Hertfordshire & Buckinghamshire wedding | Rebecca & Aaron | The Pinkie Promise

It was one of those rare hot Great British Summer days when Rebecca and Aaron married at Kings Langley Methodist Church and, surrounded by their friends and family, promised to love each other for all eternity.

The wedding celebration was continued at The Bull Hotel at Gerrard’s Cross. Rebecca is the most pink-loving person I have ever met, and it was obvious that the wedding theme was pink.

I love wedding speeches, they are always so informative and you find out more than you expected… and this wedding was no exception, but when Aaron made his speech and his voice broke with the outpouring of his deepest love, and his and Rebecca’s dedication to each other and their commitment to building their lives together…!  When all the guests whispered ‘Aaahs..’, my eyes filled with tears so that I could hardly see through the camera viewfinder, and each and every cell of my body prayed for their happiness ever-after, because they are meant for each other! And instantly you know that it is the most romantic thing in the world – to show your love and commitment in front of the most important people in your life! It illustrates the true meaning of a wedding!

Even the table decorations celebrated their life together and their commitment for the years to come - instead of table numbers, each table had a themed collage of happy moments together, a collage of romantic love as they navigated their life together.

Thank you for allowing me to document your first day as husband and wife. It was an honour and I look forward to what the future has for you both. Much love and best wishes for your happy-ever-after...

Many thanks to the amazing team who made this wedding come to life... 

The true value of wedding photography...

--> As an established photographer making the decision to concentrate on Wedding Photography full time is a brave move, opening oneself up to the minefield of the wedding business.  There are hundreds of established wedding photographers all vying for the attention of the happy bride and groom who’ve seen the perfect wedding photographs in glossy magazines and highlighted in top portrait photographers portfolios…  

But what is real?  According to stats given by Which Magazine 2011, the average wedding cost is around £20,000, so unsurprisingly the happy couple are constantly trying to make savings where-ever possible.  

The bride imagines those dreamy, stylish images of her perfect day, taken by a confident and professional photographer and as a confident and professional photographer I can deliver this dream.  However, it comes at a price, the price of my hourly fee for all of the additional work undertaken after the 5 to 9-hour wedding shoot. 

Photography falls under the “service” category, and yes you may get digital files, prints or an album at the end of the process, but it’s still a service.  The outlay for a wedding photographer, on average between £2,000 and £4,000, may seem a bit hard to swallow, but it still amazes me when clients balk at that expense and yet barley flinch when a venue charges more than double that price.  Why does the venue seem so much better value?  Is it because it’s more tangible? You can see the building, touch the walls and feel the luxurious parquet flooring underfoot…  Why does my photography service and expertise seem less value?

Just to run through some costs that not every bride and groom appreciates, to explain what you get when you hire my services as a wedding photographer:  

My photography experience, education and training.

My professional standard equipment costs; camera, lighting, editing software, printer etc.

My professional insurance and other business costs.

The average 5-hour wedding takes 20 hours to edit.

The average 9-hour wedding takes 35 hours to edit.

To produce a wedding album takes a further 5 to 20 hours.

Not to mention venue visits and first edit show cases.

So to be honest I think to have lifetime keep sakes from the happiest and most important day of your life, the £2k - £4k price tag is more than worth it… The wedding dress you only wear once, the wedding venue you only use once, the flowers you use only once, the pictures are there to remind you for a lifetime. Would you want someone untrained to capture your day with a camera from Argos, even if your favourite Uncle says he can.....! What do you think?