Firetop Photography

Exciting news.....

2009-08-02T15:59:00.000-07:00

After months of planning and weeks work behind the scenes (and a few very late nights!!) my new wedding photography blog will soon be live.

Follow my life as a wedding photographer, find out the latest news and products I'm launching and see more beautiful wedding images.....all in a gorgeous new format.

You don't need to do a thing as the link will automatically change.

Venetia xx

Elle Hitchens - Wedding make-up

2009-07-24T02:55:00.000-07:00

As a wedding photographer I've come across lots of wedding make-up artists in my time. But at a wedding about a year ago I came across the best yet....Elle Hitchens.

Not only do I consider Elle THE most amazing make-up artist but she has the perfect personality. She is friendly, relaxed and a true professional. On the wedding day itself she is a hugely calming influence and the one thing I REALLY love about her is the fact she doesn't impose her ideas on people but works 'with' her wedding clients to come up with a look that not only suits them but they love.

Make-up is a very personal thing and it's a fine balance to get something that looks stunning for your wedding photographs but doesn't look 'plastered' on 'real-life'. Elle gets that balance right every time.

I recommend her to all my wedding photography clients and every time the results (and the feedback) is fantastic. Elle.....we love you!

Here are a few photographs of her in action at Kate & Morgan's wedding.

Venetia xx

For fabulous wedding make-up drop Elle a line on elle@ellehitchens.co.uk.

Morgan & Kate's Wedding

2009-07-20T13:59:00.000-07:00

Well.....a friend and avid blog follower just pointed out it's been nearly a whole month since my last wedding photography blog entry....I've got so much to tell but just not enough time to write it!

A couple of weeks ago I had the great pleasure of photographing the wedding of Kate & Morgan.

Kate and Morgan have quite a story to tell about how they met. Kate's Mum works for the same company as Morgan and the girls in the office (you know who you are!) saw potential young love and decided hints weren't enough and intervening was the way forward. They set up a date and sent Morgan a text with a picture of Kate and the words 'Meet your future wife...'. Never a truer word spoken in jest.

Kate has to be one of the most organised person I know and within weeks of the proposal had booked, signed, sealed and delivered, just about every vital wedding service needed for their wedding....including her wedding photographer.

I am so glad she did as not only did I have the honour of photographing a wonderful and very moving wedding but since that first meeting Kate and I have kept in touch, formed a great friendship and have become permanent 'gym buddies'. We go to step classes together, the gym and yoga; keeping each other going even though the busy wedding season and hectic wedding planning. I have made a firm friend for life and I'm so glad to have her (& Morgan) in my life.

They are both born and bred locally and wanted this to be reflected in their wedding day. They chose local suppliers or family and friends for everything and their wedding reception venue was across the road from where Kate's Mum was born.

It was certainly a day to remember and I wish them both all the happiness in the world.

I know you had a wonderful day guys.....it was a pleasure to capture it for you and I hope you love your wedding photographs.

Venetia xxx

P.S Kate....step on Wednesday!?

Kate had bought her Mum a gorgeous pearl necklace and earings....which she then borrowed for the day.....!!

Kate is so thoughtful and every bridesmaid had a perfect present......

Kate's wedding dress was the most gorgeous Sassi Holford (yes.....Sassi Holford) number.....I even went to the first dress fitting with her.....how honoured was I!

Guess what Morgan does for a living!?

I absolutely love this photograph of Kate getting into her wedding dress.....

Morgan looking handsome....

The lady on the left is one half of the duo responsible for this.....

I love these photographs.....it shows so happy they are......

Kate & Morgan had a gorgeous horse and carriage.....

....which took them to the canal where I took the photographs of the two of them.....

How gorgeous does she look.....!?

Lots of beautiful details at the reception.....

Fireworks are difficult to capture and draw on your knowledge and experience but finish the day in style......

Paul & Andrea - pre wedding photographs

2009-06-24T12:22:00.001-07:00

Wow....I've been so busy photographing weddings that I've barely had time to breathe let alone blog....sorry! I promise to try and post as many weddings as I can.

A couple of weeks ago I spent a wonderful weekend in Reading with Paul and Andrea. Paul is an old school friend of mine and Andrea....well she's lovely.....and I feel as close to her now as I do to him.

We chilled out (a one-off for me in the summer!), 'did' lunch and chatted through the plans for their big day. They took me to the beautiful church they have chosen for their wedding ceremony and the fabulous hotel where the wedding reception will take place and we will all be staying.....I was so excited!

Once all the formalities were out of the way we got down to the fun stuff....the pre wedding shoot. We found some beautiful woods but as we were driving off I spotted a field of buttercups........'STOP....we need to go in there' I told Paul. Sure enough, without question, he pulled over onto the side of the road....if they didn't realise I was mad before they do now!!

Guys....I am so proud to be part of your big day and I can't wait to see you both again in August.

Vee xx

Stacey & Niel's Wedding

2009-06-16T15:26:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a while since I posted. It's been the busiest few weeks packed with lots of wonderful weddings, plenty of pre-wedding shoots, some gorgeous portraits and even the odd fashion show/shoot. I promise to try and blog as many images as I can over the next few weeks.

At the end of May I photographed the wedding of Stacey & Niel. They saw me in action as the wedding photographer for their friends Emma & Jason and went on to book me for their big day.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day and the sun was definitely shining upon them as they made their wedding vows. After a very moving wedding ceremony they travelled to Eastwood Park for their reception and lots more photographs. Here are a few images from the day.....hope you love them guys!

Venetia xx

I think her Mummy's going to like this one......

A very moving ceremony.........

The gorgeous Eastwood Park.............

This is always a risque shot but I think Stacey was in safe hands......

We then went off to get some gorgeous pictures of the two of them....a little peace and quiet....

Clare & Richard's lovely comments....

2009-05-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

"Hi Venetia

Thanks again for being so amazing yeterday. We had the best time. Everyone thought you were fantastic & Elise is totally smitten & was clutching your wedding photography card all night!

Hope you got to Warrington safely & the wedding goes well.

Clare & Richard. xx"

Cornwall was the perfect setting for Clare & Richards wedding and I got some fabulous photographs of their day. They are due to come and see them on Sunday so I will let you know what they think then!

Venetia x

A new wedding photographer.....

2009-05-25T11:57:00.000-07:00

Elise & I became firm friends at Clare & Richard's wedding in Cornwall and she was an excellent photographers assistant. She took a photograph of me at the wedding and I promised I would post it on my blog for her. I think we have a budding wedding photographer on our hands.....don't you!?

Venetia xx

Great composition, perfect light and a nice view behind....perfect!

Here are a couple more of the very pretty Elise on the day......

Hannah & Phil's wedding photography

2009-05-21T06:52:00.000-07:00

Firstly and foremostly I have to thank Nev for getting me to this wedding. Cornwall to Warrington is a long way by anyone's standards but setting off at 7.30 at night after photographing a wedding wasn't a journey for the faint-hearted. And then, as you other wedding photographers know, there is the crucial task of backing up photographs, clearing memory cards, charging batteries....not to mention the small issue of sleep.

Ah....the ideal solution....employ a driver (well maybe not actually pay him!). He drove, I backed-upm wedding photographs, then I slept and we finally arrived 'up North' at 2am in the morning. The next morning I was a bright eyed and bushy-tailed wedding photographer and ready to start again....I couldn't have done it without him!

Hannah and Phil's wedding was not only another fabulous wedding in another beautiful location with a lovely couple to photograph but an excellent chance to catch up with old friends. Hannah and Phil had seen me 'in action' in the Pump Rooms in Bath as I was the wedding photographer for her sister, Emily. So when the time came for them to tie the knot I was their first choice of photographer (phew!).

They chose the Fir Grove Hotel near Warrington to host both their wedding ceremony and wedding reception. Decorated in a contemporary, boutique fashion with the option to tie the knot in the open air it was a perfect setting for a wedding photographer!

Hannah had really gone to town on the flowers for the wedding and had opted for contrasting colours......it was very dramatic and very beautiful.

It seems that Hannah has 'bagsied' herself a good one too. When I arrived at the house in the morning to photograph her and her bridesmaids getting ready she was almost bursting with excitement. Knowing that she is always late, Phil had secretly sneaked a wedding present of a watch (set 10 mintues fast!!) into the house. And not just any watch. A Gucci watch! I just had to photograph it!

It was a stunning day, with lots of vibrant colours, a beautiful backdrop and lots of lovely people.

Vee xx

Can you guess what it is yet?!?

How's that for thoughtfulness.....

The man himself.....

Hannah had co-ordinated all the wedding flowers perfectly......

With exotic flowers in dramatic, contrasting colours......

The rain held of for the outdoor wedding ceremony....although the registrar looked slightly worried!

Beautiful bridesmaids......

Including Hannah's sister, Emily (I was her wedding photographer!)

Afterwards we nipped off for a few pictures of just the two of them....

He even helped with her wedding dress......this man is lovely!!

Hannah plays in a football team so we couldn't resist this photograph!!

Taunton NCT Pregnancy and Baby Fair

2009-05-20T02:27:00.000-07:00

For more about my baby and child photography click here to visit my new blog.

I tend to keep quite quiet about my pregnancy and baby portrait photography as I get most of my work via work of mouth. However, I'm pleased to announce I've been 'persuaded' to be involved in the Taunton NCT Pregnancy and Baby Fair.

The Preganancy and Baby Fair will be the first of it's kind in this area and is being held on Saturday 13th June at King's Hall School, Taunton, Somerset from 10am to 4pm. It will be a great day for all the family with not only lots of exciting exhibitors but plenty of other activities for everyone from mums-to-be to energetic toddlers. The first 200 people through the door will even get a free goody bag packed with exciting information and gifts.

