12 from Becca & Will, an Oak Barn Wedding

What exactly if left to say about 2020 that hasn’t been said? Not much!

So, let’s just focus on this day. For it was a superb one! Seriously, just from a personal perspective (and I imagine I speak for 99.9% of wedding photographers), how awesome it was to just be shooting a wedding! The night before was a bit weird tbh. I was excited and nervous, because there was this strange realisation that this was one of barely a handful of weddings taking place this July. And this wasn’t something I’d even considered until the night before: that these weddings are in future going to go down as something unique. Taking place during this “unprecedented” time (I’m trying to avoid the c word here!)

And so it was that Becca and Will stood firm, and this July did actually get married, in front of a select gathering of mostly family, on a very hot and quite frankly gorgeous day at the Oak Barn near Tenterden.

Such a privilege to be there, and so cool that I get to write my first 12 from in 4 months!!

Becca and Will, this 12 is for you, and roll on November for the party, I’m sure it’s gonna be epic!

12 from Levina & Elliott, a Winters Barns Wedding

Howdy folks!

So, I write this from my bunker 3 miles underground. I’ve got 600 tins of beans and Disney + so I should be ok for the next 3 to 6 months of lockdown!

But enough of that, let’s talk about a happier time, 2 weeks ago at the always gorgeous Winters Barns, when Levina and Elliott wrecklessly mingled within 2 metres of other people. Madness! A day that delivered its usual dose of British weather (a little bit of this and a little bit of that!), a pretty cool vicar, Levina, the girl of many faces (Elliott looking on loving but despairingly) and just the happiest vibe to a day I could wish for!! I’ve said it time and again, I’m all about the people, and the more fun they have the better!

And thus I deliver to you with a tinge of sadness but a bigger dollop of happiness, my last 12 from blog for a good few months!

Levina and Elliott, this 12 is for you!

Venue - Winters Barns

Videography - Truly Madly Films

Flowers - Flower Barn Sellinge

Hair - Active Hair

Dress - Amore Bride Canterbury

MUA - Emma Morphett

12 from Georgi & Mark, Cooling Castle Wedding

Good morning! Yeah, it’s 04:48 as I start typing this. No idea why I’m awake this early, I spent yesterday walking around in the London rain so I should be tired. Weird. But, I have lots on my mind atm. See, after 2 months in hibernation…. 2020 has begun! And the cogs in my brain have started turning. And yesterday it was telling me to write this lovely blog. But I was busy. So here I am, (04:52 now) on the Macbook.

Georgi. Mark. Violin.

This is what I had written in my calendar notes after our pre-wedding coffee/chat/photo sesh! Yeah, this was a first. Georgi bought her first violin that day. I was there, I have since received impressive video evidence of new found skills!

None of which relates to their day at Cooling Castle, but I thought you might like to know. Because they are lovely. And when I arrived I felt like I’d made new friends already.

Now, regarding this day at Cooling. It’s Britain. It’s day 4098 of winter, and yes, it was windy and cold. BUT…. IT DID NOT MATTER! Because I walked into a day full of fun and happiness, and that my friends, as I always say, is all that matters. Because I shoot the day. I shoot the people (not like that). And the happier the people, the better!

Enough of me, I love these guys, thank you for having me at your wedding.

Georgi and Mark, this 12 is for youuuuuu!

PS, the photo of the 2 people crying… that’s Marks fellow triplets. Mark, you’re welcome :D

12 from Natalie & Alex, a Ferry House Inn Wedding

Helllooooo 2020!! And welcome, to the wedding of Natalie and Alex, which took place at the Ferry House Inn in Kent.

A beaut, windy, family day in Sheppey! I do like this venue a lot. Any time I get to spend the day by the sea I’m happy! Did I mention the wind? Yeah, that! But it didn’t matter, they had a lovely day , many guests bringing the glorious weather with them down on their road trip from Sunderland :D

Look at those skies…. moody! Black and white heaven for a boy like me!

Nat and Alex are a genuinely lovely couple, and that my friends is all I want for my life: to spend the day shooting the wedding of lovely people enjoying their day.

Yeah, if you haven’t noticed, this day made me happy!

Natalie and Alex, this 12 is for you!

12 from Emma & Rob, a Metal Works Wedding

Emma and Rob, December 21st 2019…. LAST YEAR!!!

So, I started this blog on the ferry to Honfleur, Normandy on the 23rd. And then Christmas happened, and everything that comes with that! So here I am, January 3rd thinking back to that ruddy awesome day in London with Emma, Rob and their favourite people. It was SUCH A GREAT DAY!! I do love a London wedding, I love the slight hint of chaos as you go from a to be to c, hopping in taxis (losing your glasses in taxis), shooting around the streets. You have to be on your toes. I loves it!

As for this day, it was a **** tonne of fun, the beers flowed, the music was awesome (Truly Medly Deeply on fire as always) and I even indulged in a dance/shoot combo :D

Oh, and a doff of the cap to Comrade Rob’s speech….

Emma and Rob, you are a horribly beautiful together , this 12 is for you!!

