Alex & Jon - Stocks Hotel in Sark

Sark is always one of my absolute favourite places to visit.  What better reason too than for a wedding.

Alex and Jon got married at Stocks Hotel, a relaxing day with no chasing around.  They both got ready at the hotel, with the ceremony held outside in front of the hotel.

We had some gorgeous weather too, warm, sunny and little wind.  Ideal for the outdoor ceremony.

Dad looked quite amazed how gorgeous his daughter looked.

Meanwhile the groomsmen got ready just across the courtyard.

It was just a short walk around the corner to the ceremony.

Another proud moment for Alex's father as he walked her up the aisle.

With the very efficient assistance of David, the toastmaster, we had the guests arranged in a heart shape very quickly.

There was plenty of time to relax in the sun and have a laugh before the call to dinner.

The dining room was beautifully decorated, with some lovely touches.

Speeches were after the meal and provided good entertainment.

As dusk approached it was time for the dancing.  Everyone had great fun until well after midnight.

Stocks took a lot of pride in decorating the couple's room,  with some very tempting chocolates and even swans made out of towels!  I was asked to pop up and photograph it.

Alex and Jon, you had a fantastic day in a stunning location.  It was a shame to leave Sark the next day.

Natalie & Thomas

Natalie & Thomas were married at St. Peter's Church, with the reception at The Farmhouse Hotel.
It was convenient for Natalie in the morning as she got ready at the Farmhouse.  The room had some atmospheric light and everyone was in great spirits.

 The groomsmen had a quick drink at the Longfrie next door to the church.

  An ironic sign as the groom walked to the church!

 A last minute adjustment as Natalie arrived at the church.

 Reverend Charmley conducted a touching and beautiful ceremony.

 The newly weds had a mass of enthusiastically thrown confetti to walk through as they made their way to the gate.

 

 It was a windy day, so we sought out a sheltered location on the way to the reception for some pictures.

 A lot of effort had gone into decorating the Farmhouse dining room.

 Some active dancing saw out the night.

 I was excited to try something incorporating the canopy of lights over the dance floor, this beautiful image was the result.  A good way to sign off this blog.

Vicky & Luke

Thank you for your patience if you have been awaiting this blog for a while, still catching up from a rather busy summer.  But I am sure you will agree the wait has been worthwhile.

Vicky and Luke had a great day.  We started early at the hairdressers, where the girls spent a while getting their hair done and having a bit of fun too.

 Nathan Richards was justifiably rather proud of his work on Vicky's hair, it looked amazing, and stayed that way all through to the end of the night.

 I have to own up, my daughter Rosemary was responsible for this beautiful portrait below.

 Dad's reaction on seeing Vicky was priceless.

 Meanwhile my wife Karen was photographing the groomsmen.  Luke was displaying an odd caption on his shirt for his wedding day!

 Now we have had all sorts of people for best men, ranging from friends, brothers, fathers etc.  Even weddings with two or even three best men.  But this one was unique for me, Summer was the first best woman I have encountered, and a great job she did too.

Summer's mug read "The best man for the job is a woman".  As the father of three daughters, I cannot argue with that!

 The ceremony was conducted by Jane White, at St. Martin's Parish Hall. 

 After the lovely ceremony, we popped by to see Vicky's gran.

 As the reception was at The Duke of Richmond Hotel, it was convenient to take a few pictures at Candie Gardens.

 The hotel dining room looked quite special, with some beautiful details.

Vicky's sister, Emma, was not just a bridesmaid, she also put her skills to stunning effect by making the cake too.  If you like what you see please contact her at Creative Cakes.  I know you have been keen to see the pictures Emma, so here's not one , but two images for you!

 This image of the  couple's entrance into the dining room really tells a story.

 Speeches were before the meal, everyone was kept well entertained.

 Summer excelled with her hilarious presentation.

 There are not many cakes you have to reach up to cut.

 After the first dance, things stepped up in pace.  The band was The Datcha Collective, their lively performance kept the floor heaving all night.

 They certainly worked hard...

 Some strange dance moves were displayed...

