Planning Your Wedding Photography - 2015 edition by Ellie Gillard

planning your wedding photography A HELPFUL GUIDE . . .

creative, modern wedding photography Congratulations; you can tick somthing

version - a little fanzine; like the

pretty big off your wedding to do list,

kind you might pick up in a little

and give yourself a pat on the back.

music shop or boutique.

You have a photographer. I want this to be one of the best experiences

Feel free to disregard anything

you’ll have throughout your wedding

that’s not relevant to you - every

planning.

wedding is unique and there’s no cookie cutter approach here. I do

I have pulled this guide together

hope this answers more questions

to give you a bit of an overview

than it raises, but should it be the

for what it might be like from a

other way round then don’t hesitate

Photographic point of view, and

to get in touch. About 4-6 weeks

some things to consider to make

before the big day I will also send

things run a bit more smoothly,

you a brief questionnaire about the

and to get the photos you want. I

runnings and timings of the day,

also wanted to inspire you, and give

and this will provide the basis for

you something tangible too - I’m

a chat to cover everything so that

sure you;ve been bombarded with

I’m fully prepped to be awesome

stuff from mainstream wedding

on your wedding day.

magazines - well this is my own

contents R E A L W E D D I N G - G EO R G I E & A N DY E N G A G E M E N T S H O OT G E T T I N G R E A DY THE CEREMONY G R O U P S H OTS

3 5 9

11 13 19

PORTRAITS 23 THE RECEPTION T H E F I R S T D A N C E & PA R T Y

TIME

REAL WEDDING - JODIE & JAMIE AFTER THE WEDDING ALBUMS AND PRINTS

georgie & andy

march 2014 // shoreditch “ I T W A S A LW AY S G O I N G T O B E A N E A S T L O N D O N W E D D I N G ” It’s where we met and have lived together for the last 5 and a half years. We decided to play it safe, and opt for a winter wedding given how unpredictable British summertime can be. Keeping it personal was important, for example we took creative license when it came to traditions. So the church was a very old fashioned ceremony where we had to kneel, but we shunned other traditions like having a seating plan. Music was key. In fact, I think one of the first things we booked was the band (Fleetwood Bac – an amazing tribute band). They kind of became the inspiration for the look and feel of the wedding.

Overall I would describe the theme as wild gypsy, bohemian meets Gothic, medieval. We had loads of handmade hanging

feathers, dried wild flowers, giant dream catchers, ribbon garlands and hundreds of candles (500 to be precise!). Our friend designed amazing bespoke wedding invites that were three personalised tarot cards representing our past, present and future. We set up an old school type writer as a guest book. Another friend made us a beautiful personalised card box from an old suitcase. And there was a washing line of photos of us from babies to now, including shots of us with all the guests at the wedding. There was no colour scheme per se; we just wanted to keep it all quite muted and washed out, with accents of punchier, bold shades like my black cherry lipstick. Be all over the detail, especially if you don’t have a planner. I

work in advertising, so treated it in the same way I would a big production. I had pre-production documents, timing plans and a contact sheet for the wedding party with responsibilities. It just meant that on the day I was so chilled, we had done everything we could and if something went wrong it wasn’t my problem! Get friends and family involved and draw on their skills. Our pals were incredible — my friend Gina did my hair and makeup, Ben did our wedding stationery, another friend DJed, my Dad and Stepmum are chefs so did the food, and we had a gang help us set it up the day before and break it down after. We were super lucky to be surrounded by such talented folk .

address book

Wedding Location: London, England / Photographer: Ellie Gillard / Florist: Rebecca Clarkson of Battersea Flower Station / Ceremony Venue: St Leonard’s Church / Reception Venue: The Tab Venue / Wedding Dress: Charlotte Casadejus via Luella’s Boudoir / Headpiece: Pamela Love via Bona Drag / Wedding Shoes: Marni / Hair and Makeup: Gina Best (ginabest @ gmail.com) / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Free People / Bridesmaids’ Shoes: Fury / Groom’s Suit: Sandro / Groom’s Shoes: Prada / Caterer: The Good Eating Company / Band: Fleetwood Bac / DJ: David Russell / Dream Catchers: Sheriden Rochelle Walters / Lighting: LX Tricks Lighting / Wedding Invitations: Ben Edwards / Videographer: Mark Brown Films / Photobooth: LookLook

