Rachel & Carl,s wedding, reception held at the Greenway Hotel near Cheltenham. Wedding Ceremony at St Paul's Church in Shurdington.

Click on the link below to see more images from Carl and Rachel's wedding.

As ever at this festive time of year we have been busy photographing Christmas Weddings. A bitterly cold day found us driving along the icy cotswold roads to the The Greenway in Shurdington to document the wedding celebrations of Rachel and Carl.

Rachel prepared a herself in the opulent surroundings of The Greenway. The bedroom a tasteful combination of contemporary and original elegant furnishings ensured a great backdrop for Anthea's preparation shots of the bride and bridesmaids.

The wedding ceremony was held at St Paul's church and the bridesmaids braved the sub zero temperatures awaiting the arrival of Rachel and her father.

Winter weddings are great fun and Anthea and I love shooting. We shoot a lot of cold weather weddings and have have found it necessary to have two full kits of Nikons, one set for outside use and one for inside use, swapping the cameras over as we go through the church or hotel doors. Failure to do this can result in the cameras fogging up as the temperature changes from very cold to toasty warm and once the camera has misted up it can take a long time to clear.

After the church ceremony it was back to The Greenway and its log fires and warming drinks and canapés.

Despite the sub-zero temperatures Carl and Rachel and the groomsmen and bridesmaids were keen some outside shots before we escaped indoors.

The Greenway Hotel has great interiors for when weather stops play and we took a couple more bridal portraits on the stairway which had been decorated for the christmas festivities.

Click on the link below to see more images from Carl and Rachel's wedding.

The Greenway is named after the pre-Roman path running beside the building which dates from its construction in 1584.

The Greenway
Shurdington
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire
GL51 4UG

01242 862352

Links

More Images from Carl & Rachel's Wedding at The Greenway Hotel

The Greenway Website

A Worcestershire Wedding. Winton House Stratford Upon Avon Register Office, St Peters Church, Hampton Lucy, and Ettington Park Hotel.

With such a busy winter wedding season well under way we were delighted to be able fulfill a late booking for Callum & Alison who had opted for a February wedding.

The couple were married at Winton House the Stratford Upon Avon Register Office. We then made our way to the magnificent St Peter's Church in Hampton Lucy for a blessing.

St Peters Church is one of the earliest and also best example of a gothic church in the U.K. It has outstanding architectural significance and attracts many hundreds of visitors. Its possibly our favorite church to document wedding ceremonies it has one of the finest architectural backdrops to photograph the exchange of rings against in the country, although Birmingham's Oratory gives it a close run for the money. The church is close to the Lucy family estate at Charlecote Park in Warwickshire.

It was fitting that after the family photos were taken inside the church we would travel through the beautiful Warwickshire countryside to another of England's finest examples of gothic architecture, Ettington Park Hotel.

Alison hails from Australia and thankfully for her and the couples Australian guests, the weather was relatively kind. Anthea and I enjoy the challenges that winter weddings throw at us, but even we appreciated the brief respite from sleet and snow that day. In fact, the sun shone and we able to get some great shots of the bride the groom, bridesmaids and groomsmen in the hotel grounds.

The Hotel approach boasts a wonderful avenue of trees and we like to get wedding couples out of the car to do some dramatic shots into the light.

Ettington Park Hotel
Alderminster
Stratford-upon-Avon
Warwickshire
CV37 8BU

T: 0845 072 7454
F: 0845 072 7455

ettingtonpark@handpicked.co.uk

Links

A small selection of images from this Ettington Park Wedding.

Ettington Park Hotel

We Photograph Our First Blenheim Palace Wedding Of The Year.

We were privileged to photograph the wedding day of happy couple Renzo and Emma at Oxfordshire's Blenheim Palace near Woodstock. The April weather threatened a smattering of showers, but happily, the rain stayed away.

Blenheim Palace is located 8 Miles from Oxford on the edge of the Cotswold Village of Woodstock. The Bride and groom were married at the St Hugh of Lincoln Church in Woodstock before being Chauffer driven to the East Courtyard via the imposing Flagstaff Gate.

We then had a photographic tour of the grounds using the Blenheim Palace buggy. Renzo and Emma were keen to get some photos in Woodstock so we passed through the Woodstock gate to photograph the couple in the narrow lanes of the Cotswold stone village.

Set in 2100 acres of beautiful parkland landscaped by ‘Capability’ Brown, the exquisite Baroque Palace is surrounded by sweeping lawns, formal gardens and a magnificent Lake. It a perfect setting for wedding photography and we spent 20 minutes shooting in front of the North Gates, the Grand Bridge and of course in front of the Lake.

A few formal portaits and family groups in the Italian Gardens and Emma & Renzo were soon back with their guests to enjoy reception drinks in the Collonnades while Anthea and I captured the atmosphere on camera.

As usual, the Orangery was superbly set for the wedding breakfast and the wedding couple enjoyed an evening of wedding speeches, cake cutting , the first dance and much celebration before the honeymoon and their return to South Africa.

Anthea and I love our work so it is wonderful to hear comments from our couples. Emma and Renzo were eager ti view their images on our on-line gallery and Emma sent back the following message "The photos are amazing, I am so so happy, you have met what I was looking for and more. So far everyone who has viewed them ranks them as the best photo's they have ever seen, so thank you, that is down to you!"




Links

A small gallery of images from a Blenheim Palce Wedding.

Laura & James Wedding. Ceremony at St Mary's Church, Lower Slaughter. Reception held at Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire.

