Image of the Day - Modern Hindu Wedding Ceremonies

Hello again!

Last year Glen and I were privileged to photograph a number of Hindu weddings in some beautiful locations. The combination of gorgeous couples, stunning mandaps and emotional ceremonies allowed us to create some of our favourite photographs of the year.

Although the most important elements of the wedding are always present, modern Hindu weddings can vary greatly. Some will have most of the important ceremonies on one day, others will last several days. This makes every wedding we cover unique, as different combinations of rituals are observed.

However, all weddings have at their heart the coming together of two people in love and the blessing of that parntership. This photograph was taken at Meghna and Jignesh's wedding at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, Hyde Park in London. I love how their special union as man and wife is shown by the way they are making their offering together, the knot and the chord binding them together and the garlands they have presented to each other.

S
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Image of the Day - Veils

2008 saw veils make a big comeback, and as a wedding photographer, that made me very happy!

Veils have a beautiful way of catching and diffusing light and really help to make a bridal portrait something special. The photograph on the left is of Emma, whose shoes I showed you yesterday. Simply by using the light from a window and her veil, we've created a really contemporary, fashion-style bridal portrait. So you can see, veils don't have to look cheesy or old fashioned.







Veils can add a touch of magic to wedding photographs. Here are some photographs taken at Sarah and Matt's wedding at Norwood Park in Southwell, Nottinghamshire. Their wedding day was pretty windy, and when the wind caught Sarah's veil it gave the pictures a real sense of movement and something of a fairy-tale quality.
















Many of the veils we saw last year were very long and very impressive, a trend which looks set to stay for 2009. A lot of brides told me they had chosen such a big and beautiful veil because it was the only time they were going to get to wear one, so why not go all out? I couldn't agree more! Here's a photograph that Glen took of Caroline at Stoke Rochford Hall, near Grantham, Lincolnshire. Caroline really knew how to work a veil!

Finally, you can have a bit of fun with a veil. Here are Robert and Zoe at Holme Pierrepont Hall in Nottinghamshire. Another wonderful long, swishy veil!









On Monday - Hindu Wedding Ceremonies.

Have a great, snowy weekend!

Sam
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Image of the Day - Shoes!

Hello!

I've been trying to think of new ways of using the blog and interesting, weddingy things to tell you about. I thought it might be interesting to show you a different photograph every day, one that shows some aspect of weddings and wedding photography. And here it is "Image of the Day" (insert fanfare here). Let's see how long I can keep this up for....

Being a girl, where else was I going to start but SHOES! Don't worry, I'm not about to launch into a Sex and the City style homily on the virtues of Louboutin and Blahnik. But I have seen some gorgeous wedding shoes I'd like to show you.

2008 introduced me to a new name in wedding shoes - Diane Hassall. Designer, Diane Hassall has created some stunning designs and each pair is handmade to the bride's specifications, making them even more special.

Also, they come in a really nice box! And if you're like me you're a sucker for anything in really nice packaging.


The ones at the top belong to Emma, who married James in December at Belton Woods and the pair on the right are Sarah's, who wore them at her Norwood Park wedding earlier last year (both were Lincolnshire weddings). I can report neither had sore feet by the end of the day, despite the killer heels!


Wedding shoes don't have to be white: here are a couple of gorgeous examples of gold and silver shoes. As you can see, Jimmy Choo is still a firm favourite!















Tomorrow - veils!

Sam
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Calling All Musketeers!

Hello!

Well it's now February (and f-f-f-freezing). If you're anything like me that steely determination to become a paragon of fitness and virtue has seeped away. Never fear, help is at hand, with a unique way to keep fit whilst learning how to be the next C'pn Jack Sparrow.

A couple of years ago myself and Andrew (him indoors) decided we wanted to learn something new and do "something" vaguely sporting. We found a fencing club in Nottingham. We'd started out looking for dance classes, well I did, hoping to turn Andrew into the next Anton du Beck, but Andrew had different ideas and thought that attacking each other with swords was much more our style. It turns out he was right. Since then Andrew has started our very own club, right here in Newark on the Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire border. And now we're recruiting a brand new team of budding musketeers to join us in our new beginners' course.

Fencing is immense fun, and surprisingly hard work! It also looks pretty cool, which always helps! And it's a great way for couples to let off steam together. There's nothing like a sword fight to restore domestic harmony.

The Newark Advertiser has run a feature on the club, which you can find here

So what are you waiting for? We're taking new members up until 10th February and you can find more details here: www.fernwoodswordclub.co.uk or email us at fernwoodswordclub@hotmail.com

Sam
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Great Wedding Venues

I can always remember one of my daughters said that she chose her wedding venue because she wanted some great wedding pictures. That seemed an odd statement at the time because of course venues don't sell photography - at least this was not what she meant. The choice of venue was important because of the pictures that it would allow.

We are privileged to work in some great venues, both across the East Midlands and further afield. A good venue will provide sufficient space for your guests and inside rooms should be spacious and ideally with high ceilings. Natural light is important and look out for venues that are designed in such a way to allow lots of natural light to come inside.

Thinking of locations for any formal pictures is also important, both inside - if the weather is poor - and outside. It is also helpful if there are some more discrete areas for a few pictures of the bride and groom, away from the crowds. It is unlikely that a venue will be perfect in every respect - but most of all think about how the venue will work with your wedding day and whether it has the look and feel you are wanting.

I have just updated our We Love... pages with details of a number of wedding venues that we love. I can't express just how important the venue is to your photography. Here are a few pictures and you can see more at our We Love... pages

Barn at Bury Court, in Surrey


Fawsley Hall, Northamptonshire


Holdenby House Northamptonshire


Norwood Park, Southwell, Nottinghamshire