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adam rowley

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KIRAN AND KEVIN'S WILTSHIRE WEDDING

Kiran and Kevin chose Weddings at the Lost Orangery for their venue.  Situated just outside the picturesque village of Colerne in Wiltshire, a short drive from Bath, this stately home with private drive, ornamental lakes and breathtaking views across the rolling countryside of the Avon valley has to be the perfect location for a sumptuous, romantic wedding.

While Kiran, as bride, had the good fortune to stay in the comfort and luxury of the Orangery, others, including hardy groom Kevin, had to make do with tents pitched in the grounds outside.

Non the worse for wear for his night under the stars, Kevin was up bright and early to help with organising the day, and of course to scrub up rather nicely. 

While Kiran, out of sight, on the other side of the Orangery, looked stunning in red.

And what a blaze of colour the bridesmaids were.

Oh, and did we mention red...?

The civil ceremony was conducted in the charming pergola overlooking the ornamental lake, with guests seated around it.

A joy for the spectator, a challenge for the photographer - that's me - who, with the sun shining directly at the camera, rigged up two flashes in the ceiling of the pergola, to give that nice lit look to the ceremony.

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ERICA AND TOM'S ROMANTIC EASTBOURNE WEDDING

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Another last minute phone call from my pal Kirstie Blake: "My dear friend has just been let down by her photographer, can anyone help?"   And the next morning, I am hurtling through Sussex on a glorious sunny July Saturday to the rescue. 
 

I instantly fell in love with Tom and Erica's cool, retro Peacehaven bungalow, and it wasn't long before I'd fallen for them and their friends and family too!

Some weddings are all about the planning, some are all about the style, and some... some are all about the warmth of feelings, the strength of commitment and love from friends and family. 

Wanting nothing but the best, Dad booked a classic chauffeur-driven Daimler to drive Erica to the town hall.

And who couldn't help but be totally smitten by the Britain's youngest best man!?  Aw... so cute!!

and while the groom waited nervously...

a romance appeared to be blossoming between the best man...

... and one of the ladies in the congregation.

though nothing could distract from how beautiful the bride looked as Dad lead her down the aisle

There were tears and smiles at Eastbourne Town Hall.  With more than their share of challenges, this young couple came through for each other in a big way.

with more than a little help from the littlest, cutest best man ever ever ever

the signing of the register

the walk down the aisle, with a littlest best man now a bit grumpy and no doubt in need of some sugar

 What is lovely about Victorian Town halls, like the classic one in Eastbourne where Tom and Erica held their wedding ceremony, is the mix of colours, the wonderful architecture, the mix of natural and modern lighting and the melange of municipal rigour with a gentle, relaxed local atmosphere.  

Of course nothing expresses the joy and excitement following the wedding ceremony than confetti

and while a lot of wedding photographers won't use a wide angle, I can never resist squeezing in that little bit of extra action, because it is as much the guest's day as it is the bride and groom's.

After the formal shots, we had a little bit of time to run off for some romantic photo down time at Burling Gap.  And no trip to the south downs in the summer would be complete without... an ice cream.

as the saying goes, what's yours is mine, and ... erm... well that's it really..

Birling Gap and Crowlink, near Eastbourne in East Sussex, are part of the world famous Seven Sisters chalk cliffs, one of the longest stretches of undeveloped coastline on the south coast.  One minute you can be walking on ancient downland, the next you could be rockpooling below towering cliffs of chalk. Spectacular, unspoilt views of the sea can be seen from all angles. The beach below is ideal for seaside picnics with its rock pools and areas of pebbles and sand. It is a great example of a marine nature reserve.

Also, great for a bit of a snog, after your wedding.

but the fun didn't end with just one ice cream and a bit of a snog...

... and we were off to East Dean for a full-on Hog Roast.  Just look at the delight on those kids' faces...

then of course there were the speeches...

... the cake....

.... the cake down the bride's cleavage....

... the cake in the groom's face...

and then a proper, bonkers knees-up party

and also, thankfully, a beautiful South Downs Sunset 

Do please feel free to leave a comment, if you enjoyed these pictures, and thanks for reading. 

x

Adam

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Group shots - what to do, and how to have fun with them

The formal group shots.  Something every wedding photography moans about.   You have to organise all these people intent on having fun somewhere else, determined to chat, to get drunk, to socialise, to congratulate, to cop a crafty snog, or nip off for a sneaky smoke.  Goddamnit, these people are here to be photographed, not to have fun, right?  

