What are the duties of a Groomsman?

What are the duties of a Groomsman?

There are many couples that find themselves pondering the question: ‘What is the point in Groomsmen?” You may feel that other than being the male equivalent of bridesmaids, balancing out the photos nicely, they are somewhat defunct. If you’re due to be a groomsman (who is also referred to as an usher in some parts of the world) at a wedding, you may wonder, “what are the duties of a groomsman?” Here is a little blog post to enlighten you as to the role of a groomsman. 

Everyone knows roughly what the job of bestman entails. There are some rings to look after and delivering an embarrassing speech. However, the role of the ushers (or groomsmen, depending on how you like to refer to them) is a bit more ambiguous. 

A long long time ago groomsmen were tasked with bringing the bride safely to the ceremony (read: more likely that they were to drag her there, if she didn’t fancy it.) and may have needed to fight off kidnappers/other clans etc. While today’s groomsmen may not take such a dramatic role in the celebrations, they aren’t just for propping up the bar. 

The following list isn’t exhaustive. Depending on where in the world you are reading this, there may be other duties expected of groomsmen relative to the culture, or type of ceremony a couple has. Also, I mention brides and grooms a lot. Groomsmen still have a huge role to play in same sex marriages…but are possibly referred to as bridesmen, at some of these unions. 

BEFORE THE WEDDING DAY…

• Assist the groom and bestman in the lead up to the wedding day 

• Help organise the stag/bachelor party

• Attend suit fittings

• Attend the wedding rehearsal (in the UK these are usually just for religious ceremonies)

BEFORE AND DURING THE CEREMONY…

• Arrive early to help lay out reserved seating signs, attach buttonholes and be told the plan of where guests need to sit. 

• Greet guests alongside the groom

• Hand out orders of service to guests

• Direct the guests to their seats

At most weddings the general seating arrangements are that immediate family and bridal party sit in the front few rows, other family behind them and then all other guests behind family. Traditionally, the bride’s guests are on the left and groom’s guests are on the right (if you’re looking down the aisle from the back of the room) But more and more couples are going for a very relaxed ceremony seating plan and just ask guests to sit wherever they like….which kind of makes an groomsman redundant for this particular task.  

• Ensure the doors are closed once guests are seated, so that no one gets an accidental peek at the bride before she walks down the aisle. 

This job is dependent on the ceremony venue. If you are in a religious building, expect this task to fall to you. If you are at specific wedding event venue, this job is usually undertaken by the staff. 

For many groomsmen, the ceremony tasks are the only thing they think they are expected to do. And in a lot of cases it’s all that the couple have thought about asking them to do. But there are plenty more uses for groomsmen! (for example Dan and Zoe’s groomsmen modelled various bits of construction paraphernalia…no I’m not sure why either.) Read on for more relevant duties of a groomsman! 

AFTER THE CEREMONY…

• Help the photographer with their group photo list

Have a pencil in your pocket and mark off the group photo list as they happen. Be ready to round people up that are needed. As a photographer I generally expect that I am not going to be offered assistance by a helpful groomsman. That’s not a ‘woe is me’ kind of statement. It’s just that I expect that I am going to be rounding everyone up by myself as the groomsmen have often disappeared to the bar by this point. The more helpful you are, the quicker the formal photos will be!….And you’ll have a very grateful photographer. 

• Move decorations, left over orders of service and confetti

If everything is happening in one place, it is likely that there is a whole team of staff ready to transform the ceremony space to be utilised later in the day. In which case, grab yourself a drink and go and throw some confetti. 

If you are moving from one location to another you will be required to do a quick check of the seating/pews to make sure no one has left anything behind. Gather up any orders of service that have been left on seats, or that are still in the box and decorations that need to be transferred to the reception venue…do double check what belongs to the couple. Wandering off with pedestals of flowers that are the property of the church, won’t go down very well. 

• Keep an eye on timings. 

This job is particularly relevant if moving from one venue to another. The couple will be wrapped up in mingling with their guests, straight after the ceremony. Knowing how long it takes to get to the reception venue and the time of the wedding party’s expected arrival, will let you know when to encourage guests to move along.

If the wedding has no specific wedding coordinator (for example of the venue is dry hire, a marquee, or a venue that doesn’t normally host weddings) It is worth knowing the time when the food is being served, so that guests can be instructed to take their seats. 

If you are an engaged couple reading this, it is worth making a list of tasks for the groomsmen and having your bestman or one of the groomsmen take charge of allocating the jobs. Generally groomsmen aren’t chosen because of their organisational skills. They have been picked because they are the best friends or relatives of the couple. Letting them know what is expected of them isn’t bossy, it will simply help your day run a little smoother. 

If you are going to be involved in a wedding and haven’t yet been told what your duties are as a groomsman, check with the couple and send them a link to this blog. 

I always love to help my couples with advice for their big day. If you are looking for a knowledgeable, female wedding photographer, who captures relaxed imagery, throughout the UK and abroad. Take a look at the Interlace Photography image galleries and get in touch. 