12 from Steph & Stef, an Eltham Palace Wedding

Ciao a tutti!

I’ll get this one straight out there: In my 13 years old wedding photography, I’ve never photographed a wedding where I spend the day with 2 people who’s names are shorted to THE EXACT SAME THING! And yeah, I’m immature, and I found it amusing :D

So, Stephanie and Stefano got married don’t ya know, at the ever so incredibly awesome Eltham Palace - a venue that’s a little bit Game of Thrones, a little bit 1930’s art deco and a whole lot of cool. For starters, LOOK AT THAT CEREMONY!! So very very cool. From a photographers perspective, to shoot somewhere so different and unique really does give the creative mind a boost. Genuinely never shot anywhere so interesting! Oh, and circling the guests around the ceremony - can we have that more please?? Loved it.

What else do y’all need to know?

Singing waiters (Nessun Dorma, incredible), lots of dancing, and the threat of a horses head in the bed if the photos were no good from Stefano’s dad (I think he was joking) are highlights from the day!

Steph e Stef, questo 12 è per te!

12 from Kate & Dan, an East Quay Wedding

Kate and Dan Wedding, East Quay Wedding Venue, Whitstable, Kent. Novemeber 2019.

Howdy! How’s everyone doing? I’m writing this as a therapeutic relief from the chaos of our country. And because I REALLY like the photos!! 2019 has been another hectic, fun, crazy, creatively fulfilled year for me. I’ve been on a few trips, done plenty of street shooting and shot around 40 weddings! Going to places like New York to shoot street I’ve found to be so important to me. It reinvigorates me to shoot weddings how I love to shoot them, focussing on the people, looking for those moments of human interaction that make you smile when you’re editing them.

Which leads me to the lovely Kate and Dan. Where do I start with these two? Oh yeah, the meet up….

The best thing about my first meet up with Kate and Dan was that they were so immensely chilled about the day…. this may have had something to do with them trying to hide that they were hanging :D (Sorry but it’s too funny!). We even managed a few photos on Whitstable beach to help put their minds at ease that being photographed isn’t an horrific experience when your photographer (me) doesn’t make you do cheesy grins at the camera!

Anyway, I just wanted to say maaaaan I loved shooting this day. Seriously, I did. I’m not being fluffy, it was just such a cool, relaxed, fun day. Yes it helps that I LOVE shooting at the East Quay in Whitstable, but you still need the people to be cool, and they really were. I mingled, I shot, I drank prosecco, marvellous!

Oh, and bride/bridesmaids in leather jackets is a win, very cool. And a special mention for the DJ, Markus, who was a very likeable guy! He’s on Instagram: @dj_k_markus.

Kate, Dan, this 12 is for you.

The East Quay in Whitstable has fast become one of my favourite venues. As a guy that has lived his whole life by the sea in Deal, I find I’m just instantly in my happy place. And I think with the venue being directly by the sea it makes for a fun and relaxed atmosphere every time.

If you’re interested in having me shoot your wedding at the East Quay or any other venue, please feel free to contact me here.

12 from Kerri & Scott, a Cooling Castle Wedding

Word up ya crazy humans! Taking a short break from election talk and Friends on Netflix (ok, Friends is on in the background!) to bring you 12 from the lushy lushness of Kerri and Scotts wedding at Cooling Castle!

Kerri and Scott are bloody lovely, which really helps when I’m shooting a wedding because it means I’m spending the day getting photos for people that really deserve it. And that makes Gav happy :0)

Of all the highlights of the day, I’d say coming out of it with 2 of my favourite photos OF THE YEAR is up there (selfish I know!!). See if you can guess which ones?

Kerri, Scott, this 12 is for youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!

12 from Sophie & Harry, a Broome Park Wedding

Howdy doody! I’m back with a lovely 12 from Sophie and Harrys wedding at Broome Park!

“Hey Gav, what was so lovely about it????”

“Well I’ll tell you what was so lovely about it…. the fact that Sophie and Harry were soooo chilled and just wanted to enjoy their day, the fact that they didn’t let rubbish weather get in the way, the fact that Harry is wonderfully nuts, the fact that the best man did an amazing speech that had me genuinely laughing at how absolutely random and brutal it was, and the fact that everyone was just so very friendly and chatty. That’s what!”

Sophie, Harry, this 12 is for you!

12 from Sue & Greg, a Winters Barns wedding

I don’t like Sue and Greg. There, I said it. I don’t care if it seems controversial, because RUBBING THEIR HONEYMOON IN MY FACE and not inviting me deserves nothing less!! Look, I hear about a lot of cool honeymoons, and many make me jealous … “Oh great, you’re doing that tour of the west coast of America I’ve always wanted to do, lucky you!” but damn it Sue and Greg, you went to the Singapore grand prix. Without me. WITHOUT ME! And you sent me videos of it. I WANT TO GO SO BAD!!

Anyway, yeah, they got married, at the lush Winters Barns, bravo guys, I’m SOOOO happy for you!!!

