Studio diary of Hampshire photographer - Mike French
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Last Saturday we photographed Becky & Ian’s wedding at St Boniface Church in Chandlers Ford followed by a reception at the Winchester Guildhall. Typically it seems for August weddings it started raining during bridal preparations at Becky & Ian’s house but this didn’t affect the mood as Becky, her bridesmaids and lovely flower girls got...
Winchester Guildhall was the central venue for this evenings pre-wedding shoot with Becky and Ian. Although they will be getting married at a local church Becky and Ian will be going to Winchester Guildhall for their wedding reception and this was the natural place to do their pre-wedding shoot.
Yesterday was the amazing wedding of Christie and Martin, two dancers from the Northern Ballet Company who were married at St Annes Church in Brockenhurst and the onto Rhinefield House for their wedding reception. I had met Christie and Martin way back in January 2010 at a wedding fair and immediately hit it off with them, and Christie’s family who had also come along.
Yesterdays wedding was held in the picturesque church of St Cross in Winchester, and then onto New Place in Shedfield. I started at Michelle and Jon’s house where I met Michelle’s parents and the bridesmaids and got some lovely documentary images of Michelle getting ready as well as details of the bridal wear.
Today was my long awaited pre-wedding shoot with Michelle and Jon at both St Cross Church, Winchester, and then onto New Place in Shedfield (or Shirral Heath – I’m never sure). Long awaited because I had been to St Cross in 2008, when I assisted another photographer for the day, and had been keen to book a wedding for myself at the venue, and also because I was looking forward to seeing Jon and Michelle again – because despite shooting some commercial work for Jon in Winchester last year it had been some time since they booked me for their wedding.
Yesterday I photographed the lovely wedding of Fiona and Rory who’s ceremony took place at St Ann’s in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and then onto the reception at the Tithe Barn, Ditcham. This naval wedding was also a Scottish wedding and the wedding party comprised of a strong contingent of both naval uniforms and kilted gentlemen.
Yesterday I was at the lovely wedding of Katy and Rob who were married in Holy Trinity Church, Claygate and then held their reception in a private marquee on the village green in Esher.
We had postponed Katy and Rob’s pre-wedding shoot a few weeks back due to driving rain, and in fairness this was pretty much the first good week we have had since then to go out and make some great photographs of them in the run up to their Surrey wedding later this Autumn. So with a good forecast and us all able to make the date I drove up to Esher to meet up with Katy and Rob for the first time, talk through their day in more detail and take some pre-wedding shoot images.
Friday’s wedding was in East Sussex with the ceremony at St Peter’s in Bexhill and the wedding reception at Powdermills Hotel in Battle. Helen and Graham had been referred to me by two of my previous brides who both work with Graham.
Saturday was possibly one of the hottest days of the year so far and so I was delighted to be spending it on the very edge of the coast with some cooling sea breezes. Rachel and Garry’s wedding took place on Thorney Island, here in Hampshire, at St Nicholas’ church and then onto the Warrant Officers’ and Sergeants Mess for the reception.
On Sunday I photographed Rachel and Garry on Thorney Island near Emsworth for their pre-wedding shoot. They will be getting married in the 12th century St Nicholas church at the tip of the island right next to the water and remaining on the island for their wedding reception.
Saturday was a wonderfully warm, blue-skied day – fitting for Rachael and Simon’s wedding. On my second trip to the wonderful church in the castle grounds the day could not have been better.
I have known Rachael and Simon for some time so it was an honour to be asked to photograph their wedding and today was their pre-wedding shoot at Portchester Castle and St Mary’s Portchester.
Yesterdays wedding was at St Mary’s inside the ruins of Portchester Castle – a stunning church which I have never been able to photograph in before because of the previous vicars rules for weddings. I’m delighted to say that the new vicar, the Reverend Charlotte Allen is much more relaxed, and really lovely and I now have my first set of ceremony images from inside, nicely tucked away at the front, discreetly capturing moments.
This morning we spent a chilly couple of hours with Paul and Steph at Portchester Castle shooting some pre-wedding images.
