The bride and groom, radiating joy and love, held hands as they emerged from the church in Monks Eleigh, Suffolk, newly married. A shower of confetti was thrown in celebration and the sound of applause and cheers filled the air as family and friends surrounded them, wishing them a lifetime of happiness.
"A highlight of the last couple of years has been shooting many more small weddings. Not that I have anything against being in the midst of a hundred or more wedding guests. It’s just that smaller weddings bring different opportunities, and with them different rewards. The change of approach this requires keeps the old grey matter ticking over as well, which is a wonderful thing!
Isabelle and Tom married in St Peter’s Church, Monks Eleigh in Suffolk - not far from the historic wool town of Lavenham. Monks Eleigh is a village I’ve often driven through but never paused in, so spending a few hours here on a Saturday afternoon was wonderful. A short walk down the hill and past the village green, The Swan Inn pub was the setting for their reception.
Isabelle is a gifted creative, hand painting the covers for the order of service and table plan for the reception. The flowers were all arranged by the wedding party and Mum and Dad’s camper (fresh from a cycling holiday riding the famous cobbled bergs of Belgium), provided wedding day transport. I have a real soft spot for handmade details like these. They can serve as a means of creating images that have significance for the couples who have created them.
As a photographer, there's always a temptation to chase shots that are visually bold, captivating a wider audience (I'm looking at you Instagram), and highlight one's own skill as an image maker. Crack on if that's your thing. Each to their own and all that. For me though, half the challenge of making photos that have meaning for couples has been developing the skill of pausing, stepping back and thinking about what is significant to them, rather than satisfying my own ego. This has become the fundamental concept underpinning my work and why I feel so personally invested in each and every wedding I'm privileged to shoot. It's like the difference between buying something for the sole purpose of impressing your friends and investing in something that holds meaning and has a personal connection with you. The former may bring short-term pleasure, but the latter will bring long-term joy."
