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.

Elisabeth & Peter

A beautiful day for Liz and Peter on the first day of August.  They were getting married at St. Peter's church, with a reception at the Old Government House hotel.

 Stunning flowers and a summery choice of colour for the bridesmaids' dresses.

 Liz and her dad clearly had a close bond.

 Meanwhile a little helping hand with the scissors for Peter, before the groomsmen made their way to the church.

 No sign of nerves for either the groom or bride.

It was nice to see Rev. Linda Le Vasseur temporarily back in the western parishes again.

 The ceremony was lovely, a highlight being the touching and personal address from Rev Nicole Le Goupillot.

 On the way to the reception we stopped off for pictures on the cliffs near the couple's home.  Then we also stopped by the harbour as Liz & Peter have a close affinity with the sea as they are both keen rowers.

 The cake had been made by Liz's mum and carefully brought over from the UK.  It was well worth the effort.

 Speeches were split at the beginning and end of the meal.

 The forecast evening rain never appeared, giving people plenty of time to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air before the dancing.

 City Limits gave their normal great performance and there were plenty of energetic displays on the dance floor.

 A really lovely day for a lovely couple.

Angela & Luke - a lovely wedding in Herm

The day started early as we got the boat to Herm on a glorious morning.  This wedding had been a lot of work to organise for all those involved, mainly due to the fact that Angela & Luke had to do it all from China and only came to Guernsey a few days beforehand.

 Angela and her bridesmaids all got ready in a large meeting room, but it was still a bit tight for space.

 Angela looked amazing.

 Meanwhile The Wedding Fairy team and Jayne White were busy preparing for the outdoor ceremony.  The setting for this, at the end of the White House Hotel garden, was just perfect.

 The ceremony was touching and good humoured, the mood suited the leafy green surroundings on such a quiet and calm day.

 After drinks on the lawn and some family group photographs, we visited the north of Herm for some scenic pictures of the couple.  Sion had to concentrate a lot to ensure the quad bike didn't get stuck, but it all seemed great fun for everyone else!

 Then it was back to the marquee for the meal.

 Speeches were informal and the couple showed off slides of their ceremony back in China before the cutting of the cake and first dance.

 Stormy Monday were the band for the evening, adding their touch of class to proceedings.

 We took the opportunity to do some photography of the couple as night fell, then there wasn't much time left before most of the guests had to get the boat back to Guernsey.

Olivia & Sam

I love weddings with a mix of cultures and countries.  They inevitably have a few different opportunities throughout the day.

Olivia got ready at the St. Pierre Park Hotel.  All seemed relaxed and well organised.

 I spotted this possible composition early on,  fortunately I was able to capture this fleeting moment of Olivia and her bridesmaids before the scene was lost.

 The bride really did look amazing.

 Sam got ready at home,  a bit of debate about how to do the ties, a quick beer then it was onward to St. James for the ceremony.

 A lot of effort had gone into preparing the hall.

Yes, really it did happen, the groomsmen forgot the rings at home!  But after a run back on such a hot day, the rings arrived just seconds before the bride!

 Jayne White conducted a beautiful ceremony.

 We visited Candie Gardens for some pictures.  Harsh contrasty light can be difficult to deal with, but then it is also fun to play light and shade off each other.

 The couple met working on a ship, so another stop at the harbour was apt, then we went to the Auberge at Jerbourg for the reception.

 Dancing commenced in a totally different way and things got pretty wild for a time as everyone had great fun.

 Heavy rain also gave us the chance to pop outside to create a few pictures as night fell.

 There was a lot of smoke around as the groomsmen enjoyed a cigar late on.

Quite a special day, lots more went on but this is all I am sharing on this preview.

Claire & Robert

Claire & Robert had a wonderful wedding day recently.  The ceremony was at the Town Church, always a great place to get married.

Claire got ready at her parents' house, not far from the church itself.

 Dad was quite amazed at his beautiful daughter.

Robert and his groomsmen enjoyed a beer before making their way to the church to await the arrival of his bride.

  Rob Harnish took the service, it was a stirring occasion in such a beautiful setting.

 Afterwards we all emerged into the rain.

After a stop for pictures on the nearby cliffs the couple went to the Bella Luce Hotel for the reception.  A cosy welcome awaited, complete with crown and anchor for entertainment!

 Umbrellas gave a different look to our family group shots.

 The marquee was beautifully decorated.

Speeches were truly touching, with some very emotional moments.

In the evening everyone moved into the hotel and enjoyed the jazz band.  Troy had been mentioned in the speeches and his performance did not disappoint.

 Q-Sky took over the music and lighting for the rest of the night from the first dance.

 It was dry enough for people to spend time outside chatting and even enjoying a cigar as night fell.

 Another great day.

Laura & Sean

Another spectacular wedding.  Laura & Sean, plus lots of their guests, had travelled from afar, mainly Canada.  It was great that they could all see Guernsey at its best in such gorgeous weather.

Laura's dress was rather special and she was clearly very excited about wearing it.  In fact she was ready so early, we had time to take plenty of different portraits of her.

 Meanwhile Sean and his groomsmen were getting ready at the Old Government House Hotel.  Lots of shirt ironing took place before they made their way to Castle Cornet for the ceremony.