Wedding Venues in North Somerset – Barley Wood

Wedding Venue: Barley Wood, Wrington, North Somerset

Spotlight on Barley Wood….

Barley Wood in Wrington, is one of my very favourite wedding venues in North Somerset and it’s for that reason I have decided to start with this particular venue in my newest series of blogs about venues. I get this slightly dreamy look, when I think of Barley Wood. It ticks so many boxes in being the ideal place to get married. When I find out a potential client has booked Barley Wood as a venue, I get even more excited than usual when talking about their wedding plans.

I’m delighted to be a recommended wedding photographer at Barley Wood and have photographed all sorts of weddings there in the last few years. Read on to find to all about this lovely venue…

The next little bit has been taken from Barley Wood’s website that you can see here

Barley Wood is an elegant eighteenth-century country house, set within 11 acres of gardens and woods.

The venue offers exclusive venue hire, for a whole weekend. Situated in the outskirts of the village of Wrington, in rural North Somerset, with views across to the Mendip Hills.

The house can accommodate up 100 guests for the ceremony and formal wedding breakfast. Evening receptions can be held for up to 175 people using the whole house.

Sounds good, right? But what is written above is the generic stuff, the stats if you will. What makes this place incredible is so much more than how many guests it can hold or the acreage of grounds it has. Read on to find out why this beautiful venue is just so special. 

Here are some of the reasons I, as a wedding photographer, and general lover of all things beautiful, absolutely adore Barley Wood!

• It is exclusive use….No other weddings, or hotel guests. The whole place is yours, for an entire weekend.

• It is dry hire….This means that you can do exactly what you want (within reason) during your time there. No time schedules or hearing, ‘this is how we usually do it.’ Fancy getting married on the Friday in a civil ceremony, then wake up with your guests on Saturday morning and enjoy an inflatable obstacle course on the lawn, followed by a treasure hunt through the woods, go for it!

• The gardens…..oh the gardens (cue another dreamy look from me) They have the most wonderful ‘secret garden’ feel to them. Slightly overgrown hedges, rusted gates, cracked pathways. (depending on your taste this could sound unloved, but they are exactly the opposite.) Beautiful and elegant, yet have been gradually reclaimed by nature over the years. Magical! Think Alice in Wonderland meets The Secret Garden and you’ll get my drift. Or just take a look my Barley Wood venue gallery. 

• It’s one of the newest wedding venues in North Somerset… Although it has now been a wedding venue for 5 years. In terms of being established, it’s still considered one of the new kids on the block. Which means, that if you choose to have your wedding here, the likelihood is that not many of your guests will have been there, yet.

• The views…Just look at those views!

• It is less than 10 minutes from Bristol Airport…. In terms of location it couldn’t be more perfect. In the lovely, rural village of Wrington and just a few miles from the airport. It’s also conveniently located for Bristol and there are a number of Airbnbs and hotels locally for your guests who are unable to stay on the premises. 

• It has its own wood…..I mean what more can I say, Barley Wood is a wedding photographers dream.  

If you are considering a local church ceremony in addition to a Wrington reception, take a look at the wedding photographs on my blog from the wedding of Emily and Chris, who had their wedding ceremony at the beautiful St Andrew’s Church, in Wrington.

I’m delighted to be one of Barley Wood’s recommended suppliers. If you’d like to chat about your wedding photography at Barley Wood just get in touch.

8 Easy ways to make your wedding more eco-friendly

8 Easy ways to make your wedding more eco-friendly……

There are lots of things to think about when it comes to planning a wedding and more and more couples are finding themselves also asking ‘how can I make my wedding more eco-friendly?’ 

There can be a lot of waste at a wedding that couples find themselves justifying in pursuit of the perfect day. But there are lots of ways that you can make your celebrations more sustainable, that could also save time and money.  This blog isn’t about ensuring every morsel you eat is organic and local, or booking specific eco venues….However, if you are looking for one, check out the lovely Folly Farm, an eco-friendly event venue based in 250-acres of beautiful nature reserve in the heart of Somerset. Below are 8 easy ways to make your wedding more eco-friendly.

Send your invites online….

Large packs of matching stationery, inviting guests to a wedding, are falling out of fashion in favour of wedding websites and emails. As guests, we know it’s extremely rare to receive an unexpected invitation to a wedding. We’ve usually been notified, by an excited couple, as soon as the date is set. So, to receive a save the date note and an additional huge follow up pack a year down the line, with details about hotels, taxis and our food options, it can feel a little OTT.

Ensure you’ve got everyone’s email address and fire off a beautifully worded email inviting your guests. Emails are easy to follow up and you’ll find that with guests just being able to hit reply, you’ll have most of your RSVPs within hours rather than weeks. Wedding websites are also really useful if your wedding is abroad, or if you have a number of guests travelling from further away that may be interested in local hotels and taxi numbers.  

