Recently, I had the pleasure to photograph Katy and David’s wedding.
Katy looks after our dog Gus. Well more than looks after, as he is equally loved by Katy, David and their three children as he is by my wife and me. Add to that Gus has two ready made playmates in Ralfie and Ginger we sometimes find it difficult to get him to come home in the evening.
The ceremony took place at a venue called The High Rocks, Tunbridge Wells. If vertigo is not a problem and the spirit is willing it’s a wonderful and picturesque location. But come prepared for a bit of rock climbing!
A surprisingly relaxed Katy greeted me mid-morning when I arrived to take pictures of the bridal party busily preparing themselves. None of the stresses of wedding days nerves which made my job very easy. Easy until I arrived at the venue!
I planned to take shots of the Groom and his friends during the last moments of bachelorhood, but due to a previous ceremony overrunning we were denied access to the area I had intended to photograph them. Best laid plans and all that. But you have to think quickly and react to whatever confronts you as a wedding day is not a rehearsal. You only get one chance as a photographer to get it right. So we de-camped to the bar…. well who wouldn’t. I thought informal shots would perfectly capture the warmth and friendship shared between the couple and their guests and it worked perfectly.
From the moment of Katy’s arrival in the wedding car, the day was characterised by laughter (good) and rain (not so good), but you have to work with what you have. As I know the family well this was much more than an assignment and it was difficult to remain detached and unaffected by the speeches and the emotion of the day.
It just goes to show that you can’t ever be complacent in this job, as something will always through you off guard and you need to react positively. A bit like a marriage I suppose.