Independence Day...

So, Happy July 4th to all my American Amigos! Have a Bud for me, my friends! Can't believe it's now 20 years since I spent Independence Day actually in America, and my friend Vicki's son, who I shot as a babe in her arms on that day, is now a regular graduated guy and all-growed-up! Yowza!

So, couple of little Wedding stories from the past week or so....

Chilled bride of the week: Cheryl at Styal Lodge. Just, literally, just..as she was about to walk up the aisle to her chosen music, the i-pod jammed! She was so cool about it. The staff went to find another player, and she casually picked a tune from their collection to walk up to Chris! Excellent!

Hungriest guest of the week: The chap at Sharon and Darren's Wedding at the Worsley Park Marriott last Saturday, who drove off to an Esso garage down the road to buy two cornish pasties and got back to eat them just in time to be invited into the Wedding Breakfast! Tee hee!

Nicest Toastmaster of the week: Stephen Sanders, who took pity on the poor, sweaty Wedding Photographer at the Marriott, Worsley (Ie: Me!) and presented me with a cool pint of Guinness! Cheers, Steve!

Feel the love...

Nice to receive a compliment in the mail, yesterday. Last week's Wedding couple took time out - from the Caribbean! - to get online and send me a little message. We all had a great day at Styal Lodge, near Wilmslow, as you can see from some of the pictures here, and they've been able to log on during their honeymoon to see all the images on their Web Gallery, a service I offer to all my Wedding couples. Anyway, they wrote: We just wanted to pass our on most heartfelt thanks for everything you did on Friday. Everyone commented on how great you were and how at ease you made everyone feel....   Cool!


So, couple of quick funnies....A bride recently wrote me a list of the shots she wanted me to get at her Wedding. First shot on the list? Bride in Wedding Dress! Now why didn't I think of that! Secondly, I've just joined a 'creative professionals' network in Manchester, and noticed they're plugging a 'Women Only' get-together next month. The venue? The Old Hag's Head!! Just telling you, is all.... :-)

Kiss me quick...

I pride myself in being able to compose my images in-camera, and I'm not really one for cropping or photo-shopping once I've shot 'em, but I actually think I might have a case for a quick dab of clone tool after Friday's Wedding! Look at this lovely shot from Styal Lodge, in Cheshire, capturing the moment the bride and groom, Chris and Cheryl, first kiss each other as man and wife. The problem? No, not the beaming registrar, that's par for the course, it's where they stand! No, my problem is the unavoidable sign above Chris' head...a man making a run for it through the door! Er, no!

Anyway, hope you're enjoying the sun at last! How long did it take for you to hear someone yesterday complain "Oooh, it's too hot for me!" ?

Style in Styal...!

It's always nice for me when I get to shoot a Wedding at a venue I've not been to before, and that was the situation yesterday when I went to Styal Lodge, near Wilmslow, for the Wedding of Cheryl and Chris!
It's a really cool, compact site for a Wedding, with a lovely side-room set aside for the bride to get ready.
Guests came from far and wide for the event, too, and hey, even the weather behaved itself, so that we could get out onto the decking by the lake for some shots!