Laura & Scott at Grove House

“If you are in need of a wedding photographer look no further than Claire! It was like we had both known her for years and she really put us at ease throughout our day, including having an emergency sewing kit on hand to save a hat before I walked down the aisle! The photographs are absolutely fantastic and we have received compliment after compliment on them, and it has captured the love and laughter we experienced on our day perfectly.
Claire thank you so much for everything you were everything we could have wished for and more!!! xx”

Getting the vibe

Ordinarily I would say that about 90% of the time, my initial contact comes from the bride, however it was Scott who was on the case to find a photographer this time. I could instantly tell over email how relaxed he was, emails were informal and banter very evident. Very much my vibe! I then had an initial call with both Scott and Laura and I got the feel for the kind of photography that they were after; relaxed, fun and heartfelt.

Nerves and emotions

When I arrived at The Chelsea Harbour hotel on the morning of the wedding, I popped to see my second shooter (the lovely Lori) and the grooms party to say hello to them and make sure everything was going well-so far so good. Prep was definitely in full swing, as well as the whiskey consumption! Meanwhile in the bridal prep room the atmosphere was a lot calmer and I could sense Laura’s nerves were starting to kick in. No one can tell how they are going to react on the day of their wedding. The key is to go with it, do what you need to do and trust in the people around you, including me.

 The fun bus

Laura and Scott had hired a route master to transport their guests to the venue. Lori jumped in her car and followed the groom and best man. I boarded the bus with the guests whilst Laura followed behind a little later in her car. The atmosphere on the bus was electric. People had travelled from all over the world to be there, the sun was shining and London was looking it’s best. The whiskey was passed around and everyone was in an incredible mood. Hiring a bus is not only a great way to transport your guests but can also make for some really fun photographs!

A ceremony full of emotion

No matter how many years you’ve been doing this job, when you see the utter joy and raw emotion on a wedding day-you feel it. Scott’s reaction to Laura walking down the aisle has to be one of my favourites ever. It was evident to everyone in the room just how much he loved Laura and what this day meant to him. His tears were the catalyst for then countless other tears in the room, including my own! You could feel the love from the guests and their happiness for the two people that stood in front of them. It was really special and such a privilege to witness.

Speeches with energy!

From the ceremony, guests went outside for confetti, drinks and canapes. The team at Grove House were absolutely brilliant on the day, constantly communicating and making sure that we were ok. After couples and group photographs guests came in to a stunning wedding breakfast room to find their seats for the speeches. The father of the bride kicked things off, followed by the best man, the bride and then the groom brought the house down. The energy, emotion and noise (!) during the speeches was brilliant. I didn’t know where to point my lens next as there was so much going on. It’s occasions like this where it’s great to have a second shooter as you can cover more of the guests’ reactions.

 Dance the night away

What followed the gorgeous wedding breakfast was a night of dancing and fun! Laura’s family kicked things off with a few songs for everyone which was so original and special. The DJ then took over and everyone got involved, and I mean everyone! 10 hours went by in a flash. I left with full memory cards, empty batteries and the biggest smile on my face. I was also sent off with a bag of pick and mix which was such a lovely touch and is one of those small things that might not feel like a lot, but for suppliers is really lovely (and needed!)

Thank you so much for trusting me to document your incredible wedding day. It was just a blast from start to finish! An awesome day spent with the very best kind of people. A huge thank you to the team at Grove House as well for looking after us so well.

Cx

Planning a fun, relaxed day and would love someone there with you to capture all of the key moments as well as the low-key moments? You can read about my approach or simply get in touch and let’s get a call in the diary so that you can tell me all about your day!