 The scene was set in quite idylic fashion as Laura arrived on perfect time.

 It was extremely warm out there.  Jayne White performed a lovely humanist ceremony.

 After the ceremony, we made a quick trip to the cliffs to take some pictures of the couple, showcasing Guernsey in beautiful weather.

 Back at the Castle, things also looked stunning.  The interior of the Hatton Gallery was decorated to great effect by The Wedding Fairy.  Each guest had an engraved ormer shell to take home.

 Speeches were heartfelt and very emotional.  Peter, Laura's dad, started things off in great style.

 I waited a while for Roy, the best man, to be against the shadows to get this picture, but got exactly what I envisaged.  He kept everyone thoroughly entertained.

 Soon it was time for the dancing.  What a pleasure it was to be treated to the music of Stormy Monday.  A trio of talent consisting of Lydia Pugh, Colin Falla and Chris Taylor.  Perfect for the occasion and how nice not to have to use my ear plugs!

 After dusk it was time to take a few pictures in the Castle, then watch the beautiful fireworks.  What a great day.

Emily & Angus

Emily & Angus' wedding coincided with a gorgeous day and England's opening match of the World Cup.  There was no ignoring the football, with many at the wedding having a big involvement in the game.

 Time to finish getting ready .....

 Emily was simply stunning.

 Angus and his groomsmen caught up with the latest football news, had a good laugh and a game of darts.  No sign of nerves yet.

Parking is always tight at St. Matthews Church and minutes before the ceremony, just as the bridesmaids arrived, their way was blocked by this huge machine trying to fit through in the opposite direction.  It looked as if there could be a big problem, but somehow the machine and following tractors and trailers managed to squeeze past just before the bride arrived.

 A slightly more pensive look on Angus now.

 The scene was just perfect outside the church, little wind and a beautiful blue sky.

 The Cobo Bay Hotel was the reception venue.  Speeches were held before the meal and naturally contained a few football references.  Dad's statement that the wedding was the biggest match of the day, went down especially well.

 With such a hot day, the allure of the beach across the road was irresistible for some.

 Back indoors it was time for the first dance, a lovely moment.

 Things then became pretty lively, as everyone throughly enjoyed themselves.

Not very gentlemanly to beat one of your sisters at press-ups!  It was an extremely close contest though.

 As it was getting dark, there was just enough sand at the top of the beach as the high spring tide receded for Emily and Angus to have a quiet moment outdoors.

 The wonderful day finished off with the other match drawing everyone's attention.

Rowena & John

What a spectacular day this was.  Beautiful weather and settings, but also such a great crowd of family and friends all having a wonderful day.

Rowena got ready with her bridesmaids at her parents' home.

 I could have spent ages taking abstract pattern pictures of sections of the dress.

 Lena did the hair and make up, all preparations wernt smoothly with plenty of time to spare.

Meanwhile John and his groomsmen had a good time over breakfast at the Auberge, before making their way to Castel Church for the ceremony.

 The wedding filled the church and the singing was particularly rousing, helped along by the Bel Canto Choir.  Bishop Thomas gave a touching and personal sermon.  He talked about the symbolism of hands, especially appropriate as the couple sat below him holding hands.

 I haven't mentioned the amazing veil that Rowena wore.  The strong backlighting flooding through the church doorway showed this off to great effect as the bridesmaids tended to the veil.

 Then it was drinks on the lawn, with a vibrant garden party atmosphere.

 The marquee was stunning inside and out.

 Speeches were after the meal and gave us touching and humorous moments.

 Soon it was time for the dancing and the first dance was an athletic show.

 The dance floor remained packed for the rest of the night, with the Elastic Band giving a great show of their vast experience.

 The only short break in the dancing was when the ice-cream van arrived...

I am sure this day was what everyone who had planned and organised it had wished for.

Erin & Andrew

Erin and Andrew had a great wedding recently, getting married at the Capelles Methodist Church with a reception at La Grande Mare Hotel.

With six bridesmaids there was a lot for everyone to do.  But everything went smoothly, just getting to and from their house was a bit tricky due to unexpected roadworks and one way systems.

 The groomsmen were in high spirits, a quick beer and onto the church.  This lot certainly displayed great humour all day.

 What should have been a short distance to the church turned into a much longer than expected journey due to the roadworks, but everyone got to the church on time.  The rain that was intermittent earlier had now become heavy and persistent.

 As a special treat, the Boys Brigade and Majorettes had formed a guard of honour, this was greatly appreciated.  Well done to these yongsters who had spent a fair time outside in the cold and rain waiting for the couple to exit the church after the ceremony.  With the rain it was onto the wet weather plan, this meant family group shots were taken inside the church, before going to the reception.

 On the way we stopped for pictures at Grandes Rocques, a favourite area for Erin and Andrew.

 The reception room was beautifully decorated, the guest book we printed up from engagement pictures looked stunning too.

 Speeches were before the meal, including some words from Erin herself and her brother too.

 The dance training certainly paid off!

 Soon it was difficult to move anywhere near the dance floor, let alone take photographs of the action!

 As night fell we ventured out to take a few pictures, it's always exciting to see what we can create.

 An excited group awaited the bouquet toss...

 A touching last dance rounded off the lovely day.