Weddings at Great Fosters
Where are they now? Annabel and Mike
Tuesday, July 21st, 2009It’s fair to say that most of us are so preoccupied being busier than busy in this hectic go go non stop You Tube Google World we frequent personally and professionally, that we forget to take stock and remember sometimes where we’ve been and what we’ve achieved. Well, I’m going to try and redress that with the following blog feature. It won’t be long before I’ll be batting at the 200 not out wicket, a double century of weddings; experience that began tentatively covering my best man’s brother’s wedding as a favour, to a career that has taken me across continents. I’ve been trained and mentored by some of the industry’s finest and found new important friendships with fellow pros that share the following professional impulse; a desire to document a day so uniquely special to each client and do it whatever the weather, whatever the day and even when England are playing a World Cup match that’s actually on a channel we don’t have to pay for. We’ve been tremendously lucky at Breathe in that we established a social portraiture and wedding photography business in Newbury earlier this decade that has not only provided us with an income to feed hungry family mouths, but introduced us to some fabulous couples and families. It’s their stories that enthuse upon me that weekends were not made for drinking beer and watching X Factor, and so I begin a series of blog entries about the couples I have witnessed saying ‘I do’ through a selection of lenses. 3rd February 2007, Annabel and Mike were wed in Windsor with a wedding reception at Great Fosters near Egham; a grade one listed building that is remarkable for a list of reasons that would make this blog unreadably long. In Annabel’s words: “Mike and I are doing great, still living in Windsor. We’ve been back to Great Fosters for our last two wedding anniversaries, which was really lovely. We always pay homage to Jane Austen’s curtains. (A reference to the fact that needing to darken a scene whilst photographing the couple round the hotel, I whipped these historic items closed risking the demise of one of the World’s most historic curtains.) Mike went out to South Africa in June on a boys tour to watch the Lions. He ended up doing the highest bungee jump in the World off Bloukrans Bridge (about 216 m) – crazy fool. All 18 stones of Yorkshire goodness dangled on a piece of elastic! Other than that, we’re still at the same house but have been giving it and the garden a bit of a makeover. No baby Annabel and Mikes… yet.”
Great Fosters wedding photography
Sunday, May 3rd, 2009It was an early ’set off’ yesterday for Adam and Julie’s wedding. Usually I’m car bound during Wossy’s Radio 2 gig, but if the radio splurts a dash of Brian Matthews when I turn the engine over, then I’m probably dodging traffic on the M25. Destination Ewell, arrived 10.30, service midday (sent to the balcony, up in the Gods at the church, if you’ll pardon the usage) – why is it everyone in the House of God is welcome bar the photographer? Anyway, back to a favourite venue of mine, the Tudor splendor that is Great Fosters near Egham for the reception. A couple of years ago at the very same venue I’d been doing an arty lit shot with the bride on a stairwell. I whipped closed a couple of curtains, only to find these were original designs by Jane Austin hung in 1798 by the great lady herself. I get selective vision when I’m photographing weddings, so large ‘don’t walk on the grass’, ‘don’t photograph in here’, or more pertinently titled signs like ‘don’t touch these curtains ever ever ever’ don’t tend to fog my vision when trying to grab a shot. Still no harm done, honest guvnor. A couple of favourite images from yesterday then…
Cakes glorious cakes!
Sunday, August 10th, 2008[photopress:cake1.jpg,full,alignleft]You know that phrase; ‘Water water everywhere, and not a drop to drink?’ Last year just prior to Christmas I was photographing a wedding at Great Fosters whilst suffering a mild to exceptionally head lifting, toothache. Without investing in too much grisly detail, a chipped tooth had exposed a nerve and and and. (You know what us fellas are like ladies, when it comes to pain!) To be fair though, isn’t modern pain relief wonderful? I doubt our bride even knew of my discomfort. So about my work I went, and through the day we went. Evening arrived and I took a few moments out to photograph the wedding breakfast room, all laid, prepped and ready for a hundred guests. As I entered the Tithe Barn where the breakfast was to be, there it was. It pretty much sang to me with a tuneful hypnotic mantra; “Eat me, eat me, eat me!” A tree of cup cakes. Probably one of the finest examples I have ever seen! If Carlsberg made cup cakes… etc. Later on that evening, when all had been captured photographically and I was about to take my leave, I was presented with an interesting dilemma. The catering staff had been dutifully replenishing ‘that’ tree with cakes and someone offered me a couple or three to devour on the way home. My heart sang, I was salivating with all the desire of a dog given free reign of a butcher’s window. But then, as if by karma powered by a gym personal trainer, the tooth fought back, the pain relief subsided and the brain said; “No way thank you.” See? Water water everywhere, and not a drop to drink. It’s been a while since I have written a recommended supplier post, but having just been asked by a forthcoming bride for a good cake company, I can recommend Crumbs and Doilies. You’ll find a direct link on the ‘Breathe Recommends’ list. As for whether my heart listened to my brain that night? I’m a photographer, and coming from the arty trade, since when did brains rule over hearts? Of course I munched a cake or three. Boy was the pain worth it.