engagement shoots

This is one of the areas that I get most questions about, so I thought it would be good to include a handy guide and some hints and tips in here. Lots of people often feel they don’t need or want a pre-wedding shoot, and that’s fine but if your budget does allow for it then I love doing them. I see it as a way for us all to get to know each other a little better, you get to have some fun together, some extra images and the chance to use a location that might not be available to you on your wedding day. If you’re a confirmed city dweller but getting married in a rural setting, it could be about incorporating a location you love. Lots of people arrive nervous but (hopefully) go away feeling like they’ve had lots of fun, and maybe even learnt a few tips for the wedding day and it does help me to find out what makes the two of you tick. I do pre-wedding and engagement shoots Monday-Thursday and can gladly fit this into a day off you might already have for wedding planning, or dring the summer when we have long, beautiful evenings, after work shoots can work well too. P I C K I N G A LO C AT I O N Start by considering things and places you love - it could be somewhere like the pub you had your first date, woods you love to explore, a museum you like to while your weekends away in. Some of my favourite locations have been the least expected ones; a shabby but charming den of iniquity in Brixton and multi story car park in Peckham. What about incorporating your personal space into the day and having it at home? or bringing your beloved dog along?

W H AT I F T H E W E AT H E R ’ S BA D ? If there’s time, the weather’s terrible and you have you heart set on an outside location then we can look at rescheduling, but especially in a city like London there’s lots of opportunity to take the shoot inside instead - check out ‘picking a location’ for some ideas’. The same rules apply to a wet wedding day; sometimes you can make use of the rain – it brings a whole new photographic vocabulary – pavements that reflect the light, ethereal overcast skies and puddles that work as mirrors.

W H AT T I M E O F DAY If it’s the summer, or forecast to be sunny, you really want to avoid the midday sun as it’s no-one’s friend. A few hours before sunset always works well, but if you’re an early riser, the morning can be good too. If it’s overcast, the sky is like a giant softbox making the natural light soft and flattering and any time of the day works. The shoots shown on the other pages are a real mix of weather conditions – if we’ve had gorgeous evening it tends to be a real stroke of luck but if you are lucky enough to get that, then exploit it! W H AT I F W E ’ R E C A M E R A S H Y I can help guide you and give you some natural direction that will help you relax and enjoy the shoot but if you’re naturally not very touchy feely, and are worried you might be self conscious then why not plan to be ‘doing something’ or bring something along to incorporate and think of it as an ice breaker. We could go cycling, bake a cake, go wine tasting - anything you like.

W H AT S H O U L D I W E A R ? I like to leave this one up to you ultimately but I think it gives you a good opportunity to dress up - wear your favourite clothes and great shoes and you’ll feel more confident in front of the camera. Colourful outfits work better on camera than head to toe black and heels can be leg lengthening. If you’re going to bring a bag ensure it’s small or you don’t mind popping it on the ground so you can be hands free for the shoot. For girls, it’s great to combo it with your hair and makeup trial - you can see what it will look like on camera and you’ll look gorgeous. Make sure you’re still you though - if you live in your jeans then it makes sense to wear them. To see some more images from engagement shoots head to http://www.elliegillard.co.uk/category/engagementsessions/

getting ready This is the part of the day some people are often not sure if they want covered but it’s one of my favourites and helps to tell the whole story of the day. The time you spend with your family and friends before saying ‘I do’ is, without wanting to sound too twee, really precious and it will fly past. I normally recommend you have me arrive 1-2 hours before the ceremony starts depending on travel time. If you’re getting ready at the venue, early arrival is a good chance for me to spend some time photographing the details at the venue, leaving more time for other photos later.

From a photographer’s point of view, the ideal space would be spacious, light and tidy (although I know with lots of people getting ready in a small space it often isn’t, and that’s fine by me as long as you don’t mind a little bit of mess in the pictures – I think it helps tell the true story). In an ideal world, the makeup artist would place you with light coming from the window onto your face, this is what works best, especially in a dark hotel room. When considering booking a hotel room for this part of the day consider whether it has lots of natural light and whether you are happy to have those fixtures and fittings in your photos. I have also shot in rooms provided by the venue – windowless boxes with no natural light and downward halogens lights – these are a nightmare so if budget allows, choose somewhere else or even set up in another part of the venue.