"We wanted to say thank you to Anthea and yourself, before we left for our honeymoon, for your hard work and energy on Saturday. James and myself felt at total ease with you and we had so many guest comment on how professional and easy going you were and how they felt so comfortable being photographed by you both."

Many thanks to James & Laura who left the message before setting off on their Honeymoon. But the real truth is, they made our job easy, they were fun, easy going and along with their guests, intent on having a great day of celebration.

The Wedding Ceremony was held at St Mary's Church in the beautiful Cotswold village of Lower Slaughter close to Bourton on The Water in Gloucestershire.

Laura and her bridesmaids prepared for the wedding at Laura's family home just a short walk from the church. Laura's makeup was gorgeously applied by the Award winning makeup artist Sarah Brock.

The reception took place at Sudeley Castle. Sudeley Castle, has been described as ‘the most romantic Castle in England’. With over 1200 acres of grounds, romantic ruins and award winning Gardens it certainly created a beautiful and dramatic backdrop to James & Laura's Wedding.

We took photographs under the awesome skeleton of the gothic windows, remains of the old castle, in the dappled shade of the great boughs of old sycamores. Then to the The Queens Garden, surrounded by great hedges of yew, it is a wonderful background for pictures with its famous roses growing amidst plantings of clematis, cleomes, echinacea and agapanthus.

The wedding breakfast was held in a marquee on the Mulberry Lawn. As its name suggests it is bordered on one side by old Mulberry trees, and surrounded by traditional cottage flowers. Once dusk settled over the celebrations it was an imposing site with the floodlit ruins of the medieval banqueting hall behind.

Links

Award winning make up by Sarah Brock

More Images of a Sudeley Castle Wedding

Sudeley Castle's website

The Marriage of Toni and Luke. Ceremony at St Mary's Church, Tetbury. Wedding reception, Whatley Manor Hotel, near Malmsbury.

Anthea and I relish the opportunity to shoot at a wedding venue that is new to us and when we are asked to document Toni and Luke's wedding reception at Whatley Manor, of course we jumped at the chance.

The couples wedding ceremony was held at St. Mary the Virgin & St. Mary Magdalen Church, Tetbury in Gloucestershire. It is one of the earliest and best examples of Georgian Gothic churches in the country and a wonderful location for a marriage ceremony. The gallery which runs along the back and sides of the interior makes a great vantage point and Anthea took some great shots of the ceremony from her elevated view.

I met up Luke and his band of 12 groomsmen at the Snooty Fox Hotel in the Market Square just a short walk from the church. We got some great images of the guys relaxing and making there way to the church.

We had a rather mischievous wind and the ladies hats were flying everywhere. The bridesmaids took shelter in a shop opposite the church gate while awaiting Toni's arrival.

The reception at Whatley manor hotel was a wonderfully relaxed affair. The wedding guests enjoyed the traditional English country house gardens complete with its rose gardens billowing herbaceous borders and yew-lined walks. Whatley Manor's many garden rooms offered ample opportunity for photography of the family groups and the bride and groom. Anthea and I like to get through the formal groups and portraits in a short amount of time allowing Toni and Luke to have plenty of time to enjoy their guests and the soak up the atmosphere before being called to the wedding breakfast.

Whatley Manor is located in cotswold countryside a few miles from the wiltshire market town of Malmsbury and close to the city of Bath.

Links

For more images from a Whatley Manor Hotel Wedding

Whatley Manor Hotel Website

The wedding of Tom & Lisa. wedding reception held at The Royal George Hotel. Marriage ceremony, Upton St Leonards Church.



We were looking forward to a sunny day for Tom and Lisa's marriage at Upton St Leonards Church, especially as we were then to drive to The Royal George Hotel with its glorious views of the Gloucester country side. We were not disappointed, the weather held fair and the wedding and reception a lovely relaxed affair with the guests enjoying the gardens in the hotel grounds.

We took Tom and Lisa into the beech woods at the back of the Hotel. The Cotswold escarpment is famed for its fine beech trees and makes a romantic setting for the photographs of the bride and groom particularly when the sunlight streams through the leaves and creates dapples on the woodland floor.

The Royal George Hotel

The Royal George Hotel is situated on The Cotswold Way in the village of Birdlip near Cheltenham and Gloucester.

A delightful English Country Hotel set in 26 acres of grounds, it commands beautiful views over the Gloucestershire countryside. It is conveniently located for exploring Cheltenham Spa, Gloucester and the picture postcard villages that make the Cotswolds world famous.

The couple held the wedding breakfast in the The Hanover Suite:
An elegant room on the first floor of the Hotel which can cater for up to 80 guests, for a formal Wedding Breakfast and 120 guests for an evening reception.

For information about weddings at The Royal George Hotel please follow the link below.

St Leonards Church Windows

Upton St Leonards Church has one of the finest collection of stained glass windows we have seen, commissioned for various reasons and completed by many artists over the years.
There is stained glass in the church by William Wailes, 1849, Bosdet, 1905; and Evans, 1859. For more information about the church please follow the link below.

Links

The Royal George Hotel

More Images of a Royal George Hotel Wedding

Upton St Leonards Church

Kevin awarded UK Photographer of the Year at the BIPP National Photographic Awards

international success!

Worcestershire-based Photographer, Kevin Smith LBIPP, wins highly coveted Award in prestigious International competition.

The RAF Museum in Cosford, Shropshire played host to the British Institute of Professional Photography’s National Photographic Awards in September.

The cream of British photographic talent attended, alongside colleagues from Singapore, Japan, Ireland and the Netherlands and, appropriately, hopes were flying high to win awards in many categories of professional photography.