 We even made use of the rain for a couple of pictures outside. 

 Hope you all enjoy this preview.

Barney & Imogen at The Royal Yacht, Jersey

Barney & Imogen had planned a very special event.  All guests travelled to Jersey for the wedding.
They both got ready in adjacent suites at The Royal Yacht Hotel, all very convenient for us to cover.

 On the balcony next door, the groomsmen were keen to show off their outfits!

 Just time for a quick practice!

 Imogen's granddad proudly walked her up the aisle.

 The hotel was not the original venue planned for the ceremony, this last minute change was ably handled by Judith from The Royal Yacht and it all worked out brilliantly.

After family group pictures outside the hotel, it was time to throw the bouquet.  This landed precisely at the flower girl's feet!

 I am sure the real reason we went elsewhere for some pictures, was so Barney could take Tom's lovely M3 for a spin!

 Back at The Royal Yacht, some fast work had taken place.  The Celestial Hall, where the ceremony had been held, was now set out in spectacular fashion for the wedding reception.

 Granddad led the speeches, the double act with the two best men also went down rather well.

 Before the dancing commenced we visited the pool, a good opportunity for some different pictures.  It was rather hot working there though.

 Once the dancing was underway, the floor was packed and remained so for the next few hours.  A very enthusiastic crowd taking full advantage of a brilliant performance by the band.  Sorry, can't remember the band's name, so if someone could please remind me I will give them a plug here, they fully deserve it.

 A spectacular event, quite fitting for this couple.

Kiara & Anton

Another memorable wedding with many beautiful moments throughout the day.  The wedding was held at St. Peter's Church and the reception was held at The Venue.

Kiara got ready at her parents' home and looked stunning.

 

 The groomsmen got suited up very early and had fun practising blowing bubbles, these were to be used instead of confetti after the ceremony.

The oars were an appropriate symbol linking best man and groom in this picture.

 Kiara and her father arrived at St. Peter's Church by horse and carriage,  Rev. Tracy Charmley  conducted a really touching ceremony.

 Your time has come...

 One of my favourite images for a long time.  It illustrates everything I love about documentary wedding photography, the joyous and playful expressions in particular.  The bubbles worked out really well, the light winds helped make this possible.

 The couple had a relaxing carriage ride around the lanes near the church before heading to The Venue for the reception.

 The room looked lovely, with a very original table plan.  Names were inside bowls of seawater dressed with seaweed, creating a realistic marine environment.

 Again the closeness of the people at this wedding was well illustrated by the best man's speech.  Seb and Anton had known each other for a very long time.

 A great sequence of Kiara ably performing the submariner's tradition of downing a glass of rum and catching the dolphin badge in her teeth.  This drew a lot of applause and appreciation.

Something doesn't look quite right in this picture!

  The fun continued for the rest of the day and night.  Wild but still good natured would aptly describe the scene.  Q-Sky provided the music and lights and kept the dance floor packed.

 An extra guest smuggled into the reception joined in too.

 A quite amazing day.

Rebecca & Antony

Becky & AJ's wedding was a delightful event.  It was characterised by one of the most emotional ceremonies I have photographed.

Becky got ready at home with her bridesmaids, all in good time.

AJ looked rather nervous.

 Becky's mum proudly walked her daughter up the aisle at St. Matthew's Church.

 Jan Le Billon conducted the ceremony.  It was a truly emotive experience; in particular the way Jan brought the couple's two daughters, Keira and Ellie, into the ceremony.

 Keira also sang beautifully during the signing of the register.

 On the way to the reception at The Farmhouse Hotel we stopped off for a few pictures.

 The dining room was really lovely, with some nice contrasting lighting put in place by Q-Sky, the DJs for the evening.

We had a few extra speeches; Ellie upstaged them all with a confidently recited poem she had written herself.  There were a few tears amongst the guests after that!

 As mentioned before Q-Sky put on some great lights and music for the dancing.

 This young man was certainly extremely athletic!

 Best wishes for your future together, it was a moving day from start to finish.

