It feels like things go full circle nowadays. No sooner has the events season finished that the weddings take over with gusto and I am thrust into the world of flowers, love, parties and celebrations. Much better than being a funeral photographer!..
This year we have a heap of weddings to show off on the Lake District blog and also on our facebook pages too so feel free to friend us to keep up with our updates.
I will listen to hundreds of toasts this year, so I thought that getting one of my own in early would maybe create some inspiration for the year to come: Heres to long and nostalgic summer evenings, beautiful brides, laughter, alcohol, amazing weddings, style, passion and creativity……
I have compiled a set of images from 2011 that I consider to be my personal favourites. This may give people who are looking at my site and blog a little more insight into what I am looking for as a photographer. In here there are a mix of set-up images and also some photojournalistic style images and I have put in only one from each wedding that I have attended and there are still more to come from weddings that haven’t even been blogged yet!
David and Abigail at the Merewood Hotel, Windermere
I chose this for the amazing setting, the fact that we fought to get to the location in the first place as it is actually at the Cragwood Hotel. After all that, this image really was worth the effort.
Rachel & Shaun at greystoke, Penrith.
I chose this image of Shaun and Rachel from a mountain of images shot on the day because it really does sum them up. The colouring reflects the vintage feel of the wedding too. Rarely am I happier with a posed image than with this one.
Nicola and Tom at the Punchbowl Inn
Tom & Nicola had two photographers on the day and this was one of my favourites. We jumped back from the church in Grassmere to take this at St Johns in the Vale and is just off the road. We fought a bit of rain to get this shot but it was well worth it.
Andrew & Jill at Armathwaite Hall Hotel, Bassenthwaite.
This is by far my favourite of Andrew and Jill and I think it is theirs too. The depth and height of the trees adds a real perspective to it and by muting the colours is is far less green than the original. Armathwaite hall has so many locations for all types of weather conditions and it is a real treat to photograph weddings there.
Andrew and Kelly at Rheged, Penrith.
Some brides and grooms are up for anything.. Andrew and Kelly were no exception as they jumped at the chance to have images in the IMAX at Rheged. The screen wasn’t actually on and the light is coming from a flash positioned on a boom in front of the screen. Certainly one of the most unique shots from their wedding and a personal favourite. The rest of their images will follow in a blog post shortly.
The wedding of Dawn and Mike at Inn on the Lake, Glenridding
I know that this is quite an odd choice for a favourite, but in a fraction of a second this moment was gone and this was the only time I could get a clean shot as everybody piled onto the dance floor. All of the elements that were required to take it came together for a 60th of a second. A firm firm favourite from this year.
Lucie & Hamish at the Heather Glen Hotel, Ainstable, Carlisle.
This is again, just another moment. I will even admit that this image was not part of Hamish and Lucies’ final selection for their album, but it is one that really makes me smile. Maybe you had to be there to feel the nerves and excitement to appreciate this quiet moment, shot from the hallway. The room was bathed in beautiful sunlight and apart from a little colour correction, this image is largely untouched in photoshop.
Joanne & Paul at the Greenhill Hotel, near wigton.
Joanne said that she wanted something different as a portrait of herself to run alongside the more posed images of her from her wedding day. I love it because this window has been used a thousand times by nearly every photographer covering weddings in Cumbria and after a moment to think, I decided on a partial silhouette. Its a first from me and maybe a first for the Greenhill?
Victoria & Kevin at the Roundthorn Hotel, Beacon Edge, Penrith.
Victoria was luminous on her wedding day and photographed with ease from start to finish. This image stood out mainly because of how it flows from top to bottom and really shows off the vibrancy of her dress, even in mono.
David and Michelle at Abbey House Hotel, Barrow
As far as classic wedding imagery goes, this is it for me and I really could create images like this one all day long. This wedding was shot as part of our two photographer team at Icon Wedding Photography, where you get the option to have two full time professional photographers covering your wedding day. Abbey house is a beautiful venue and one of my favourites in south Lakeland too. There is so much to see there and its potential for great wedding images is huge. We were even shooting once it got dark which I will show you all in a later post.