And obviously it was a gloriously sunny day. Yeah, lush honeymoon, perfect weather, and they proper love each other too. You know, that horrible genuine happy together love!!

Sue and Greg, you owe me a coffee to make up for the pain.

These 12 are for you. Beautiful swines!!

12 from Adunni & Jamie, a Winters Barns Wedding

Happy Halloween!! (Well, it was yesterday when I started this, but then I had to go to the cinema and watch Dr Sleep, because it’s Halloween and scary movies are a necessity!! I digress….)

Adunni and Jamie got married! At Winters Barns! And it was REALLY WINDY! And I was there to take photos!! And Ads looked amazing! And Jamie…. scrubs up pretty well too to be honest!

Ok, I’ll stop that. Yes, they did indeed get married, and it was a lovely day (despite the wind, tho see the the veil photo for how awesome it made our 8 minute photo shoot!).

Special mention to the bouquet by I Do Devoted Dreams. I don’t feature the bouquet often in these blogs, but this one was particularly awesome.

Ads and J, this one’s for you!

12 from Sinead and Mike, a Seckford Hall Wedding

Guess what??? Sinead and Mike, THE Sinead and Mike, got married at Seckford Hall on what has probably turned out to be the last day of sun these British isles will see for about 5 months!! Lucky them (and boo to winter!)

This was a lush one, a day spent with lovely people, lots of smiles, and Sinead DEFINITELY didn’t drink much…. :D

The highlights for me were…. well, tbh, it was one big highlight…. the Dirty Dancing routine - quite frankly, it was awesome!!

Sinead, Mike, this rather gorgeous 12 from is for you!

12 from Laura & Justin, a Montana Wedding

With them there summer months now nothing but a distant memory, like that crush you had when you were 17 but never had the guts to do anything about it….. anyway, yeah, a distant memory, I figured I should catch up on some wedding blogs!!!

Thus, I present to thee, thine most glorious (no idea why I’m speaking olde English) wedding of Laura and Justin, a wedding that took place in Bozeman, Montana. Yeah, Montana. I know, awesome right??

Wedding highlights for me were…… tbh, riding back to Bozeman town centre in a yellow school bus (you know the one Forrest Gump rode in). Oh, and Laura and Justin are immensely cool, everyone smiled the whole day, Coors light isn’t as bad as feared and the trees, their first dance was an epic Blues Brother tribute that they smashed out of the park, the view, the everything, was just so damn beautiful!

So yeah, I loved it.

Laura & Justin, this 12 is for you x

12 from Neala & Steve, Winters Barns

Howdy, so I’ve got a few weddings to catch up with! Starting with….. drum roll….. Neala and Steve!

Married at the always glorious Winters Barns on a top notch day, and featuring some seriously cute flower girl nappy action! And Steve, also so very cute….

Neala and Steve, this 12 is for you!

12 from Stacey and Carl, a Kent Wedding

Summer holidays are over, and I’m back on the blogging trail!! Starting with the beaut little wedding of Stacey and Carl, and the coolest little 1950’s bus you ever did see! Trust me, the inner child was loving it!

Stacey and Carl, this 12’s for you :D

12 from Kirstie & Matt, a Dover Wedding

Tis a sunny morning in Deal, I have Friends on in the background (Tag is being interviewed…), and I’m writing the blog of the beaut wedding of Kirstie and Matt, which took place in St Margarets church followed by a reception at Dover Town Hall!

It was only a few weeks ago, but I feel like I’m reminiscing when I look back at the weather they had! Seriously, when did summer give up on us???

Kirstie and Matt had a lovely wedding, with their best friends and family, and it was truly a pleasure to be their to help capture it fo the day!

(PS, if you know me, you know I absolutely live for photos like the one with the flower girl abandoning the group shot :D)

12 from Jess & Byron, Northbourne Park

Some times you just have to write that a day was immense!! Such as Jess and Byrons.

See, I’m very conscious of ever sounding like I’m going through the motions. Every day is different and superb in it’s own unique way. Mainly because of the people. The people genuinely do make a wedding what it is! Now, that’s not to say I don’t appreciate a beaut location, and that was definitely the case here: Northbourne Park School, on a hot summers day, was looking stunning, and made a great setting for their day.

But yeah, the people take it to the next level. And Jess and Byron had an awesome crowd! Great friends and family. And they dragged the weather back from Dubai, which was nice of them.

A tough job getting this down to 12, but I did it (celebrating with wine!) , Jess and Byron, this one’s for you!

12 from Candice & Mike, a Hayne House Wedding

Hey hey hey, I’m back once again like the renegade master! And I’m bringing to you the gloriousness of Candice and Mike, and their day at Hayne House! Absobloodymarvellous.

Well, other than the weather, which was a bit sucky, but they didn’t care. Because they had friends, family…. and booze!

Seriously, they're gonna read this so I don’t want to go on too much and give them a big head, but I was genuinely so happy for them and the day they had. They smiled all day, had non-stop fun and were just perfect. It really does make my day when I’m hanging out with people who have their priorities right: party hard and let everything just fall into place! I loved it!

Candice and Mike, this one’s for you!!