There’s no reason why your guests who will expect a written invite, can’t still have one though. You’ll be saving a huge amount of unnecessary paper and carbon emissions from postage, by sending e-invites to most people. No matter what your eco arguments are, your 90 year old grandparents may still find an email invite rather odd!

Reduce the pretty things….

Step away from the wedding aisle in The Range! While helpful for a bit of inspiration, you may find yourself sucked into buying plastic foliage and bits and pieces that you don’t need, just so you are ticking boxes on an unnecessary wedding checklist. Many of these type of items are made knowing that they will go straight into the bin. Think about what you need, rather than what will look good. Your wedding and your budget, will be no worse off for it! This particular bit of advice ties in well with my predicted wedding trends for this year and is one of the easiest ways to make your wedding day more eco-friendly.

If you know that you’re going to be displaying your wedding photographs in a range of different frames, why not buy these ahead of time and use them to hold your table names and menus. If you happen to have a number of scatter cushions on your sofa at home in exactly the right shade of pink for your colour scheme, bring them along and add them to the soft furnishings at your venue. Use your own framed photographs to add to the venue mantlepieces and coffee tables, to fill empty spaces. 

Make your own Confetti….

Depending on how long you have before your big day, you can make your own confetti. Start drying out flowers from the garden or from bunches that you receive. Once the blooms are past their best simply spread them out somewhere dry (a green house or shed is great) then box them up. Ask others to save their petals for you as well.

If Autumn falls between the time you read this and your wedding, you can take a pile of clean, dry leaves, a hole/shape punch and then stamp out your own confetti that will be the most beautiful shades of red and brown. Confetti doesn’t need to be individually bagged. Guests can grab handfuls from a basket, or you could make simple cones from pages of books bought from charity shops, that are easily recyclable.

Eliminate or make your own Favours….

Often it is the little details that can be some of the most wasteful elements of the day. Individually plastic wrapped bars of soap, each with a pretty sticker, then wrapped in tissue paper and popped into an organza bag, with some metallic confetti sprinkled inside, just isn’t necessary.

Thoughtful, small tokens for your guests are always appreciated, but think instead of a green alternative such as bee bombs (that are also often referred to as seed bombs.) These are simple balls of seeds that can be thrown, and where they land, bee friendly flowers will grow. They can be made simply in a variety of different ways, incorporating mulched scrap paper, or clay soil wrapped in hessian. Have a look at this easy guide to making seed bombs here or you could scrap physical favours entirely and make a donation to a charity of behalf of all of your guests. 

Upcycle, borrow, hire and buy secondhand….

The likelihood is that somewhere in yours, or a loved one’s home, is a large mirror. This, combined with a white window marker and someone with neat handwriting, makes the perfect table plan. (it is also easily changeable if there are any last minute guest alterations!)

There are some great local facebook groups that are dedicated to buying and selling secondhand wedding items. Take a look at this somerset based Buy, swap, sell group for wedding items And this Bristol based buy and sell group for wedding items Remember to sell those bits and pieces on again after your big day!

Charity shops also have a huge number of goodies that can be repurposed for weddings and are great for things like inexpensive glassware, photo frames and copies of your favourite book that can be used to make confetti cones, or be mulched down for bee bombs.

There are numerous wedding hire companies all over the country. Whether you’re after a wedding postbox, sweet cart, or vintage crockery, you can find it all!

Living Table centrepieces…..

There are lots of people to thank on a wedding day, why not give each person who has helped, one of the table centre pieces that consist of a potted plant? Garden centres have wide choice of pretty pre-planted pots, or, if you’re green fingered, you could choose simple terracotta planters and plant your own seeds, to create blooms that tie in with your colour scheme. Giving these as gifts mean there is less to clear up and take home afterwards and the gifts will last far longer than a bunch of flowers or bottle of wine!

Transport to your venues….

If you are in the very early stages of planning, consider where your ceremony and reception venues are based. Do you really need to have all of your guests drive an hour from your family church to your reception venue? Choose venues close together and lay on a coach to bring guests from one venue to another. 

Don’t buy plastic….

It’s an obvious one, but think carefully about how things are packaged when you buy them. If you’re having a BBQ or hog roast use palm leaf plates and bamboo cutlery. Palm leaf plates are excellent. They are biodegradable, far more attractive than paper or plastic, are much sturdier, and can be reused again and again (as long as you don’t put them in the dishwasher. If you do they’ll just turn back into leaves!)

If you’re hiring in a bar, for example: for a marquee wedding, personalised glasses are also a great option, instead of single use plastic. For our wedding we bought some glass paint and painted our guests names onto either a beer or large wine glass for each person, depending on their preferred tipple. That way, when they went to the bar, they had a glass ready to use, rather than be offered a new plastic one. They also tripled up as place names and favours. Many years down the line, I still spot them in friend’s cupboards when I pop round. 

These are just a few, of so many easy ways to make your wedding more eco-friendly! Let me know in the comments if there are any environmentally conscious wedding ideas that you have!