As well as providing all the images for the day, I will be setting up a mobile photography studio offering fun, informal portraits and have donated an all-inclusive portrait sitting plus a host of products for the tombola.

All the details for the Fair are on the poster below but if you want to know more contact Ruth or Beth on tauntonbabyfair@googlemail.com.

Look forward to seeing you there!

Venetia xx

Wow.....

2009-05-19T02:52:00.000-07:00

.....the lovely e-mails are pouring in this week....I'm on cloud nine!

"Hi Venetia,

We have returned from our travels at last :o( And I have some crazy jet lag going on so thought I would take the time to write to you!

Thank you so much for processing our wedding photographs, it meant that we could show Jon's sister the full lot before we left Auckland - it really meant a lot to us. We are absolutley delighted with them.

I have managed to show my parents too, before they headed off on their hols, and Sarah and Jo popped round yesterday and they all super-impressed with the photographs!

Next job is to start picking favourites which will be sooooo hard! I am going to give it a go quickly now and see how I get on.....wish me luck!!!

Jx"

Jude and Jon now have the unenviable task of picking any favourite photographs before I start designing their gorgeous, bespoke album. I have a feeling that it will be a task and a half as I struggled with narrowing them down to a few hundred! Good luck guys....!

Venetia x

P.S Here's another one from their day....

More lovely comments.....

2009-05-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

I got a lovely email from Sarah and Mark whose wedding I photographed at Cadbury House Hotel at the beginning of May.

Sarah and Mark were both quite nervous about their wedding photography and it was really important to them that they found the right person. They desperately didn't want photography to take over their wedding day to give them as much time to spend with their family and friends.

I posted a few images on the blog last week and got this lovely email from them both.....

"Hi Venetia,

Just to say, the photos on the blog look really lovely! Thank you so much! We all really look forward to seeing the rest- can't wait!

Thanks so much for being our photographer on Saturday, the whole experience of having our photo taken was so much more relaxing than we ever thought possible and became a lovely part of our day!

Speak to you soon,

Sarah and Mark x"

It was a total pleasure to photograph your big day and it means the world to me that you are so happy with the results.

Venetia xx

Thank you Sarah.....

2009-05-18T13:59:00.000-07:00

......for all your lovely comments. Sarah and Jason booked me to photograph their wedding in 2010 almost a year ago now and she is an avid follower of my blog. It's funny because I write it for fun and I often forget that people actually read it!

I had only just put Clare and Richard's wedding photographs up there when I got this from her:

"Hi Venetia......I love the Cornwall pics, they are really stunning! My favourite one was the panther statue and garter - I scared the dogs by laughing out loud! Love all your pictures, keep them coming. Take care, Sarah. xx

I love your little comments, all the updates on your wedding and I can't wait to photograph your wedding too.

Venetia xx

More about beautiful Cornwall.....

2009-05-18T03:14:00.000-07:00

Wow.....it's been a busy week since I was in Cornwall strolling on the beach in the sunshine, the sand between my toes and thanking my lucky stars for such a fantastic job as a wedding photographer. More on the last week shortly but firstly down to the important stuff....Clare and Richard's beautiful wedding.

The first time I spoke to Clare, what hit me most, was how clear she was about the type of wedding they wanted. Both her and Richard were unfalteringly passionate about having a intimate affair that was simple but yet beautiful. And when we met (over a glass of bubbles!) a few weeks before the wedding they still hadn't been swept away by all the 'added extras'. They had planned their wedding in just a few months and had decided to focus on only the things that were important to them....and thank goodness wedding photography was one of them. They had searched long and hard for the right person and by complete luck had been recommended to me....I'm so happy they were!

Clare & Richard chose the stunning setting of The Tresanton Hotel, St Mawes for their Cornish wedding and it was THE perfect location. Nestling on the hill, overlooking the sea and the lighthouse they had stumbled across it a year or so before on the fabulous 'Mr & Mrs Smith' web-site. Having fallen in love with it it seemed a perfect choice for their big (or small!) day. I have to say I love venues that just 'know' how to do weddings, pay attention to the little details and have excellent service and Lucinda and her team couldn't have done anything more.

They had an understated 'British' theme flowing through their wedding with a focus on locally sourced food and drink....even the champagne was from the Camel Valley in Cornwall and Duchy Apple Refresher for any non-drinkers....yummy! Each of the 12 family and friends they shared their day with had a special place in their heart and made it a day to remember for everyone.

Although there wasn't lots of fuss and frills (Clare hadn't even thought about what she was going to wear in her hair!!) the day was gorgeous. It was intimate, simple, beautiful.....and perfect.

Venetia xx

P.S Clare and Richard....thank you for letting me be a part of your wonderful wedding. You and your family and friends really made me feel so much like a guest I was so sad to leave you all. I hope you had a fabulous few days in Cornwall and I can't wait to meet up again for more bubbles and to look through all the photographs!

Clare chose some beautiful pearls to accessorize her simple yet elegant dress.....

Her something 'borrowed' and 'blue' was the garter her Mum wore on her wedding day.....I couldn't resist putting in here....!

The roses were interlaced with gorgeous scented Lily of the Valley....

And this theme was brought into the chairs for the ceremony....

The room had a beautiful dressing room for Clare to get ready in.....

Under the careful watch of her gorgeous neice and bridesmaid, Elise.....

I couldn't resist capturing a photograph of this moment....

The room had the most gorgeous window-seats....perfect for photography....

Richard still managed to look very relaxed (& very handsome) in the moment leading up to the ceremony.....

Clare loves elephants and so he'd chosen a special tie just for her......how thoughtful......

I love this photograph 'peeping' through the door.....

How's that for a face full of love?!

John, their nephew, played a very important role as ring-bearer.....

The cake was beautiful.....

And the Cornish pottery egg-cups made beautiful favours......

While all their guests were happy sipping champagne we nipped off for a few moments to capture some shots of the two of them.....

Under the careful watch of Elise. We became firm friends by the end of the day and I'm sure I may have some competition in the future! Thank you for all your help, Elise, you were the perfect helper for a wedding photographer.....send me that picture and I promise I'll put it on my blog. x

And a few more of Clare.....!

The luckiest girl in the world......

2009-05-08T02:10:00.000-07:00

Today I feel like the luckiest girl in the world!

I'm in a gorgeous little fishing village near Penzance in Cornwall, staying in a beautiful little hotel overlooking the sea as I type and to top it all I've got a wedding to photograph this afternoon! I've travelled to St Mawes to photograph the wedding of Clare and Richard who chose the Tresanton Hotel as their wedding venue because not only the hotel was beautiful but so was the setting....they were so right....it's gorgeous here!

Yesterday we met up to have a look round the hotel and then headed off to the beach and St Mawes Castle to do some pre-wedding photographs. I spent the rest of the day mooching around on the beach and just 'feeling' the place they'd chosen....it's a small piece of heaven!

I watched the boats bringing their 'catch of the day' in and being a seafood fan headed out to 'find me some of that'! And who did I bump into....Clare and Richard! They invited me to join them and we spent a wonderful evening eating fresh Cornish scallops and drinking a glass of something cool (only the one for me of course....I have an important job to do today!!) It was a great honour to spend their 'last night of freedom' with them and I hope it says a lot about how they feel about their choice of wedding photographer.

I've also got a double whammy this weekend as when I'm done tonight I'm heading back up the M5/M6 to Warrington (yes, you heard right!) as I'm photographing the wedding of Hannah & Phil. Hannah is the sister of Emily, whose wedding I photographed nearly 3 years ago now, so it will be lovely to catch up with old friends.

Wedding photography is never a chore and always a pleasure and this weekend makes me realise how very lucky I am.....

Venetia xxx

Sarah & Mark's wedding - Cadbury House Hotel

2009-05-06T01:03:00.000-07:00

Everyone asks me, as a wedding photographer and having seen so many beautiful weddings, whether I would change anything about my own. And the true answer is 'No'....it was just perfect and exactly how we wanted it to be. However, there are occassions where I think 'Ah.....that might have been nice' and the wedding I photographed this weekend was one of them.

The fantastic thing about civil ceremonies is that you can adapt them to reflect your personalities and Sarah & Mark chose to do this by writing their own wedding vows. Wow...it was so moving. I was close to tears, Judy, the registrar was nearly there and the guests just sat mesmorised in silence. They were a beautiful reflection of Sarah & Mark's personalities, an insight into how they both felt about each other and something I'd definitely choose to do now!

After the wedding ceremony Sarah, Mark and I went into the grounds of Cadbury House Hotel to get some goregous photographs of the two of them. Sarah is permanently in a wheelchair but was really keen to get the majority of the photo's of the two of them with her out of her chair.....she a whizz at getting around and in and out so it took no time at all!

It was a real pleasure to photograph such a lovely and moving wedding guys and I hope you love the photographs. I think I managed to get even better ones of Mark this time than I did at the pre-wedding shoot!

Speak to you soon.

Venetia xx

Sarah looked stunning......

Kimberley the Florist at Cadbury did a fantastic job of the flowers.....

Mark was really quite nervous which was lovely.....

During those moving vows.......

Our time afterwards was lovely......

And I got this lovely picture of Mark....I think it's the best so far!!

The happy couple.......

The 'confetti crowd' waited very patiently for their opportunity to shower them....!

Sarah made some gorgeous, and perfectly colour co-ordinated favours.....

And invitations......

I love this picture of Sarah & her Mum...

