St Audries Park Wedding Photography | Vicky and Chris

The wedding of Vicky and Chris was a fabulous Autumnal bash held in North Somerset. 

With a romantic driveway entrance St Audries Park is instantly appealing. Deer graze in the surrounding fields, the bellow of a stag interrupts the silence and if you look carefully you can even see the sea, which is just under a mile away. The stately home is quite magnificent but with dark clouds looming, I had my fingers crossed for some good luck.

 Making my way through the network of passageways I found the girls and the only-ever-so-slightly nervous bride, Vicky. There was gorgeous soft window light which lent itself to some striking images of the bridal preparations.

The dress was beautiful, although it took Vicky's sister a good number of attempts to lace up the back. Definitely worth the effort though :)

Meanwhile, the boys (who were only running an hour behind schedule!) were getting ready a few rooms away. Unfortunately, Chris had forgotten his cufflinks, but never fear when you have a ultra-reliable usher who has a box of them.

The civil ceremony was held in the stunning Orangery which is a bright and elegant setting which came alive when the sun made it's appearance. Just in time for Vicky who was making her way across from the main house. 

As the weather continued to improve it allowed me to take the newly weds for a stroll around the grounds. The front of St Audries Park has a grand entrance and the building is covered in Virginia Creeper, and at this time of year it had turned a magnificent red. This gave a superb backdrop and added to the sun dropping lower in the sky it gave us a unique shooting light and some great photographs.

Rose petals, Koi Carp fish, croquet, giant Connect 4, a bridesmaid pianist and more were all part of the experience for guests as they enjoyed drinks and canapes around the house and gardens.

The speeches were heartfelt, touching and at times laugh-out loud. With an iPad malfunction Best Man Mike had to resort to his paper version, but he took it in his stride and with a picture of a 'special' bulldog the guys had met whilst travelling he brought the house down. 

Even though Vicky and Chris only wanted a short time alone on the dance floor before being joined by everyone else, I managed to get some great images of them dancing to their chosen song 'For You' by Angus and Julia Stone.

Later in the evening I stole them away for a creative shot in the dark with some off-camera flashes in front of the fish pond, here's the result of one:
Back inside to catch some action on the dancefloor and a brilliant effort at Gangnam Style!

With a still night and the stars shining one of my last photographs was a 15 second exposure of St Audries Park from the driveway. A bit of post-production work and I'm pretty pleased with the end result! Thanks to Vicky and Chris and all their friends and family for welcoming me and allowing me to capture their amazing day.

Are you looking to find the right wedding photographer who can capture the real story of your day as well as create portraiture with style? I would love to hear from you! Click to find out more about Somerset wedding photography or send me a message here.

Winters Barn Wedding Photography | Sophie and Danny

Wow this venue was such a treat! Sophie and Danny chose Winters Barns in Canterbury to hold their marvellously rustic-styled wedding. It was an emotional day, especially during the speeches when we heard of the near-death experience Danny had been through as a young man and how the Air Ambulance had been there to save the day, hence why donations, instead of favours, and proceedings raised in the traditional 'how long will the speeches be?' competition went to this hugely worthwhile service. 
The weather behaved itself allowing me to get plenty of outdoor photographs and the guests all had a blast. An after dinner singer, the best selection of pick and mix I have ever seen and not forgetting Giant Jenga (which brought out the ultra-competitive nature in some of the boys) meant there was something to please everyone. The frivolity went a step further when one unnamed usher decided a dip in the fish pond would be rather fun, not to the amusement of his wife however! The partying continued well into the night with guests getting loose and breaking out some quite incredible moves on the dance-floor. An awesome couple, stunning venue, and an amazing atmosphere meant this wedding really rocked! 

Right enough from me, you've come to see the pictures! Enjoy this selection from Sophie and Danny's wedding day...

If you would like award-winning wedding photographer Simon Biffen to capture your wedding day then drop him an email or alternatively head to Simon Biffen Photography to find out more.

RAC Club Wedding Photography | Vicky and Adam

I was lucky enough to photograph a rather cool London wedding recently. Vicky and Adam approached me in February looking for a photographer after an old uni rugby friend sent them in my direction. Little did any of us know that a few months later they would have some very exciting news: they would be expecting their first baby in October

In fact, on the day, Vicky was the most calm, relaxed bride I've ever seen and she carried her 'bump' with grace and poise in a beautifully flowing dress. The ceremony was held in The Grand Chamber at Wandsworth Town Hall. It is a striking room with oak panelling and an impressive skylight. Guests were then taken by classic red Routemasters across the city to The Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall where they were spoiled with a top notch service in decadent surroundings. Meanwhile Bride, Groom and myself went by car to get some portraits with a London theme. Battersea Power Station was our first stop and then we risked our lives crossing Westminster Bridge, but boy was it worth it. We got some awesome shots with stunned tourists looking on and backdrops included Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye. 

The wedding reception was held beneath the stunning chandeliers of the wonderful Mountbatten Room and with the impeccable service, it provided a first class experience for all. There were some embarrassing moments for Adam during the speeches, although nothing less should be expected from a best man! The partying went long into the night and the band made sure there were plenty of people on the dancefloor. A pink feather boa somehow found it's way into the mix and this entertained the crowd when it was put to good use for an impromptu limbo competition! Overall it was A fantastic wedding for a fantastic couple. Congratulations Vicky and Adam and best of luck with your new addition later this month!

If you'd like to find out more about my wedding photography please head to my website or email me, I'd love to hear from you!