When Alan rang me last year and asked me to shoot his wedding at Channels Golf Club I was delighted. Not just because he and Rachel’s wedding sounded wonderful, but also because I photographed his brother Richard’s wedding a few years previously, and it was one of my most enjoyable to date.
Their chosen venue was Channels Golf Club in Essex, with the ceremony to be held in the beautifully rustic Essex Barn.
I arrived early on the day to get some shots of the bridal prep and found Rachel and the girls getting ready in the rooms at Channels Lodge, which is part of the Channels complex. Rachel and her bridesmaids looked absolutely stunning and it was really nice to see her Dad’s reaction when he entered the room.
After about an hour we got a call to say that Alan and the groomsmen had arrived and were having a drink in the bar before getting ready. I took the opportunity to walk over and grab some natural, reportage style shots whilst the boys calmed their nerves.
Rachel had sent over a box of presents for Alan, which included a small bottle of alcohol (to calm his nerves) , some socks and some rather fetching Calvin Kline briefs.
As the time of the ceremony drew near Alan was looking pretty relaxed, sharing some jokes and receiving some last minute words of advice from his brothers. However, once Rachel started walking down the aisle his eyes were filled with emotion and it was clear to see just how much the moment meant to him.
After the vows had been exchanged we all headed outside, where drinks and canapes were served and hugs and congratulations received. Family is very important to Alan and Rachel and they were keen to have some nice formal group shots mixed with something a bit more relaxed. So after the confetti, most of which Alan managed to swallow, we headed over to a shaded avenue of trees, where I knew the light would be ideal.
All was going well until Rachel decided to photobomb the shot of Alan and his friends. This was swiftly followed by the pose with Alan hoisted on to their shoulders! Of course these are the types of fun group shots I love. They really reflect Alan and Rachels’ personalities and I’m sure they’ll still raise a laugh many years from now.
The wedding breakfast followed this and in turn came the speeches. The three brothers Alan, Richard and Dave, are actually triplets, and on this occasion Rich and Dave had the honour of being Alan’s best men. It’s fair to say that they delivered one of the finest speeches I’ve ever heard, and it was the only time I’ve come close to shedding a tear. Amazing job guys!
Around 8pm the sun was beginning to set so I took Alan and Rachel out on to the golf course to get some dramatic off camera flash shots. This type of dramatic, beautiful wedding photography is a key part of my style. The sky was absolutely stunning, with the most incredible colours and perfect for this type of shot.
The rest of the night was spent drinking and dancing, and as always I stayed late to capture those moments that only occur when the drinks are flowing. Thats something I do at every wedding and I really think its worth it to get those extra shots once everybodies loosened up. Not that Alan and Rachels’ guests needed much encouragement, they were a great crowd and absolutely rocked the dance floor.
It was a pleasure and an honour to photograph my second Kingston wedding . I got to document a small, but very important part of their lives, and it showed me everything that a family wedding should be.
Thank you Alan and Rachel. You made me feel incredibly welcome and I enjoyed every moment of your day. I really hope that you have a long and beautiful life together, it’s no less than you deserve.
It was a real pleasure photographing Alan and Rachels wedding at Channels, and I’d love to shoot yours. If you are recently engaged or know someone who is, and would like further information on my packages, please give me a call on 07976 741 248 or complete my contact form here.
And if you would like to see more of my latest work, please check out my wedding blog.
