Here we are – January is here and it’s that time again to look back at the past year of weddings!! I love love love doing end of year reviews. It’s so good (especially now in the darkness of winter) looking back at the last 12 months and so many happy faces and weddings!! Going back through each wedding leaves me with a big grin on my face and reminds me of so many awesome days I had the privilege of capturing (and some balmy summer sun which I miss a lot right now!!)

2019 was another cracking year in so many ways! I got engaged myself in August in Ibiza and Jonny MP Photography turned eight years old in September. I can’t believe it’s almost a whole decade since I shot my first wedding! Planning a wedding now is fantastic, and quite an experience ‘being on the other side!’ and it has helped to reconnect me to the wonderful (and busy!) world of wedding planning that my couples embark on.

It’s hard to pick out every special moment of 2019 – there were so many! I do remember well when James surprised Abbie with a  puppy during their wedding in July (an amazing surprise!) which was brilliant and Mackenzie and Cameron’s wedding ceremony at St James Palace was an incredible setting. Bex and Charlie had their wedding on the hottest day of the year in July and then we had a mini tornado in the middle of evening portraits, followed by an epic rainbow, which was crazy!  Gemma and James had some lamas (hilarious!), Steve and Charlotte had one the best Dad reaction moments ever (see below), and going back to Kew Gardens with Natasha and Adam was pretty special!

Of course the weddings where I had to jump on plane always stand out. Travelling to Northern Ireland to shoot fellow wedding photographer Emma Kenny’s wedding (amazing in every way!), heading to the west coast of Scotland with Nikki and Graeme (so much fun!) and France in September with Charli and Dec (far too much gin consumed!!). Within England I went far east to Norfolk with Hannah and Nick, far west with Jim and Brooke in Devon and shot at some stunning venues not been at before – Oxleaze Barn, North Cadbury Court, Borough Market, Preston Court, Shustoke Barn and Duncton Mill!

Last year I finally started to articulate what I aim to do as a wedding photographer. I’ve always been drawn most of all to the real emotion of weddings. Not just the obvious happy tears, but also the buzz and excitement- the boundless joy, smiles and laughter. The sheer energy of a wedding day is what I’ve always loved. Behind this is ultimately that a wedding day is about meaning, and with it feelings. So I coined the notion of ‘heart on sleeve wedding photography’ and I really feel it sums everything up what I do very aptly. Heart on sleeve people are all about feelings – we’re sensitive souls (who really do wear our hearts on our sleeve!). That sums me up perfectly!

Overall I must say a big thank you above all else to all my 2019 couples. You’re all amazing and I’m so so grateful I got to shoot your day! It was an absolute honour for me to document such a momentous moment in your lives!

Away from shooting weddings DEVELOP (which I launched two years ago) has gone from strength to strength and this is a big focus for me in the year ahead. I am really enjoying sharing what I’ve learnt and helping photographers reach their business goals!

In terms of the year ahead – I think 2020 is going to be another big one. I have 32 couples booked in and I can’t wait for their weddings and to capture more memories, and more heart on sleeve photography.

I hope you enjoy this look back at 2019. If you know anyone looking for a wedding photographer then do pass on my details. Referrals are, of course, massively appreciated!

 

 

At the end of August I travelled to Somerset to one of England’s finest venues North Cadbury Court. Ella and David are both from the UK, but now reside in New York, so they planned everything from across the pond, and what a fabulous job they did! Their North Cadbury Court wedding was absolutely brilliant and a wonderful day. It was one of those weddings that absolutely flew by as there was so much happening from start to finish!

Ella and David are a very popular couple with some amazing family and friends. They both oozed warmth, energy and sophistication. Their day had all the beautiful details and all the fun – the perfect combination!

North Cadbury Court is a brilliant place for a wedding for a multiple of reasons. One of the big plus points is that you can have a church wedding on site. There are not many wedding venue where you can do that. This makes the day far more relaxed as there is no need for people to move around on the day. On top of that North Cadbury Court can host a multitude of guests to stay so it really is a weekend wedding venue that you can make your home. It has stunning grounds and a really quintessential English feel!

There were lots of brilliant moments I could mention but one of my favourites was one all of the wedding party broke out into song as a surprise for Ella. It was just an amazing atmosphere and so many happy emotions. The look on Ella’s face was priceless!

I got to work with some awesome fellow suppliers at this North Cadbury Court wedding – namely Storybox Films on the film front, amazing dress by Karen Willis Holmes, and Fleur Provocateur on flowers.

I hope you enjoy these North Cadbury Court wedding photos and do get in touch if you’re looking for a photographer for your wedding!

