding day set within one of the great designed landscapes of the North. The Chapel, where the weddings are held, is an ecclesiastical masterpiece.

Contact Ali Wilkes, to discuss your Gibside wedding – http://www.gibsideweddings.co.uk/

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The wedding day Stewart & Rachel Pennington,   at Matfen Hall on the 2nd July 2011

Reportage Wedding Photography
Matfen Hall is a stunning venue for a wedding and today was going to be even more stunning as Stewart and Rachel’s ceremony was being held outdoors in the garden.

Stewart was well attended to by his dad, best man and brother who’d recently arrived from Australia. His brother had to wear his flip flops for the boys photo shoot prior to the wedding as the dress shoes to accompany his suit did not turn up. The atmosphere was nicely relaxed and Stewart spent time meeting and greeting his guests who were enjoying the most of the beautiful weather and gardens.

Rachel and the bridal party were indoors getting prepared and keeping a close eye on things developing outside. I stayed with the girls while the finishing touches to hair and make up were being done, while Susan mingled in with Stewart and the guests getting group portraits of the bride and grooms invited guests.
I was able to capture some wonderful Reportage Photography, while the girls went about their make-up.

Once all the guests were seated for the outdoor ceremony, Rachel on her dad’s arm, accompanied by her bridesmaids made her walk towards the gazebo where the wedding service was being conducted. Rachel looked stunningly beautiful and full of smiles as she walked towards Stewart. Stewart had the vantage point over the guests to watch Rachel make her entrance and with the look of love in his eyes, held Rachel’s gaze until she was right up there beside him.

The service was befitting the setting. There were readings and one of the guests sang the Adele hit “Make You Feel My Love” dedicating it to Stewart and Rachel. It was beautifully sung, and brought a tear to a few eyes (and not just the ladies) which Susan captured.

The service was followed by a champagne reception with chocolate dipped strawberries on the lawn. We stepped back at this point to give Stewart and Rachel time with their guests and enjoy the celebrations. We pick out the candids during this time, effectively being the “eyes” in the back of Stewart and Rachel’s heads, and to give them plenty of image choices for the album.

Matfen lends itself to both formal and informal opportunities, so was a pleasure to arrange the formal group shots. After a spell we took a few more shots of Stewart and Rachel away from the guests, before they went off for their formal wedding reception indoors. After the line up, Stewart and Rachel were on their own and quite oblivious to us took the opportunity to practice their dance routine. We pride ourselves on being ever watchful of photo opportunities such as this and without disturbing the happy couple got some lovely “moment” shots.

Our day with Stewart and Rachel ended after we’d captured the speeches. Stuart and Rachel are a lovely gracious couple and their wedding, put simply, was a perfect day.

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