Kevin, clinched a Gold Award (one of only three to be awarded from 1500 entries) for his stunning landscape image. However, his success continued when he was announced as

BIPP UK Photographer of the Year 2009

BIPP President, Graham Rutherford FBIPP, enthused “The standards we set in our Awards are extremely high. This picture by Kevin is an outstanding example of the best in European photography. I am delighted for Kevin and he is a well-deserved winner.

Ian & Kate Married at the Gloucestershire wedding venue, Upper Court, Kemerton, Near Tewkesbury.

London Based Ian & Kate Returned To The Cotswolds For Their Winter Wedding This December.

While the brides preparations took place at Ian's family home in Broadway, Ian and the groomsmen took advantage of the self catering cottage accommodation in the grounds of Upper court to spruce themselves and prepare for the day.

The intimate Civil ceremony took place in the magnificent georgian house before the couple and their guests had drinks in the marquee on the Upper Court Lawn.

It was late afternoon and the light was fading but we managed to get some great shots of Ian and Kate in front of the lake despite the fact that it was raining.

The wedding breakfast was held in the marquee beautifully decorated with the help of broadway florist Kelly

The colour scheme was a beautiful blend of winter russets and pale old english pink for the bridesmaids bouquets with a cream bouquet for Kate.

After the wedding breakfast the guests returned to the house for coffee while the evening guests arrived before the speeches and then dancing to the dynamic rock and roll band Johnny and the Zephyrs.

Upper Court, Kemerton

Upper Court is a historical estate near Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire. The magnificient Georgian manor house makes a wonderful backdrop for a marquee reception overlooking a beautiful lake. 15 acres of grounds and gardens, formal and wild planting, offer a great backdrop for wedding photography. There are two churches in the village of Kemerton. A catholic church and The Church of England Church has a latch gate leading directly into Upper Court.

Upper Court
Kemerton
near Tewkesbury
Gloucestershire
GL20 7HY

Tel: 01386 725351

Links

The beautiful Wedding Venue, Upper Court

The Broadway Florist

The Exciting Rock and Roll Group Johnny and the Zephrs

MORE IMAGES FROM IAN & KATE'S WEDDING

The Manor House Hotel, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire. The refit is stunning and very wedding friendly.

Anthea and I had the pleasure of photographing our first wedding at The Manor House Hotel at Moreton-in-Marsh since its recent refit. The modern and contemporary sits comfortably with the traditional within the walls and grounds of this historic former coaching inn.

Our Bride and Groom for the day Howard and Nicola felt very relaxed and at ease in the friendly, homely atmosphere and as a result the photography was a breeze.
While we did a quick circuit of the grounds for some photographs the couples 40 wedding guests enjoyed the (all too rare) June sunshine in the glorious gardens.

After the civil ceremony Nicola and Howard enjoyed a quiet chauffeured drive in the surrounding countryside. We even had time for very quick trip to the local village of Batsford for some photos of the wedding car before getting the couple back with the guests to enjoy a well earned drink long before the wedding breakfast was called.

The Manor House Hotel is an enchanting 16th century Cotswold retreat set in beautiful Moreton-in-Marsh, an elegant and attractive market town in the Cotswolds. It has been a travellers' town for at least 1,700 years and was used as a coaching inn before the coming of the railways.

The Manor House Hotel
High Street
Moreton-in-Marsh
Gloucestershire
GL56 0LJ

Tel: 01608 650501
Fax: 01608 651481
Email: info@manorhousehotel.info
www.cotswold-inns-hotels.co.uk/manor

Links

The Manor House Hotel

A Warwickshire Wedding at St Peters Church and The Welcombe Hotel near Stratford upon Avon.

Kevin and I were privileged to photograph a wedding ceremony at one of the most beautiful churches in Warwickshire. St Peters church in Hampton Lucy, near Stratford upon Avon, is the focal point of a spectacular vista across the ancient Avon valley and Charlecote Park, a view typical of pre-Victorian England.
St. Peter's church stands on the site of an ancient Mercian minster dating from the eighth century and is one of the earliest and best examples of a Gothic revival church in England. The great east window, depicting the life of St. Peter, was described in the 19th century as “The most magnificent window in stained glass that has been produced in modern times”.

Our wedding couple Sam and Hannah, live in the village and Hannah walked to the church with father and her 5 bridesmaids. The wedding vows took place in front of the famous stained glass window which made an incredible backdrop for the photos of the wedding vows and the exchange of rings. We also photographed the formal family groups in the church.

The wedding reception was held at The Welcombe Hotel. Located on the outskirts of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, the Menzies Welcombe Hotel Spa & Golf Club stands in 157 acres of beautiful grounds. The couple and their guests enjoyed drinks in the garden rooms and terrace overlooking the outstanding Italian gardens and water features.

The garden and Hotel made a great backdrop for the reportage and fun shots of the bride and groom and their wedding party.


The Welcombe Hotel
Warwick Road
Stratford upon Avon
Warwickshire
CV37 0NR

01789 295252

Intimate Wedding at the Lower Slaughter Manor, Lower Slaughter, Gloucestershire.

Kevin and I had the privelige of photographing Robin and Pernille at The Lower Slaughter Manor. With a guest list of three it was one of our smaller wedding. Good things come in small packages they say and today was no exception with the cutest guest of all - the wedding couples baby Eva!


We have photographed a number of small wedding the smallest being just the bride and groom in the Scilly Isles and several on the London Eye. A question we always get asked is "will there be enough to photograph" our answer is always a resounding yes. In fact, there is often a lot more going on at smaller weddings than 200 - 300 guest weddings.