They look really happy don't they!

I am having a lovely week of......

2009-05-01T14:36:00.000-07:00

......lots of really nice emails and tonight I had a lovely one from Kerry & Paul. I photographed their wedding at Cadbury House Hotel, Bristol in March and this week I delivered their beautiful wedding album to them. This is what she had to say.....

"Hi Venetia,

I just wanted to email you to say a big thank you for our wedding album, it’s fab. Everyone who has seen it agrees it’s fantastic too.

Thank you so much once again.

Kerry"

It was a real pleasure to share your day with you and even better to have such fantastic feedback from a couple who really didn't want a wedding photographer!

Hope our paths will cross at some time in the future.

Venetia xx

Freya's Mummy's happy with her portrait....!

2009-04-30T04:49:00.000-07:00

As you might have seen Freya and her Mummy and Daddy came to my portrait studio near Taunton, Somerset last weekend. I blogged a few of the images from the portrait and was so pleased when she sent me this email and left a comment on the blog:

"Hi Venetia,

It was lovely to meet you. Freya seemed to really enjoy herself and I just know you've taken some lovely photos.

Thank you for writing such nice words about Freya! The pictures are gorgeous... really really beautiful. We love them! I just know we are going to want them all. We'll start saving up!!

Looking forward to seeing the rest.

Ali (Freya's Mummy)"

I love my new portrait studio and my job so much....it never feels like work! Capturing those moments in a child's life and giving people gorgeous portrait images to treasure is always a pleasure.

Venetia xx

P.S And as all blog postings are so much better with an image....here's another one from their portrait sitting! I love this one Ali....hope you like it!

1st August 2009 - Wedding photographer

2009-04-29T04:51:00.001-07:00

Sadly, due to unforseen circumstances, one of my brides is having to postpone her wedding until next year. Which means I now have the 1st August this year available.

It's one of the busiest months of the year for wedding photography and to have such a key Saturday available so late in the year is a first for me. So, if you are planning your wedding for on the 1st August and were worried about finding the right photographer.....don't panic! Just give me a call or drop me a line.

Venetia xx

A gorgeous little girl....

2009-04-27T07:49:00.001-07:00

I love children. It's a fact. I always have done and probably always will do. Even to the point of voluntarily offering to have friends children.....just because I can.

I love their innocence, I love the way they love life and I love the fact they see things for what they are.

And what's more......I love photographing children. Especially gorgeous, beautiful little girls like the one that came to my portrait studio yesterday.

Freya, her Mummy and Daddy came to capture some wonderful memories of her as she grows (and a few of them as a family). There was lots of fun, lots of laughter, lots of nursery rhymes (thanks Philippa!) and hopefully some wonderful portraits capture.

Venetia xx

And of course bear came too......

And when you ask her to smile she does this really cute thing and closes her eyes.....I had to capture that!!

Only a tiny bit jealous.....

2009-04-27T02:33:00.000-07:00

.....this morning I received a short but lovely note from Judith & Jon whose wedding I photographed last week. She did promise to check the wedding photography blog and email me on their four week (yes you heard it right, four week!) honeymoon but I thought she might be joking!!

"Hi Venetia,

Before I start I'm on a crazy Tahiti keyboard so apologies grammar and spelling is bad!!! We just wanted to say we totally love what you have blogged and can't wait to see the rest.....soooo exciting!!!!

Thank you for sharing our wedding day with us. It was absolutely magical and we totally had a ball!

Jude & Jon xxxxxx"

Guys.......Tahiti....how jealous am I!? Seriously I hope you have a wonderful time and that Jon's sister loves the photo's!

Venetia x

Judith & Jon's Wedding

2009-04-23T06:07:00.000-07:00

The sun was shining, it wasn't blowing a gale (like the last time we met!) and I was so excited when I arrived at Judith's house to photograph her getting ready. Photography was a really important part of Judith & Jon's day and had 'bagsied' me as their wedding photographer nearly two years ago now and in that time I'd heard lots about their plans for their big day. What I hadn't quite expect though was the organisation, time, detail and planning that had gone into their perfect wedding day.

From the beauitful flowers, to the gorgeous outifts with perfect matching jewellery, through to the hand-made stationery and details for the reception, Judith and Jon had clearly put their heart and soul into making this the most beautifully co-ordinated wedding. The theme of pale pink and chocolate ran through everything and would rival anything I've seen from a professional wedding co-ordinator!

And to top it all Judith, Jon and every single one of their guests were a total pleasure to be with. I think Judith & Jon were secretly nervous at their pre-wedding shoot but on the day I think love, happiness (& maybe a drop of champagne!) took over and we managed to get beautiful photographs of the two of them. They were happy, natural and most of all....gorgeous.

I had a fantastic day photographing your wedding and I'm so glad you found me all the way up there! I hope you are having a fantastic time in New Zealand with Jon's sister and now you have some pictures to show her.

I look forward to hearing all about it when you return!

Love, Venetia xx

Judith's flowers showed care and thought.....every button-hole and corsage was different......

Judith chose classic but beautiful jewllery to compliment her outfit.....

And a beauitful pair of shoes....

Even the bridesmaids dresses had co-ordinating pink coat-hangers and a chocolate brown label....so cute.....

Judith's dad's face said it all when he saw her.....

Judith looked stunning.......

And how could you have picked any more beautiful bridesmaids?!!

There was so much fun and laughter at the house beforehand.....and not a sign of nerves.....

She arrived in a gorgeous old car.....

To meet her very cool, calm and collected groom.....

The church was gorgeous inside and out.........

Everything at the reception perfectly co-ordinated from the menus (matching the 'Order of Service' of course, the cake, the flowers and even the table numbers....

Whilst everyone else was sipping their Pimms we snuck off round the gardens to get some gorgeous pictures of the two of them.......

Oh and also a few more of the gorgeous Judith....!

Judith & Jon.....are really pleased!

2009-04-10T03:43:00.000-07:00

If you've been following my blog you may remember that I went 'up North' to Mere a couple of weeks ago as Judith & Jon chose me as their wedding photographer for their big day....hey exciting.....next weekend! We had a fabulous time photographing their pre wedding shoot....it was so much fun and I got his email from Judith this week.

" Thank you so much for putting up the photos, I love them! You are very clever! Especially like the ones where we are sat down. You can really see how much fun we had! Jon got back from the stag in one piece thank goodness! He loves the pictures too, you are a very clever lady! Jude. xxxx"

Judith is one of those lovely brides who is bursting with excitement about her wedding day and I can't wait to photograph it for them.

See you next weekend guys!!

Venetia xxx

Sarah & Mark - pre-wedding shoot

2009-04-09T08:19:00.000-07:00

I was at Cadbury House Hotel on Monday for Sarah & Mark's pre-wedding shoot.

Both Sarah and Mark were concerned about their wedding photography and one of their stipulations was to find a photographer who they not only felt comfortable with but who captured the day with the minimum of fuss and impact on their big day. When we met....oh over a year ago now....they had recently been to a wedding in Bristol where the wedding photographer had taken over the day, taken the bride and groom off for hours and made everyone stand around for an eternity for the group photographs. They were both adamant that they didn't want this to happen on their big day and I reassured them that's certainly not how I work!!

We discussed this in detail again at our photography planning meeting on Monday and came up with lots of ideas to make their wedding photography fit around their day....how it should be in my book!

Once all the planning was over and done with (thank you Sarah for being SO organised!) we then got on with the next important step....making them feel comfortable in front of the camera! Both of them admitted to feeling nervous about being photographed and were concerned how they would look in their wedding photographs.....they needn't of worried!

I'm really looking forward to being your wedding photographer next month and hope you love the pre-wedding pictures.

Venetia x

Mark actually bet me that I couldn't take a good picture of him. Ta da.....I think I won!!

I love this one of Sarah.....

And this one too.....it's so hard to choose!?

And Mark looks so loving in this one.....

Cinderella shall go to the ball...!

2009-04-01T05:51:00.000-07:00

Unsung heroes from offices across the South West attended a stunning showcase event in Bristol last Thursday at Brunel’s ss Great Britain, supported by....yours truly!

Secretaries, personal assistants, marketeers and event organisers are regularly asked to do all the work for events, but like Cinderella do not always receive an invitation to attend. And if they do.....there is little opportunity for enjoyment.

The event gave 200 event planners from across the region the chance to see the stunning ocean liner for themselves, without the pressure of work, and to taste fine food and wine. Starting with a champagne reception and canapés on the Promenade Deck, guests were able to experience different function styles throughout the ship and discuss special new packages, designed to make life easier for events planners.

Guests planning to marry also had the chance to discover why the ss Great Britain is Bristol’s most popular wedding venue outside of the registry office, with wedding ceremonies held on the Promenade Deck and receptions in the First Class Dining Saloon.

The team at Brunel's ss Great Britain work closely with a number of key suppliers, including myself, and wanted to show event planners and potential bride & grooms what could be achieved with flowers, modern technology, lighting, furnishings, entertainment and photography.

It was a pleasure to be invited to and be part of such a magical evening....a big thank you to Bronwen, Dagmar and the whole team on board. (I've already taken one wedding photography booking as a result!).

Venetia x

I obviously couldn't chat and photograph at the same time so below are a few pictures from the night taken by Bristol press photographer, Stephen Lewis.

Me (far left) doing what I do best....talking!

Lots of goregous photography products....

Looking at new album ideas....

The great Brunel himself....

Not bad for a stand-in wedding photographer!!

