Wow....what a week!

And then I realised it’s actually been like this for the whole month of August! What with weddings, pre-wedding shoots, wedding consultations, viewings at the studio, newborn baby portraits (& families of course), my husbands family visiting and a few friends having birthdays, babies and goodness knows what else I only 3 full days at my desk! So it’s been very sparse on the blog front I’m afraid but hopefully (fingers crossed) this month I will be able to be a little more forthcoming with updates and pictures.

I’m having a late finish tonight as I prepare for Lindsey & Vicky’s wedding in St Mawes on Saturday – cleaning lenses, charging batteries, clearing memory cards, printing off directions, packing a change of clothes and getting some all important snacks ready. It never fails to amaze me how much ’stuff’ one wedding photographer needs to take with her!

Here are a couple of images from Lindsey & Vicky’s pre-wedding shoot to get you in the seaside mood. They were so fun and relaxed at the shoot I can’t wait to shoot their wedding day!

Venetia xx

Vicki just looks like a natural here….I can’t wait to see her in her wedding dress…

 

I love this image of her; beautiful and elegant but so simple.

 

 

And Lindsay doesn’t look bad either!

 

 

A lovely sea-view to end with.

 

 

Nigel & Martyn's civil partnership

Now, Friday 13th is often considered unlucky for some but for two very special people, Friday 13th August 2010 was quite the opposite.

I was delighted when Nigel & Martyn asked me to photograph their civil partnership – I’ve known them for many years now through a mutual friend and knowing how important this day was to both of them I was honoured to be their to document it. It was the most moving ceremony with not only tears from lots of their guests but also from Martyn himself, who only just about managed to get through his vows without a croaky voice! It was so lovely to see two people so sure about their decision.

Wanting a relaxed day to simply celebrate the start of their new life together, after the ceremony Nigel & Martin walked down the road to a gorgeous ‘gastro-pub’ for champagne and nibbles followed by a three-course meal for their closest family and friends. Their was lots of fun, love and laughter.

Nigel & Martyn – thank you so much for letting me share your special day. It was fabulous watching you make your commitment to each other and I hope you have a wonderful life together filled with the same fun, love and laughter (with a little bickering along the way about holiday destinations!!).

Venetia xx

Here is a sneaky peek of one of the photographs to keep you going until the full album!

Dirty shoes but such fun......

I love unsual places to shoot. I always try and find somewhere that is a little different to the norm often to the random ‘you want to shoot my wedding photographs THERE?!’ look from many a bewildered bride and groom. In fact at Rich & James’s wedding (as I asked them to stand in front of the most battered, old shed I could find) he said ‘we love it, we just knew you’d ask us to stand there…..it’s just so….random!’. But often the most random places are the best and means that your wedding photographs are not just the same as everyone elses.

Kirsty & Peter were at Jude & Jon’s wedding last year and called me a few months later when they got engaged. It was lovely to have such a fantastic recommendation and it’s been even lovelier to get to know them too. This weekend we met up in Shrewsbury for their pre-wedding shoot and definitely went ‘off-piste’!

After looking round the gorgoeus venue they have chosen for their wedding reception we headed back across town to have a nosey round the church (which is just so beautiful and old it looks like it has been there since time began!) and then off for a very civilised spot of lunch and a chat through all their plans. I had to chuckle to myself as Peter & Kirsty were just like my husband and I on the lead up to our wedding – Kirsty has organised everything meticulously and now, right at the last moment, Peter is popping in with ‘do you think we ought to do ‘x’, maybe we should have ‘y’ on the tables’!! It’s so sweet and you can see that both of them are really excited about their big day. (Peter – I have to say, I’m definitey with you on the tank idea, that would be soooo coool!!).

After lunch we headed out to find some good places for our pre-wedding shoot. After photographing a few shots in and around the ground of the pub and the church we had a little wander to find some more spots and I’m so glad we did. We found a gorgeous bridge, an amazing cornfield, a stunning bench and a beautiful ‘pebble beach’ that looked over the church they were getting married in. The fact we had to slide down a steep muddy bank in girly shoes, walk through mini-puddles and nearly swim back across the river was totally irrelevant. Not only did we get some fantastic shots but we had fun….job done!

Kirsty & Peter – thank you so much for being so amazing and going along with all my ideas (although I think it was technically Peter that suggested going down that muddy bank!). Don’t worry I can photoshop the mud off your heels Kirsty and then Peter will clean them for you! I am so glad you decided to book me to photograph your wedding and I can’t wait to see you both again in September….so excited.

Venetia xx

Here’s a sneaky peek of one of the photographs from our shoot. Kirsty had her hair done for the shoot….if she looks this amazing now I can’t wait to see her at the wedding!