8 from Charlotte & Richard, Winters Barns

I've said before, one of the most awesome things about being a wedding photographer is the variety of your "working" life. Take Winters Barns as a prime example. A place I've been many times. Yet despite this, every day I go there is a completely unique adventure into the unknown. Why? Because every day features new people. Not just the couple, but the guests too. New people to become acquainted with, to interact with. New angles to shoot, new ideas to implement. THIS is the reason it's such a cool job. Because it's so hard to ever be left bored. Because every week you are literally facing a completely new day!

Charlotte and Richard had the most gorgeous day at Winters Barns with their friends and family, a day that was made easy for me by the genuinely warm bunch that they had invited to their day! The nicer the people, the better my life is, and this day was a very very good day! 

Thank you guys, here's your 8 from.

Gav

8 from Olivia & Aengus, a Bury Court Barn wedding

Hi there! So I'm finally getting some time to catch up on a few things, like editing, admin and..... blogging weddings like this! Olivia and Aengus had a gorgeous (and somewhat rare!) day in the sun this August, and I was the chosen one, tasked with the pretty cool job of documenting all the cool parts of their day.

Looking forward to editing these and delivering them, but for now, here's a first look that I'm pretty damn proud of!

So many more to follow from a lush day at Bury Court Barn, Olivia and Aengus, this one's for you.

Gav

8 from Paris & Rick, a Houchins Wedding

Can you guess who the star of this show was?? Clue: she's doing a high kick and has more personality than you and I combined!!!

There was so much to love about this day. Where to start? Paris & Rick: basically perfect. Relaxed and just had a tonne of fun with the day. Houchins: damn, what a venue!! Awesome weather, awesome bridesmaids, awesome ushers, awesome food, awesome photos :D

Much love, Paris & Rick, here's your 8 from!!

8 from Katie & Lee, a Rochester Wedding

Is there any place that you can be more relaxed in on your wedding day than your parents (and childhood home) garden?? I don't think there is! And this day was 100% the day that suited Katie and Lee to perfection. 

A short trip to the family church for the ceremony, and some mild rally driving by Katies brother (cheers mate!), everything went off smoothly! Obviously we had a bit of the standard British weather, but that only lasted a short while (and it wouldn't be a British wedding in 2017 without some rain!).

Then back to the big marquee in the garden for a genuinely awesome party and one of, if not the best wedding band I've seen! 

Catching up after a hectic few weeks, Katie and Lee, here's your "8 from"

8 from Lucy & Richard, a Horn of Plenty Wedding

Where do a start????

Ok, so firstly - I love a road trip. And this was awesome. Why? Because while the wedding was indeed at the amazingly named Horn of Plenty in Devon (a cheeky 4.5 hour drive from Kent), the evening reception was actually in Stafford 4 days later!

So yes, it was a week long road trip, involving several motorways, 2 hotels (the Cridford Inn in Devon, beautiful: the Best Western in Walsall, not beautiful!) some rubbish weather, some beautiful weather, a creepy night time drive over Dartmoor, gin, and a mind blowing visit to Torquay, aka the English Riviera!!

Oh, and yes, there was a wedding :D

8 from Beth and Charlie, a Deal Wedding

In a year that has seen me shoot weddings in Hong Kong and Italy (twice), plus various parts of Britain from Devon to Essex, I have to say that Beth and Charlies wedding in my home town of Deal was a real treat! The chance to shoot on the seafront that I spent so much of my life (and still do) was awesome. And luckily, for once, the weather wasn't being awkward!! 

So after the ceremony at St Marys church, we honoured Charlies rowing life with a few photos at the rowing club followed by a quick trip to Kingsdown beach,

Then it was off to Reach Court for the reception, drinking and some damn fine food!

After a week or two of travels, camping and 5 weddings I finally have the chance to share their 8 from. I hope you enjoy!

8 from Arielle & Richard, Marleybrook Wedding

American girl meets English guy, they make an awesome team and a few years later you have this perfect mix that makes for an amazing day at one of the most fun places to get married in Kent: Marleybrook House.