Reasons to have a pre-wedding shoot

Reasons to have a pre-wedding shoot

Pre wedding shoots are sometimes referred to as engagement shoots, but are generally done closer to the date of the wedding than your engagement. You may wonder if they have any particular benefits…Here is my list of 4 reasons to have a pre-wedding shoot. 

1. It is a great way to get to know your photographer and let them get to know you.….

At this point you may have met your photographer a couple of times at wedding fayres or in an initial meeting. But other than general pleasantries, the likelihood is it has so far all been photography and wedding chat.

I love to get to know my couples, find out what they do for a living and how they met. The more I know about you, the more unique your wedding photos become. Are you going to be quietly gazing lovingly into one another’s eyes all day?  Or more likely to be giving one another piggy backs, during the mini Olympics you’ve planned as your wedding entertainment. It’s all relevant!

2. You will feel more comfortable with the camera….

Sometimes people think that pre-wedding shoots are only for couples that love having their photo taken. This couldn’t be further from the truth. I think the more nervous you are about the camera, the more you should consider a pre-wedding shoot. On the big day itself you get one attempt at looking and feeling comfortable in your pictures. Having a practice and seeing how your photographer works can only be a good thing.

I have lots of little tips and tricks that can help you feel more comfortable and help you look your best. It makes most people realise that there really is nothing to worry about and that images where you are walking, chatting and laughing, won’t feel contrived or uncomfortable.

Top Tip: Have your makeup trial on the same day as your pre-wedding shoot. You get to see how the makeup looks on camera and you will feel your very best while being photographed. As far as reasons to have a pre-wedding shoot go, getting to show off your talented makeup artist’s work, is a great one!

3. You can explore your wedding venue in more detail…..

I generally conduct my pre-wedding shoots outside, somewhere picturesque…which includes pretty much every wedding venue in North Somerset. Depending on where you live, a shoot at your wedding venue is perfect to explore the grounds and find areas you may not even know existed. I have held pre wedding shoots at all sorts of Somerset wedding venues, including: Cadbury House, Clevedon Hall, Coombe Lodge, Batch Country House and Barley Wood. Most are very happy to accommodate their couples and it’s a good opportunity to ask any quick questions you have, while you are there.

I also regularly shoot at beautiful public spaces such as Clifton Suspension Bridge, Ashton Court Estate, Clevedon Seafront and all over the beautiful city of Wells. Take a look at Clare and Arun’s Wells shoot here and Collette and Richard’s Clifton Suspension Bridge shoot here.

4. You will create some beautiful images……

Images from your pre-wedding shoot can be used for all sorts of things. Gifts for parents on the wedding day itself, or the perfect gift if you have birthdays, Mother’s Day or Christmas falling between your shoot and your wedding day.

They can be used inside signature frames, (see the extras page on my website for details) on orders of service, displayed at the wedding, or even forced upon a bridesmaid or bestman who you know is going to be presenting a slideshow of awful photos of you…it might as well end on a nice note!

Still not sure if a pre-wedding shoot is for you? Take a look at my portraits gallery. Most of the couples featured are images from clients pre wedding shoots – all ages, shapes and sizes looking confident and comfortable.

For pre-wedding shoot prices head over to my extras page. Get in touch for more information, or to add one to your wedding photography package. I recommend that pre-wedding shoots take place no closer than 4 weeks before your wedding.

Wedding Trends for 2021

4 Wedding trend predictions for 2021

Weddings? In 2021? Are you sure? I hear you mumble. Yes, most definitely (hopefully). For those of you who have had to wait and reschedule and reshuffle your guest lists, the end is in sight! Here are some of my predicted wedding trends for 2021.

1. Micro Weddings….. 

No big surprises there. The micro wedding trend was more of an enforced necessity in 2020 and will continue to be until at least 21^stJune 2021. But I’ve seen couples really embracing the idea of smaller more intimate celebrations, even once the restrictions lift.

Lockdown has taught us who is most important. Some of those people considered essential when planning your original numbers, may not have been in your thoughts at all this last year. There may also be key guests that you want to continue to protect if they are more vulnerable and huge celebrations may not be suitable for them for some time.

Micro weddings are also a great way to be able to say no to an over eager parent, who insists you invite your uncle, that you have seen since you were 13, to your big day.

I love to photograph micro weddings. There is something very special about knowing that everyone at a wedding is hugely important and to be able to get to know them during the day. However, if you have already booked a venue based on a minimum capacity, don’t expect to be able to reduce your numbers once government restrictions are lifted. 

2. Later Ceremony times…..

With couples unable to have large traditional evening receptions with dancing and mingling, booking a later ceremony shifts everything back a little. Meaning that you don’t find that the day is done and dusted by mid afternoon.