Alessia & Jonathan

I am often asked what happens if it rains on the wedding day.  Well, I always tell people not to worry and just enjoy their day with a big smile. 

Despite the really heavy rain throughout their day, Alessia & Jon did exactly that.  They had an incredible day and, even if I say so myself, we also got them some great pictures.

 With seven bridesmaids, it was a full house and a busy morning.  But all were ready on time.

 A brief gap in the rain even gave us the chance to grab a group shot outside.

 As I mentioned, just have a smile and enjoy the day.

 The wedding car was rather special, just as well it had all those coats of wax beforehand.

 Jayne White conducted a beautiful ceremony in a packed St. James.  We were treated to lovely music from the string quartet, as well as some beautiful singing from Casey-Joe and Chiara. 

 Alessia and Jon were still keen to stop off and have a few pictures taken on the way to the reception at La Grande Mare.

 Music featured strongly throughout the day, the string quartet moved to the reception and then a harpist played during the meal.

 Speeches went down well, there was nowhere to hide for the groom during the best man's speech!

 We had time to take a few pictures outside and then the dancing exploded into mad activity to the energetic Last of the Light Brigade.  The dance floor was so packed it was tricky to find room to take photographs.  If you want to get people up and dancing, this band know how to do it.

 As I mentioned before, music played a big part in the day.  Alessia joined in with the band on her violin, a brilliant performance that had massive applause.

 Her father, Bob, also showed off his talents, taking over the drums to an encircling crowd baying out Sir Bob, Sir Bob!

 A memorable day for sure, now who cares about the rain?!

 Just to add that my wife Karen often works with me at certain times of a wedding.  Now one of my daughters, Rosemary, has also started to accompany us on occasion.  This blog contains 7 of Rosemary's pictures.  I don't think anyone would be able to tell them apart from any of the others myself or Karen have taken, an exciting future talent.

Katy & Thomas

I got to know Katy and Thomas very well, as we had met a few times since March last year to photograph an engagement album that was used as a signing book at their wedding.  We had been looking forward to their big day a long time.

Katy and her two bridesmaids got ready at The Farmhouse where the reception was to be held later in the day.  They were in great spirits and got ready in plenty of time, which made things much more relaxing.

 Time we left for St. James...

 Don't want to give away my age, but I must admit I used to sometimes catch this bus to get home from school!  It was used to take some of the guests from the Farmhouse to St. James for the ceremony.

 Katy's mum had the honour of walking her daughter up the aisle.  Jayne White conducted a lovely ceremony.

 After the ceremony we had a brief stop for pictures before returning to the beautifully decorated Farmhouse.

 Shame they ran out of icing for the back of the cake!

 That lovely guest book proved popular.

 Katy's mum gave the first speech; it was very touching.

 The dancing kept people entertained long into the night.

Hope you are having a great time away Katy & Thomas.

Sammy & Jason

Sammy & Jason's wedding was a very relaxed event.  They got married at the Greffe, followed by a bit of time at Sammy's father's house for those who attended the Greffe.  Then the rest of the reception took place at The Auberge at Jerbourg.

Sammy got ready at the Fermain Valley Hotel. then we made our way to the Greffe for the ceremony.

 There was a lovely atmosphere at the house after the ceremony, though a couple of brief showers of rain did chase people inside temporarily.

 Things brightened up later in the afternoon as the rest of the guests assembled at The Auberge.

 There was a lot of laughter as people mingled before being called in for the speeches and food.

 Baby Hugo was a real star of the day.

 Soon it was time for dancing, with a pretty packed dance floor for the rest of the night.

A wonderful way to start off their married life together.

Elizabeth & Matthew

We had an early start to this wedding, Matthew wanted some photographs of him taking Monty for a walk on the beach.  It was bright and sunny, but fairly breezy.  I was hoping the forecast was right with the wind decreasing for our stop on the cliffs after the ceremony.

Monty was pretty tricky to photograph, never seeming to stop for long!

 Matthew got ready at La Fregate Hotel, where the reception was to be held later.

 The speech got some last minute attention.

