Tag Archives: candid wedding photography

Gemma & James wedding preparation to the party

Gemma & James

Wedding preparation to the party

From the wedding preparation to the party were the instructions, once we sit down for dinner we want to relax…. ok I said.

Gemma & James live in coventry, Gemma is Irish and James is English and they got married in Ireland, and were married in one county and had their reception in another…what could go wrong?

The answer is easy nothing, the day went off without a hitch… except they got hitched!

I photographed these guys when I still lived in Ireland, it was may, the weather was fine and the day was a fantastic celebration.

After we chatted about what the bride and groom wanted from me and how long they wanted to book me for we agreed that I would photograph the wedding preparation to the party.

An as I lived two miles from the reception hotel, I was home in time for a beer and chat with my wife, this is unusual for a wedding photographer!

I met the bride at her mums house and started work, bubbles were already flowing and spirits were high, the ceremony was in Dundalk and reception in Slane. we agreed that if the weather was fine we would stop at the famous Hill of Slane and shoot the bridal party there.

once we got the group shots done the bridesmaids and groomsmen left and we spent 20 minutes or so getting the bridal portraits done. all that was left was the throwing of the bouquet , a ritual that seems less popular these days.

I photographed the bride and groom cutting the cake and got out of their hair, a great day all round, enjoy the pictures.

Manchester reportage wedding photographer

Wedding preparation to the party

Manchester reportage wedding photographer

Wedding preparation to the party

Manchester reportage wedding photographer

Wedding preparation to the party

Manchester reportage wedding photographer

Wedding preparation to the party

Manchester reportage wedding photographer

manchester wedding photographer

Wedding preparation to the party

manchester wedding photographer

Manchester reportage wedding photographer

manchester wedding photographer

Manchester reportage wedding photographer

Jim & Diane Manchester Town hall wedding

Jim & Diane

Manchester Town hall wedding

When Jim and Diane contacted me about shooting their wedding and told me it was in the Manchester town hall I was over the moon.

The bride and groom were very relaxed, they weren’t going to have a photographer initially, but then worried that any pictures from the day might go missing or never get to them.

So they asked me to document the day and only requested that I get a family picture, Jim and Diane both had grown up children from previous partners so getting a family picture was important.

Photographing their wedding started at the town hall, the ceremony room was very elegant and I did manage to grab a few shot of people milling into the room before the ceremony.

The formalities went off very smoothly, before everyone settled into their glasses of bubbly I gathered the family out to one of the fantastic landings where I had already set up some lights to give a little help to the available light.

Once the family groups were done five minutes with the bride and groom was all we needed to finish the posed pictures so they could re join the party.

I traveled from Manchester town hall to Old Trafford cricket ground where the reception was to take place and a bit more partying, Jim instructed me to get some food…. which was lovely before the entertainer started touring the room, he was great fun.

The last part of my job was to capture the first dance, one of my favourite parts of a wedding day as its the point at which you see the couple relax… everything is done, speeches, thanks are given and it’s party time.

Cheshire reportage wedding photographer

Cheshire reportage wedding photographer

Reportage wedding photographer manchester

Cheshire reportage wedding photographer

Manchester Town hall wedding

Cheshire reportage wedding photographer

Manchester Town hall wedding

Cheshire reportage wedding photographer

Manchester Town hall wedding

Cheshire reportage wedding photographer

Manchester Town hall wedding

Janet & David travel wedding Photographer

Janet & David

Travel wedding Photographer

Janet & David booked me for their wedding while I actually lived in Ireland, my moving back to the UK before their wedding was what actually made me a travel wedding Photographer, but I’m taking it as my first destination wedding as I did have to travel to Dublin to cover it.

The Bride and Groom actually live in the Cayman Islands, we exchanged a few emails and had a few consultations by Skype, which was great as I could do it from home.

After chatting to David and Janet I did my usual recci and check out in door and outside locations, it was a December Wedding so being outside would be for a very short amount of time.

