Question 1

This issue we asked the experts how to inject your wedding days with the spirit of spring.

Accepted Answer

Spring is such a beautiful time of the year to have your wedding day. Such a lovely mild temperature, along with fresh leaves and flowers starting to bloom. To capture the season in your images I love to include those beautiful, natural surroundings and the low, early evening sunlight, which lends them a warm glow. Blossom is a delight to shoot and feature in photos in the spring and at different stages provides various hues throughout the early months of the year. It offers such variety and beautiful soft colours and tones. This can be complemented by your bouquet and colours of your wedding attire.

Question 2

What are your top 2023 trend predictions?

Accepted Answer

Candid photos have always been a fabulous way to document the realness of weddings, which in turn provide couples with actual memories of the joy and excitement experienced on their special day. This type of photography can be achieved as long as couples are out there enjoying their wedding party with their guests. In the past two years since weddings have been back in full swing, I'd noticed a massive emphasis on group photos with couples having endless lists of shots they wanted, as they valued every member of their wedding party and so wanted to make sure they have a photo of each and every one. This in turn meant they'd have less time to enjoy their pre-breakfast drinks and also meant that there were very few candid shots with their friends and family. Towards the end of 2022, I noticed a change in photo requests, couples are still wanting some group shots, however, what they really want is to enjoy their wedding and to get on with being in those natural candid moments. I predict this will continue into 2023.

Question 3

Are black and white images still popular and should we opt to have them?

Accepted Answer

In my experience, the love of a black and white image is still as strong as ever. When editing wedding photos for my couples, I give them a selection of black and white as well as colour. The monochrome image gives a photo a timeless quality like no other filter or effect and people do love these today as much as ever. These days it's possible to edit with a high or low contrast, giving two completely different looks to the classic black and white image. People tend to like them as it can smooth out skin tone and texture! These photos can also achieve beautiful results in any weather condition, so it doesn't matter whether the sun is too bright, or not bright enough, the results are always stunning. I have many in my home of my own family, which I love and they create a real feature in any room. A large canvas or print from your wedding day, will stand the test of time in this classic combination.

Question 4

Some photographers offer an engagement or prewedding shoot, but we're camera shy and don't know if it's for us. What are the benefits?

Accepted Answer

I love to offer pre-wedding shoots to couples that are shy about having their photographs taken. It makes the wedding flow so much better once you've experienced how your photographer will shoot on the day. It really is a great way of making you feel at ease by showing you a few natural poses and having plenty of fun along the way. You'll feel reassured that even the shyest and most introverted of people can have the most amazing photographs of their big day to treasure.

Question 5

We're searching for a wedding photographer and don't know where to start. What do we need to know when looking and booking?

Accepted Answer

I've been in the industry for more than 20 years and the way to find your photographer has changed so much over the years. You have a lot of options, but the easiest way is to use a search engine and look for "wedding photographer Kent." You'll then have several decisions to make from there. Recommendations from your chosen venue are always useful as they'll be the ones who know the best places to shoot on the day, but it's not always necessary and you may find a photographer whose personality just suits yours. This is an important part of your decision-making as you don't want a grumpy photographer with you for nine hours of this most wonderful day! Social media and websites have to be the most utilised methods of deciding on a photographer, and again it's a reflection of style and personality. You should ask prospective photographers about their experience, style, awards, knowledge of the venue and view the wealth of images on their website. You'll get a sense from this of whether they've shot at a lot of different venues and how experienced they are. Finally, you'll get a feel for your photographer and know they're going to capture those images that make you say "wow," and sum up your day perfectly.

Question 6

We're getting married in the autumn and our only concern is the unpredictability of the weather. How can we prepare for the worst, while hoping for the best, when it comes to our photographs?

Accepted Answer

You can prepare and plan your wedding down to the last detail, but you can never count on the good old British weather and no time is more unpredictable than the autumn. As professional photographers though, we'll always prepare for the worst so you don't have to and look at the venues with inclement conditions in mind. If you're worried look for a photographer with studio experience and equipment. For example, we have an extensive range of professional studio lighting, soft boxes and backdrops to cover every situation. So, less favourable conditions don't scare us! When booking your wedding venue have a look at the size of the space and ask if there are any spare rooms where your photographer can set up a bespoke studio to capture those magic moments if you can't be outside.

Question 7

I'm not sure whether I want photos captured in the morning while we're getting ready. What would you recommend, is it a  good idea?

Accepted Answer

I think bridal preparation is a huge part of the day and definitely a must when it comes to documenting your wedding. I usually start the morning by capturing all of the lovely details such as the dresses, shoes, flowers and jewellery – all the bits and pieces my brides might have lost sleep over! But more importantly, these images showcase a love shared. Whether its a mum, sister or bestie, those present for this inner circle are the people the bride loves most in the world... barring the one she's about to marry of course! As well as the bride tribe we usually have the hair and make-up specialists in the room too. All the bride needs to do is relax and enjoy the pampering, so champagne corks are often flying, while love and laughter is on tap. It really is the best girly sleepover, without the sleep. Add to that the emotional scene of revealing the wedding dress to dad and it's the stuff movies are made of. For when the doors finally open, that means the bride and her party are ready, and the day can begin. It's so very exciting.

Question 8

How do we go about finding a photographer that's the right fit for our style and personalities?

Accepted Answer

I've always thought it must be such a difficult decision for couples to choose their photographer for one of the most important days of their lives. But, in a nutshell what you need to concentrate on is style and personality when selecting the right person for the job. Simply ask yourselves the following questions: - What style do I really like? Candid, natural, fine art… - Do I want my day to be organised photographically so I get the shots I really want? - Do I want a fun, sociable photographer or someone who will just blend into the background - Will they fit in with my friends and family? - What kind of photography package do I want? There should be a pre-wedding meeting with your photographer as they'll need to know the finer details of the day and listen to your ideas and direction so that you can enjoy the perfect day you've planned. You'll want to make sure your photographer is organised and, above all, experienced so that you get the group shots you're looking for along with lovely posed couple imagery – stunning photographs that capture the real emotion of the day. So, I can't deny that there are lots of things to think about before you make your final decision, but it really will be worth the time and effort when you're presented with the most beautiful images of your wedding day.

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