Lower Slaughter Manor - a wedding photographers dream.

One of the finest 17th Century country houses in the south of England, Lower Slaughter Manor stands in its own lovely gardens next to the historic church in the heart of the picturesque Cotswold village of Lower Slaughter which many regard as the most beautiful village in England. The village and the pretty river Eye, its stone footbridges make beautiful backdrops for our photography.







Links

A wedding gallery taken at lower slaughter.

Lower Slaughter Manor Website

A beautiful and tranquil Wedding at The Matara Centre, Kingscote near Tetbury, Gloucestershire.

Kevin and I are very proud of the reputation we have built up for our wedding photography and treasure the thank you cards we receive from delighted Brides and Grooms. Latest to land at our door was from Emma & Jamie who were married recently at the Matara Centre. I make no apologies for reproducing their words in full because they sum up why Kevin & I love what we do

Dear Kevin and Anthea,

Jamie & I want to say such a huge thank you for producing such amazing photos at our wedding. You have really captured those moments that made the day special. Having you both there felt like having two old friends taking the photographs. Your advice and guidance in the run up to the wedding was invaluable and made us feel at ease. Your advice in timings etc meant that everyone had a great time without noticing we were having photographs taken at all.

We will happily recommend you to anyone & everyone as very talented photographers who are a joy to have around on such a special day. You deserve your many awards and we would like to wish you all the best for the future. xx

The couple were married at the St. Mary the Virgin & St. Mary Magdalen Church in Tetbury before traveling through the Gloucestershire lanes to The Matara Centre for the wedding reception.

The Matara Centre is a tranquil and beautiful place set in 28 acres of woodland and parkland in the Cotswold Hills close to the Gloucestershire town of Tetbury.

Many couples are looking for something different that reflects their personal values. They want a setting that is relaxed and uplifting. People are attracted to Matara as they also value nature, authenticity, spirituality, loving relationships, and social responsibility.

It is a veritable feast of East/West fusion, celebrating cultural diversity throughout the centre and grounds. A place to relax, and explore the parkland and enjoy the wishing tree ; labyrinths and healing spiral within the meditative gardens. Many couples plant a tree to celebrate their weddings helping create a unity parkland. An exponent of green weddings The Matara Centre has a commitment to carbon neutral weddings.



Links

The Matara Centre Website

Matt and Ruth's wedding at Cowley Manor in Gloucestershire

Shooting weddings at Cowley Manor is always a great experience and Ruth and Matt's wedding at the famous Gloucestershire venue did not disappoint. Nestled in the lush rolling Cotswold hills, with its flamboyant aesthetic interior, the modern sitting so well with the traditional, Cowley Manor, near Cheltenham is a world away from the usual country-house hotel.

We met Matt and the boys relaxing in the funky billiard room before taking them outside to get some shots in the extensive grounds and gardens. Then it was up the impressive prism spangled stairway to catch Ruth putting the final touches to her bridal preparations.

Cowley Manor is blessed with a stunning Norman church of St Mary’s in the grounds, with just a very short walk from the manor's front door it provides a beautiful location for marriage ceremony. The interior of the medieval St Mary's church is steeped with history and as always I found myself trying to imagine all the many couples who have stood in front of family and friends and exchanged there vows over the years.

After the wedding ceremony and with Matt & Ruth's champagne glasses charged, we walked to the bottom lake which lies below the wonderfully extravagant Victorian cascade. It is a beautifully tranquil place and a dream to photograph. It was time for a bit of fun and relaxation for the wedding party and to take a moment to reflect and absorb the grandeur of what is Cowley Manor.


Getting to Cowley Manor

From Cheltenham [about 10 minutes]
Follow the A40 towards Oxford until the right turn to Cirencester A435. The Cowley turn is on the right after about 5 miles. Cowley Manor is 600m on the left.

From Oxford [about 50 minutes]
Take the A40 towards Cheltenham. Turn left onto the A436 towards Gloucester. Then turn left on A435 towards Cirencester. The turning for Cowley is on the right after one and a half miles. Cowley Manor is 600m on the left.

For further information about weddings at Cowley Manor

please contact the wedding co-ordinator Sarah Keatley

T. +44 (0)1242 870 900
F. +44 (0)1242 870 901
E. sarah@cowleymanor.com

Links

Cowley Manor Website

A Winter Wedding at Ettington Park Hotel, Near Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire.

It was a delight to photograph Elizabeth and Jonathans Novemeber wedding at Ettington Park Hotel, near Stratford upon Avon. This Warwickshire venue has all the ingredients for a winter wedding. Its fantastic fairy-tale architecture makes a great winter backdrop for our photography and with plenty of interior gems, play goes on, whatever the weather.

Anthea and I love shooting winter weddings and enjoy the challenges presented by the shortening days and sometimes inclement weather so it was wonderful to receive a thank you letter from Elizabeth just before Christmas. We were in the middle of a series of five christmas weddings and their kind words gave us a huge boost.

Dear Kevin and Anthea,

We just wanted to say a big thank you for the photographs you took at our wedding on the 22nd November at Ettington Park Hotel. They are absolutely beautiful and will make a wonderful reminder of our special day.
We have had so many compliments about them we want you to know how much they have been admired. Many people said they are the best wedding pictures they had ever seen.
Thank you for making the whole experience so much fun. Despite our reservations about being photographed we thoroughly enjoyed the whole process and that was entirely due to the way you put everyone at ease.
We both very much look forward to working with you on the completion of our album which we are sure will be exceptional.
Many many thanks for all your hard work - it is very much appreciated.