 Lizzy was getting ready at her parents' home, all went well and it wasn't far to go to St. Andrew's Church for the ceremony.

 What an amazing dress, it suited Lizzy perfectly.

 Rev. Tracy Charmley stood in at St. Andrew's Church, it was a very sweet and lovely ceremony.

 After the ceremony we stopped off on the cliffs, fortunately the forecast had delivered, the wind had died down and didn't cause issues with hair or veil.

 The reception room was beautifully decorated.

 Speeches were hilarious, I found it difficult to hold the camera still enough at times!

 The Orangery was a great place for the dancing.  A warm, still evening also allowed people to chat and stay outdoors if they liked.

It was a truly fantastic wedding day.  Apologies if you were expecting this preview to be posted a little quicker, I am currently using a public wi-fi to post this, my internet has been down for 5 days and still unresolved.  Why does this always happen at such a busy time of the year?  Also just when I want to follow the Tour de France!

Leighanne & Mark

Leighanne & Mark had to get ready smartly for a midday ceremony at St. Peter's Church.  This wasn't a problem and everyone was in good time, even with six flower girls to get to the church!

 Leighanne's dress had some stunning details.

 It was a busy morning for the bridesmaids, ensuring they were all ready themselves, as well as all the flower girls.

 A bit less hectic for the boys, they also needed a helping hand from each other.

 All smiles at the church.

 The flower girls were obviously very excited, they generally went in the right direction!

 A rather pensive look on Mark's face as Leighanne was escorted up the aisle by her father.

 Rev. Charmley conducted a lovely ceremony

 After a brief stop for some pictures the weather brightened up and the marquee at The Bella Luce Hotel looked very inviting.  The interior was also splendidly decorated.

 A willling helper was on hand to assist with Leighanne's veil.

 A sign of the times provided an amusing moment.

 Speeches followed in the traditional place after the meal, they gave the guests a lot to laugh about.

 As evening approached we all moved into the hotel.  Firstly for the cake cutting then for the dancing.

 The Last of the Light Brigade gave an amazing performance, their energy spread and the dance floor soon became a mass of people thoroughly enjoying themselves.  It was difficult to find room to actually take pictures!

 The crowd kept baying for more as the band had to eventually wind up their set.

 

What a great day!

 

Alexandria & Darren

 Here's a new post to share another delightful wedding.  Alexandria and Darren's wedding took place at St. Peter's Church, with the bride getting ready at the Old Government House Hotel where the reception was to be held later on.

 

 Alexandria's dress was very simple and suited her perfectly.

Back at the couple's house, getting ready for the groomsmen was a team effort.

 The two flower girls and bridesmaid preceded an excited bride.

 Rev. Charmley conducted a very intimate ceremony with many really sweet moments.

 After a quick stop for pictures, we made our way to the Old Goverment House Hotel for the reception. 

 The dining room was laid out in spectactular fashion with many lovely details.

 Soon after the couple entered the dining room, the speeches began.  These were very amusing, Darren's speech was particularly heartfelt.

 It didn't seem long before it was time for the first dance.

Hope you enjoy this preview while while I work at preparing the rest of the gallery.

Cara & Chris

Cara and Chris' wedding was a lively event, featuring one of the most enjoyable ceremonies I have been at, plus what must rank as one of the funniest best man speeches too.

It all started quietly as Cara got ready at her parents' home.  All was nice and relaxed with hair and make up artists coming round to the house.  It certainly helps when everything runs on time, makes things far less stressful for everyone involved.

 Plenty of smiles of pride and admiration for Cara when people saw her fully ready.

 Chris and his groomsmen were immaculately turned out.

This happened to be the third consecutive wedding we had photographed at the Vale Church, always a great place to go to and full of character.

 Reverend Northover gave such a brilliant ceremony, it gets tricky trying to hold a camera steady when you also laughing.

 Here one of the two best men got a liberal dowsing of holy water when the rings were blessed!

 After the ceremony, we had a quick stop for some scenic pictures before we rejoined the rest of the guests at The Farmhouse for the reception.