Seriously, this was a day that a guy like me lives for - just a fun and crazy cool day in the sun, victorian fairground rides, drink, food, music, and dancing!

Above all this, what makes a wedding is the attitude you have towards the day. Arielle and Richard wanted to have fun. Fun was priority number one. Nothing else will do. And by going into the day with this attitude the day became what they wanted it to be. And by doing that it means I  can easily mix in and do my thing. 

And here is the first look 8 from!

8 from Jess & Simon, an Old Kent Barn Wedding

I really like Jess and Simon.... and Hugo! When you shoot the wedding of people that you've got to know and love being around it makes life so very very good!

Old Kent Barn was looking superb and the day was perfect for them both, and I had a great time doing my thing!

It's a crazy busy time of year but I just managed to do their awesome 8 from!

8 from Gemma & Carl, a Winters Barns Wedding

Hey Britain, fyi it's summer. Sun please! Aaah whatever, no one cares when they're having a good time at Winters Barns. And that's what Gemma & Carl most certainly did, plus we got the ceremony outdoors! Always love the atmosphere at Winters, a very relaxed place to have a wedding, one of my favourite places to shoot in Kent (you may have noticed that I've been there before a few times!)

Massive congrats to Gemma & Carl. 

Good times

8 from Katie & Dan, a Pegwell Bay Wedding

Ever since I was a kid I can remember seeing this quirky looking hotel seemingly built into the cliffs at Ramsgate. Yet many years later, and despite shooting quite a few weddings, I'd never been there. That was until a windy day in August 2017. 

Such a cool day with Katie and Dan, I loved it! So much genuine joy to be seen and a lively dancefloor at the end.

Happiness

8 from Sally & Dan, a Manton Wedding

Broccoli Bottom Wedding

This year has been pretty cool so far, with weddings in Hong Kong & Italy. Well, in your face global travels, because this weekend I finally got to shoot in Leicestershire!! Not just in Leicestershire, but at a place called Broccoli Bottom!!

Ok, so the weather sucked. Massively. But guess what? It didn't matter! Because Dan is Jesus Christ Superstar, and Sally has a Hollywood smile!! I'm not even joking. Literally the perfect smile!! 

So here's their 8 from. In your face weather!

8 from Sonal & Tom, a Bradbourne House Wedding

When you're editing a wedding, and you're smiling. Constantly. Yeah, that.

I can't say enough good things about Sonal and Toms wedding, it was basically perfect! From the minute I got there and feeling 100% welcome to the most unbelievably glorious sunset at Bradbourne House. Us photographers (I've said before) are at the mercy of 2 things on a wedding day - the people, and the weather. When the people are all having a great time and the skies are delivering, it's just the perfect combo to allow me to shoot the kind of photography that I love to deliver. 

I could of course tell you about how awesome Sonal and Tom looked, but you can see that in the photos! (sorry Sonal, you looked amazing but I have to comment on Toms hair - literally perfect!!) 

I could also tell you about Bradbourne House, which once again provided the most beautiful backdrop to a wedding. The sunset we were gifted was next level orange magnificence! I was literally like a kid in a sweet shop!! But again, hopefully the photos tell that story better.

Oh, and yes, Sonal threw her bouquet over a Ferrari. 

It was a genuine pleasure to be there, I cant say enough good things about this day! Now look at the photos please 

8 from Amy & Will, a Hayne House Wedding

Lucky ol' me got to to Hayne House again! This time to be part of Amy & Wills beer fuelled day (Shepherd Neame of course, no other refreshment will do!) 

And I loved it. The wedding that is. Not the beer.... tho I may have had one. It was hot ok! Honestly, Hayne is the perfect place for a chilled Saturday in the sun. One of my highlights was actually the unplanned moment when the speeches moved outside to finish due to a slight overrun in the schedule! But you see, it was a lovely evening, and made for a perfect moment. Personally I'd have all speeches outside on a summers evening.