Elizabeth & Jonathan Reed


Some information about Ettington Park Hotel, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire

Ettington Park has a long history of weddings many of which are recorded in the main dining room where the Shirley coat of arms is flanked by those of the 67 families that their heirs married into. Although the Norman church can be used for blessings, weddings are normally carried out in the elegant surroundings of the house itself where many of the rooms, including the splendid Library, are licensed for civil ceremonies.

For the reception or party after the wedding you can choose from a variety of superb rooms. They range from The Chapel where up to 14 people can sit down for an intimate private dinner, to the magnificent Long Gallery where 80 guests can enjoy a sumptuous candle-lit banquet or a party with live music and dancing. The lawns are ideal for setting up marquees. And like many guests you could take over the entire hotel for your own exclusive use. A wedding photographers dream, Ettington Park Hotel offers a stunning backdrop against which to capture beautiful wedding photos - your memories of a very special day.


A Right Royal Wedding Reception at Wood Norton Hall

Royal Navy couple Katharine and Darren Jones enjoyed a blue skies reception at Wood Norton Hall. The wedding ceremony was held at St Peters Church, Powick near Worcester before the wedding party made their way to Wood Norton Hall.

The historic venue has a fine tradition of weddings, in fact, you don't require a lot of imagination to stand in the grounds and step back in time to revel in the surroundings enjoyed by crowned heads from across Europe, when in 1907 Wood Norton Hall was the scene of a Royal Wedding between Princess Louise of Orleans and Prince Charles of Bourbon.

The couple left St Peters Church beneath the glittering arch of a Navel sword party. Their wedding day was commemorated with a carved stone set in the path to the church door which was laid while the wedding vows were spoken.

Katharine loves our rural style of wedding photography and we explored the fields for photo opportunities surrounding the church for photo opportunities before setting off to Wood Norton. Wood Norton Hall makes a wonderful backdrop for wedding photos and we took advantage of the beautiful evening light to produce some great shots on the balustrade terrace overlooking the Vale of Evesham and the River Avon.

Wood Norton Hall

Wood Norton Hall, the former home to French Royalty, is a glorious Grade II listed, country house hotel. Set in 170 acres of beautiful Worcestershire countryside the hotel looks over the beautiful Vale of Evesham to the nearby Cotswold Hills.

To discuss your wedding plans please call Elizabeth 01386 425780







Links

More Images of a Wood Norton Hall Wedding

Wood Norton Hall Website

Chinese Tea Ceremony at Eynsham Hall Wedding

Hong Tran and Yvonne Lee held there wedding at the Oxfordshire wedding venue, Eynsham Hall. Nestling in the heart of the Oxfordshire countryside, Eynsham Hall is a magnificent jacobean style manor house surrounded by acres of formal gardens and beautiful parkland. 

It was a blue skies wedding day and warm sunshine bathed the gardens and terraces and lit up the cooling fountains. A chinese wedding tea ceremony was held after the civil ceremony.

If you are unclear about the procedure and meanings behind the traditional chinese wedding tea ceremony I have attempted to explain the roles of the bride and groom and there family members in a little detail.

The new bride is first formally introduced to the groom's parents and close family on the wedding day when most of the family members are present.

Tea is China’s national drink and is served from one to another to signify respect. Red dates and lotus leaves are used in the tea. The ancient Chinese believed that putting these items in the tea would ensure the newlyweds produce children early in their marriage. The tea is sweet to help ensure sweet relations between the bride and the grooms family.

The bride and groom will kneel before the family members who sit in chairs, the bride kneels in front of her father-in-law, while the groom kneels in front of his mother.

The bride & groom serve the tea tea in order, (holding the teacups with both hands) starting with the groom’s parents then proceeding from the oldest family members to the youngest, e.g. the groom’s parents, then his paternal grandparents, then his maternal grandparents, then his oldest uncles and aunts, and all the way to his older brother.

After sipping the tea the family members hand the couple lucky red envelopes (“lai see,” chinese for “lucky”) these hold money or jewelry.

Red is a lucky colour and it was reflected at Hong & Yvonne's wedding by the bridesmaids dresses the bridal bouquet, and a red parasol. The striking flowers arrangements were supplied by Kim of Riche de Fleurs.

Eynsham Hall is situated on the A4095 between Witney and Woodstock about 8 miles northwest of Oxford

Eynsham Hall
North Leigh
Witney
Oxfordshire
OX29 6PN

Links

Beautiful wedding flowers by Kim of riche de Fleurs

Seven Weddings- One Christmas.

Anthea and I had a busy christmas this year shooting weddings at Hagley Hall in Worcestershire, near Stratford upon Avon in Warwickshire, Rowton Castle near Shrewsbury in Shropshire, Buxted Park Hotel near Uckfield East Sussex and we photographed three at Ettington Park Hotel, They are all wonderful wedding venues full to the brim of seasonal cheer and we had a great time covering the couples marriages.


We started at Rowton Castle in Shropshire photographing Sarah and Roberts wedding. A few days later we were shooting Alison and Stuarts ceremony at Edgbaston Old Church before attending the reception at Hagley Hall. Next it was to The fairy tale venue Ettington Park, in Warwickshire. The next day found us again at Ettington Park for the marriage of Rachael and Andrew after attending the wedding service at St George's Church at Lower Brails in Oxfordshire. That night we drove to Buxted Park Hotel in Uckfield for an overnight stay before photographing the wedding of Gina and Keith.


Gina and Keith are members of an amateur dramatics group and many of the guests were actors and singers and the civil ceremony at Buxted Park Hotel was interspersed with wonderful readings and Christmas songs in which everyone joined in. Even the registrars eyes welled with tears during an especially rousing "White Christmas".