 There was plenty of time for people to chat and interact outside in the now sunny weather.

 The cake was very unusual, featuring many of the outdoor pursuits this adventuous couple are involved in.

 All the speeches were brilliant, the best man's especially so.

 Well deserved congratulations were in order.

 City Limits provided the music for the dancing, always a great band.  After the first dance the couple were quickly joined by an energetic crowd who all seemed to have good fun.

 While the forecast rain held off, thickening cloud gave a beautiful sky.  We took the opportunity for some pictures in the gardens.  It's always exciting to try and create some more artistic pictures.

 A lovely scene to finish this preview with, as people circled the couple as they enjoyed the moment.

Tahlia & David

Tahlia & David's wedding seemed to coincide with what seemed like the first warm day of the month. It was sunny with light winds and warm right through into the evening.

With a ceremony at the Vale Church at midday, time was going to be rather tight for the preparations, however everyone was well organised and had great fun too.  The bride and her bridesmaids got ready at La Grande Mare where the reception was to be held later.

 And all I got was this little pig....!

David got ready at home, another early start and they were at the church soon after 11 am.

The bride was exactly on time and walked up to the church with Rev. Matthew Barrett, all having a good laugh.

David's initial look of worry soon turned to a beaming smile as Tahlia was escorted up the aisle by her father.  The ceremony was thoroughly enjoyable with Rev. Barrett's jovial style.

We stopped off on the coast for some pictures on our way to the reception.

The dining room at La Grande Mare was beautifully set up, with some very intricate details.

While dad got on with his entertaining speech, the groom and best man seemed a little preoccupied!
But all speeches were great entertainment.

A congested scene for the cutting of the cake.

The evening gave plenty of time for people to have a good chat, or for some a chance for more energetic pursuits before the dancing.

 I know nothing about football, but I suspect some foul play here, or was it a dive?

The first dance was a lovely moment.

As night fell, we also had some good opportunities for a few different pictures outside.  What a great day everyone had.

Royal Photographic Society Distinctions Workshop - Bournemouth trip

I don't often post personal images on this blog.  Last weekend I was an advisor for a RPS workshop in Bournemouth.  My travel plan was to take the long way, in other words I took an overnight ferry from Guernsey, via Jersey to Portsmouth.  Then followed another ferry to the Isle of Wight, where I proceeded to cycle from Ryde to Yarmouth, then took a further ferry to Lymington before cycling to Bournemouth.

While keeping weight down was a concern I did take a camera and one lens and took a few images along the way.

It was great to cycle on different roads.

The workshop was a great success and after I cycled down to Portland and took the Monday morning ferry from Weymouth back home.  Another rough trip!

Charlotte & Mark

New Year's Eve is always one of those memorable days.  Getting married then is one way of making it even more memorable, and giving an easier date to remember those future anniversaries!

Charlotte got ready at La Fregate Hotel, where the reception was going to be held too.

 The wedding dress had a stunning back.

 Another distinctive element was the bride's bouquet, an intricate and amazingly detailed arrangement that apparently took the best part of a year to make!

 Mark and his groomsmen got ready a short walk from the church and were soon into the swing of things.

 It was a dry day, but bitterly cold and windy.  The bridesmaids and attendants hid away in their car until they had to come out.  At least the page boy had a steamed up window to draw on.

 St. Stephen's Church has a very grand interior.

 After the ceremony we went for a brief visit to the cliffs above Petit Port, an area with lots of meaning for Charlotte & Mark.  The low winter light was attractive, an advantage of weddings at this time of the year, but the chill and brisk wind meant we didn't spend much time there before retreating back to the hotel.

 Clearly a lot of effort had gone into the beautiful decor and accessories. 

 An hour had been set aside for the speeches, this worked out perfectly and proved great entertainment.

 The first dance was a lovely moment, with the couple soon joined by others on the dance floor.  Much spirited activity followed.

 A projector showed the countdown to the New Year live from London, there was a wonderful atmosphere as 2015 was cheered in.  We finished off with a bit of fun as the guests formed a tunnel of sparklers for the couple outside.

