I was very impressed by “Ironman” competitor Kate’s talks of her marathon times, and for once I was actually put to shame (my half marathon time is around 1:44, whereas I think Kate’s is nearer 1:30!) – this couples zest for all things energetic came through in their e-shoot with running, jumping and of course, those facial muscles were exercised as well with loads of laughing too.

I just hope Kate decides not to sprint down the wedding aisle ;)

The funky backdrops of Shoreditch certainly play second fiddle in these shots to Colin and Donna’s immense sense of fun which literally comes through the camera and forces you to smile – well, I do when I look at these images :)

Their wedding in Cork last December was also a wonderful day, and will be blogged in the next couple of days, so keep an eye out for that one too!

Something that really helped me was their willingness to put ample time aside to really get some wicked portraits of them both. We managed to have some shots in the local park, as well as something a little edgier by Wapping tube station!

It was also lovely to see Amy and Jody again, whose wedding I shot a couple of years ago. It’s always great to see how my past couples are getting on and that they’re still together and happy! I’m sure SImopn and Sue will be as well :)

I’ve only done one engagement shoot in Stoke Newington before, but when you’re shooting there, you absolutely have to use Abney park cemetery. It’s such a tumbleweed gothic ceremony – so atmospheric and spooky.

Sara & Dave’s wedding was just this past weekend at the wonderful MC Motors just down the road from here. It was a great day and I am so looking forward to sharing it very very soon!

Winchester was where everything started in the characterful Wykeham Arms pub right in the centre of one of England’s most beautiful towns. Tim and the boys had some shots by the Cathedral while Charley and her girls got ready. A camper van was on hand to take everyone over to Avington Park – a grand stately home where Charley and Tim’s book-themed styling was a perfect complement to the regal surroundings.

Adding to the relaxed atmosphere was an ice cream seller providing refreshment on the lawns, and a croqu-en-bouch and cheesecake instead of the traditional wedding tiers.

A wonderful day to be part of :)

Pete had planned a surprise mode of transport for Jo, and it was delightful to see her reaction when a vintage VW camper van pulled up beside their house as she was having her make-up finished. Good choice Pete – hope you can see the joy in her expression!

I love when couples give me hundreds of smiles to capture, and the smile ratio was incredibly high during and reminds me how privileged I am to see so much joy and laughter evry Saturday. I especially love the ceremony shots from this one :)

The other highlight of the day was when Jo’s bridesmaid, who just happens to be a fire performer, surprised all the guests by putting on what has to be one of the best entertainments I’ve seen at a wedding. Nobody saw that one coming…!

Of course I love all the enquiries I receive, but sometime one pops into your inbox and your jaw drops. The email from Sally and Russell was one of those.

Having met me at Amy & Jody’s wedding in London a few years ago, they decided that when they got married they’d quite like to use me for theirs when they tied the knot. Fast forward a few years and Sally & Russell are living in San Francisco and planning their wedding in Australia. Instead of the hassle of finding somebody else they ask me if I’d like to shoot their wedding. Hmm. Yes please!

And if things couldn’t get any more exciting, we managed to do do their engagement shoot in San Francisco :)

I flew to San Fran from Las Vegas and had just 24 hours to see the city and plan their engagement shoot. I was actually a little worried in the lead-up as I thought San Francisco was going to be cold, wet, windy and foggy. Luckily, we had one of the most glorious days we could have wished for and some beautiful California light to work with.

We started around their apartment and shot at the Exploratorium, beofre heading out to the Mexican distict for something a little edgier. To mix things up, we then headed over the Golden Gate bridge to make the most of the beautiful romantic light at the end of the day.

Thank you Sally and Russell for asking me to shoot in a city I’d always wanted to visit.

I do love destination weddings, and am lucky to shoot tw or three every year. I’d never been to Cyprus so was clearly delighted when Effie and Kerry flew me to Cyprus for their wedding in Larnaca last August. The great thing about weddings further south than the UK is that the light is generally that little bit more exciting than the cloudy days we tend to have in the UK. Everything else is different as well – the architechture, the venues, the shoot locations – it’s hard not to get blown away by it all.

This was also the first time I’d shot a full Greek ceremony, and it was great to put the same emphasis on the grooms preparations as that of the brides. The ceremony itself was completely different as well and so interesting to watch.

With time tight on the day, we headed out the day after to take some shots by the sea. The light was awesome, although not as awesome as Effie and Kerry themselves – sucha joy to shoot.

It also means I’m blogging a few special weddings from last year I wanted to hold back until the New Year, and the first is Ben and Julies wedding at the opulent Woburn Sculpture Garden.

It is a lovely venue, but I’m sure with Ben’s contacts he could have made a garden shed look amazing! In the morning it felt Ben’s colleagues and friends were preparing the reception room for a small rock gig – there was a specially constructed stage to put up, and a lighting design team to make sure the mood was right for the evening band.

With a theatrical theme, luckily there was no drama for Ben and Julie as they took their vows while the sun shone gloriously for them. Of course, everyone rocked out in the evening to celebrate a beautifully perfect day.

..oh, and I also have an engagement shoot in San Francisco as well :)

I’ve held back some of my favourite weddings to from 2011 to blog when I get back as well, including a fantastic wedding in Cyprus and all my Christmas weddings too.  I have some new web galleries on the way and will be mentoring 12 new students on the Traines Eye Academy programme so after two months of chilled out bliss in India it’s back to a full calendar of fabulous weddings to look forward to in 2012.  Engagement shoots are all set for April, and I’m about to book my flights for a wedding in Australia – surely one of the highlights of the coming year.

So, as I head off to the airport to meet the pink-haired one – here’s a quick shot to remind you how much she loves me…