2009-03-31T14:17:00.000-07:00

I had a lovely email today from Susie & James whose wedding I photographed on the 20th March. As you may remember the local wedding photographer Susie & James had chosen fell ill and she contacted me in the hopes I was free.

"Everything was just perfect on the day - we couldn't have wished for it to be any better. We were both every happy with your services, you did an absolutely great job. You were very easy to work with and we were having fun (especially with all the kissing you asked us to do!).

I always wanted to be a model but after spending the day with you I think I have decided against it as my cheeks hurt too much with all the smiling..! Thank you so much.

Thank you for a sneak preview on your blog - we were straight on there, having a look.....they are fantastic and we can't wait to see the rest of them. All the best, Susie and James xx"

Thank you both for your lovely comments.....it was a beautiful day and a total pleasure! I'm glad you got back to the States safely and enjoy the decorating!

Venetia xx

James & Susie's Wedding

2009-03-29T03:18:00.000-07:00

I had the unexpected pleasure last week of photographing the wedding of Susie & James in Broadway, the Cotswolds. I hadn't planned on being their wedding photographer but unfortunately the local photographer they had chosen was taken ill and couldn't photograph it.

Being a social kind of a girl I have a close network of other photographers which is perfect if, fingers crossed, you ever get taken ill....and also great for helping others out too! A lot of us photographers have very high standards and it's always a great honour to be 'the chosen one' from the many photographers out there....:-)

It was a bit of a rush getting everything organised as I only found out two days before their wedding and Susie & James weren't even in the country at this point! They live in Boston, USA and were only due to arrive two days before the wedding....poor Susie had to do everything from the States previous to that. I think it's really important to meet couples before their wedding and luckily Susie & James were able to come to the studio and meet me the day before the wedding to run through all the plans.

Despite the 'gods' conspiring against Susie & James in more ways than one, they had a wonderful day in beautiful surroundings and it was a great pleasure to be there to capture it for them.

It was truly lovely to meet both of you and I hope I have captured your day as you wanted.

Venetia xx

Susie's dress travelled all the way from the States too!

As did the beautiful, but apparently painful (!) shoes.....

Susie's flowers were beautiful too......such a pretty colour.

Susie looked so beautiful and radiant........

And James was very handsome and calm........

Susie & James decided to meet before the wedding (which was a fantastic opportunity for some photographs) and then walk to the church together. They attracted a lot of attention in the town....

They then walked back in the beautiful Spring sunshine with all their guests in tow.....no wonder the shoes hurt!

Once back at the hotel we then left all the guests inside with drinks and nibbles and went out into the 'secret garden' I'd found for a few initimate pictures of the two of them......

I love this one......

And a couple of the stunning Susie on her own.....

And I think this has to be my absolute favourite....

Lovely words.....

2009-03-19T15:59:00.001-07:00

I love my job so much that every day is a pleasure but it makes it even better when you get e-mails such as the one I did today from Lucy & Matt.

You may remmber Lucy & Matt whose wedding I photographed in Eastbourne in January. They loved their photographs so much and were so keen to have them 'in the flesh' that we've already done their album! Their wedding was so wonderful and it was so lovely going through their wedding photographs and designing their album and reliving the story of their day again.

Hi Venetia,

We received our photos yesterday - can't stop looking at them - they are absolutely gorgeous. The computer really doesn't do justice to real photo's you can hold and touch. We are both so pleased with them - you are wonderful and they really tell the story of our day and will keep the memories fresh in our minds for a long time to come.

Can't wait to see you in May for our next photoshoot!!

Lucy & Matt xxxx

It was such a pleasure being part of your wonderful day guys and I look forward to seeing you both in May for our next 'exposure'!!

Venetia xxx

Busy weekend.....but lots of fun!

2009-03-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

I had a very busy end of the week last week and this weekend was hectic with lots of meetings and a trip to the North West to do a couple of planning meetings and pre-wedding shoots. I will blog all the lovely details when I get a spare minute in the next couple of days (as it's past my bed-time now!) but as I'm out all day tomorrow at a portrait shoot I had to pop a few pictures up before Judith bursts with excitement.....hope you like them!!

Venetia xx

Kerry & Paul's wedding

2009-03-11T11:57:00.001-07:00

I finished editing Kerry & Paul's wedding photographs yesterday from their wedding at Cadbury House, Bristol. I spoke to her today and she was over the moon....it's so nice when clients are this happy!

Kerry & Paul actually debated having a wedding photographer at all as they both hate having their photograph taken and their next choice was actually to get a friend at the wedding to do it. Having been persuaded by both sets of parents that this really wasn't a good idea they finally began the long seach for 'the right person'.

I have a very relaxed approach and I think that won Kerry over at our first meeting (oh....and maybe my photography too!!). A client once described me as 'normal' and said 'your the type of person I'd choose as a friend' and to me.....that's one of the best compliments I've ever received.

Kerry left this lovely message on the blog today too.....

"These photo's are fantastic, I am very glad that we were convinced to have a photographer and even more pleased that we chose you. You captured the day just the way we wanted. Thanks again. Mr & Mrs V".

I'm so glad you chose me too....I had a such a fabulous time being part of your day.

Venetia xx

Bristol & Bath Folio magazine

2009-03-05T09:33:00.000-08:00

As I recently posted I was honoured to be chosen as the wedding photographer to 'shoot' the wedding supplement for the Bristol & Bath Folio magazine this month.

The shoot took place at the gorgeous Goldbrick House with specially chosen local wedding suppliers providing the outfits, cake, flowers and their services to 'primp & preen' the models. Here are a few of my favourite pictures from the day......

Gorgeous jewellery.....

Riva looked stunning once Aidan had worked his magic....

And for us ladies Charles made a very handsome groom in his suit by 'Frocks & Tails'......

The flowers provided by Edith Wilmot were gorgeous as usual.....

And once again Frances at Clifton Cakes made us a gorgeous wedding cake....and we even tasted some this time....thank you Frances!!

Goldbrick House in Brsitol is quite a challenging venue for photography and you have to draw on your experience and creativity to get some fantastic shots.....

What a lovely couple they make......if only for the day.....

Once again I had a wonderful 'wedding' day and thank you to all the suppliers, Riva & Charles for their hard work and Rachel, Carli and all the team at Folio for everything.....I'm going to hold you all to your offers of being your wedding photographer when the time comes!!

Venetia xx

Kerry & Paul's wedding - Cadbury House Hotel

2009-03-02T06:29:00.000-08:00

I went to Cadbury House Hotel, Bristol yesterday to shoot the very stylish wedding of Kerry & Paul.

Kerry is not one to 'follow the masses' and they had decided on a gorgeous black and white theme for their wedding with plenty of contemporary twists. Cadbury House Hotel, with it's modern interior was the perfect setting for such a wedding and provided a perfect backdrop and lots of quirky details for the photography.

Paul, especially was quite nervous about the wedding photography when we met up for their pre-wedding shoot but on the day he was a star.....I have to say though he didn't give in without a fight!! We had a lots of friendly banter and eventually I won him round!! (Paul....tell me it was worth it!?!?)

Paul's best man Tony was fabulous and with him and his usher Mark....everything was totally under control!

It was a gorgeous spring day and I really wanted to bring this through into the photographs. I have to say I had to practically wrestle the rings off of Tony before the ceremony! That's what I like....a Best Man taking his duties seriously. (Thank you Tony for all your kind words and help, especially during the groups, you were a star!).

Kerry had chosen a very 'Grecian' theme for her self and looked absolutely stunning.

To compliment this she had chosen some stunning hand-made jewellery for a bespoke jewellery designer in Bath called 'Justice'. It was perfect.

Kerry had planned everything to perfection and had even had the leaves on the flowers died black. (Seriously....they aren't just dark green!!). I could resist the urge to keep the black & white theme flowing by using the 'black & white' piano as a backdrop....for nearly everything!!

And the piano again......!

The new (and very stylish) Mr & Mrs Viner......

I had a wonderful day guys. Thank you to you (and all your guests) for everything....especially your humour!!

Venetia xx

Folio magazine shoot

2009-03-02T06:25:00.001-08:00

If you've been following the blog over the last few months you'll know that I was asked to shoot the wedding special for Folio magazine back in October. Well.....they were so pleased with the results that they asked me to do it again....how lovely!

I had a wonderful and fun day at Goldbrick House last week and will pop some images on the web-site for you to view shortly.

Venetia xx

Mother's Day promotion

2009-02-27T10:05:00.000-08:00

Mother's Day is just three weeks away and if your stuck for the perfect gift......look no further. I'm offering a series of very special portrait photography promotions to suit every budget.

A studio portrait sitting plus three, card mounted, 7x5 photographs of your choice is just £30.00(Normally £71). Three presents in one...a perfect present for Mum and both sets of grand-parents!

A studio portrait sitting plus a large 12x8 photograph beautifully framed in the style and finish of your choice is just £50.00 (Normally £110).

And for those looking to splash out for that extra special Mum I have a few gorgeous mini-album options starting from £70.00 including the sitting fee (Normally £95.00).

And if your worried about her feeling left out why not surprise her with one of our personalised gift vouchers....that way you can all be in the picture. Starting from £20 and available in £5 denominations they are the perfect gift for every special Mum.

Give me a call or drop me an e-mail for a full list of offers and more information.

Venetia x

New, exciting wedding photography service.....

2009-02-24T10:33:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to disclose too much as I'm still perfecting the final details but I promise to add more details shortly.

It will be an extension to my wedding photography service and comes following a great deal of client demand and hours of research. It will be fully launched by the end of next month and will be available as an extra to brides who have book their wedding photography with me and also as a stand alone service to those who have booked with other wedding photographers.

