Gemma and I go way back… to last year, when I photographed her being a bridesmaid at Holly and Phil’s amazing wedding. This time, Gemma was getting married to her childhood sweetheart James, and Holly was maid of honour. Seeing as I knew what a fun group these guys were already, I had high expectations for Gemma and James’ wedding – expectations that they totally smashed.
Our day started off at the Diva Spa, where Gemma had her hair and make up done before heading back to her mum’s house to finish getting ready. Gemma’s mum had gone to so much effort to make her garden look extra beautiful in case the weather was nice, so I was really pleased to be able to get a shot of the bridesmaids in the gorgeous grounds.
Meanwhile, my second photographer Chris (of Gryphon Photography) was with the men at the farm where the reception was going to be held. They had a collection of vintage cars – including a Land Rover that I would give my camera hand to own! – that they drove to the church. Gemma wasn’t to be outdone though – she arrived in a Bentley loaned by James’ grandfather (he did have a two-door, but he simply had to upgrade to the four-door when he knew it was going to be a vital part of the wedding!).
The church was just a taster of what was to come: a beautiful, grand building festooned with flowers. In a really poignant moment, one of Gemma’s brothers walked her down the aisle, as Gemma’s father sadly passed away some years ago. He was definitely present in spirit though: Gemma had a photo of him that watched over the celebrations.
After the ceremony we headed back to James’ father’s farm, where the marquee felt as though it was literally bathed in light. All the summery touches that Gemma and James had added to the tables came into their own in the sunshine. We managed to get some more photos of the new husband and wife in the Land Rover, before heading in for a three course dinner that included a trio of desserts (for those of you who know me, this was pretty much the icing on the cake).
The day ended as it had begun: relaxed and fun! Gemma’s other brother gave the ‘father of the bride’ speech, and later in the evening we set up a crazybooth outside with some of the couple’s excellent props. And unusually for me, we even took some photos in a cornfield with permission! Instead of walking across a random field, this particularly cornfield belonged to James’ dad. For me, knowing that the setting is connected to the family makes the photos even more special.
Well, I’ve probably written enough – I’ll let the photos do the rest of the talking! Congratulations Gemma and James, and as always thanks so much for having me along.
Lots more after the jump…
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