What is your most memorable wedding?
The one where the Best Man let slip a few curse words in the speech, then apologised to all the children present, and the children shouted back "We don't mind! We like it!"...
Describe your style in 5 adjectives.
Joyful, natural, intimate, emotional, stylish
What about your business are you most proud of?
How happy I can make people with something I made for them, from the photos themselves through to the albums that I know they'll treasure for decades to come. The joy in the emails I get from happy couples means SO much to me.
What is your No. 1 wedding planning tip for couples?
Don't overthink it! At the end of the day it's just a really fancy party to celebrate how much you love each other. And make choices that mean something to you, not anyone else in your family...
What is your favourite personal touch you have seen at a wedding?
Photos of the couple throughout their relationship together as 'name plates' at table settings.
Describe your typical process with a couple.
First I'll send over my standard info and some gallery links so the couple can decide if they like my style, and if I'm in their budget range. If they like what they see we'll get together for a chat. These days we usually meet on Zoom and that works really well. I love to find out how couples met and what they've got planned for their big day, then I'll talk through how I shoot a wedding day, and we'll look at some albums together. I don't make anyone decide at the meeting, but if it all sounds good we'll book it in soon after that. A few weeks before the wedding I get back in touch to find out all the final details and work out which group shots you want to do, and all through the run-up to the big day I'll be on hand to answer questions. Then on the day, ideally you'll pretty much forget I'm there for most of it! Afterwards I'll spend a few weeks editing and processing, and when all the photos are ready you'll receive your very own private gallery and we'll start working on the design of your wedding album if you've included one. You don't have to have an album but I seriously recommend including one, it feels like the whole point of what I do is for you to be able to enjoy curling up with a book full of your favourites in the years to come, and my handmade albums really are the best book you'll ever own.
What is the No. 1 photo that you think every couple should take?
I don't think there's any single photo every couple "should" take - as a documentary photographer I think the photos need to be about you and your party and the people around you, and those can be different every time.
What is the most original photo you’ve been asked to take at a wedding?
An impromptu round of cricket right outside the church after the ceremony, with the bride bowling and the groom batting! But, I really don't want you to do anything 'for the photos' - you should do it because you want to and it'll make you happy, and if you let me know in advance then I'll make sure there's a photo of it!
What do you recommend for a rainy day wedding?
Lots of white golf umbrellas, remembering that you can't control everything, and focussing on the people around you
Describe how you got into photography.
I love photos of people carried away in a moment - whether they're working, or daydreaming, or laughing, or crying, or gazing at their lover with doe-eyes, those photos have so much in them to get lost in. I came to London to build a career in TV and became a camera operator on shows like Sunday Brunch and Mel & Sue, but I always enjoyed bringing a camera to take pictures behind the scenes of people at work and relaxing, unaware the camera was on them so they were being themselves. I love those candid style of photos so much that I started to turn my focus towards family celebrations and weddings. That gave me a way to spend my life creating something people love, AND make a living doing it. I couldn't ask for anything more!