Watch this space!!

Venetia xx

Bristol & Somerset wedding magazine

2009-02-12T02:52:00.000-08:00

Look out for this months issue of Bristol & Somerset Your Wedding magazine....very exciting for Firetop Photography.

As the resident wedding photographer expert I have been answering readers wedding photography questions about those all important group shots at weddings and the etiquette of dressing room wedding photography.

They have also featured a wedding I photographed at Cadbury House in Bristol. You can read all about Mark & Lucy's big day and maybe even get some inspiration for your own wedding too!

And....you may recognise the bride on the front cover?! And no, for all those wondering she isn't a model! I photographed Claire & Adam's big day last year....pick the right weddng photographer and your wedding photographs could look beautiful!

It's packed with lots of great features, giveaways & competitions too all for £2.95!

Venetia xx

What a cutie.......

2009-02-10T12:43:00.000-08:00

I travelled to Paignton in Devon today to photograph a baby portrait of this gorgeous little baby girl, Georgie and her brother, Harry. Georgie is such an adorable baby, a real pleasure to photograph and has the most amazing auburn hair!! It's really important when photographing babies not to rush things so we had lots of cuddles in between photographs!

When Harry came home from school he was the perfect photographers assistant and I even had time to photograph a few portraits on his own and some family portraits together.

Thank you for a wonderful afternoon guys!

Venetia x

Check out the hair......

A perfect bubble blowing demonstration.....

A very handsome big brother.....

She's not sure about cuddling him though.....!

Kerry & Paul's pre-wedding shoot - Cadbury House

2009-02-08T12:57:00.000-08:00

As the recommended wedding photographer for Cadbury House Hotel, Bristol I am lucky enough to photograph a number of weddings at this beautiful venue each year. When Kerry approached me about being their wedding photographer she had looked at a number of venues in Bristol and had picked Cadbury House Hotel as it is the perfect setting for a modern, contemporary wedding.

This week I met Kerry and Paul at Cadbury House to hear all about the finalised plans for their wedding day and to discuss their wedding photography in more detail. It just so happned that we picked the day the snow arrived for our planning meeting and there was a moment when I thought we'd all be spending the night there as the snow was so heavy!

Kerry & especially Paul are quite camera shy so the pre-wedding shoot was a fantastic warm-up for their wedding photography and a great excuse to cuddle up for warmth. Despite the snow and the freezing cold I still managed to get some gorgeous photographs of them...well done Paul...it was worth it!!

Venetia x

Things like this make my day....

2009-02-04T10:39:00.000-08:00

"THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU

We've just received our wedding photographs and DVD and once again I can't say how over the moon I am.

I will definitely be recommending you to anyone and everyone we know getting married and look forward to seeing you for the 'Trash the dress....with a difference' when it's warmer in the spring. I am so glad you agreed to be our wedding photographer and so happy with my wedding photographs....they bring back so many great memories.

I also want to say how fantastic you were, you fitted in with everyone and felt more like our guests than our photographer/s.

Speak soon,

Leanne & Martin Dixon (and brood) xxx"

Ah, thank you Leanne...it was a total pleasure to travel to Cyprus to be your wedding photographer....I loved every minute of your day! Venetia x

Lucy & Matt's wedding.....a cold Eastbourne!

2009-01-12T06:50:00.001-08:00

I travelled to Eastbourne this weekend to photograph the wedding of Lucy & Matt. It was a gorgeous, intimate affair and a total pleasure to be their wedding photographer.

The day started with a dip in the sea for the boys (yes...you did read it correctly...more to follow on that!) before getting ready at The Cavendish Hotel, Eastbourne, which was the location for the wedding reception. Over the other side of town Lucy, her mum and four bridesmaids enjoyed a warmer, more civilised champagne breakfast at the house.

The Church is directly opposite a lovely little wine bar called Bebendum and after photographing the fun & frollicks at the girls house I nipped down there for a few pictures with Matt and the boys. Once he was safely in the church the girls arrived at Bebendum for a cheeky shot of Sambuca (Lucy is well known for her love of it!) to calm their nerves....sorry Father Seamus!

'Our Lady of Ransom' is a beautiful church and the perfect setting for what turned out to be a very moving ceremony. After the ceremony and a few pictures outside (quick ones at I think Sally was actually blue by this stage!) Lucy, Matt & I headed off to the beach for a few romantic pictures of the two of them.

A gorgeous reception in the stunning Canvendish Hotel rounded a perfect day off in style.

Guys, it was so, so lovely to be there and share your special day. I can't thank you enough for your kind words especially during the speech. You are wonderful people, have a great family & fantastic friends and I look forward to seeing you for your viewing very soon.

Love, Vee (& Karl). xxx

How many guys does it take to do a button-hole....?!

The very sparkly, princess tiara.......

And the shoes.....oh the shoes (not as painful as Sally's!!!)

Lucy's mum is a dress designer and created the most amazing gown for her....

And was there to lace it up....phew!

Two beautiful ladies......

Lucy looked radiant.....

And Matt....well what can I say.....

The church & the kiss.....

Lucy & I had conspired beforehand about the wellies.....!

She was very proud of them....

The happy couple.....

Judith....I promise we sat her on a coat....and didn't dirty the dress!

She got her hand on his bottom at last........!

All set for a long and happy life together......

Matt's moment of madness.......

2009-01-12T06:05:00.000-08:00

When Matt informed me that he & his best man & ushers were intending on a spot of swimming the morning before the wedding I never believed them. As a meer women I clearly under-estimate the braveness (or foolhardiness) of men......

Getting ready to go.....

Fine specimens of men!!

They even ran in.....

Just to look at it chills your bones.....

They soon came out again.......

And here they are triumphant!

Respect.....is all I can say!

Vee xx

Matt & Lucy - pre wedding photgraphy

2009-01-07T09:18:00.000-08:00

I get asked photograph weddings all over the UK and am off to Eastbourne this weekend for the wedding of Lucy & Matt. Lucy and Matt saw me in action in Bristol in 2006 as I was the wedding photographer at a friends wedding. They loved the photographs and unbeknown to me kept my card just incase they ever decide to tie the knot. Three years down the line....here we are!

I nipped down to Eastbourne just before Christmas to run through their plans for the big day, visit the venues, including the gorgeous Cavendish Hotel, and to shoot their pre wedding photographs. It was a cold, blustery December day but we still managed to have some fun.

Very excited about seeing you on Saturday guys!

Vee xx

Katherine & Tony wedding photography

2009-01-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

I had a lovely surprise the other day as I was looking through previous blog entries.....this beautiful comment from Katherine & Tony on their wedding photography.

"We just wanted to say that we are thrilled with your photographs - you have not only taken great pictures for us to treasure for the years ahead but also illuminated aspects of the wedding that we missed - you can't be everywhere at once, even at your own wedding! My aunt told me after our wedding that my grandmother had a saying - "Then suddenly it was over - just like a wedding" and we now know what she meant - the day flew past and we were so pleased we had you to capture it for us and we could just relax and enjoy ourselves. We particularly love the portraits of some of our guests, wonderful memories, thank you Venetia.

Katherine and Tony x"

What a lovely start to the New Year!

Happy New Year....!

2009-01-01T12:48:00.000-08:00

Well as the first evening of 2009 draws to a close I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

2008 was a fantastic (hectic!) year for me especially as a wedding photographer. I had the pleaure to work with some fantastic clients and photograph some beautiful weddings at some gorgeous locations. I've photographed weddings around Bristol, the South West and as far afield as London, Manchester and even Cyprus! I had the pleasure to photograph at some of the countries finest venues; The Matara Centre, Cadbury House Hotel, Mere Golf & Country Club, St Mary Redcliffe, Priston Mill, The Celtic Manor Hotel, Guyers House, Belton Woods Golf Club and also some lovely intimate venues such as Coed-y-Mwstwr and the beautiful Glassboat in Bristol....to name a few. I've also had the pleasure to work with some superb suppliers and been featured in some great magazines, web-sites and venues.

On the portrait front I've photographed a record number and the end of the year ended excitingly with the launch of my new portrait studio near Taunton, Somerset. The new studio is attracting a lot of attention and I've already welcomed several new and long-standing clients there already. Gift vouchers were flying out the door before Christmas and I look forward to welcoming clients new and old in 2009.

As a wedding photographer 2009 is looking to be a very exciting year too. I have been booked by some lovely wedding photography clients and I am looking forward to seeing them again and photographing their big day. I have also being approached by a number of well-known wedding venues to work with them as a recommended supplier and also a number of high-profile magazines and web-sites to work with them on wedding related features....more about that soon!

Anyway enough from me.....I hope everyone had a fun filled Christmas with their loved ones and that 2009 is one of fulfilled dreams for everyone. I love every minute of my work and look forward to the exciting year in store.

Venetia xx

Portrait studio....pictures

2008-12-17T05:04:00.000-08:00

As promised attached is a picture of the new portrait studio. It looks like a purely white room as to be honest....that's what it is. Perfect for portrait photography though!!

More to follow when the sample frames go up and the cosy finishes are in.

Venetia x

Portrait photography Somerset - Santa's little helper!

2008-12-16T12:43:00.000-08:00

I saw another familiar face last week....the beautiful and angelic(ish) Zach! Zach's mum, Sharon booked a newborn baby portrait when Zach was a few weeks old and has been a regular visitor for potrait photography ever since. They've had baby portraits and family portraits of the three of them taken.

Zach is up and walking now and a proper little boy.....into everything! It was a task and a half running round the portrait studio trying to get some good images but we managed to get lots of gorgeous ones in all his Christmasey outfits as well as a few extra's for Nanny in his Sunday best.