Matt & Adele at Armathwaite Hall
Matt was getting a real roasting here from his best man, who’s wedding I also covered. Its not a traditional wedding picture and Adel isn’t even in it, but for me this image sums up these two to a tee. For more of Matt and Adels’ images search the blog as there are heaps on the blog. Armathwaite hall delivered us a lovely low sunset in their fantastic grounds.
Mike and Katie at Inn on the lake, cumbria.
Talk about smiling from start to finish and there was no telling them both to be natural either… They just did it. Inn on the lake is rapidly becoming my home venue as year on year my weddings there increase. Its no bad thing as it is without doubt one of the best hotels for photography in the lakes. This image is an alternative to the normal stand at the end of the jetty and have a snog or look longingly at each-other pictures… I tend to have an alternative for every stayed or overdone picture. Jonathan and Gary are some of the best planners around too and make every wedding run like a well oiled machine.
Melissa & Lee at Carlisle Racecourse
This shot of Melissa getting ready opens up Melissa and Lees’ album and spreads 24 inches across the page. Its a real knockout image taken on my Yashicamat 66 and is as smooth close up as it is from afar. I could have chose from hundreds of images of this wedding but I just love the expression on Mels face and the fact that she is in her dress and no-one else is ready. Carlisle racecourse is a fantastic place for a wedding and as an alternative venue to big country piles it makes for a very different setting and a very different style of photography.
Nick & Maggie at St Begas and Graysonside, Cockermouth
Nick and Maggie seem to pop up on this blog a lot after having their wedding and pre wedding photoshoot done by Lake District. This image is timeless and has one of the most picturesque churches in the Lake District as the backdrop. Without doubt one of my favourites this year. Graysonside, Nicks family home is also now a wedding venue, so if you are looking at this and don’t have a venue yet, have a look at their site by clicking here.
Stacey and Stephen at Hundith Hill, Cockermouth
Just over the road from the above venue at Graysonside is Hundith Hill, the chosen location of Stacey and Stephen. The rain really didn’t stop on the day, so I shot some bits inside while we waited for the weather to subside. The wall frames Stacey in this shot and makes the image really pop out. Staceys’ looks are flawless and make for a perfect bride who thankfully quite enjoyed being photographed.
Rachel & Ian at the Greenhill Hotel, Red Dial.
Just remembering that I have to choose one image from each wedding for this exercise, this is Rachels’ favourite image and its mine too. The light is quite flat as we were in the shade but the dying embers of the evening summer sun can be seen lighting the staircase inside. The Greenhill Hotel, is where I shot my first big wedding after moving back from the North East, so is kind of a special place for me and I like to think that this is a nice portrait of the hotel too.
Rachel & Rick at smiths hotel Gretna.
Caught this as we were setting up for a shot on the balcony outside Rachel and Ricks suite at Smiths. Its safe to say that this one had preference over the setup image by quite a long way.
Sarah and Peter at the Crighton
Another wedding that is yet unblogged but expect to see it in the future. Sarah and peter had the worst mother nature could throw at us and still smiled all the way through. I stepped in a puddle but still managed to deliver over 400 images of a fantastic day for them both.
Scott & Donna at Inn on the Lake
This has to be a wedding photograph that will live in infamy for me and one that I have clients ask about all of the time. This version is untreated with the union Jack left in. See the blog for more images from their beautiful wedding at Inn on the Lake.
Victor and Jennifer at the Grange Hotel
So 2011 ends where it all started, at the Grange with Victor and Jennifer. This was a wedding that I felt really at home with. Vintage styling and a really lovely couple who have left me some very nice comments on their blog post. This shot was captured as they walked away from their wedding breakfast and really was a lucky shot. I love it.. Adam from Lake District Wedding Photography.
Unfortunately I have no control over the weather or every wedding day would be a nice patchy, sunny day with a nice sunset at the end of it. Abigail and David don’t have the ability to control the weather either or they would have probably gone for the same kind of day that I would have wanted, but rain it did…… lots. I had my assistant Emma Stoszkowski with me to assist who is fast becoming a great photographer in her own right just after finishing her photography degree with a 2.1 (congratulations!) and she also came up with a stack of images from what was an emotional and stylish wedding day.