It was now Christmas Eve and we were both suffering with the cold/flu virus that had swept swept the country. Christmas day was pretty much spent recovering in bed. They say there is no rest for the wicked and we must have been pretty naughty in our pasts for Boxing day found us preparing our cameras and lighting for the next wedding; Mark and Lisa's marriage at All Saints Church in Sherbourne, West Midlands before the reception at Ettington Park Hotel.


We both enyoy christmas weddings, it is a season of candle-lit churches, sipping mulled wine while sat in front of log fires. The light has a character all of its own and has provided the backdrop for some of our favorite images. We enjoy the challenges presented by winter and Christmas weddings, inherent with their own problems — low light, short days and inclement weather. We, as I am sure are many wedding photographers, are often asked by the future bride and groom "What happens if the weather is bad on our wedding day?" We are experienced professional photographers, used to working in difficult and challenging conditions. We never consider the weather to be bad - just different.


Our professional cameras work well in conditions well below freezing, however problems can often arise when moving from the cold into warm interiors such as wedding venues and churches - the camera lenses and even interior workings mist up. Anthea and I get around this by having one set of equipment outside and a duplicate set of equipment for use inside. We simply swop the cameras at the church or venue entrance. We have a wide selection of pictures to view at our studio illustrating that whatever the weather, you can still expect a wedding album packed wonderful photographs.









Wedding Photography - Art or Craft

Wedding Photography - Art or Craft

A bride popped into the studio to collect her wedding album recently. Looking at some black and white wall prints we had produced for a client, she said that the images were not just wedding photography they were 'fine art'. While I was very pleased with the compliment, I said that I had always considered what Anthea and I do as a craft and not necessarily art. Tammy retorted with "Well, I would buy these for my wall and they are not even of my wedding, surely that makes them art!" At which point I had to concede and our bride left us with her album and a big fat question mark hovering above my head.

A bride and her future groom in came for a consultation several days later. They were both in the advertising and marketing business - creatives, and during the conversation the question of wedding photography as art cropped up. At which point the bride to be laughed and told me they had been to visit several wedding photographers who had referred to what they do as 'art'. "One had the wedding party jumping up and down or off walls in almost every other shot and the other had the bride and groom holding objects such as traffic cones in front of there faces, we don't want our guests or us treated like performing seals" she added."

So is what we do art? I'm still convinced wedding photography is no different than any other service industry. We are craftsmen not artists when fulfilling a brief and documenting a wedding. I will concede, however, that we are constantly looking for creative images when documenting weddings and as a result our clients end up with very individual albums and some picture cross the boundary into what is possibly art. I go back to Tammy's statement " Well, I would buy these for my wall and they are not even of my wedding" Perhaps here lies the answer.

Links

Visit our fine art photography website.

A wedding photographers simple guide to wedding venues in the Cotswolds, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire and Wiltshire.

A wedding photographers simple guide to wedding venues in the Cotswolds, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire and Wiltshire.

In our role as wedding photographers Anthea and myself are often asked, by bride and groom's to be, what's the best wedding venue is our area. We have documented weddings at some of the best in the UK, however it is a very personal choice. We have taken wedding photo's at locations as grand as Blenheim Palace, Whatley Manor and Ragley Hall. Photographed architectural marvels such as Etttington Park, and witnessed the marriage vows spoken in Tewkesbury Cathedral, and The Oratory in Birmingham. Some of our favorite wedding celebrations have been very simple and have taken place on home ground. A marquee can the perfect setting for summer wedding receptions. Erected in a garden or paddock, they are the ideal set-up for home events. The question "what is the best venue for a wedding reception" is a difficult one and without wishing to duck the issue, Anthea and I have come to the conclusion that wherever you decide to make your wedding vows, whichever venue you choose for your wedding reception, the overriding factor that will make the day perfect and the wedding photo's memorable, is the human element - you, the bride and groom and your guests.

There are many wonderful country houses, hotels and banquet halls UK-wide that would make great wedding reception venues and we are blessed with some of the best here in the Cotswolds and its surrounding counties of Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. Venue's can be renowned for architecturally stunning buildings, gorgeous gardens and sumptuous food – so where should you plan to have your wedding reception for a simply unforgettable event. I have listed below with a few notes about each venue where we have photographed weddings. I make no judgement or comparisons simply documented, in no particular order, wedding reception venues where we have photographed. I have recorded the location and contact details and if you would like to see some images simply email me via the contact page on this website and I will set up a small gallery of wedding pictures for you.

ETTINGTON PARK

The outstanding wedding venue, Ettington Park is a spectacular neo-Gothic mansion situated six miles from Stratford upon Avon in the picturesque Stour Valley in Warwickshire. The river Stour weaves through the estate. A wonderful reception venue for wedding photo's it offers civil ceremony and has a chapel where marriage blessings can take place.

It is managed and operated Hand Picked Hotels Ltd, a company that specializes in the running of unique country house hotels. The quiet opulence and beautiful surroundings of Ettington Park offer visitors and wedding parties the opportunity to relax and enjoy themselves while experiencing a very unique piece of English cultural heritage and history.

Ettington Park Hotel
Alderminster, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire CV37 8BU
T: 0845 072 7454
F: 0845 072 7455
ettingtonpark@handpicked.co.uk
www.handpickedhotels.co.uk

THE MANOR HOUSE HOTEL

The Manor House Hotel is wonderfully captivating 16th century
Cotswold retreat set in beautiful Moreton-in-Marsh, a picturesque market town in the Cotswolds.
It has been a travellers' town for at least 1,700 years
and the Manor House Hotel was used as a coaching inn.