With regards putting on the dress, some people are shyer than others and I’ll only appear when you want me to. Remember though I’m a girl too (and fortunate enough to be blessed with a modicum of common sense) and I won’t take photos of any wobbly bits, Spanx, boob tape or anything else I wouldn’t want photographed. For guys things like doing up cuffs, and putting on ties work well it’s all about the finishing details. If the two of you are getting ready nearby or i n the same house, I can factor in some time to visit both of you*, or if not, and you’d still like this covered then I can commission a second photographer for you.

* factor this into the total amount of hours on the day We’ll discuss travel as part of the plan of the day – if your wedding is urban (especially if it’s in London) I’ll probably arrive by public transport, and can share transport with members of the wedding party to the actual wedding venue. Some of my favourite shots have been in the car (bus/camper van/walking crocodile) on the way. If not and the venue requires driving I’ll need to leave before you (especially as I’ll often be driving a route I’ve never driven before) and would be appreciative if you could check the availability of parking for me at the venue as I’ll have all of my gear with me, and need to move quickly once I arrive.

WHEN I ARRIVE, RATHER THAN STARTING TO POINT MY CAMERA AT EVERYONE STRAIGHT AWAY, I’LL START BY PHOTOGRAPHING DETAILS LIKE THE DRESS, SHOES, INVITATIONS, FLOWERS OR WHATEVER YOU’VE CHOSEN FOR YOUR DAY SO IF SOMEONE COULD SHOW ME TO WHERE THESE ARE I CAN SNAP AWAY MERRILY UNTIL PEOPLE FEEL A BIT MORE NORMAL ABOUT BEING PHOTOGRAPHED.

hints & tips G et ready with your nearest and dearest - ban anyone attention seeking or difficult. This is your day.

Have your bridesmaids get into their dresses well ahead of you - that way they can help you and they will look good in the photos too. Be in your dress at least 15 minutes before I need to leave, which allows time for some portraits beforehand.

Assign someone to show me your dress and shoes and don’t panic if I move it to a prettier location. For DIY weddings, it can be great to also shoot friends and family setting up the day. Have your invites etc available if you want to include them in your photos. Think about where you want to get ready - if it’s at home I love to be able to include elements of your personal space. If it’s a hotel ask for the lightest room and make sure the curtains are open. Relax and enjoy yourself - take time to make yourself feel (as well as look) gorgeous. This is your day, enjoy it!

Breathe, eat, have a little glass of fizz and remember that the day you’ve planned for months is here – don’t stress over things you can’t change. Stuff will go wrong, and no-one will notice.

the ceremony

THE REASON WE’RE ALL HERE.... The ceremony, be it a civil, humanist or a religious service, is pure documentation. I want to catch the looks on your faces when you first see each other, happy smiles in the crowd, tears and the first kiss. Check with whoever is conducting your ceremony that they are happy to have me present, reassure them that I never use flash during the ceremony (with one or two exceptions in very dark rooms like cinemas!) or get in their way. Nevertheless, some will banish me to the back of the room and some put a ban on photos altogether and it’s definitely best to be aware of any restrictions before the day so that you’re not disappointed afterwards. If this does happen there is usually nothing that can be done about it. Most London registrars are the most relaxed and friendly people I have ever come across but the further you get away from the capital, the more restrictions there may be. Church of England vicars can also be particularly tough, and there are some boroughs e.g. Warwickshire which REALLY dislike photographers and will put heavy limitations on what can be taken.

During the signing of the register, lots of registrars will take great pride in setting up a posed ‘signing of the register’ shot with a stunt pen and the such. Unless you fancy hamming it up, I prefer to snap secretly whilst you’re signing for real – it’s so much more authentic. If you would like a ‘formal’ shot of this – please let me know. After the ceremony there’s lots of happy hugs and kisses – enjoy it. Do let me know if you’re planning confetti, I can get everyone to throw it at the same time and some beautiful photos. If everyone throws seperately it can be a bit underwhelming on camera. Some couples choose to have an unplugged ceremony – in short one where you ask your guests to put down their cameras and smart phones and to watch the wedding with their eyes and feel it with their hearts. If you’re considering an unplugged wedding you could use some wording like this:

SEE MORE See more from the ceremonies of all the weddings I’ve shot over on my blog h t t p : // w w w. e l l i e g i l l a rd . co.uk/category/wedding/

an unplugged request “We want you to be able to relax and have fun with us today! This in mind, we invite you to put down all your f avourite devices and just be present in the moment with us. We want to see your smiling f aces as we walk down the aisle, and not your gadgets. Please leave your camera in your ba g (we’ ve got photog raphy covered!), and put your mobile on mute (we promise they’ ll call back!). We’ re happy to share our professional wedding photos later, but the g reatest gift you can give us today is just being full y here with us in this special moment.”

wisdom from someone who’s seen it before... Trust me on this one... Break in your shoes – nothing worse than sore feet! Try on your underwear with your dress or suit – make sure it doesn’t show through – don’t leave it until the day. Girls – if you’re planning on a cathedral length veil consider taking it off after photos – if it trails on the floor people WILL stand on it, especially if they’ve had a drink, and it is attached to your hair… And another one - if you’re considering a second ‘look’ for the evening substituting a veil for a cool headpiece and red lips etc, consider which one you want for your portraits - or a mixture of both. Give your guests something to do between ceremony and dinner - most of them will be happy enough drinking and chatting, but if they’re really engaged it will make for better photos of them. Be realistic about your timings - as a photographer one of the few things I can’t conjure up is more time

group shots

T H E Y D O N ’ T H AV E TO B E B O R I N G . . . . ( BA L LO O N S N OT CO M P U LS O RY ) I’ll discuss with you a suitable point to do the group shots - sometimes it can work well to get these done at the ceremony venue if the space works better than the reception venue which can be true of urban weddings. Sometimes the day flows better if these are done at the reception venue after a drink. Location is also weather dependent.

if doing the shot of everyone, it’s worth having a friend with a loud voice who can help move your guests into the right location & it tends to work better with less than 70 or so guests. We can have lots of fun with the photos of the wedding party, so feel free to be creative with location or including props etc.

I also recommend keeping it to no more than 8 as the more time group shots take, the less time there is for beautiful candid images and other, more natural shots. As a rule of thumb, each group can take up to 10 minutes to orchestrate. So that could be over an hour out of your day,

Light is also a key factor for these – direct sun overhead will result in everyone squinting and dark shadows under the eyes. So, in this case I would tend to move everyone to shade, or even head inside. This might seem mad to people who say ‘it’s a perfect day for photography’ but trust me, you’ll all look much better with even light on your faces.

This is where I have to put my cheesy cheery photographer hat on; I like to work quickly and keep the shots quite informal and relaxed – no one crouching with their hand under their chin or arrangements based on height (unless it’s some kind of injoke of course!) Group shots don’t need to be boring - they should include all of your favourite people, so feel free to share hugs and big smiles.

In a nutshell, let’s keep it short and everyone can get on with having a good time. You two are the ones that will have to stand there smiling throughout and the more time I spend on group shots the less time I have to capture the action, or even for portraits of the two of you. This is the kind of stuff you saw on my website and what you’ve hired me for.

E V E RYO N E ’ S FA M I LY I S D I F F E R E N T A N D M Y C O U P L E S I N C LU D E T H O S E WITH D I VO R C E D PA R E N T S WHO H AV E N ’ T S P O K E N I N Y E A R S - T H E B E LOW I S I N T E N D E D TO G I V E YO U SOME IDEAS BUT THERE’S NO RIGHT O R W R O N G . ..

1 . E V E RYO N E 2. COUPLE PERSON A’ S

AND BRIDE OR C LO S E FA M I LY

3. COUPLE AND BRIDE OR PERSON A’ S EXTENDED FA M I LY E.G. G R A N D PA R E N T S AND AU N T S / U N C L ES O R PA RT N E R S O F S I B L I N G S 4. COUPLE AND GROOM OR PERSON B’S C LO S E FA M I LY 5. COUPLE AND GROOM OR P E R S O N B ’ S E X T E N D E D FA M I LY E . G . G R A N D PA R E N T S A N D AU N T S / U N C L ES 6 . C O U P L E W I T H W I T N ES S ES / C LO S E FRIENDSHIP GROUPS 7. B R I D E A N D B R I D ES M A I D S 8 . G R O O M A N D B ES T M A N / U S H E R S 9. BRIDE/GROOM & U S H E R S / B ES T M E N

B R I D ES M A I D S /

candid moments

QUITE SIMPLY - THE HEART OF THE DAY Whilst I’m not shooting any other ‘major event’ I’ll be unobtrusively moving through your guests, taking shots of laughter, hugs, smiles and kisses and capturing photos of the bits of your day you won’t get to see. Taking photos of the selfies, the dance offs, the crazy expressions and all kinds of other super fun and natural goodness. This is the crux of my coverage and I could devote a whole magazine to shots of that alone – it’s your friends having fun, your Mum getting squiffy, your best mate’s baby at their first wedding, the moments in between – it’s everything. Suffice to say there’s not much I can say about this other than I’ll be on hand to document whatever happens on the day, keeping an eagle eye on goings on.