He's got the most beautiful colouring, the most gorgeous eyes with the biggest eye-lashes and is full of beans and full of fun.......a total pleasure to photograph!

Look forward to seeing you both again in the summer! Have a fantastic Christmas and I hope your Mum loves her frames.

Venetia x

And the elves came too...!

Thoughtful like a little old man.....and possibly the only time he was still.....LOL!!

This was the first time Zach had really noticed his belly-button....we couldn't get him to put his jumper down...how cute!

Baby portrait photography - Georgia

2008-12-16T12:09:00.000-08:00

Just before I went away I managed to fit in a few family portraits, child portraits and baby portraits in my lovely new portrait studio!!

One gorgeous little girl that came for a portrait was Georgia. Georgia has been a regular visitor for portrait photography since her mum, Philippa was given a 'Bumps to Babies' gift voucher by a friend when she was pregnant. She was so pleased with the results that she has been a regular visitor to the studio in Bristol and has now come to visit me in Taunton.

Georgia is one of the happiest, energetic little girls I know and we had such a fun afternoon. We played with the bubbles and the bricks and had so many renditions of 'Hop little rabbit...hop, hop, hop' that I was singing it for days afterwards!!

It's so lovely seeing her grow up and such a lovely compliment that they come back time & time again.....and even follow me to Somerset!!

Fantastic to see you both again.....hope you have a fabulous Christmas & everyone loves their photo's!

Venetia xx

Somerset portrait studio.....finished......hurrah!

2008-12-16T11:34:00.000-08:00

A lot of people have been itching to find out more about the portrait photography studio so apologies for not posting sooner with progress on this but I've been away photographing a destination wedding (more about that soon!).

Well......before I flew out I finished the portrait studio here in Somerset and even managed to fit in a few portrait photography sessions before I went. The studio has turned out much better than I could have imagined and everyone who has visited and has had a family portrait has loved it. The studio is in an ideal location here just five minutes off of the M5 with quick access from all over the South West; Exeter, Bristol, Taunton, Wells etc.

As a portrait photographer it's so nice being able to spend time on each portrait, make people so comfortable and you can really see the fun and relaxtion in people's faces....the photographs are just perfect!

Some pictures of the finished results to follow tomorrow......

Venetia xx

Sarah & Richard's Wedding - Leigh Park Hotel

2008-12-06T06:38:00.000-08:00

Last month I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of Sarah & Richard at the Leigh Park Hotel in Bradford-on-Avon. Sarah was recommended to me by her colleagues at Future Publishing as I have photographed a number of their weddings.....thank you very much everyone who recommended me!

Sarah & Richard got married in a very moving wedding ceremony at the Leigh Park Hotel and stayed there for their reception. It's a beautiful location for a wedding with lots of gorgeous places to photograph. Despite the cold once we had done the group shots we braved the chills and took advantage of some of the grounds for some lovely photographs of the two of them.

Sarah & Richard have a gorgeous little boy, George who was lots of fun to play with and after we had done their group shots we had a great time playing with the autumn leaves...I don't know who had more fun me or George!!

It was a pleasure to be your wedding photographer and I hope you had a wonderful day and have a great honeymoon.

Sarah & Richard are coming in the New Year to have a family portrait in the studio and I look forward to seeing you all again.

Venetia x

P.S. Sarah I hope these few keep you going! x

The Somerset portrait studio is coming along.....

2008-12-02T11:28:00.001-08:00

I promised an update on the new, exciting portrait studio in Taunton and here it is.......

The studio is in an existing building which was in very good condition anyhow so I just basically needed to convert the inside to a portrait studio. We started out by double insulating it and then gave it a thermal skin all over to make it warm and comfortable.

I've got so many clients wanting family portraits, child portraits and baby portraits done before Christmas that it was all hands to the deck and here is my lovely (and very supportive) husband laying the second layer of insulation!

We've then had the floor completely boarded to give a firm, even surface....

And sealed to ensure a totally flat, safe surface.....

As a portrait photographer it's so exciting having your own portrait studio and I just want it finished NOW! I had two weddings to photograph at the weekend so work was temporarily stopped but commences again in ernest tomorrow......I'll update you again with more photographs tomorrow evening!

Venetia xx

Lucy & Mark's Wedding

2008-11-27T14:26:00.000-08:00

I am lucky enough to be one of the recommended wedding photographers for Cadbury House Hotel near Bristol and this is how Lucy & Mark found me.

Having done the initial consultation at their beautifully decorated and co-ordinated house, it became clear to me that Lucy was going to be organising a wedding with lots of attention to those gorgeous little details!! How could I miss to photograph them all.......

Lucy's tiara......

Her shoes.....

Her jewellery.....

Her flowers.....

The gorgeous bridemaids flowers.....

And the co-ordinating rose petal confetti.....

The ceremony was in a beautiful Catholic church with lots of lovely little touches like lighing a single candle from two seperate ones......

And as a beautiful touch afterwards Lucy & Mark released two white doves......

The simply stunning reception carried through the bird theme from the tabel plan, the place names, through to two gorgeous lavishly decorated bird cages....

The favours were even little woodland trees (thank you both for mine....it's in a pot in the garden now!).....

Both Mark & Lucy looked gorgeous.....

It was a bitterly cold day but I managed to persuade them to spend a few minutes outside getting some gorgeous pictures off the both of us. Thank you for bearing with me guys......I think the shivering was worth it!

Venetia xx

The excitement never ends.....new portrait studio in Somerset!

2008-11-26T08:10:00.000-08:00

As some of your know, as well as being a busy wedding photographer, I also take on a few commissions for portrait photography. This has been mainly requests for location portrait photography and if I've ever needed a studio then I simply 'borrow' one off a friend. However, the requests have been growing year on year and in 2008 I've been inundated with them. So.......I have finally decided to build my own studio here at the new house in North Somerset......how exciting!

It's going to be a home based potrait studio as I love the benefits that it brings. The majority of my portrait work is babies and children whose parents bring them to me specifically as they know how much I love kids and the rapport I build with them. They know that the shoots will be fun for their children and stress-free for them!

It's imperative when you do a baby portrait or a child portrait that they feel relaxed with you and their environment before you start to shoot. Having a home portrait studio not only means I can make it exactly as I want and have all the little things to hand that makes life easier (building bricks, toys, bubbles!) but also means it's in a much more informal environment. I can spend time playing and getting to know everyone before I even take the camera out of the bag.

As those of you who know me well know once my minds made up I'm not one to hang around......so building work starts tomorrow!

I'll of course keep you posted on progress and of couse, post a few piccies!!

Venetia x

Bristol & Somerset Your Wedding magazine

2008-11-18T11:57:00.000-08:00

I've got very exciting news! I got a call last week from the editor at Bristol & Somerset Your Wedding magazine. She had been browsing through Folio magazine last month and spotted the wedding feature I had photographed for them. After visiting my site, browsing through the photographs and reading all about me, my style & approach as a wedding photographer she contacted me and asked me to be on their panel of experts. My work has been published on many occassions but with so many great wedding photographers around Bristol & Somerset it was a real privilege to be thought of and chosen as a expert.

The magazine is bi-monthly and they also have a web-site with lots of helpful information and tips on planning your wedding. I was asked to answer a couple of questions that readers had submitted about wedding photography and these will go into the magazine and also on the web-site. Readers are then able to submit more to be answered by me personally. There is a little biography about me and even a picture of me for those of you who have never met me!

I hope to have much more involvement with the magazine going forward and really look forward to answering more wedding photography dilema's.

Look out for your issue of the magazine in popular venues across Bristol & Somerset in the next week or so.

Venetia xx

Matthew & Suzi - Salisbury

2008-10-29T08:13:00.000-07:00

As a wedding photographer I always find blog entries one of the hardest things to do and this latest one was certainly no exception. How on earth do you sum up a wedding in 8 or so wedding photographs when you can pick at least 300 that are great?! I always sit for hours deliberating, trying to find the right mixture that sums up a beautiful day.

Matthew & Suzi got married at St Mary & St Mellor Church in Amesbury and had their recpetion at The Antrobus Arms. I met Suzi at her parents house in the morning to photograph her getting ready and I captured some wonderful bridal portraits in the garden. The grass was wet that morning we had quite a laugh 'positioning' Suzie on the grass using some lovely plastic sheeting!!

Meeting Matthew and his best man and ushers at the church I'd planned just enough time to capture the mounting nerves and some great portraits of Matthew before Suzi arrived.

Luckily, The Antrobus Arms is just across the road from the church and after leading their guests to there for the champagne reception the three of us (& the videographer) whipped back to the church to capture some gorgeous portraits of the two of them.

After allowing them enough time to mingle with their friends over a glass or two of something bubbly we captured some more pictures in the grounds of the Antrobus before they sat down for their recption. The marquee in the grounds looked amazing & I have never seen so many flowers all in perfect Autumn colours.

After dinner and speeches Matthew, Suzi & their guests danced the night away entertained by Frank Martin Junior and his band.

It was a wonderful day, thank you for letting me share it with you and I hope you have a very long & happy life together.

Venetia x

Suzi had some gorgeous jewellery....

Bridal portraits......thanks to the help of the plastic sheeting....!

Suzie looked amazing thanks to the help of Victoria Fergusson who did her hair & make-up.....

The little details really help to tell the story.....

There is a technique to button holes and after capturing the pictures I need I'm often called on as 'the expert'....!

A handsome Matthew....