Wrong. 

They're here to have fun.    People want to look their best and act their best, and of course they've come to wish the bride and groom a lifetime of fulfilled dreams, love and happiness.  But they've also come to have a laugh, to meet old friends and new, to let their hair down and enjoy themselves.  And part of a photographer's job should be not just to not get in the way of that fun, but to add to it. 

While some weddings can be chaotic when it comes to formal group portraits, it is crucial to have an idea of what you want, so that time isn't wasted herding your friends and family with a megaphone.  (In the wedding below, the best man actually used one!)

Every wedding is different and should be as you want it.  My only recommendation would be to try to keep things to a sensible limit.  We photographers want to document a day of love and fun and we want you to have fun, rather than be worrying about the 53rd set of formal shots of your third aunt twice removed.  

With this in mind, as a help to all couples, I have put together a simple template of which groups are good to include, though, as I say, the choice is always yours. 

Bride and Groom and Brides parents

Bride and Groom and Grooms parents

Bride and Groom and both sets of parents

Bride and Groom and Bridesmaids

Bride and Groom and Bestman/ushers/suits

Bride and Groom Bridesmaids, Bestman/ushers/suits

Large group shot

Bride and Groom and any special family members.

and remember - have fun!

 

Which isn't to say formal group shots should all be wacky, ad-hoc, crazy affairs.  More often than not, the ceremony and the gathering call for refinement, formal composition and a respectful portrait of family and friends. 

 

But this shot, lit and composed and shot at the wonderful One Whitehall Place in London's Westminster embankment is a great example of the opportunity a group formal portrait offers a photographer to get creative.  When nervous planners are urging you to "just pop out in the park" or grab a few shots on the stairwell, it is often too tempting to take the quick and easy option, rather than to see that something more challenging will result in something more rewarding.  Here I lit with two small flashes behind and a studio portrait soft box in front and arranged the family in the Gladstone library to create a Downton Abbey look, perfectly in keeping with the assured and sophisticated mood of the day. 

Which isn't to say the grand, sweeping staircase of One Whitehall Place shouldn't also get a look-in when it came to the group shot.  In fact it was ideal for placing all of the guests in a sumptuous surrounding.

And there are other times when circumstances force you to have a bit of fun and jazz things up.  We all pray the day will be wonderful and sunny, but as Brits, we are also philosophical to know that those rain clouds are never far away.  So it was with Heather and Sam's Dartmouth wedding. It rained ALL DAY LONG!  And it is then, at a beach-party wedding, when a photographer, has no real alternative to shooting outdoors, that the last thing anyone needs is a stiff pose and a long face. 

Although, I have to confess, the most fun I've had to date, was shooting the group shots at London's Zetter's Town House in Clerkenwell, at the reception held for Jerome and Rosie after their Islington Town Hall Wedding.  Having arrived breathless with excitement on a classic route master bus, and eager to party on at The Artisan Clerkenwell, Jez and Rosie were more than happy nonetheless to give a little time and creativity to their group shots.  The only challenge being that the outside of The Artisan is really just a courtyard.  As Jez had stayed the night before in Zetter's, they kindly let us shoot in their townhouse club, with the proviso that we were quick.  For a Saturday night, the townhouse was blissfully quiet, and so we snuck in, at first with the idea of merely shooting some classic, stylish and contemporary group shots.  

And then this happened.

Jez and Rosie, and their family were immediately game for some fun.  They're a fun and funky bunch and responded to every whacky idea with an eager grin.  "No, we don't want stuffy posed pictures, do whatever you want", they said. "Dangerous words", I said.  "Bring it on", they replied. "Do Charlie's Angels", I said.  And this is what I got.   

"Now all have a terrible family fist fight, really try and kill each other", I urged, as, so naturally you do at a wedding.  And this is what I got. 

This image makes me smile every time I see it, front lit with a studio soft box, a little kicker backlight from a flash on the floor, and light coming in from the window, but most importantly, a wonderful, fun-loving family, all game for a laugh.  

Of course, not every formal group shot can or should be like this.  But sometimes, you wish maybe just a few more were. 

So that is probably the long and the short of it - keep it simple, keep it intimate, keep it fun. Try not to squint (we do try and shoot in shade, and if there isn't any then we battle with the sun behind you)

and please, not too many this big:

 

and smile, don't forget to smile x

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