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I love going abroad for weddings – everything has that edge. It’s exciting to go to the new surroundings, see new places and experience a different vibe to the UK. Charli and Dec’s destination wedding in France was absolutely brilliant and one I will always remember fondly! Held at Chateau De Falloux – about an hour north of Nantes, it was a so much fun and such a happy occasion!

I have known Charli and Dec for several years – having done five of their friends weddings! So it was an especially awesome wedding for me knowing a good number of the guests. It really was like shooting amongst friends!

The whole day was at Chateau De Falloux which has been lovingly restored in recent years. It’s a magnificent chateau and provided a stunning backdrop for Charli and Dec’s day. The outdoor ceremony area, under the trees, was just amazing. Total destination wedding goals!

The party was insane and everyone had a great time! Let’s just say half of the party photos weren’t appropriate to post …!

If you’re getting married abroad do get in touch!

Shustoke Barn has always been a venue I’ve wanted to shoot at and so when Hannah got in touch last year asking me to shoot their Shustoke Barn wedding I was over moon they booked me! Their day did not disappoint one bit – the journey to the Midlands was 100% worth it!

Part of the well respected Cripps Group, Shustoke Barn, near Birmingham, is a venue bursting with character and class. I can see why it’s so popular and why Hannah and Joel fell in love with it.

There was so much to adore about this wedding. Hannah and Joel really had thought through all the details so so well. Everything looked so good – especially the incredible semi-naked cake (that’s the technical term apparently!) and all signage was spot on.

Hannah and her girls got ready at the famous Belfry Hotel, not too far from Shustoke. The ceremony was conducted at St Peter’s Church in Little Aston and then everyone headed to Shustoke for the reception and party!

Hannah and Joel were a dream to work and I’m so glad I got to be their photographer. Such an awesome couple!

I will let the photos do the talking. I hope you love their Shustoke Barn wedding as much as I did!

Thanks again to Hannah and Joel for having me along. It was an absolute pleasure!

If you’re looking for a photographer for your wedding do get in touch here!

I love July so much – it’s absolutely one of my favourite months of the year and so I’m super excited to share with you one from the July this year at Oxleaze Barn in the Cotswolds. This was one of those weddings where you come away and realise you’ve just documented two very special people and their amazing Oxleaze Barn wedding was so much fun. Charlotte and Patrick are just two super, genuine, lovely humans whose love shines bright and made for an unforgettable day. I loved being part of it and didn’t want to go home!

I had known their Oxleaze Barn wedding was going to be off the charts as I have known Charlotte for a few years but I think their day surpassed my expectations – it really was ‘next level’! It had everything and it was one of my most memorable weddings of the summer season for sure. I was made to feel so welcome by all their super lovely family and friends!

Oxleaze Barn made for a superb venue. If you want a quintessential Cotswolds wedding barn venue look no further! It was my first time there but hopefully not my last – I would love to return. Kath, the venue manager, was excellent and ran the day very professionally, and with a large touch of warmth. The actual barn is stunning, with lots of lovely natural light, and I really liked the compact outdoor area. I always find the more compact the wedding the better so that the atmosphere is maintained and guests don’t disperse as much.

Patrick and Charlotte are just one of those couples who are just incredibly nice people and so they are incredibly popular and much loved by a lot of people. Their wedding day totally reflected them – just one big tidal wave of enthusiasm, love and fun, mixed it with some very personal additions to the day (the speeches were so lovely and I think I even shed a tear!). It was non-stop energy and it was exactly how I know they would have dreamed of it – all their super close friends and family (who mean the world to them) all in one place, for one special special Oxleaze Barn wedding.

Following the ceremony at St Margarets Church in Hinton Waldrist, everyone headed to Oxleaze Barn, for the drinks reception, followed by a wonderful wedding breakfast catered for by Chris and his team at Native Feasts!

I’ll hand over to the photos now – sit back and enjoy this extended selection from Charlotte and Patrick’s Oxleaze Barn wedding.

A huge thanks to Charlotte and Patrick for having me! So so grateful and I wish you all the best as the might Mr and Mrs Foster!

If you’re looking for a wedding photographer for your barn wedding do get in touch here!

So excited to share a few from Saturday’s amazing day with Adele and James! A Millbridge Court wedding is always brilliant!

When I grow up I want to be as happy and smiley as Adele and James!! A dream couple, at a favourite venue of mine, with stunning details and lots of lovely guests – what more could a wedding photographer wish for?! (It didn’t rain either!) To top it all off I got to work with @thompsongranger films!

Adele and James’ wedding was full of style, joy, stunning details and super relaxed. This is the way to get married!

If you’re looking for a photographer for your Millbridge Court wedding do get in touch – I’d love to hear from you!

