Northbrook Park Wedding Photography

Northbrook Park
Natalie & Graham

Northbrook Park Wedding Photography

Northbrook Park was Natalie and Grahams choice of venue for their wedding in late October. They all got ready in the mews adjoining the Orangery and Natalie was in the perfect spot for photos with light streaming through the French doors during makeup. I spent a little while between there and outside shooting details then, just after Natalie had opened her gift from Graham, I went to see the guys for their prep photos.

Their choice of colours was perfect. The flowers were a mix of pale pinks through to warm oranges and this contrasted with the red ties and grey suits of the Groomsmen. I also loved Natalie’s dress, it had a pastel pink colour underneath white detailing complete with a bow on the back, one of the prettiest dresses I’d seen all year!

Northbrook Park Jewish Wedding

This was a Jewish fusion wedding, so their ceremony was made up of a civil ceremony followed by a Jewish one afterwards. The vine room where the ceremony took place was decorated nicer than I’ve ever seen before. I’ve been the photographer to a good few Northbrook Park weddings but I’ve not seen as much detail go into a wedding there as I did with Natalie and Grahams one.

After Graham had smashed the glass we left the Vine room for confetti and a large group shot (which worked really well using the gravel drive side) before heading off for some smaller family formals and couple shots.

The awesome décor continued into the Orangery with each table full and completely covered with scrabble tiles for place holders, moss around the base of the centre pieces, party games and quizzes for the guests. Their table plan was music based with each table named after a musical track important to them.

Northbrook Park Wedding Photography

Before dinner started the guests welcomed them onto the floor and Israeli dancing commenced with everyone going crazy and moving at speed. This didn’t really stop until after 15 minutes or so before dinner started only to pick up again after the speeches. People lost their minds with the dancing getting crazier and in some places, downright dangerous!

Special mention goes to the layout of the Orangery this time around at Northbrook Park. Having the dance floor centralised was a stroke of genius and worked really well. With the DJ booth being slightly offset from the top table it made things much more cosy and intimate. The strings of Festoon lights really added to the ambience too.

2 CommentsJewish Weddings, Northbrook Park, Wedding Photography

Kensington Roof Gardens
Natalija & Michael

Kensington Roof Gardens Wedding Photography

If you’ve never seen Kensington Roof Gardens before you should really go. This oasis in the city is something to see and I went through a ‘how did I not know this was here’ moment when I arrived.

It’s a mix of several areas, theres the English garden, a Spanish garden.. ok it’s the crystal maze. There, I said it. You’ve also got real live pink flamingoes there too. In Kensington!

I was here to shoot Natalija and Michael’s wedding, everything took place at the gardens and everything seemed to happen so quickly. From the civil ceremony to the Bedeken to the Chuppah ceremony it was non stop.

Kensington Roof Gardens Wedding Photography

We had photos in the English Garden before re-joining the guests in the Aztec Zone Spanish Garden before settling in for dinner, speeches and Israeli dancing.

The band ‘Shir’ played for the first half of the evening (and supplied music throughout the day) before the in house DJ played the rest of the evening out.

We were there until the very end and took advantage of the restaurant upstairs for an awesome shot across London at night.

Leave a commentJewish Weddings, Kensington Roof Gardens, Wedding Photography

Langham Hotel Wedding Photography

A Jewish Wedding at West Hampstead Synagogue and the Langham Hotel in London
Shoshana & Grant

Langham Hotel London WeddingHere is an epic Jewish Wedding in London for you.

Shoshana and Grant were married at the West Hampstead Shul before having their reception in the Grand Ballroom at the Langham Hotel in London.

I started early with Shoshana at the Langham where she was getting ready and my second, Laura was awaiting Grants arrival at the Shul. On leaving the hotel we stopped for photos in the lobby and then made our way to West Hampstead for the Bedeken ceremony before the marriage under the Chupah.

Langham Hotel London WeddingWest Hampstead Shul is big, really big, Shoshana could take in every moment as she walked with her father towards Grant.

After the glass was broken and the formalities were over we headed to the Langham where we were set up ready for the family, group shots and we went amiss to take Shoshana and Grants wedding portraits.

From this point the party started, Simcha dancing erupted and the floor went crazy! Jewish weddings are fast paced, full of detail with microcosms of tradition everywhere.

You mustn’t miss a beat and so much happens on the dancefloor, too. Grant jumped over people, was thrown into the air and they were both lifted high up amongst everyone.

I was happily shooting away and felt some warm light against my cheek, it drew my attention and what I saw I had to double take.

There was a Rabbi with his hat on fire…

Langham Hotel London Wedding

After the initial dancing, there was the Hamoitzi (the blessing over the bread before dinner), dinner itself with toasts to the Queen and the President of the State of Israel, a little dancing before desert (and some informal groups shots on the dancefloor too).

After desert the was Benching, (the blessing) and then followed the Seven Blessings (Sheva Brochas) which formally led to the speeches, toasts, cutting of their wedding cake and Shoshana and Grants ‘formal’ first dance together.

Leave a commentJewish Weddings, Langham Hotel London, Wedding Photography

Old Finsbury Town Hall Wedding

Old Finsbury Town Hall London
Rachel & Zach

Old Finsbury Town Hall
Years ago when I first started shooting weddings I found that each time I rolled up to a venue I had a twinge in the belly and a case of the butterflies.This was because I knew that if there’s one thing I couldn’t do…I can’t mess around with someones wedding or screw up…like, ever.

This is one of the most important days in someones life, the beginning of their journey and they’ve entrusted you to shoot it. That knowledge can run through you like a blade and boy does it keep you on your toes.

As the years rolled by it went away….until Rachel and Zachs wedding in December. You see, it was our first Jewish Wedding so I had to treat it like my first time all over again.

Sure I have more experience and confidence now and I can easily reassure myself in the knowledge that in general, everyone is going to be looking where you should be shooting. But still, a lot of things were new to me that had to be observed and recorded. Not just snapped but also in a way that conveys the journey two souls have made together up until this point and to reflect the feelings and emotions of the family too.

Old Finsbury Town HallOur day started at the Rookery hotel in Cowcross Street, London. I covered Rachel’s prep and Laura was at the Old Finsbury Town Hall (The Urdang Academy) awaiting Zach’s arrival and checking out points of interest for photos later in the day.

The order of things were different in that the formal photos were pre ceremony and in advance of the other guests arriving. Honestly, I’d do it this way at every wedding if I could do, it worked so well!

Then there was the Bedeken. This is a small ceremony in which the Groom checks the bride (to make sure it’s her) but only after signing and talking about the Ketubah. The Ketubah is a special type of prenuptial agreement and is considered an integral part of a traditional Jewish marriage and outlines the rights and responsibilities of the groom, in relation to the bride.

After the Bedeken the main ceremony started upstairs. I did a lot of research about this and was expecting Zach to be walked down the aisle by both fathers and Rachel by both mothers but this wasn’t the case.

I’ve realised that as with all weddings, each one can have slight variations to the proceedings.

Old Finsbury Town HallThe ceremony was beautiful, the prayers and the singing were enchanting leading up to the end with the braking of the glass and cries of ‘Mazeltov!’

From this point it all went crazy and everyone ran in to meet and congratulate them. It was an immense thing to be a part of.

After this the couple were danced downstairs to a private room for something to eat together alone, I took some more post ceremony photos and after a short reception everyone hit the dance floor for Simcha (Jewish dancing) before dinner.

4 CommentsJewish Weddings, Old Finsbury Town Hall, Wedding Photography