I love this picture it has such an almost Edwardian look. I saw the wonderful light on the table when I was looking around the church earlier and made sure I was at the perfect angle to get just the look I wanted.....

Beautiful, relaxed moments like this that show real emotion as well as the more directed shots are a perfect blend....

This destressed building next door to the church made for a wonderful backdrop of a beautiful couple......

Perfect placement....perfect picture.....

This archway actually led onto waste ground but taken at the right angle makes a stunning backdrop....

Flowers....oh the flowers.......

An autumn theme ran throught with lots of attention to the small details......

Matthew and Suzi's very clever friend made them a tower of minature carrot cakes for their wedding cake.....

Frank Martin Junior serenaded the couple......

Destination wedding - Martin & Leanne in Cyprus

2008-10-28T09:25:00.001-07:00

As you may remember I did a gorgeous studio portrait for Martin & Leanne and their four beautiful children back in July this year. Whilst chatting to them Matin & Leanne told me they were getting married in Cyprus and we got round to wedding photography. Having looked at the work of a few wedding photographers in Cyprus they were keen to find someone who not only had a more contemporary style but also who could offer a more comprehensive service from Leanne & the girls getting ready right through to their first dance. The benefits of having a UK based wedding photographer was also paramount in their mind and before long my bags were packed and I was off!

With so many lovely historical buildings & churches in Paphos, you can be over-whelmed with choice but having seen the beautiful Town Hall on the internet Leanne was certain that was where she wanted to be married. Once they said their vows and were showered in confetti, the wedding party headed off to The Avanti Hotel for an intimate wedding reception. I had worked closely with Martin & Leanne & their wedding coordinator on the timings for their wedding day and we left enough time for some beautiful photography of the two of them. Going down to the waterfront promenade gave them some time together and us some great opportunities for some wonderful wedding photography of the two of them.

Obviously the good weather was a big attraction for both of them and we all hoped that we would be blessed with a sunset. We arranged for us to dissapear to the beach between courses at dinner and although the sun didn't set in a spectacular fashion they still got some intimate moments to themselves and we got some amazing pictures.

Wedding abroad often tend to be quite initmate affairs and even though you try to be unobtrusive you can't help but be a part of the day and this is why it is so important you feel realy comfortable and happy with your choice of wedding photographer. I had some fantastic feedback from both Leanne, Martin and their guests and we were even invited to stay into the evening. Everyone was wonderfully warm and welcoming and the children were, as always, gorgeous (we had lots of fun playing with them when we had finished!).

I hope you both have a very happy life together and wish you both all the happiness in the world.

Venetia xx

P.S. Leanne, I hope this keeps you going...!

Of course having three girls.....everything came in three's...three pairs of shoes, three tiaras, three little bags and three bouquets....

The gorgeous shoes.......

The beautiful Leanne getting prepared....

Martin looking handsome........

They had a really funky & brightly coloured old Bedford van to take the guests to the ceremony........

Three gorgeous girls waiting for their beautiful mum......

Leanne arrived realy early and we had some time before the ceremony to capture some beautiful portraits of her......this was a fantastic opportunity and one I never get normally!!

The stunning Town Hall........

I captured this beautiful casual moment between Leanne and her eldest daughter Jade....

In even the most croweded tourist hotel, if you have the eye, you can find some lovely places for photographs....a few feet away behind me where lots of bikini-clan holiday-makers!

Our walk to the beach.....

An initmate moment.....

But where was the sunset....?!

Katherine & Tony's wedding

2008-10-20T14:29:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of being the wedding photographer at another lovely autumn wedding in Bristol last month. Katherine and Tony said their vows in a very moving ceremony in the Lantern Room at Bristol Registry Office. Katherine and Tony are big fans of Bristol, it's architecture and love all of the traditional Bristol areas. They therefore chose to take a short stroll through St Nicholas's Market to the beautiful Glassboat where they held their wedding reception. After having some time to mingle with their guests over a glass of champagne (which all makes wonderful photographs!) I took Katherine and Tony off for half an hour on their own to create some beautiful portraits of the two of them.

Katherine and Tony have impecable taste and style and the day was full of beautiful details that had been carefully planned and were a photographers dream.

Beautiful flowers.........

Stunning shoes...........

A gorgeous, hand-made dress for Katherine....

Exquisite accessories...........

And the cake.....ohhhh the cake.....

The bride & groom both looked so stylish.......

Bristol Registry Office is a perfect location for a Bristol wedding photographer....

St Nic's Market, Bristol.....the old architeture compliments the new Mr & Mrs Mulvihill perfectly.....

Our little wander together......

It was such a pleasure to be there on your special day, I'm so glad to hear you had a fabulous honeymoon and I hope you love the photographs.

Look forward to speaking to you soon.

Venetia x

Matt & Helen's Wedding

2008-10-18T03:39:00.001-07:00

As a wedding photographer I look for beauty in everything and think all season's are perfect to get married in as they each have their wonderful unique aspects. Winter.....cold crisp sunny days, frost on the ground and if your lucky even snow on your wedding day; Spring....the crocuses, daffodils and gorgous new growth; Summer......the flowers, the trees, the warmth and sunshine (we have to be optimistic!!); and Autumn of course with it wonderful warm light and gorgeous colours.

So far this autumn I have had the pleasure of photographing a number of gorgeous autumn weddings and Matt and Helen's was no exception. Despite having lots of bad weather the weeks leading up to it the 20th September was a gorgeous, warm autumn day and the colours were out in force for it. Matt and Helen (who were a recommendation from Ruth & Simon) chose a lovely church in Redland for their ceremony and then Redland High School for their reception.

I had a lovely time in the morning having breakfast with Helen and her bridesmaids (thank you for the coffee & coissant girls they were wonderful!) and then right through to the evening. After the group shots in the garden at Redland High School I took Matt & Helen off from some time to themselves and this is what I have focused on in the blog as there were so many lovely pictures to show you! We even went out inbetween main course and desert to catch the best of the evening sun setting and captured some fantastic shots in the maze there.

It was a wonderful day and I hope you both have a wonderful life together.

Venetia x

Folio magazine

2008-10-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

Look out for the October issue of FOLIO magazine featuring....yours truly!! I was approached by them and asked to shoot the front cover and a six page spread giving you all the inspiration you need to create a wow-factor wedding. The 'wedding special' features a few key suppliers from across the Bristol area hand-picked by the FOLIO team.

The shoot took place at the gorgeous and very grand Leigh Court with the help of Natasha and her team. There was an amazing cake (come on guys who could forget the cake!!), a beautiful dress, a stunning suit, fabulous flowers, and some simply beautiful jewllery. James and Anna were perfect models and a lot of fun was had by all. My thanks to all of the suppliers and especially to Rachel Nott, the editor, and her team.

The only difficult part of the day was choosing the pictures afterwards as there were so many gorgeous images. Unlike wedding photographs you are obviously limited for space and only a few can be published but I left Rachel the unenvieable task of picking the final few to go to print!!

To read the full article and see all the published pictures pick up your copy of FOLIO magazine today.

Venetia x

Janet and Alan's wedding photographer

2008-09-30T10:49:00.000-07:00

I had a the pleasure a couple of weeks ago to be the wedding photographer at the wedding of Alan & Janet. I photographed Janet's daughters wedding, Kate & Dean a couple of years ago at Thornbury Castle and so when Janet knew she was getting married she asked me to be here wedding photographer. It's always lovely meeting up with previous clients again and this was no exception. (I have also been asked by one of Kate & Dean's bridesmaids to be their wedding photographer at Marwell Zoo next year so thank you guys for your recommendations).

The ceremony & reception was held at Rodbaston Hall in Staffordshire and the day was a wonderful one. The venue is lovely, the gardens are gorgeous and the bride & groom looked fantastic. The evening was topped off by Janet's son's band (with Kate making a guest appearance on Sax....wow!) and was the end to a wonderful day.

Here are a few of the wedding photographs.....hope you both had a wonderful day.

Venetia x

Beautiful chidren....beautiful words.....

2008-08-15T03:38:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure a month ago to photograph a family portrait in Bristol for Martin & Leanne & their four gorgeous children, Jade, Kayleigh, Jasmine & Max. As Max was 6 months old Leanne & Martin wanted to document this important stage in his development & I suggested to her that it was a perfect opportunity to capture the whole family.

They decided to purchase a hi resolution DVD from me so that they were able to print off pictures for themselves and their family and this was her recent e-mail to me:

"Venetia,
Just to let you know I received my disc this morning........they are absolutely FANTASTIC, I could cry. I can't stop looking at them. You really captured all of thier personalities......I am so pleased I chose you to do the photos and if the wedding ones turn out like them, well let's say I will be more than over the moon.
Thank you so much again,
Leanne"

She was so pleased with the results of the family portrait that she has asked me to photograph Martin & her destination wedding in Cyprus later this year...I can't wait to get some more pictures of their beautiful children in natural light!

Here are a few pictures from the family portrait:

The girls hanging out.....

It's important when children to make them feel at ease & let them have some fun....this makes their personalities shine through.....we had such fun this afternoon.

A beautiful baby portrait of the main man......

Whilst we were there I suggest we do some individual portraits of each of the girls too.....

All the children together will make a lovely present for their grandparents.....

Martin & Leanne looking proud......

The whole family....

It was a wondeful, fun afternoon guys & I can't wait do your destination wedding photography in Cyprus!!

Venetia x

A very personal wedding to me.....

2008-08-12T12:19:00.000-07:00

I had the great pleasure last month to photograph the wedding of someone very special to me. June & I have known each other since I was a baby as her mum was my mum's best friend & my god-mother. I have to say that although it was a great honour to be asked it was one of the most difficult weddings I've ever had to do as my emotional side kept taking over & I kept wanting to cry...oh I am so soppy!