The couple gave me two locations they liked, and I made a plan to get there and onto the hotel in Dublin city centre easily. I sent pictures of my recci through to Janet and we formed a plan to get everything done, thankfully the day was dry and not to cold, so we managed to get some outside portraits of the couple; before retreating to the hotel.

The formal pictures were nice and easy to get as the hotel had plenty of space to work and it was nice and bright. the main reception room was spectacular I hope I did it justice in my pictures.

Reportage wedding photographer

Anne & Liam small and intimate wedding

Ann & Liam

Small & intimate wedding.

Ann and Liam are a mature bride and groom who asked me to shoot their wedding, Ann had been searching around for a photographer and contacted me because she liked the relaxed feel to my work, and they were planning a Small & intimate wedding.

I have covered small weddings of only thirty guests and larger weddings of two hundred guests, Ann & Liam were some where in the middle with around ninety friends and family going along to help them celebrate.

The ceremony room was quite challenging to work in because there were no windows and the light levels were low, I did have to use some flash, but tried to make sure it looked natural by using the flash very carefully.

As with all civil ceremonies it was a swift affair, and once the vows were exchanged there were a couple of readings and then it was party time.

The weather leading up to the wedding had been very wet, thankfully the day was dry and we managed to get outside for some pictures.

The hotel had no gardens so we used the rear entrance to the hotel which did offer some greenery and extra light.

The day was a pleasure and everyone had a good time, the bride and groom were relaxed and the groom was happy I only asked him to do formal pictures for about fifteen minutes.

As usual I took far to many pictures and made it hard work for myself to edit them down to an easy to digest number for the couple.

Candid wedding photographer

Small & intimate wedding.

Ken & Yvonne

Ken & Yvonne, both geologists’…. so that the rocks makes!

These lovely guys hired me to shoot their wedding, it was one of the last weddings I photographed in Ireland before my move to Saddleworth.

I really had a good day working with Ken and Yvonne, although photographing someone with the same name as yourself can get a little confusing!

We had a fun day as the wedding went smoothly, it was a civil ceremony so there were no logistics to worry about. Everything took place at the beautiful Tankardstown house.

There were lots of lovely details to photograph from the button holes made out of maps of importance to the couple, to the dancing bridal Converse all stars which was a brilliant touch for later on in the evening and the his ‘n’ hers rock place names at the dinner table

We had a mix of as much candid as possible with making the most of the beautiful location for some bridal portraits. it rained until after dark so it was to cold to spend any time outside in late november!

But we did manage to have some fun with light painting and sparklers, I was my first sparkler exit. and I was pleased with the results.

My photo booth was also in use at this wedding, the guests seemed to enjoy it and there were plenty of fun shots from the camera inside, my booth is autonomous… I usually stay near by incase someone can’t find the right prop, but it works without an operator present. I think this is the key to a fun Photo Booth, no-one saying smile but being on hand to encourage a few silly pics is a bonus.

Once the Brilliant Pulp Fiction inspired first dance was over I switched on the photo booth and let the guests do their own thing in there while I popped in and out to take more pictures of the dancing in the main room.

Saddleworth wedding photographer

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Bridget & Anthony

I spent a few hours with this lovely couple, they hired me to shoot their ceremony. They chose to just have immediate family and some close friends at their ceremony, so the priest in Bridget’s parish offered the use of the parochial house, which was perfect for the occasion.

Bridget and Anthony both wanted a very relaxed time for their celebration, and so wanted the same from me. I was happy to oblige we did some bridal portraits and a few family group pictures.

The couple were having a meal with their friends and family at a lovely country hotel restaurant to celebrate the day, we managed to grab a couple of portraits of the bride and groom and then kept the photography natural and low key.

I milled around taking portraits and a few candid group shots, looking waiting for moments to happen and being ready to capture it, I really enjoy this type of photography. Recording moments that happen rather than trying to create them is a much more relaxing way to work for the couple.

I will sometimes find a little place to take the bridal portraits, I take plenty of pictures of the couple walking to the place, they often make great shots as the couple are relaxed and not to conscience of the camera.