The clouds parted for the most important parts of the day, which is all that mattered, as there was a boat trip on windermere with Windermere Lake Cruises and a short trip off the beaten track to a fantastic boat house on the shores of the lake. The Merewood is a fantastic location for a wedding in Lakeland and is helped along by its proximity to Windermere on one side and Ambleside on the other. I shoot maybe three weddings a year there, and always look forward to going back as the inside (should it rain) is equally as nice as the outside.
So, on the day, Abigail’s awesome lace topped dress was made by Lyn Ashworth and the cars were provided by Touch of Class in Workington. Enjoy the pictures and my apologies for them being a little extensive. I liked lots.
What a cake. Not sure who made it but they sure are talented.Fisheye jetty image.Ok, just a few more. This one I love.Just a few more to finish off down by the lake.This old boat was awesome to photograph from.Stunning bride, great location.A few on the boat and then in the 1970’s Rolls Royceinside and outside the beautiful St Marys in Windermere.St Marys church for the ceremonyThe girls getting ready.
Lets get one thing straight, shooting weddings overseas is a huge honor and privilege to do and Russ and Jill were no exception. The Sensatori in Crete is a fantastic hotel with loads of bits and bobs around it like beaches, cafes and little chapels too. Russ and Jill knew what they wanted from their photography and not taking up too much time on the day, I photographed them in as many places as I could before pulling away to let them enjoy the day. Maybe I should change my name to “Lake District Wedding Photography International”? Nah, anyway here is a wedding for a lovely couple that was a pleasure to shoot on one of the most beautiful and scenic islands in the whole of the medditeranian sea.
Lots of the speeches and reception. The girls running about were really funny.
I have left some stuff out as the images of Jill and Russ will take up most of my available space. I can’t say enough how happy I am with how the images turned out and even though I generally travel armed to the teeth with cameras when I go overseas I only used one digital and one two and a quarter square film camera.
The theme for the day was a dusty pink and it worked so well in the summery sky.Russ looking like Jason Bourne in the wedding chapel. (I think he looks a bit like Matt Damon)
Jills hair was a really striking dark red on the day which contrasted really well with the dusty pink of her dress. Photographing her in the chapel was awesome and in the hotel grounds, she contrasted really well with the surroundings.
What a great couple to photograph.
One more in the Chapel before heading outside.The ceiling outside the chapel was almost totally transparent and diffused the light beautifully.I loved this beach and the light was so muted.Sometimes the simplest images are the ones that stand out to me. Shot on the Yashica 66 film camera and Ilford film.It really would be difficult to take a bad picture of Jill.Got wet feet taking this one.This one capped it all for me. Its the one that I had stuck in my head for a while.Analipsi is a beautiful village. Everything that a quaint old village should be.I should put this into the guests photos for the hotel on tripadvisor. Cool stairs though.Last one. The hotel had some cool lines and arches. No more will fit in the blog though!
Thanks again for everything both and I loved photographing you in one of the most amazing and beautiful places I have ever been to.
Mike and Dawn booked me in January to cover their wedding at Inn on the Lake and on the day, there was so much to photograph my shot count on the cameras reached 1700 images…. I never shoot that much. Not even on commercial jobs that can last days, but the truth is that there was a lot to photograph, the light was awesome and the lake cruise on the evening topped off an excellent days photography. I will get straight into the images:
Mike and Dawn got married outside in the new gazebo which looks great with the hotel behind.
I shot so many images on the morning that they would not all go into this blog. Unusually for me, I didn’t stay the whole time, but kept dipping in and out of the room. This meant that there was always something new when I went back in. Dawn had a lot of bridesmaids so the room was busy enough without me there. I may publish some of these images at a later date as they tell a story all in themselves.
The Happy couples first kiss.The sailboats made for a great backdrop.