For example, lets assume that you are having a civil ceremony and 3 course meal and everything is happening in one venue. By having your ceremony at 4pm this means that you will finish the ceremony at 4.30pm, then with an hour and a half of mingling, bubbles, canapés and photographs you will sit down to eat at 6pm. Asking for a gap between courses will make your meal 2 hours or more. A bit more chatting and you will finish your day at 9ish.  

Your day doesn’t have to end after the meal though. Read on for more trend predictions. 

3. Less focus on the ‘frills’……

You all know what I mean by frills. The pretty bits. The perfectly matching groomsmen ties in the same fabric as the bridesmaid dresses. The 74 candles decorating the registrars table, that represent the number of months you’ve known each other. The orders of service placed on each seat with an individual pack of tissues. The hundred hanging lanterns over the ceiling of the dance floor and the llama that greets the guests on arrival….You get the picture.

Whilst most of you won’t have been planning on having a llama, the likelihood is the initial ideas you had for the details for your day have taken a back seat to focus on who you really want to come and just your wedding happening at all. I know for a fact that there are lots of couples with boxes of hobbycraft goodies waiting to be turned into something fabulous, but with the stress of this last year, you’ve kind of lost your crafting mojo. (You are not alone.) If this pandemic has shown us anything, it is how much we miss people. Trust me, the things that are going to make a wedding day memorable, can’t be bought on amazon, or found at the end of a glue gun. 

4. Fabulous Entertainment……..

(I am writing this before full guidance on weddings has been published for 2021. In 2020 weddings finished after the wedding breakfast, as evening receptions were not permitted. Make sure you check all current guidance before booking anything.)

Entertainment is one of those things that couples either give a huge amount of thought to, or none at all, beyond booking a DJ or band. With limited numbers and social distancing still in place until 21^stJune at the earliest, you may want to think outside the box with regard to the entertainment available to your guests. I predict that entertainment where guests remain relatively static and socially distanced will be one of the biggest wedding trends for 2021.

Wine Tasting 

Who doesn’t love a bit of wine tasting. Kelli and Matthew at The Wine Shop in Winscombe have lots of experience of doing mobile events. Tastings could be themed around the couple’s favourite wines, or pick something really indulgent like a champagne and sparkling wine tasting. They bring everything you need, so just sit back, relax and learn lots of new things about wine (That you will promptly forget once you’ve had a few samples. I have done an actual WSET wine course, with a qualification, and I still forget most things I learn.)

A venue with in house wine tasting is Aldwick Estate in North Somerset. Enjoying a wedding while learning about a venues own wines, sounds like my kind of evening. A vineyard really is the perfect place to get married, both for beautiful photographs… and knowing that the bar is never going to run dry. (check out my Aldwick Venue Gallery and other Aldwick blogs)

Caricatures 

Sit back and and relax whilst having an hilarious caricature created, without even having to leave your seat. Only for those with a sense of humour! It’s great to photograph that moment when the subject is shown their drawing. One of my favourite caricaturists is Ian from Parody Portraits, check out his website here. 

Photo Booths/Studios

I use the term booths here, but actually the more traditional booths where everyone crams in together are likely to fall out of favour for magic mirrors and photographers with large studio backdrops. Expect paper props! Or add a little touch of class and extra décor with a flower wall backdrop. Take a look at magic mirror options by North Somerset based Soundwave Entertainments and flower wall backdrops by Millia Events.

Murder Mystery

Not just something for a dinner party, a murder mystery, along with live actors, is great entertainment! Easy to remain in your seats and get into character, whilst stimulating those little grey cells. I attended a brilliant murder mystery evening at Clevedon Hall, performed by Perfect Murder. Prices from only £595 for a murder mystery with up to 20 guests. 

Magicians

The close up magician has been a staple of weddings for a number of years, but being up close and personal may not work that well for some months yet. Take a look at magicians that can do more of a stage show. Darren Campbell is the absolute best. Magic is brilliant to photograph. Reaction shots are priceless and often some of my favourite from a wedding day. 

Are you looking for a wedding photographer to capture your beautiful 2021 wedding? Interlace Photography capture weddings in Somerset, Bristol and beyond. 

Let me know if the comments if you’re thinking of some alternative entertainment, or if you’ve made changes to your numbers and timings because of the pandemic. I’m keen to see if any of my predictions are correct, or if this post has given anyone ideas they hadn’t considered. There may be wedding trends for 2021 that I haven’t even thought of yet, we will see!

Photographer in North Somerset – Introducing Eleanor

Hello……

Firstly, Hi! I’m Eleanor, also known as El, lovely to meet you. I’m a wedding and portrait photographer in Langford, North Somerset, which is half way between Weston-super-Mare and Bristol.

I wanted to write blog post introducing myself. I currently have lots of clients that have booked during the last year and who may not have had the chance to meet me yet. Or have only chatted with me briefly at a wedding fayre. Whether you have already booked me, or if you are currently considering your options for a wedding photographer. Here is a little introduction to me and my LOVE of photography and weddings. I am one of those very lucky people who absolutely love their job! I get to capture beautiful memories that are kept for a lifetime. My style is really natural and relaxed. I like to capture people as they are. Especially when it comes to weddings. There is nothing better then watching my couples laughing, hugging and kissing their friends and family and just observing them through my lens, enjoying one of the best days of their lives. 