Esther & Tony

Esther & Tony had a really great day for their wedding.  The day started with thick fog, but this gave way later to yet another lovely September day.

 Esther got ready at her parents' house, finding a quiet corner for the make up.

 Keeping an eye out for the arrival of the bride...

 Tony and his best man looked relaxed as they waited for Esther.

 The Town Church is always a splendid setting for a wedding.

 Reverend Luff took the ceremony, a quite uplifting and humourous experience.

 On arriving at the St. Pierre Park Hotel the weather cleared, this gave some beautiful lighting conditions. 

 A lot of effort had gone into the decorations.

 Time to cut that beautiful looking cake.

 The first dance provided some touching moments.

 Element 6 provided the live music for the evening with a very well received performance.

 To finish off this preview, here is a shot I have wanted to try for a long time and finally had the opportunity to do so.  Well worth the effort and quite a spectacular effect.

Emma & David

Emma & David got married on a lovely autumn day earlier this month.  A great time to get married.

Emma, her bridesmaid and two flower girls, got ready at mum's house.  The family had also made up the bouquets themselves, making a great job of them.

 Rosie & Lara were delightful all day.

David and his groomsmen started their day with a rather large breakfast, which they tucked into with enthusiasm.

 St. Matthew's Church was the venue for the ceremony, with Rev. Juliette Robilliard taking a touching service.

Afterwards we went straight to The Duke of Richmond Hotel for the reception.

Speeches took place before the meal, with Emma's dad borrowing her hat from a childhood trip to Disneyland!

With a few engineers at the wedding, some displayed their skills with an amazing balloon structure, which Lara & Rosie made good use of!

Soon it was time for the first dance, then everyone joined in for what can be described as a pretty riotous time on the dance floor.

 A wonderful day was had by all.

Kassandra & James

Kassie & James, with their children Alfie and Chloe, had a lovely wedding day that was all they had hoped and planned for.

Chloe and Kassie's dresses together tell a sweet story.

 Their beautiful blue persian just had to be photographed as it peeped out from the detailed lace.

 Dad was amazed at how beautiful his daughter looked.  Just wait for James' reaction in the church a short time later.

 My wife, Karen, covered the groomsmen getting ready.

 St. Peter's Church was the location for the ceremony, always a picteresque church with its unusual sloping aisle up to the altar.

 James' initial emotional look soon turned into a beaming smile as he watched Kassie walk towards him.

 Something felt different as James waited his turn to sign the register.

 Little Chloe was so good throughout the day.

 Thanks to Bruce Russell, we had a handy location for some pictures on our way to the reception.

 The Farmhouse was decorated to great effect, some clever use of lace with the seat ribbons.

 Much good humour was evident during the speeches.

After the first dance, The Bandits gave their normal great performance, keeping the dance floor active all night.

 A truly beautiful day.

Lucy & Sam

Another lovely recent wedding from a very busy summer.

Lucy got ready at La Grande Mare where the reception was going to be held later in the day.

 A few tears as the bridesmaids opened some gifts from Lucy...

 Sam got ready back at home.  The most notable thing to have happened to Lucy & Sam since they booked me was the arrival of their son Harrison.  The groomsmen were entrusted to look after him for the morning.  Sam's present from Lucy was wrapped up in a nappy box, not what he was expecting!

 Harrison was quite delightful and so good in church.

 It wasn't far to go from La Grande Mare to St. Matthew's Church for the ceremony.

 It was a bit breezy to stop off at the beach for pictures after the ceremony, so we had a quick visit to Saumarez Park.  Some good light, nice flowers and beautiful pictures.

 The reception room was decorated to great effect.

 Seems a trend to take a selfie...

 Speeches made everyone laugh and feel emotional too.

 I won't mention why the balloon pump was mentioned in the best man's speech, suffice to say some roared with laughter, some were horrified!

 The music was provided by the band Stoked, their high energy was matched by the dancers.  Some images are not suitable for this blog!

 A fitting day for such a fun loving couple.