During the drinks, between the ceremony and everyone sitting down is often a really good time to get lots o f these shots so why not give your guests something to do – it doesn’t have to cost money – what about a treasure hunt, with a round of drinks for the winner or you could go all out like one of my 2014 couples and have a gaggle of geese. It’ll also give you lots of time to catch up with those guests you haven’t seen for far too long. I could fill pages and pages and pages with these sorts of shots but it’s probably best to see them as part of ongoing wedding stories over on my blog http://www. elliegillard.co.uk/blog/ Let’s get a little crazy!

portraits oh man, is this the beginning of something fun....

This is my absolute favourite time of the day, but one that can sometimes be difficult to fit in with everything that’s going on, and not wanting to be away from the party for too long but a lot of what you see in my portfolio is shots taken during this time. I try and keep it short, 20 minutes is enough to get some amazing photos, but if you can spare 30 minutes over the course of the day then that works perfectly. Almost all of my couples have said how much they enjoyed spending a few moments together. I like to find somewhere away from prying eyes and ask that it’s just us so that you can really relax. We will talk about the best time to nip out and do this, but if it’s bright then the evening light will be much more flattering, or if there’s a passing shower It could be better to wait until later. If the light is absolutely beautiful later on or I spot an amazing sunset I might ask to borrow you again, maybe between dinner and dessert to do something creative.

Light, and the opportunity to relax, are probably the most important factors. If you’d like to bring along and incorporate some props then please do. Natural light is my absolute favourite, be it indoor or outdoor but I can work with a little bit of trickery too and we can work together to decide on the best time and location for these photos. I quite like doing one or two after dark portraits too – kinda ‘one for the road’ If you’re getting married late or if you have a really busy schedule you might want to consider the concept of a first look – very popular in the states – they can really help if it will be dark by the time your ceremony finishes. Basically, it’s a chance to see each other in all your finery before the ceremony. It’s not for everyone, but I will say, when I got married myself and my husband got ready together and it hasn’t been bad luck in any way, shape or form. See more over on www.elliegillard.co.uk/ blog/

IF I SUGGEST A LOCATION OR BACKDROP THEN JUST GO FOR IT – I MIGHT HAVE A REALLY SPECIFIC IDEA OF WHAT I WANT TO ACHIEVE AND I’M NORMALLY LOOKING FOR THAT SHOT THAT’S A TEENY BIT DIFFERENT FROM THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN AT THE VENUE TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

YOUR PHOTOS ARE A BIT OF A COLLABORATION GIVE ME 20 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME AND YOU’L HAVE SOME STUNNING AND ARTISTIC SHOTS O YOU ON YOUR BIG DAY.

TRUST ME, RELAX, TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND G IT YOUR ALL - IT’LL BE WORTH IT. I PROMISE.

N, LL OF

GIVE

I F I T R A I N S - B E B R AV E - YO U R W E D D I N G O N LY H A P P E N S O N C E A N D G E T T I N G A L I T T L E DA M P ( N OT TO R R E N T I A L LY S OA K E D ) A N D H AV I N G S O M E B E AU T I F U L P H OTO S I N YO U R W E D D I N G LO C AT I O N WO U L D B E WO R T H I T - I C A N A LWAYS G E T S O M E O N E TO S TA N D OV E R YO U W I T H A N U M B R E L L A - T H I S I S A R A I N Y W E D D I N G F R O M F E B I N S C OT L A N D . . .

