Lancashire Wedding Photographer at Wonderful Welsh Wedding

 So. Did you miss me while I  was gone?

What do you mean, 'Have I been away?'

In the last few days I've travelled all four corners of the British isles.  Well, maybe not all four corners because I haven't been to Ireland but I have worked in England, Wales (twice) and Scotland, all since last weekend.



First was Anthony and Kirsty's wedding at the fabulous Marble Church at Bodellwydden. When we first met this couple eighteen months ago and they mentioned where the ceremony was to be, Bob's jaw dropped open with amazement and delight as he knows this church well since he used to practically live on the doorstep. He spent most of that meeting raving about this church and how beautiful it was.

It is indeed a very beautiful church and we were thrilled to be able to shoot a wedding there (that's another tick on the list of things we have to do before we pop off).

I'll save the full story of their amazing day for later when the bride and groom are back from their honeymoon and have seen their photos. For now I'll give you just  a little taste of their wedding.

The colour scheme  was beautiful, the pew ends in the church looked gorgeous, of course I had to stop and get photos of them.  Shades of purple and hot pink. Yummy!

They had the reception at the Faenol Fawr Hotel in Bodellwydden. There is a prize of a small amount of kudos if you know how to say "Faenol Fawr'

As I leapt out of the car, camera in hand to grab photos of the bride and groom as they arrived I was stopped in my tracks by the sight of a peacock strolling across the car park like it owned the place, actually it probably did!

Peacocks!!!  Oh, wow!


The room was gorgeous, the staff were brilliant and everything was perfect. Even better than all that: the food was to die for. While the wedding party had their meal, Bob and I sat in the bar and tucked into mozzarella stuffed chicken. We all know I like my food and this place made it just how I like it: tasty and plentiful ( I wonder why I'm not a size 8?).

 There was a rather nice Bentley. I did see Bob looking at it longingly a time or two. We may have used it as a prop for a photo or two.

That's it for now, folks. I'll be back with the full story, including how I had to make the 3 hour round trip back to Wales the following day, later.

David & Charlotte

Things are getting busy at Wow! Towers.

The wedding season is now well under way and the studio has never been busier.  This weekend and next weekend we have family portrait sittings and following that it's playtime for me and the daughter!

I've been mulling around an idea for a few weeks now, we are going to give it a trial run after I've finished work on Saturday. It should be a lot of fun, watch this space!

The latest news is that we now have the client galleries all up and running as well as the e-commerce sorted it it's possible for you to buy prints directly from the website. Technology, eh?  Where would we be without it?

While Bob's been getting on with all the techie stuff  which leaves me colder than a cold thing, I've been doing what I enjoy almost as much as photography - album design.

I've just finished David and Charlotte's album, here are a few of my favourite pages from it:

 Their  daughter is such a little cutie, I could hire her out as a professional bridesmaid. She very nearly is one anyway.  Just a few months after David and Charlotte got married, Charlotte's  Mum got re-married as well, guess who was a bridesmaid?  Got it in one.

Bob and me were honoured to be chosen as the photographers on the day. Of course it was all the same people at the second wedding, it was like meeting up with old friends. It was at the same venue as well so there was more than a bit of deja vu on the day.

Hope you like the album pages, I'll have more for you next week. Bye for now!

Back from Paradise

Not me, I haven't been to Paradise recently. I'm talking about Gina and Thomas  who have just arrived back from their honeymoon in the Maldives.

It's quite nice there by all accounts (notice how cool I'm being. I'd actually sell my own Granny to get there).

 I wouldn't really. No, seriously, I wouldn't.  It was only a joke, Gran, relax. I'm not going to sell you.

Moving on:  They had a wonderful time and the only thing that made it worth them coming back was the excitement of seeing their photos and reliving their wedding day all over again. Many congratulations to you both.

Here's a little preview of their day. I'll post more more later.  Enjoy.

Congratulations!

Many congratulations to Gina and Thomas who are getting married tomorrow.

Bob and me have the honour of photographing their wedding. I love weddings. That's actually not a bad thing in my line of work.

 It's going to  be fabulous!

Not only are this couple exceedingly easy on the eye they are also exceedingly easy to get on with. The venue is gorgeous (not giving anything away yet) and from the details I've been given it's going to be a very glamorous affair indeed.

Today has been spent, as is customary the day before a wedding, checking all the kit, charging the batteries and praying for the rain to stay away for them.

It seems to have worked as well!

The almost hurricane force winds have finally dropped, the rain has stopped, the sun is set to shine.

Sounds like a plan!

I'm really looking forward to it.  