Mike and Dawn had arranged to have their wedding in the huge gazebo, used at Inn on the Lake when guest numbers are very high. The styling of the wedding reception was fantastic and really complimented the rest of the day. After the meal the sides were lifted off at one end and it felt like a bedouin tent. This opened the interior to the outside views of Place Fell (on the other side of the lake) and Kirkstone to he right. Very beautiful locations all with perfect weather.
Mike and Dawn for a few moments before the wedding breakfast
I loved the wedding cake and its like no other that I have seen all year. I can’t remember the flavour but I think that it might have been chocolate.
A very cool cake.Nothing like a bit of shadow boxing to warm up for a really funny and entertaining speech.
After the meal everyone headed down to the Ullswater Steamers pier to go on a lake cruise. I love love love wedding cruises. They give me the opportunity to photograph people in a different light and maybe a little bit more relaxed than at the meal with speeches impending etc… The next few images are all from the boat trip where even in a smaller space, I feel that I can blend in more.
Dawn at the back of the boat with the Royal Enseign behind her.There are some great images to be had on the ullswater steamers boats.Dawn looked stunning on every image. The weather held out just long enough to get back to the pier and disembark.A great first dance from Dawn and Mike.A cool band meant that everyone got up to dance almost straight away.
Thank-you Dawn and Mike and I hope you can choose between the images. There are quite a lot.
Nick and Maggie were living in London when they booked me to cover their wedding in Cumbria this year. Looking back in the archives of this blog, i did them a shoot for their engagement at some of the locations near to Bassenthwaite. The shoot went really well and the wedding was a treat to photograph last month. Nick and Maggie have now moved on to Canada to live, where Maggie is originally from, so for the wedding a lot of her family came over to see them tie the knot. I had a feeling that this wedding would be a good one.
Everybody getting ready was an incredibly calm experience.
Graysonside is actually a venue owned by Nicks Mum and are now doing weddings in their own right. Its very picturesque and has an excellent courtyard at the front. Larger weddings are to be held in the marquee at the back which opens up from the dining room into a massive space fit for at least 200 night guests.
St Begas is only a small church and with quite a few guests, it was full up.I love this shot. All the more that it was taken on a film camera.
When the Range Rover arrived with Maggie and her bridesmaids, the cloud was starting to creep in over Ullock and make things look really moody. I grabbed this whilst waiting at the gate for them to arrive. P.S. The Range Rovers were very cool.
I love Ullock. Its like a gateway into the Northern Lakes…. I also love Range Rovers.Maggie and Nick at the Altar.
Nick and Maggies first kiss. I only got two shots of this as I was clapping the rest of the time.
I knew that they wanted a shot with the church in the background and loved this old tree on the shore of the lake.This is a very sweet image if the two of them and with an amazing church as the backdrop.All of the people at the wedding were fantastic and i could upload three times this lot again.
Nicks best man gave him a program from the first ever football match that they ever went to together which I thought was awesome. His speech and also a speech from the maid of honor went down very well which is not a tradition in this country but fitted in really well. Added pressure for future chief bridesmaids there!
I love this image. I shot stacks of the first dance, but this one stands out for me.
As weddings go, I love anything that is unconventional or a new venue to explore that I haven’t been to. Nick and Maggie had a fantastic wedding and the people were amongst the loveliest I have met all year. I wish I could do it all again and hope I will be back at Graysonside soon.
Photographing Mike and Katies’ wedding was a day of going with the flow of events and capturing a lot of things in a spontaneous way. It rained on and off for the whole day, so most of the shots taken were taken between showers. At the end of summer especially in one of the wettest places in the country, you have to expect a few light showers. The sunrise driving from Caldbeck to Ullswater that morning was biblically beautiful, which is quite apt considering that I was about to photograph one of my favourite weddings of the year.
A mix of everyone getting ready. Note the photograph 3 in and 1 row down. Priceless.
The thing about photographing at Inn on the Lake is that there is almost too many locations and possibilities. Its one of those places that I never get tired of shooting at and I am there quite a lot. With Mike and Katies Wedding, I think that they set out to create a day that was about close family and friends and I think their images are quite intimate in that way. It was strange to approach a wedding at a venue that I cover so often in such an unusual way. This is by no means a bad thing as it gives their images an even more unique angle.