O R YO U R V E N U E M I G H T H AV E A N A M A Z I N G I N T E R I O R .

the reception

The reception is a brilliant time to shoot lots of candid images of your guests – I prefer natural shots with people looking animated and having lots of fun. I’ll also photograph all the carefully curated details of the day so that it builds into a complete story. Objects, and not just the expected ones can also tell very powerful stories. I’ll photograph the speeches – venues often have an area that they always recommend putting the top table but consider the backdrop and try not to have the speeches in front of fire extinguishers or similar. You could even consider decorating this area to make a colourful backdrop. If it’s dark I might use either on camera flash, or set up a light stand near where they’ll be taking place. or sometimes your venue might have designed spot lighting, which works wonders! No-one wants to be photographed while they’re eating, so when the food comes out, that’s my cue to take a breather and have something to eat myself. Speaking of which, weddings are long and physically demanding. I’ll be carrying my equipment which means that I can’t normally bring food with me so for a full day booking I ask that you provide some food for me (and in the summer months – imagine it in a hot car all day). If you could ask the venue to feed me at the same time as they do you; that way I’ll be done and ready to capture everything that happens afterwards...

first dance & party time

THIS IS A REALLY KEY MOMENT BUT OFTEN OVER IN A BLINK OF AN EYE. JUST RELAX, ENJOY IT AND FORGET ABOUT ME. BEFOREHAND I MIGHT SET UP SOME LIGHTING TO GIVE IT A BIT OF AN EXTRA POP AND IF YOUR DJ USES THE LAZER LIGHTS WITH THE LITTLE PINDOTS I’LL GET THEM TO TURN THEM OFF JUST FOR THE FIRST DANCE. AFTER EVERYONE ELSE HITS THE DANCEFLOOR I’LL CAPTURE THE ACTION FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES MORE; THERE’S ONLY SO MANY DANCING SHOTS YOU WANT BEFORE EVERYTHING DESCENDS INTO DRUNKEN CHAOS; AND HEAD HOME TO BACK UP AND EDIT YOUR IMAGES. DO LET ME KNOW IF YOU’VE GOT ANYTHING SPECIAL PLANNED, OR ANY SURPRISES FOR YOUR GUESTS

jodie & jamie september 2014 //kent â&#x20AC;&#x153; E A R T H Y , N AT U R A L A N D R U S T I C W E R E F O R E F R O N T I N O U R M I N D S - I T H A D T O B E A B O U T U S , FA M I LY A N D F R I E N D S â&#x20AC;?

From the start we had agreed on keywords and themes that we would work towards, Jamie records a lot of folk bands so the feeling of English, earthy, natural and rustic were in our minds. Jodie’s creativity as a costume maker meant we had to hand make as much as we could. We are both atheists and humanists so we were happy we didn’t have to conform to a ‘traditional’ religious wedding structure. It had to be about us, family and friends uniting under love. I made all the bridesmaid dresses. I asked each bridesmaid to choose a style of dress they liked. I wanted them all to be different and I wanted the girls to feel really comfortable on the day and go away with a dress that they really loved and would wear again. I thought that the dresses should all be a similar colour but I didn’t want them to all be the same colour. I decided they should all be different shades of pink as it’s a nice warm colour and would go with our down to earth theme. I also thought that they should have something that would tie them all together as I didn’t want them to look mismatched, so I decided that they should all have a cream lace overlay. I also thought the lace was a good idea

as it would echo my own dress and we would all tie in with each other. We purchased all the flowers ourselves from Covent Garden Flower Market (Vauxhall) and made all the decorations and table arrangements apart from the brides and bridesmaids bouquet, those were made by Jamie’s Mum and picked from her garden. We went for an eclectic mix of flowers that all had a pastel theme. We only ended up spending around £200 total. Jodie made the cake herself. It was about a month long progress of finishing work, coming home, baking a layer, freeze it, go to bed, repeat. The bottom layer was lemon cake with lemon buttercream icing, the middle layer was chocolate with a dark gooey chocolate ganache, the top layer was ginger cake with a honey buttercream middle. The outer icing was vanilla buttercream which complimented all three layers. Jodie, Sophia and lizzy put the cake together the night before the wedding, which was very messy but really good fun. Jamie and I had bought two deer (a stag and a doe) from the Early Learning Centre

as cake toppers. We sprayed them bronze and they looked absolutely perfect on top of our cake. We also used fresh roses to decorate the cake. All the stationary was designed and made by Jamie with additional creative help from our best man Michael who works as an artist. To strive for the most DIY/ budget friendly we could get Jamie even made a letterpress out of a 6 tonne car jack to print the main invitations. We catered the wedding meal ourselves. We offered a meat dish, vegetarian and vegan options. Jamie cooked all the food and froze it in portion containers the week before the wedding. Jamie’s dad borrowed cooking equipment from the local scout group. On the day Aunties and Uncles heated the food and the bridesmaids and best men served the plates to the tables. For the evening reception we provided a limited buffet but on our invitations instructed guests to bring the best dish they could make so all the guests could feed each other. The tables were literally creaking under the amount of delicious food everyone made!