As a stunning country house hotel, The Manor House is
perfectly suited to exclusive use weddings. On the
wedding day you can hire exclusivity of the hotel
from check-in until check out the following morning.

The Manor House Hotel
High Street, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, GL56 OLJ
T: 01608 650 501
F: 01608 651 481
www.cotswold-inns-hotels.co.uk

Kevin wins British Institute of Professional Photography Midland region “Photographer of the Year”

We were thrilled to bits to hear that Kevin has been awarded the BIPP (British Institute of Professional Photography) Midlands region “Photographer of the Year”. Kevin also presently holds the equivalent award for the MPA (Master Photographers Association).

Kevin has won a large number of awards for his photography a few of the best are listed below. I’m pleased to say (and I speak as his wife) he never gets complacent, or worse, egotistical and he is just as pleased when we receive a thank you card or email from delighted clients - he treasures them all.

BIPP Midland Region Photographer of the Year
MPA West Midlands Master Photographer of the Year
Great Western Region MPA Wedding Photographer of the Year
Cosmopolitan Bride Magazine Wedding Photographer of the Year
Ilford Award for portraiture

The British Institute of Professional Photography and the Master Photographers Association are the only photographic bodies open for membership to bona fide professional photographers. For peace of mind when looking for a professional wedding or portrait photographer it pays to seek out photographers who are members of either the MPA or BIPP.

Anthea Smith

A Winter Wedding. Sub-Zero at Buckland Manor Hotel

Adrian and Ambers wedding at St Bartholomew Church in Notgrove, Gloucestershire and then the reception at the Buckland Manor Hotel was perhaps one of the coldest winter weddings we have photographed.

We left Perrins Farm in an impenetrable freezing mist but once we topped the Cotswold escarpment we drove into brilliant winter sunshine.

Even in the full sun the temperature hovered around the freezing mark. Our professional cameras work well in conditions well below freezing, however problems arise when moving from the cold into warm interiors such as wedding venues and churches - the camera lenses mist up. Kevin and I get around this by having a duplicate set of equipment for use inside. We simply swop the cameras at the church or venue entrance.

The couple had arranged for a choir to attend from London and it was touch and go they would arrive in time as the freeze put demands on British Rail timetable. The choir arrived - just before the ceremony - and after a quick vocal tune up were heralding Amber's entrance to the church.

I am always amazed by a couples resiliance when it comes to adverse conditions and Amber and Adrian were no exception. Buckland Manor was a picture in the mist and hoar frost and the wedding couple were happy to leave the cosy fireside, mulled wine and wonderful Buckland canapes for a photo shoot outside.

Kevin and I love shooting winter wedding. The season of candle-lit churches, log fires and mulled wine, when the light has a beautiful character all of its own, has provided the backdrop for some of our favourite images.

Featured Wedding of the Month at Billesley Manor Hotel, near Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire.

We had the great pleasure of shooting Matthew and Donna's wedding at Billesley Manor Hotel a fine Elizabethan house set in 11 acres in the heart of Shakespeare's county.

The wedding ceremony took place at the St John the Baptist Church in Bromsgrove. The weather was glorious sunshine and the combination of a fun couple relaxed guests and a well-run venue made for a very pleasurable day for all involved.

The honeymoon destination was a secret surprise for Donna, Matthew wouldn't even let us know where he was taking his bride, however we were put out of our misery when Donna emailed us after seeing their online gallery, "The photos are fantastic, thank you so much! We went to the Maldives, its a very beautiful place and we had a fabulous time."

There was one slight glitch Matthew and the boys were to arrive at the church in a stretch limo. A slight misunderstanding resulted in them being alloted a bright pink Limousine, happily the mistake was rectified at the last minute - but it would have been quite a sight; 9 butch guys arriving in shocking pink!

Links

A selection of wedding images, Billesley Manor

An English Rose Wedding for Anthea's Daughter, Lou.

Anthea's Daughter Lou is getting married to Dan next year. Anthea and I document between 50 and 60 weddings a year and the words busman and holiday have sprung to the lips of many of our friends and family.

However, upon reflection, the weddings we cover are never the same and this time it will be no different and we will be on the other side of the camera. It is a useful exercise as I found out when Anthea and I got married on a beach in the wilds of New Zealand a couple of years ago. Anthea is a natural in front of the camera - me - well! I learnt much about our subjects and how they may feel in front of the camera that day.

Then, we were playing the role of wedding couple, this year and this time year a parental role. We have learnt to stand back and be there on hand in a supportive capacity - it is Lou and Dan's day and interference is a definite no no.

Lou wants an English rose style wedding at the beautiful church in our village, Childswickham, followed by a walk through the village to our home and a county fair style reception and marquee in the meadows fronting the house.

We are looking forward to the day and enjoying seeing the other side to a wedding day both in its preparation and execution.

We will keep you posted.

WEDDING VENUES

Every now and again we get asked if we have photographed at a particular venue before.
Anthea and I enjoy the documenting celebrations at a venue new to us. We always meticulously check out the location before the wedding to ensure we maintain our high standards of Photography

Below is a list of wedding venues we have documented in the past few years and right at the bottom of this piece a couple of links to Wedding Galleries where we were at the venue for the very first time.