It was asking too much to hold it together for that long.
All of the groomsmen are rugby players and photographing them messing around in their room down the hall made me laugh out loud. It was quite a contrast to the lovely time that the Girls were having down the other end of the hotel. Mike got all of the boys survival bags filled with Lynx, cufflinks and most important of all Red Bull.
This was in the spur of the moment. I was actually photographing Katie. I love it though.The flowers were beautiful.Mike and the boys arriving at the church in Pooley Bridge
Mike and Katie were married at St Michaels Churchat Barton near Pooley Bridge, which is like no other church that I have seen before. The Church has a large tunnel leading through the centre and the altar is through the tunnel about 15 yards from the congregation. This did allow me to slip from front to back quite easily though and the Vicar was a gentleman.
Katie and Raif arriving at the churchKatie heading up the path.Mikes nerves were quickly evaporated once katie had arrived and on time too…ish.In the grounds of the church. It was fantastic and very charming. Very Lake District.Some sunshine at last.Katie looked amazing and was so natural to photograph.Raif talked about the stag in his speech and how for the first time he has tried a Jaegerbomber. What a great speech.A lovely first dance image from a couple who laughed and smiled all day.
What a great wedding to do. Mike and Katie were awesome on the day. Thanks go to Raif for ‘cracking the whip’ as he said when I was too short to shout through an open window and thanks to Mike and Katie for letting me capture a unique and close event, full of emotion and laughter.
Rain, rain, rain, with sun when we needed it most and overcast conditions when we needed it too. This was the first wedding outing for my new medium format film camera which produced some very fine images indeed, with some arty ones and some a little more rock ‘n’ roll. This camera will only shoot 12 frames on a film and I only took two films with me so it did make me a little slower and deliberate about what I was taking pictures of. The Lyn Ashworth dress that Abigail had chosen had amazing detail and was everything but standard as wedding dresses go.
David and Abigail booked me over a year ago now to photograph their wedding at the Merewood and I have to say that it was an absolute pleasure to spend the day with the both of them, their beautiful twins, friends and family. Their church was one of the less frequented in the Lake District, St Marys at Bowness on Windermere. It gets mobbed by tourists when a wedding is on due to its proximity to the Windermere motor launches. Davids and Abigails day was no exception but they both accepted the applause and Abigails wolf whistles from the crowd with style and grace.
After the service, we moved on to the lake cruise with Windermere Lake Cruises from Bowness. The rain was light enough for people to get outside on the boat, so spirits were kept high as we toured the lake as far down as Waterhead Bay and back.
After coming off the cruise, the guests headed back towards the hotel and the driver from Touch of Class in workington dropped us with an usher so we could head to the Cragwoods boathouse and jetty for a few more photographs of just David and Abigail together. The light in the boathouse was awesome, with the old beams casting long shadows down the walls, I needed to wait for clouds to cover the sun to dampen the light enough to shoot. What an amazing and unique location.
After that it was back to the hotel for a few more after wich the rain came down like cats and dogs. My assistant on the day was amazing, Miss Emma Stoszkowski (rapidly becoming a great photographer in her own right) who has just finished at university with a 2.1 degree in photography, so congratulations Emma and I can’t wait to see your new website.
The images below will soon start with a collection of six from the Medium format film camera and for all you geeks out there, the film stock is the awesome fujifilm pro 400h and most were shot at f3.5 on a Rolleiflex. Not bad for a 55 year old camera. Enjoy the images David, I know you were dying to see them. Your full gallery is available now in the Your Images section.
P.S. What an amazing cake.
getting ready can take a while, i’ll never say no to more time!Abigail looking amazing.Cake of the year?Abigails mum walking her down the aisleOn the way back from Windermere and on the boat.The view down the lake towards Hill Topa fisheye lens held down near the fishwhat a great bride to photographinside the boathouseAt the lakeside and boathouse
Lake District Wedding Photography, 21 Mill Road, Glasson, Cumbria, CA7 5EE