address book

Wedding Location: Kent, England / Photographer: Ellie Gillard / Florist: DIY / Venue: Wise Weddings at Whetstead Farm / Wedding Dress: Annasul Y @ Teokath, Wimbledon / Headpiece: DIY / Wedding Shoes: Pink Paradoz / Hair and Makeup: Dominic Hogg / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: made by the Bride / Bridesmaids’ Shoes: assorted - Asos, Topshop and Debenhams / Groom’s Suit: Topman / Groom’s Shoes: Vintage / Caterer: DIY / Bands: Hunter & The Bear & Sam Green and The Midnight Heist / Wedding Invitations: Made by the groom / Chill out tent : The North Star @ http://www.themainevent.co.uk

after the big day You can expect to receive your edited images within 4-6 weeks of the big day, if, for any reason, it might take a little longer I’ll let you know as soon as possible. I’ll normally send you a few sneak peeks the Monday or Tuesday after your wedding, and with your permission, I’ll share them on my Facebook page too so you can tag yourselves and share your beautiful photos with the world. I’ll create your website (or add to it if you’ve already had an engagement shoot) and online proofing gallery and send you a slideshow of your wedding images set to music I think suits the mood of the day.

“I recommend you make some time to watch the slideshow, just the two of you, get something decent to drink in, turn the speakers on and relive the day.” You will receive your images on a USB stick or by digital download, depending on your preference – you will receive both high res images for printing and be able to download low res images which are a much more manageable size if you want to share them online. Make sure you back up your images – I can’t stress this enough. The popularity of the ‘images on a disc’ format makes sense on the one hand, we consume so much more digitally these days but the speed with which new formats are coming out and others are becoming obsolete is ever quickening, the use of tablet computers is on the rise and the latest breed of Macs don’t have CD readers. Put them on your computer’s hardrive, store them in the cloud or better yet, get them printed and look at them regularly. For cloud backup options check out Dropbox or Backblaze and I’ll keep your finished images for a year. PRINTS & ALBUMS If you want to have your images printed you have a number of options, one is, of course, to invest in an album but if you don’t want to, or would rather make something more informal and handmade, then invest in the prints themselves.If you order the prints from a professional lab they will be printed on archival paper, with a guaranteed life expectancy and will be printed as you see them on screen, not with auto colour correction software as with high street labs. If you’ve paid this much for your wedding photography it’s worth paying a little extra for beautiful prints which let it shine.

Please don’t have them printed at the auto booth at Asda! If you would still prefer to have them printed yourselves I recommend checking out companies like The PrintSpace and US based Artifact Uprising who make beautiful prints. I offer a range of albums, the jewels in the crown are the Folio fine art albums with their gorgeous leather covers and beautiful papers. Please contact me for more information about these. COPYRIGHT I always retain copyright of my work, this is both to protect my images and to protect you. As per my contract, you get personal use rights for your photos…this means you can upload them online, make copies for friends and family, get them printed, make an album… most uses are absolutely fine. If there are other wedding suppliers such as florists or make up artists who would like to use the images they must contact me first as this is not covered under personal use. I’m more than happy to share the photos free of charge most of the time, but I do like to make separate agreements with business owners myself so it’s best to send them in my direction if they ask you for photos. This also prohibits anyone from making a deriative copy of the work or editing it in any way, or unauthorised commercial uses. B LO G S & M A G S I like to feature some of the weddings and engagement shoots I’ve shot on my blog and via my social media channels. I usually share at least one shot from every wedding over on Facebook, but on the blog I like to mix it up - A London pub wedding next to a country garden one for instance. This is partly because this is what Google likes to see, which in turn helps me find 2016’s versions of you guys - which is pretty neat. I often get asked by bloggers and magazine editors whether they can feature certain weddings and it’s one of the chief ways I book other awesome couples like you. If a blog would like to feature your wedding, and you’d like to be featured it would be the best compliment you could pay me to complete the questionnaire and get it back to me promptly. I’ll handle formatting and sending over the images and you can sit back and see it go live on your favourite blog.

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