Toby and Katie

What a fantastic wedding this one was. Unusual in oh, so many ways it really kept Bob and me on our toes the whole day through.  Unusual in a good way, I hasten to add. A more relaxed and laid back bride and groom I have yet to meet.  Although.......

Toby, the groom, was feeling the nerves a little bit before the ceremony.



Miles away from home, we'd travelled to Leysters in Herefordshire for the wedding in a gorgeous little church hidden down a country lane.

 After the wedding we took the bride and groom off to Rapunzel's Tower for a few photos.

The bride and groom stopped for a chat on a nearby tree before we headed off back to the reception.

 Which was held in the village hall, where there was all kinds of silliness going on.  During the group shots a woman's face appeared in a bush and asked us if we'd like to take photos in her garden. I nearly had a heart attack!!

All in all it was a great day with a lovely couple. the added bonus for me and Bob was that we spent the rest of the weekend pottering around Wales and having a lovely time.

I'm nearly famous!!

Well, not really but a copy of the latest 'BBe Inspired' magazine has just landed on my doormat and one of my photos has been used as the front cover as well as a full page inside.  I haven't done too  much editorial work but I really enjoy it. It is the antithesis of wedding photography which is so fast paced.

Which do I prefer?

It's impossible to compare them as they are so very different and after all, any type of photography is enjoyable in it's own right.


It's a busy, busy weekend this weekend as we are off to shoot a wedding in Ludlow, Shropshire. I'm really looking forward to this one, not least because  the weather forecast is so much nicer down there than up here!!

This wedding is the second of three for this particular family, the next daughter gets married in September.  Bob and me are starting to feel like one of their family now.  I'll post some photos for you when we get back.

In the meantime, many congratulations to Toby and Katie.

Wow!! Newsflash

Ok, now I'm excited!!!

Peter Jackson the Jeweller,  the best jewellers in the area,   are running a fantastic promotion at the moment and have asked Wow! Contemporary Photography to get involved with it.

Peter Jackson the  Jeweller and Wow! Photography in the same sentence!  Wow!  Err ...I mean...well, you know.

The promotion is  a superb  package of all sorts of  lovely free goodies when you buy you engagement ring from them.  It includes, among other things, a complementary ( and complimentary) engagement photo shoot with yours truly and a framed 8 x 12 inch print.

It really is an amazing offer from the best jeweller in the area and Bob and me are really excited to be a part of it, can you tell?

Click here for a link to Peter Jackson's website.

Horse of the year show?

In all the years I've been photographing weddings I've never photographed one with a horse and carriage in attendance - until this year. Just like corporation buses, nothing for ages and then two arrive at once.

This  is from Lee and Miranda's wedding at Haigh Hall in Wigan. The day was glorious, the venue magnificent, the bride beautiful and the horses incredibly well behaved.

I loved how they had their little crocheted 'ear gloves.' I'm certain that's not what their called but in the absence of their proper names it'll have to do.

If you know what they are called or can think of a fab new name then you can leave a comment and the best answer gets a prize.... of my unending awe at your vast pool of knowledge.

Dan & Joanne

As promised, here re a few pics from Dan & Joanne's wedding. It rained a bit on the day...... WHAT AM I SAYING????!!!   It heaved  it down all day long!

Did that stop everyone having a lovely time?  Did it heck.  They enjoyed every minute of it all.

The whole day was lovely and Bob and me were thrilled to be involved in it.

The bridal prep was lovely, everyone was excited and happy. If there were any last minute nerves they were certainly well hidden.

It rained and it rained and it rained. I did feel sorry for the poor carriage driver.  If you look closely at this photo you can see the rain lashing down.

After the ceremony, a short carriage drive to one of mine and Bob's favourite venues, because they take such good care of everyone, including us, Sparth House.

A few quick shots outside while we had chance. The cars were gorgeous - but not as gorgeous as the bride and bridesmaids, obviously.

 In the chandelier room at Sparth House just before going in for the wedding breakfast.

summer weddings

Weddings always have a certain charm to them no matter what time of year it is.  The changing of the seasons gives each wedding it's own special character and I love seeing how the colour themes and flowers change as the year rolls round.

I must admit though, I really, really love summer weddings. They always conjure up visions of peonies, Kath Kidston style fresh colours, Pimms and  lovely, balmy receptions on the beautifully manicured lawn of a country house.

It is very rarely  actually like that but whatever it's like, you have to love an English summer wedding.

Here are a few of the flowers from our last wedding.  I'll post more later.

Ok, I know this next one isn't a flower photo but I really liked the pretty colours and the depth of field in it.

I've got loads more to share with you over the next week or so but I have to wait til all my couples are back from their honeymoons and have seen their photos before I post them on here.

See you soon.