Here are a few of the beautiful pictures we created:

The Arnos Manor Hotel makes a gorgeous, very gothic looking venue.....

June looked so beautiful I was really battling back the tears.....

Jon appeared very at ease & not at all nervous (a sign he knew he was making the right decision!)

The ceremony was beautiful, made me cry again....!

After the ceremony I took June & Jon off to Arnos Vale Cemetery for some beautiful pictures of the two of them. It seem a strange choice for a Bristol wedding photographer but the architecture is so amazing & June's mum is buried there so it seemed appropriate.....

Jon, you are a wonderful man & just you make sure you look after my Juney-Pooney!

I wish you both all the happinest in the world & I hope you have a fantastic honeymoon in New Zealand.

Love, Venetia xxx

Emma & Jason - Coed-y-Mwstwr

2008-07-09T04:24:00.000-07:00

As a wedding photographer summers tend to be the busiest time and this June is no exception! It's been a whirlwind of weddings and pre-wedding shoots and I promise to try and post as many as possible.

I recently travelled to South Wales to photograph the wedding of Emma & Jason. The forecast was rain but both Emma & I had our fingers firmly crossed and someone must have been looking favourable on us as the rain held off until we were firmly inside for the wedding breakfast!

Emma's shoes were gorgeous....

....as was her hand-made Swarovski jewellery....

The flowers & buttons-holes were stunning....

The wedding rings were little & large....!!

Jason was very handsome & surprisingly relaxed....

And Emma was nervous, excited & had a few tears (especially when she saw her dasing dad in his military uniform!!)....

After the ceremony & time with their guests I took Emma & Jason off around the beautiful grounds & got some gorgeous pictures of the two of them....

In the right hands even the oddest backgrounds (like this garden shed) can make an amazing backdrop....

A last initmate moment.....

Guys, thank you for making me so welcome, have fun on your honeymoon and I look forward to seeing you when you get back.

Venetia xx

Claire & Paul - Guyers House

2008-06-11T04:58:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure on Saturday to phototograph the wedding of Claire & Paul at Guyers House, Corsham. Living in London Claire & Paul wanted to 'get away from it all' with an English country feel for their wedding and chose the charming Guyers House to hold their ceremony & reception.

Guyers House is a dream with beautiful landscaped gardens, stunning herbacous borders, rose & jasmine archways, a small lake & lots of tucked away places to get some stunning photographs. Coupled with the beautiful weather, a stunning bride and a very handsome groom, Melanie & I were able to get some gorgeous pictures.

Claire & Paul, I hope you both had a the day you wished for and thank you for your kind words.

Here are a few images from the day.

Venetia x

Adam & Claire's destination wedding

2008-06-04T08:28:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure last month to fly to North Cyprus to photograph the wedding of Adam & Claire. Adam & Claire chose a destination wedding as they wanted a beautiful, relaxed wedding in a goregous setting and that's exactly what they got.

They took their vows in a gorgeous ceremony in the grounds of the boutique style hotel the Bella View, set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Five Finger Mountains and overlooking the beautiful mediterranean sea.

After a relazing drinks reception, complete with Mojito's and canapes, we took Adam & Claire to the historic Bellapais Abbey for their photographs. The beautiful ruined monastery was a perfect location for some goregous pictures of the two of them and a part of the day that Claire particularly loved.

After a champagne reception and a delicious 8 course hot & cold mezze they boogied the night away to a local jazz band in the grounds of the floodlit Abbey which provided a stunning backdrop. Here are a few pictures...more to follow.

It was a fantastic day.....thank you for inviting us to be part of it. Here are a few pictures.....more to follow.

Venetia xx

P.S Adam & Claire's wedding was organised by Zeckye Yucel from The Discovery Collection who specialise in tailor-made weddings, honeymoons & holidays. Thank you to her and her team on the day for certainly making our jobs easier!

Destination wedding photography

2008-06-02T14:32:00.000-07:00

Each year many Bride & Groom's are attracted by the idea of a destination wedding. Whether on the beach in a hot & exotic country or a stunning hotel set in beautiful countryside it can be for a variety of reasons. It might be for personal or family reasons, the thought of the mammoth organisational task ahead or simply the lure of guaranteed sunshine.

Years ago 'running away' abroad to get married was frowned upon but more and more people are discovering the appeal of a destination wedding. There are a number of companies out there offering either hassle-free 'packages' including the basics like the venue, flowers, photography, transport etc or a totally bespoke service where couples can tailor a beautiful, lavish wedding to their individual requirements with all the gorgeous details and thought that would go into any English wedding.

A few times a year I'm lucky enough to be asked to photograph one of these gorgeous destination weddings and have been to France, Spain, Italy, Greece, South Cyprus, North Cyprus and am currently talking to a couple about their wedding in the Maldives. Location weddings tend to be quite intimate affairs and it's always a great honour to be asked to accompany the wedding party as a destination wedding photographer.

Although I have known some brides fly out their own hairdresser most of the other 'suppliers' like florists etc, tend to be local. However, for many, photography is a different 'ball-game' and something they place far too much importance on to be left to someone else to choose and organise and I think there are many reasons for this.

Firstly, style and service. The majority of local photographers have a very formal style focusing heavily on set up shots of individuals and groups and not really much in the way of reportage style photography. However, many clients are looking for more than this and a mixture of photography; informal, candid shots, pictures capturing the details of the day such as flowers, the wedding dress etc, a few groups & some beautiful, semi-directed portraits of the two of them.

Also there is the level and breadth of service. On a recent trip to Cyprus the wedding coordinator was amazed at the coverage provided on the day and the planning and detail that went into the photography. Her local photographers tend to meet the couple on the day and simply cover the ceremony and an hour afterwards. She was amazed to hear about pre-wedding meetings, location visits the day before and the fact we were shooting from the bridal preparations right through to the fireworks capturing the story of the day and the essence of the location.

Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, as a wedding photographer I invest a lot of time building up relationships with my clients and I always tell people to choose their wedding photographer not only because of the beautiful pictures they take in the style they like but also because they like and feel comfortable with that person. If your using an overseas supplier you might not get to do that or even meet them before the day.

Lastly and very basically, distance and language. The actual photography on the day is only a relatively small part of the whole process and once the photographs have been processed then comes the fun part of choosing & producing albums, DVD, frames etc. The process tends to work over the Internet and by e-mail when using a local photographer but many couples prefer a face to face meeting to view their photographs and choose which ones are beautifully presented in the products of their choice.

It sounds like a perfect option but surely it's too expensive and only for the rich & famous?! Actually, no. If possible I combine my destination wedding photography with a holiday & therefore you do not pay the full travel cost. It obviously works out slightly more expensive than a English wedding but many couples feel that the benefits and the standard of photography that they get makes this a worthwhile investment.

To view my full portfolio of destination wedding photography, discuss your requirements and for a quotation please do not hesitate to contact me. It is within your reach.

Venetia x

A very near miss....!!

2008-04-28T10:57:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago I had the pleasure to do a pregnancy portrait for Emma & Tom. Emma booked her pregnancy photoshoot quite late & only had a couple of weeks until her due date when we did our session in the studio. We got some beautiful pictures and they left promising to let me know when their bundle of joy arrived. We all thought it might be a few weeks, as many first babies are late, but the very next day there were rumblings afoot and gorgeous William was born on Valentines Day! Wow......that was a close call!! Here are a few pictures of their beautiful new addition.....

Although newborn babies can be photographed in the studio I prefer to photograph young babies in the comfort of your own home using natural light. This ensures eveyone is as relaxed as possible & I dedicate as much time as is needed, stopping for as many feeds & nappy changes as is necessary! Contact me for more information.

Venetia x

A wonderfully in love couple....

2008-04-17T08:31:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure to shoot the pre-wedding portrait for Karen & Jon a few weeks ago. They are had both started new and exciting jobs a few weeks before and were feeling a 'distracted' and in need of something to get them excited about their forthcoming 'big day'. We meet at their venue, The Glassboat, chatted about the final plans, discussed everything they wanted from their photographs and generally got all over-excited about what's to come.

Karen in particular is quite shy (although you would never believe it!) and is very nervous about having her picture taken but after lots of reassurance and a practice run with the pre-wedding portrait....she was much happier.

Look forward to your big day guys. xx

A blustery day....!

2008-04-01T14:16:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to photograph Annika & Phil's wedding at The Park Hotel, Falfield a couple of weeks ago. It was one of the most blustery, wet weddings so far this year, but both of them (& their guests) were absolutely fabulous and we even managed it outside for the big group shot, despite their inital reservations!

The Park Hotel is lovely, little venue and was a first up there for me. Between the accomodating staff there and the wonderful attitude of Annika & Phil we managed to get some beautiful wedding photographs for them. Here are just a few for you.

Venetia x

Patrick & Claire....how cold were we?!

2008-03-07T10:30:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful afternoon down on the Docks in Bristol with Patrick and Claire the other week. We met up to do discuss the final plans for their big day and to do their pre-wedding portrait. We couldn't of picked a colder day if we'd tried but a stop at the infamous 'Buttery' for a cup of tea and some chips to stop Patricks stomach rumbling kept us going. They're a wonderful couple, who are so confident in front of the camera and were up for anything and everything I suggested doing. They wanted quite a fun, funky, edgey look to their wedding photographs so we discussed some ideas, shot some pictures and got some great results....thanks guys for being so much fun!

Venetia x