Venue: @millbridgecourt
Catering: @kalmkitchenltd
Flowers: @jennibloomflowers
Dress: @sarahseven
Hair and make-up: @portraitsbridal

 

I am in the thick of editing at the moment but had to share Cayla and Andrew’s Borough Market wedding from August as it was just amazing and they were such a great couple!

Cayla and Andrew come from the US, but they met in London and London therefore has a very firm place in their hearts! It was the obvious step to have their day in their favourite city and at one of their most special spots in the city – Borough Market. The hustle and bustle of the area is second to none and the buzz come Friday night is really quite something! We had the perfect end of summer weather – not too hot and some beautiful light come dusk!

Cayla got ready with her girls at another famous London landmark – the Shard. Which meant stunning views as they prepared themselves for the day ahead.

Southwark Cathedral then provided the location for the ceremony and quite a place it was. The vast space is quite a sight to behold and the ceremony was personal with Cayla and Andrew doing their own vows to each other.

They then went on to Borough Market which provided a very cool set-up, led by fantastic wedding planner Shaun. The place looked so good and the party was truly epic!!

I loved their Borough Market wedding and so I hope you enjoy these highlights I pulled together!

It’s June and wedding season is in full swing so blogging is tricky to squeeze in, but I woke up today and decided just had to make time to share Sal and Steve’s wedding last month at Duncton Mill Fishery in Sussex as it was blimmin’ awesome! I came away from their day absolutely buzzing, and truth be told, not wanting to leave as the party was flying when I left and the energy and atmosphere was incredible!

Sal and Steve’s wedding was a dream. They had a beautiful outdoor ceremony by the lake, officiated by one of their best friends Ed, which made it warm, personal and down-to-earth. Everything was perfect! And then they moved across the lake for their reception in a wonderful tipi set-up and the rest of the day was just so much fun. Sal and Steve didn’t stop smiling all day and their enthusiasm filtered through to everyone. There was so much going on, which made it a super fun wedding to shoot and be a part of. The speeches were brilliant and as you’ll see below, produced some great moments. The dancefloor epic and just non-stop! So so good!!

There’s so much to love about Sal and Steve’s wedding (those bridesmaids dresses!) so I’m really excited to share their Duncton Mill wedding today! I absolutely love shooting relaxed, fun, high energy weddings – it absolutely suits my style and approach. A big thanks again for Sal and Steve for having me along – it was an absolute blast!

I absolutely loved Charlotte and Steve’s Granary Estates wedding last September! I remember coming away absolutely buzzing – having had such a great day, with such a brilliant group of people!

Charlotte and Steve chose the fabulous Granary Estates for their wedding, which is near Newmarket. It made for a brilliant location for their day and from a shooting point of view I always really appreciate when everything is in one place as I was able to capture both Steve and Charlotte in the morning and jump between them. With the ceremony on site too it in the Flint Barn it made for a very relaxed day and everyone had a cracking time. The main barn, where they had the wedding reception, was just stunning and so well done. It was definitely a wow moment as everyone entered and saw it for the first time!

Charlotte and Steve were fantastic to work with and they really made me feel very welcome. That relationship with my couples is really important to me as it allows me to really get close and capture all the action. All their family and friends were so warm and a great laugh which makes such a difference. I really enjoyed shooting their day. Thanks Charlotte and Steve for having me along!

I will hand over to the photos now to tell the story!

 

I’m just starting to blog a few of last year’s weddings and I thought had start with the most beautiful day at Cripps Barn, which is just the most perfect wedding venue and a real favourite of mine.  This Cripps Barn wedding with Lexi and Ben was on a dream June day – blue skies, warm, but nit too hot! Lexi and Ben put on the most awesome day at Cripps Barn and one I loved every minute of it and wow Lexi just looked incredible. At times it felt like I was shooting a model – she was effortlessly stunning.

As the weather was very kind to us their Cripps Barn wedding was outside and it made for a great setting. After they shared the vows, exchanged rings and shared a kiss, it was an epic day of celebration and high spirits!

Cripps Barn is an idyllic venue in the Cotswolds – with trademarks Cotswold stone interiors and a classic English countryside feel.

The light was just brilliant come the evening and I loved being able to get out as the sun went down for some portrait magic. This is the ideal time for getting the epic photos you will want for your wall and to display with pride for years to come. I love it when my couples are up for it too as it does make for such a special time for them too to have a quick break and a bit of time just the two of you.

A big thanks for having me along Lexi and Ben. A cracking day and a real highlight of 2018. I hope you enjoy these Cripps Barn wedding photos and if you’re planning a wedding there do get in touch as I’d love to shoot there again! You can contact me here!