I’ve been a photographer since 2006. I set up Interlace Photography while still at university, after my Mum’s friend asked me to shoot her wedding. It was so much fun and it was wonderful to see how happy the images made the newlyweds. Luckily I had a flat mate at the time who was a whizz with computers and he set me up a simple website. I had my first two wedding bookings within weeks, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Since then I have photographed hundreds of incredible weddings all over the UK and Europe. I’ve featured in national wedding magazines and won awards for my work. I am very proud to be a recommended photographer at a number of North Somerset venues including: Clevedon Hall, Cadbury House and Barley Wood, Wrington. While most of the work I undertake is weddings, I also shoot lots of lifestyle portraits each year and have also done interior and food photography. I’ve even photographed Marco Pierre White regularly and once I shot both him and Mike Tyson on the same day. (It was a rather a surreal afternoon.) One of my Marco images is regularly used by the MPW steakhouse brand and there is a whole wall with it printed on, at The Cube in Birmingham (and a smaller framed version by the piano in the bar at Cadbury House.)

My love of weddings……..

Weddings are a huge passion of mine. After photographing around 400 or so, I’m big headed enough to call myself an expert. I also worked as a registrar for some time, so have married plenty of couples as well…including my own sister! Back when my husband was just my boyfriend, he would look a little nervous every time I bought a new wedding magazine. (Luckily it worked out OK, and he didn’t run for the hills.) I think it’s really important to know about the different trends and be able to discuss flowers, colour schemes and styling with my couples, with as much enthusiasm as they do. I get giddy when in a discussion about how best to allocate an entertainment or styling budget. Or creative ways to utilise empty spaces….so many ideas flitting about my head! I always want to hear about my couple’s plans for their big day and if there is anything I can help with in regard to advice for suppliers, then don’t hesitate to ask! I love to chat…and I’m never short of an opinion or two, if you need some ideas, or just want another perspective. 

Wow, I was getting a tad over excited there. 

What makes me tick………

I live with my husband of 10 years, Adam, and our two children April and Anna. We also have a German Shepherd called Juno. Over the years we’ve lived in Yatton and Cheddar, but settled in Langford about 8 years ago.  For my sins, I am currently the chair of the local Primary School PTA and spend lots of time cajoling other parents into helping me out at events that fundraise for the school. 

I am a complete bookworm! I’ll read most things, but do love a mystery and I’m grateful that Agatha Christie was as prolific a novelist as she was. I enjoy watching comedy. All types, particularly classic British sitcoms, be that reruns of Fawlty Towers, The vicar of Dibley or Blackadder. I love to eat…anything. (Apart from a rancid pink concoction that my husband refers to as corned beef hash. It’s really just pink mashed potato and I can’t even look at it. If that’s something you enjoy, shame on you.) 

Two nights a week (when there isn’t a pandemic) you’ll find me in Wrington Memorial Hall in the midst of working on some fabulous amateur dramatic performance. Wrington Drama Club is one of the most important things in my life outside of work, family and friends. I get to be loud and over the top with other loud and over the top people. 

If you book me (or have already booked me) as your wedding photographer, whether your wedding is in North Somerset or some far flung destination, know that you are getting a passionate photographer, who will be as excited about your big day as you are. With a huge amount of experience photographing all sorts of celebrations, you will be sure to have timeless images captured in a natural way, that reflects you and your guests personalities and the day that you have chosen.

Any questions? I’d love to hear from you, Just get in touch. 

El xx

Wedding Photography at Clevedon Hall – Jess and Sam

Jess and Sam – Wedding Photography at St Leonard’s Church, Shipham and Clevedon Hall

Loved Jess’ choice of perfume for her Big Day. She chose to wear ‘Mrs Wright’ a great decision for a Miss Hemmings who was about to become a Mrs Wright. Calm and collected, Jess enjoyed a morning of pampering, courtesy of the fabulous Tracy and Sasha Pallari. Tracy working her magic with hair and Sasha created a beautiful soft bridal look for fair skinned Jess.

It was so refreshing to see such a lovely family getting on so well. Jess’ mum and stepdad had invited Jess’ Dad and stepmum over to the house before the ceremony, where they spent the morning chatting and laughing as the girls got ready. So great seeing everyone getting on brilliantly, which is sadly often not the case when I photograph weddings of couples whose parents have separated.

Jess got ready just a hop skip and a jump from The Church of St Leonard in Shipham. And on such a beautiful day she decided that she would like to walk to the church. It tends to be little spontaneous decisions like these, that are the memories that really stick out for a couple in the future. Lovely to capture the bride and her Dad smiling as they greeted well wishers who had gathered at the Church entrance to see her arrival.