Ok, I'm rambling. I loved it. Will and Amy are a beautiful thing. And here is their 8 from!

8 from Kerry & James at Hayne House

Kerry & James, married at Hayne House, a lush wedding in Kent

Massive congratulations to Kerry and James who chose June 24th 2017 as the day to get married after 9 years together at the lovely Hayne House in Kent! Surrounded by their best friends and family they had a fantastic day in spite of the weather. (us Brits know how to get on with life when the weather is against us!)

As ever I was there from around 10am to capture some of the flavour and fun of the morning,all the way through until the first dance, finishing with a few photos of Kerry dancing with her dad.

Congratulations to you both, and heres's your 8 from!

Gav 

Feel free to leave a comment for Kerry and James below!

8 from Hayley & James, a Creeksea Place Wedding

Hayley & James, a Creeksea Place Barns wedding

Saturday saw me take a drive to Southend(ish!) for the wedding of Hayley & James, which took place at Creeksea Place Barns. And from the minute I got to Hayleys parents as was instantly offered a cuppa I knew it would be a cool day. It's the little things that make us photographers happy bunnies! 

Massive congrats to you both, and here's your first "8 from..."

8 from Karen & Dan @ Marleybrook House

A Kent Wedding at Marleybrook House

I have sooooo much love for Karen and Dan's day, it really was immense! Totally relaxed, a beautiful venue (if you haven't heard of or seen Marleybrooks then where have you been???), old school fairground rides and pastries on tap in the morning. Doesn't get better than that. 

Karen got ready at the most gorgeous local barn with all of her family, and an amazing view too! I was greeted with coffee and pastries, which always makes a photographer feel happy! Even the music was on point. 

Luckily the guests were well looked after with drinks on the day, as it was a scorcher. Obviously I had to have one beer. Would've been rude not to right?

Then there was the Victorian fairground, which was ruddy awesome! Karen made me go on the big spinny one, which I thought would have me throwing up! But I was ok, and laughed my arse off!!

Oh, one final point - Karen & Dan scrubbed up ok. Genuinely lovely humans and it was a privilege to be there!

Here's 8, many more to come...

Stacey + Dean, an Italian Wedding

Villa Baroncino, Tuscany: a Destination Wedding in Italy

I happily admit that Italy is one of my favourite places. I went there in 1998, loved the place. The language, the architecture, the food, the football! It's just a beautiful place to be.

So getting the chance to finally shoot a wedding there, and return after 19 years, was a dream come true. And it didn't disappoint. I had an amazing time shooting Stacey and Deans wedding, and would do it all over again if I could! 

In the morning, a little bit of paddle boarding...

Then back to Villa Baroncino for the main event!

Bridal quite view

The view from the bridal suite at Villa Baroncino was something else, so pretty on such a beautiful day!

Laughing bride

Stacey was super relaxed ahead of the big day at Villa Baroncino

Emotional father of the bride

Martin couldn't hold the tears back when he saw Stacey. Genuine moment of love. I stood back, grabbed a shot then let them have their moment. So beautiful at Villa Baroncino. Photography by uk photographer gavinphotography

The ceremony at Villa Baroncino

So much laughter and smiles: perfect at Villa Baroncino in Italy

Amazing sky in Tuscany

The sky seemed to go on forever. I love this ceremony shot at Villa baroncino. It's one they will cherish forever

View fullsize

And then the final day of chillin. Such an awesome week!

8 from Chloe & Charlie, an Old Kent Barn Wedding

Chloe + Charlie, an Old Kent Barn wedding

Such a lush day at Old Kent Barn for Chloe & Charlie, an awesome day for them and there friends and family!

I was there from 10am to capture the girls getting ready and basically having a lot of fun! Chloe has some great friends who helped make the morning extra special. I genuinely love being involved and having fun, it helps make people relax around me, and I end up getting some pretty cool photos!

The day was perfect, they Chloe and Charlie got married outside and eveyone had a blast!!

Congratulations guys, here's a little "8 from" your day!

Gav