The Andaz Hotel
Jonathan & Stuart
How couples find and book me has always been of interest. I don’t really advertise, so mostly my bookings come via referrals from previous weddings (and that’s the biggest compliment I can get). With Jonathan and Stuart they found me through a blog post I wrote several years back about cameras. They contacted me and the rest is history.
Stuart is a Scotsman living in the USA with Jonathan and they both flew over for their wedding at the Andaz Hotel in London.
The flow of the day was different from the standard running order. There was the usual prep but then we went in for a reveal / first look before heading out to the Royal Exchange for photos pre-ceremony. This worked really well as doing so meant more time with their guests during the reception.
We also made good use of the Masonic Temple for a cool wedding party photo before dinner and the dancing that followed. The Andaz has beautiful decor in the bars and reception, it’s ever-changing and even at night offered up some excellent backdrops and colours for photos in the evening.
Here are some more images from their day:
A massive party. That’s how I would sum up Keli and Marks tipi wedding.
Technically we broke into the grounds of Donnington Castle. Technically. Although let me explain before I get an angry call from the folks who own it.
If, and I mean if you’re careful there is a back entrance to the castle via Donnington Grove. Driving that way isn’t going to be an exhaust pipes best friend and with Gemma and Carl in the car I did have a kicking soundtrack of SCRAPE! from underneath my car followed by dulcet ‘oohs’ and ‘ouch’ from my accomplices.
It wasn’t House and Garage but my car could well of ended up in one but the reward was worth the risk:
Shooting a wedding abroad is always different. You’re in a foreign country, you hope the Sat Nav is correct and you get all excited over what is often your first time at a venue and what cool stuff will be there to shoot.
Kate and Steven’s wedding was a relaxed and casual affair. Kate looked stunning in her Jenny Packham dress, the detail of which was gorgeous. Steven wore a bespoke number from a tailors in Brighton and together they looked a perfect couple.
As with all international and destination weddings we stay overnight and work until late. We had exceptionally clear skies above the Chateau grounds and spent extra time shooting the stars. Which certainly paid off.
One of the highlights was the Spitfire display.
The vine-covered walkway at Jeremy’s was a great romantic spot for taking some shots of Laura and Andy as Mr and Mrs, and, because I was able to be there all day I also managed to get a great image of the two of them against the inky night sky.
‘Our first date was at Costa’ was one of the things Sarah said to me during their engagement shoot last month. ‘They’re also making our wedding cake because of it’.
This was a very colourful and stylish wedding. I’m guessing, but I think Sarah’s dress was a Jenny Packham number which was very classic and vintage in design. Her flowers were a lovely mix of pinks and whites with feathers in (something I don’t often see) and this was a lovely contrast between the vibrant getting ready colours of the dressing gowns in the morning.
Once at Notley Abbey we took photos by the lake and then I was told about the hedge you can walk through…I always thought it was just a hedge but it’s more like a hedge with a tunnel and we had some photos there too.