As members of The Shipham Players, Jess and Sam are used to having lots of people hear them speak. And they didn’t disappoint their congregation. Both had learnt their vows by heart, so they had a beautifully seamless ceremony. During their final hymn they kept looking at one another, wonderful to be able to capture moments like these, when a couple can’t keep their eyes off one another.

After a natural receiving line we captured a couple of pictures with parents in the grounds of the church. The gates were then tied, and the couple threw their loose change into the crowd as payment to be let out. Traditionally the coins are given to the children of the village who will gather (in some villages they still do) however with no extra children to be found, the newlyweds baby nephew, and the only child at the wedding, earnt himself about 62p.

Clevedon Hall looked great as always and Jess’ handmade touches were great. She had learnt to make soap especially to make favours and each guest received a bar of soap along with their ‘placecard’ that was their initals made out of scrabble tiles into keyrings. Thousands of paper flowers had also been folded to make centrepieces. The effect was bright, fresh and beautiful and I think every guest appreciated the effort that the couple had put in.

Highlight of my evening was definitely the Macarena. There is something almost magical about watching 40 grown adults dance in formation. ‘Eeeeey Macarena!’ A wonderful day Mr and Mrs Wright. Thank you for inviting me to be a part of it!

Here are some images of Jess and Sam’s Big Day on 23rd April 2016 at The Church of St Leonard and Clevedon Hall. Their full gallery will be online soon. Please do like our facebook page 

Venue –Clevedon Hall

Dress – White Lace and Promises

Suits – Moss Bros

Photographer – Interlace Photography

Hair – Tracy Pallari

Makeup – Sasha Louise Pallari

Flowers – Bouquet Florist, Cheddar

Are you looking for a wedding photographer at Clevedon Hall? Get in touch to see more of our images from this lovely venue.

Wedding Photography Charlton House and Spa – Holly and Tim

Holly and Tim – Wedding Photography at Charlton House Hotel and Spa, Shepton Mallet

I have known Holly in a professional capacity for some time now. She is the events coordinator at Batch Country House in Lympsham and I was delighted when she contacted me about her wedding photography at Charlton House. I knew that her day would be laid back, while at the same time being super organised (it’s the very nature of a coordinator to have lots of lists and spot on timings!)

Holly chose to to get ready onsite and her hair and makeup was already complete when I arrived. Getting her daughter Ava ready was a tad more challenging than Holly and her mum anticipated. Intent on not having her hair done, little Miss Piper was having a whale of a time running around and thriving on the attention. She loved looking at her picture on the back of the camera though, which made for a great bribe later in the day!

Holly didn’t have adult attendants, choosing to make Ava both her flowergirl and chief bridesmaid and instead invited her best girls up to the room to help her into her gown and join her in a glass of bubbles before the ceremony. A lovely way to incorporate your best friends in the Big Day and still give them an imporant role.

Tim and Holly chose to have Love Actually style flash mob singers during their ceremony. Just as guests rose to greet the Bride a soloist started and headed to the microphone at the front of the room. She was then joined by two others who headed down the aisle just as Ava came round the corner. Initially reluctant to head do the aisle by herself she dashed back round the corner to her mum and was helped down the aisle by one of Holly’s friends before she ran into her Daddy’s arms (and promptly ran back again to see what was taking her mum so long.)

After the ceremony the couple did an impromtu receiving line and their guests enjoyed canapes and a scone station provided by Charlotte’s Tearooms in Winscombe. Unfortunately very poor weather meant that going outside for the group photos wasn’t going to be an option. So instead we used the restaurant for a lovely light room to create the traditional family portraits.

I loved that Holly and Tim had put so much thought into entertaining the children. Childminder Donna arrived just after ceremony and came armed with arts and crafts, lego, books and a million other toys to keep everyone amused. The children ate separately from the adults and had a table adorned with animal balloons, sweet favours and each child had a personalised cupcake. A great way to allow the parents to relax and enjoy their afternoon and make sure the speeches are uninterrupted!

Loved Mr and Mrs Piper’s first dance. a beautiful romantic start that ended with a mash up and boy/girl dance off. Something that their guests won’t forget for a long time and it was a great way for me to end my evening with the newlyweds.

Here are some images of Holly and Tim’s Big Day on 22nd April 2016 at Charlton House Hotel and Spa in Shepton Mallet. Their full gallery will be online soon. Please do like our facebook page 

Venue –Charlton House

Dress – Art Couture from So Gorgeous

Suits – Marc Darcy

Photographer – Interlace Photography

Hair – Freshair, Burnham

Singers – Vocal Works Gospel Choir

Are you looking for a wedding photographer at Charlton House? Get in touch to see more of our images from this lovely venue.

