What is your most memorable wedding?
All the weddings I have covered are memorable. Standout moments include one of the bridesmaids at a recent wedding herself being the recipient of a marriage proposal; the raucous laughter when I attempted to say "hip hip hooray" in Welsh using a Google translation; the couple who had a 1952 Morris Minor for their wedding car; the couple for whom it rained heavily after the ceremony; all the lovely venues.
Describe your style in 5 adjectives.
Fun, informal, unobtrusive, personal, documentary.
What about your business are you most proud of?
I provide a very personal service, and travel to meet clients at their homes or the venues wherever possible. I use Zoom or Skype where this is more convenient, eg if the couple live many miles away from either me or the venue.
What is your No. 1 wedding planning tip for couples?
Meet your vendors wherever possible, especially those you have to spend time with on the day, eg your photographer.
Remember too that your wedding is about you. So do what you want to do.
What is your favourite personal touch you have seen at a wedding?
Too many to single out just one. My favourites include a bride who was a craftswoman and decorated glasses as favours for her guests, and a bride and groom who themselves performed as musicians at their evening party; at the latter wedding the 'band' comprised exclusively (as far as I know) of the couple and their guests.
Describe your typical process with a couple.
After the initial quote, I will correspond with the couple via email or telephone to arrange a meeting. This can be face-to-face in person, or virtual via Skype or Zoom, and can be either at the client's home or the venue if that is possible.
What is the most original photo you’ve been asked to take at a wedding?
A recent bride sent me a Pinterest board with a picture in which the bride was standing or sitting on the bar, with the groom and best man lying on the floor as if drunk. That was the first time I have been asked for that shot, which was immense fun to capture.
What do you recommend for a rainy day wedding?
Look for indoor places where you could go to have pictures taken, either within your venue or in the local area. At a wedding in Swansea in 2022, the rain prevented us shooting on the beach, so we went to Plantasia, an indoor tropical zoo.
Describe how you got into photography.
Having already been an enthusiast photographer for many years, I was in the congregation at my wife's cousin's wedding in 2005 when the groom suddenly asked me to take some pictures of the ceremony because the official photographer hadn't arrived; I duly obliged. When the photographer arrived some time later, he invited me to shadow him at a future wedding, which I did.
I later offered my services as a raffle prize at an office I worked in, and the organiser asked if I did weddings. She then invited me to draw the first ticket which by pure coincidence was hers.