I find group pictures need to be taken quickly, as people get fed up standing to long, not forgetting the bride and groom who are present for all of the groups, I like to get everyone smiling too even the grumpy ones!

Bridget and Anthony were a joy to photograph and their brief of candid and low key photography made my day very enjoyable and let me witness their families interacting and celebrating the special day of their loved ones.

Candid manchester wedding photography

Candid manchester wedding photography

Candid manchester wedding photography

Candid manchester wedding photography

saddleworth wedding photographer

Unposed Wedding photography

I was very fortunate last year to be chosen to record the wedding of Linda & Ciaran.

The only real brief I was given by Linda was to keep the formal stuff to a minimum, an instruction I was happy to hear.

Their wedding ceremony was in Drumcondrath, Ciaran’s home village and the reception at the stunning Ballymagarvey village in Balrath Co. Meath, Ireland.

The day started at Linda and Ciaran’s house in Carickmacross where Linda was getting ready, I had dropped my able assistant off with Ciaran to photograph the grooms party at Ciaran’s parents house… the breakfast was already in the pan and smelt good!

I carried on to photograph the brides preparations, Linda had dispatched her dad to wash her car… the blue bullet her Golf which she wanted to leave the church in… that comes in Later.

The bridesmaids were out delivering things for Conor and Oisin the couples lovely little boys.

The usual morning activities were underway in a brides house, dresses hanging, cup of tea flowing with the odd glass of bubbly. All was flowing well make up artists were doing their thing and I had the pleasure of documenting all before me. Unposed wedding photography was the order of the day!

Wedding Photographer Saddleworth and Manchester

So onto the church where the day was dry and bright if not a little windy… which was a pleasant break from the storm force winds the days before, the ceremony was pleasant and went off nicely. I was shooting from the wings of the church and capturing those moments that can be forgotten in a heartbeat… the nerves were building a little because Linda had let me into a secret that we were going from the church to Ballymagarvey by helicopter and I was a helicopter vergin!

The Blue bullet delivered the bride and groom to the local GAA pitch where Ciaran started to regale us with his glory days on the pitch before being interrupted by the thudding of rotor blades as the helicopter landed.

All aboard Linda, Ciaran Oisin and Conor and lastly myself took of for the reception taking in the sights along the way, we soon landed and were greeted by the lovely staff at Ballymagarvey village. this is where I had the most fun with the unposed pictures… to the extent of capturing the newlyweds walking to were we were going to get their shots done, they were very relaxed and that was the plan. When Linda had first contacted me about photographing their wedding, the first thing she said was we want the least amount of posed pictures possible… a request I was happy to get. Most Irish couples have similar thoughts on this, capturing real moments of the day being much more important. I feel the same way!

Enjoy the Pictures

Wedding photography and Photo booth

Maria & Edd

I had the pleasure of Photographing the wedding of A local girl and her soul mate Edd, I had the pleasure of meeting Maria and Edd at the Conyngham arms Hotel where I was invited to show my work at one of their open evenings last year. Maria asked me about my photo booth and weather I was available for their day. As it happened I was, so I met the couple for a coffee and we discussed their day and what sort of Photography they wanted and how the Photo Booth would work at the Conyngham Arms Hotel. Maria told me they wanted only a few formals and to just capture the day as it progressed, A job which was very enjoyable, so how does Wedding photography and Photo booth work in one day? I set the booth up in the hotel in the morning and then photographed the wedding through the day, switching the booth on after the first dance. Maria had asked for the onsite printing option which works really well with the guests able to take a 6×4 print of their Photo Booth shenanigans home to look at with a clear head! Wedding photography and Photo booth has become increasingly popular as some couples want to share fun and relaxed pictures with friends and relatives from the evening without having a photographer walking around at the reception. I have a box of props, silly hats, wigs, mustaches and feather boas. all make for good fun in the booth. My booth is nice and open so once a few people break the ice it starts a little buzz around the booth. I try to locate it where it can be seen but is not to in the way. I had such fun working with Maria and Edd, their wedding was so nice to be a part of and I hope I captured their happiness well.