Wedding Photography at The Beeches, Brislington – Lucy and Gareth

Lucy and Gareth – Wedding Photography at The Beeches, Brislington

Before I say anything about the wonderful day that was the 9th April, I must mention the Groom’s mum Sue. Sue was an absolute trooper in the lead up to the wedding. An almost one woman band she created the gorgeous hairpiece that the bride wore. It could easily rival some of the most expensive bespoke creations that I see. She painted horseshoes that were decorated with paper flowers. Felt hearts were handstitched and miles of bunting had been made. Hand painted G & L wooden letters adorned the mantlepiece. handmade confetti cones, made from pages from books were ready for throwing. Sue sourced tiny patterned wooden buttons and beautiful ribbons. She handcrafted welcome signs, the table plan and a box for the cards. Vases were filled with bright blooms and the bouquets and buttonholes were all put together by this talented mother of the bride. I’m sure there was a million and one other details that I haven’t mentioned, but it all looked absolutely amazing and was such a wonderful personal way to add those little touches.

Lucy and Gareth’s Wedding wasn’t heralded by the very best of luck in the lead up to the Big Day. A number of guests wound up with a sick bug on the morning of the celebrations. These particular guests had travelled from Australia for the Wedding so a bit of a dodgy tummy wasn’t going to keep them away though! Lucy has a bit of a reputation for being a tad clumsy, so apparently it wasn’t in anyway a surprise when she wound up with a huge black eye a week before the wedding, after what should have been a regular walk with their very energetic dog. When I saw her just a couple of days before I couldn’t help but gasp! Luckily the swelling had reduced, and Lucy works with her talented make up artist friend Lou, so between them the girls were prepared with an artillery of concealer, foundations and powder. You wouldn’t have had any idea that she was in fact sporting a huge shiner under her flawless makeup. This bad luck dried up about lunchtime on the day of the wedding, with clouds disappearing, blue sky appearing overhead and happy guests ready to enjoy the celebrations.

I love to see a couple who are clearly having the very best time, and enjoying one anothers company so much. Lucy is a ray of sunshine. She has the most amazing smile and is always laughing, in turn making Gareth laugh. their portraits are just filled with so much happiness it makes me smile every time I look at them.

It was my first time at The Beeches in Brislington and I loved this intimate typically British hotel. With mosaic floors, bay windows and high ceilings it has the feel of a quaint seaside hotel, even though it is really close to the centre of Bristol. Lovely simple gardens are great for group pictures, with lots of space for guests to relax and enjoy their drinks outside.

Thank you for all the fun and laughter Mr and Mrs Thomas. I hope your honeymoon in the States has been just awesome!

Here are some images of the newlyweds Big Day on 9th April 2016 at The Beeches Hotel, Brislington. Their full gallery will be online soon. Please do like our facebook page 

Venue – The Beeches

Bridesmaids Dresses – Coast

Flowers – Mother of The Groom

Photographer – Interlace Photography

Makeup – Louise Drew Makeup Artist

Are you looking for a wedding photographer at The Beeches? Get in touch to see more of our images from this lovely venue.

Jacky and Chris- Wedding Photography at Bishops Palace, Wells

Jacky and Chris – Wedding Photography at Wells Town Hall and Bishops Palace, Wells

The lovely Jacky and Chris chose some gorgeous seetings for their wedding celebrations. It’s always a pleasure to photograph The Bishops Palace in Wells. This was my third wedding there and it never fails to impress. They don’t take many wedding bookings throughout the year as it is still the Bishop’s home, and the grounds and building are generally open to the public. So it always feels really exclusive and is beautiful no matter what the weather.

I arrived with Chris and his groomsmen at the Town Hall and captured images of guests taking their seats and the boys attaching buttonholes before Jacky arrived in a stunning chauffered car. After the ceremony the Bride and Groom went for a short drive around Wells as guests headed towards the Palace. I did a hop skip and a jump across the Cathedral Green to Vicars Close where Jacky and Chris had seen some images I had captured previously and we used the lovely cobbles and terraced houses as a lovely backdrop. Always a challange to get pictures on Vicars Close. Although it’s closed to traffic it’s still a residential street and there are often the odd car parked here and there and lots of tourists interested in looking at the beautiful historic buildings. Luckily as soon as everyone spotted the bride and groom they scooted to one side and we captured a few ’empty street’ pictures.

Once we were back at the Palace, we captured the tradtional group portraits and some couple portraiture using the spectacular Cathedral and the various water features dotted throughout the grounds. A fantastic meal was followed by speeches and coffee in the long gallery while listening to pianist Steve Christie as staff got ready for the evening. The new Mr and Mrs kicked off their evening celebrations with a first dance before their guests took to the dancefloor.

Here are some images of the newlyweds Big Day on 19th March 2016 at Wells Town Hall and Bishops Palace, Wells.  Please do like our facebook page 

Dress – Robyn by Ronald Joyce

Venue – Bishops Palace, Wells

Bridesmaids Dresses – Monica by Ebony Rose

Flowers –Wedding Fairies

Photographer – Interlace Photography

Mens suits – The Original Mobile Menswear

Makeup – Jordan Smith

Are you looking for a wedding photographer at Bishops Palace Wells? Get in touch to see more of our images from this lovely venue.