Wiltshire Wedding Venues

Whatley Manor, Malmesbury
Lucknam Park, Colerne, Chippenham

Warwickshire Wedding Venues
Ettington Park Hotel, Stratford upon Avon
Coombe Abbey, Coventry
Walton Hall, Stratford upon Avon
Nuthurst Grange
Ardencote Manor Hotel, Claverdon
Billesley Manor, Alcester, Nr Stratford
The Welcome Hotel, Stratford on Avon
Wroxall Abbey, Warwick

Worcestershire & Herefordshire Wedding Venues

Dumbleton Hall, Evesham
The Olde Rectory, Whitbourne, Worcester
The Nash, Kempsey
Birtsmorton Hall, Malvern
Eastnor Castle, Ledbury
Grafton Manor, Bromsgrove
Ragley Hall, Alcester
Hagley Hall, Droitwich
The Dormy House Hotel, Broadway
The Lygon Arms Hotel, Broadway
Curradine Barns, Shrawley
The Pear Tree Inn & Country Hotel, Smite
The Elms, Abberley

Gloucestershire Wedding Venues

Clearwell Castle, Forest of Dean
The Royal George Hotel, Birdlip
Barnsley House, Cirencester
Cripps Barn, Bibury
Rendcomb College, Cirencester
Pitville Pump Rooms, Cheltenham
The Manor House Hotel, Morton-in-Marsh
Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe
Lords of the Manor, Lower Slaughter, Stow on the Wold
The Greenway, Shurdington, Cheltenham
Cotswold House, Chipping Campden
Cowley Manor; Cheltenham
The Greenway Hotel, Cheltenham
Calcot Manor, Tetbury
Lower Slaughter Manor, Lower Slaughter, Stow on the Wold
The Great Tythe Barn, Tetbury
The Matara Centre, Kingscote
Kingscote Barns, Tetbury
Stonehouse Court Hotel, Bristol Road
Elmore Court, Gloucester
The Queens Hotel, Cheltenham
The Swan Hotel, Bibury
Wood Norton Hall, Evesham
Cripps barn, Bibury
Salford Hall, Abbots Salford
Hatherley Manor Hotel

Oxfordshire Wedding Venues

Blenheim Palace, Woodstock
The Randolph Hotel, Oxford
Eynsham Hal

London Area Wedding Venues

The London Eye
Woodlands Park Hotel
Bush Hall Hotel, Hatfield
Buxted Park Hotel

West Midlands Wedding Venues

The Oratory, Birmingham
Brownsover Hall Hotel, Rugby
The Old Rectory Hotel, Redditch
Birmingham Cathedral
Forest of Arden Hotel. Meriden
Nuthurst Grange Hotel, Meriden

Shropshire Wedding Venues

Rowton Castle, Shrewsbury

Links

Our first wedding at Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire.

The first wedding we documented at Whatley Manor, Malmesbury, Wiltshire

Wedding Photographer Worcestershire, Warwickshire Wedding Photographer or Wedding photo's Gloucestershire?

"Wedding Photographer Worcestershire," Warwickshire Wedding Photographer" or "Wedding photo's Gloucestershire" are all examples of popular search phrases a bride might type into the google search box when looking for a wedding photographer.

We were contacted last week by a future bride who had become a little confused by the way search engines work. For example, a search on Google asking for a Wedding Photographer in Stratford upon Avon, can result in photographers listings as far and wide as Cheltenham and even London.

The reason for this is that Google uses the information photographers put on their site to formulate and populate the listings. If a photographer lives in the Scottish Borders and his web site contains information on wedding photography in Oxfordshire he or she may well feature in a google search result for an Oxford wedding photographer. The good news is that unlike plumbers or other parts of the service industry photographers are not bound by the town or area they are based and many will travel up to 50 miles without charging extra for travel. This results in more choice for the bride and groom.

We are located on the borders of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire with Oxfordshire but a Cotswold stone throw away and we attend weddings mainly in these counties. However his year we also have weddings booked in Northamptonshire, Shropshire, Surrey and Buckinghamshire and Wiltshire. Our advice would be don't be too bound by locality when choosing your wedding photographer there may be a gem just over the border.


Links

Localized web sites such as Broadway Weddings can offer information specific to a locale

Links to wedding photography galleries featuring Warwickshire, Worcestershire, and Cotswold Wedding Venues.

We are often asked by couples if we can show them images of a particular wedding venue in our area so here are a few to be getting on with. The links to the galleries are at the foot of the article.

Ettington Park Hotel, Near Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire

Ettington Park has a long history of weddings many of which are recorded in the main dining room where the Shirley coat of arms is flanked by those of the 67 families that their heirs married into. Although the Norman church can be used for blessings, weddings are normally carried out in the elegant surroundings of the house itself where many of the rooms, including the splendid Library, are licensed for civil ceremonies.

For the reception or party after the wedding you can also choose from a variety of superb rooms. They range from The Chapel where up to 14 people can sit down for an intimate private dinner, to the magnificent Long Gallery where 80 guests can enjoy a sumptuous candle-lit banquet or a party with live music and dancing. The lawns are ideal for setting up marquees. And like many guests you could take over the entire hotel for your own exclusive use. Whatever you decide, Ettington Park Hotel offers a stunning backdrop against which to capture beautiful memories of a very special day.


Cotswold House Hotel, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire.

A beautiful Cotswold House, set in the heart of the historic town of Chipping Campden.
All the 30 bedrooms and reception rooms in this fine Regency building are individually designed in a fresh contemporary style, it feels more like home than a hotel and, with a licence to hold civil ceremonies, the hotel can provide a complete Cotswolds wedding package.

Links

A wedding album featuring Ettington Park Hotel

A gallery of wedding photographs featuring The Cotswold House Hotel.