I knew the first time that I met Tom and Ellen that I wanted to be their wedding photographer. They were fun, relaxed and loved the documentary style wedding photography that is my ‘signature’; Ellen hails from ‘Oz’, so with friends and family making the extended journey for their wedding it was important to them that they were able to make the most of the time with them and enjoy their day to the full; and for the photography to echo the fun vibe that was to epitomise their wedding.
Their wedding, on a very cold day in early April was one of vintage glamour; morning suits for the ‘boys’, a stunning ‘couture’ thirties style gown for Ellen, surrounded by a beautifully stylish group of family and friends, and I loved the ‘tip to toe’ individuality of it all; from Ellen in her striking shoes to a guest in a scarlet (yes, scarlet!) bowler hat, this was one stylish wedding.
With a ceremony at Our Lady and the English Martyrs Church followed by a reception at Homerton College, Tom, Ellen and the bridal party punted down the Cam as part of their day, complete with Fortnum and Mason hampers and champagne; a ‘tableau’ so English and redolent of something that the ‘bright young things’ of the early 20th century would have done on a spring afternoon; perhaps the ghosts of the likes of the legendary Cecil Beaton and Nancy Mitford hover close by…..the photographs from this part of the day are perhaps some of my favourites.
As their journey down the Cam came to a close the ‘punting party’ made a short stop at the Cambridge Doubletree, principally to thaw out from the cool of an English spring with delicious hot chocolate; other guests preferring warmth had chosen an indoor afternoon tea over the perils of punting…..
I love the way in which a bride always elicits a plethora of congratulations from even the most hardened of people, but the young admirer who approached Ellen in the hotel made for a fabulous image as Ellen and her new admirer introduced themselves; a kiss for the bride was however too much for the shy young man…………a great moment before pressing on to Homerton College where the celebrations continued into the early hours.
The way in which Tom and Ellen planned their day was incredible, bringing people together, celebrating and acknowledging Tom’s English and Ellen’s Antipodean heritage with an eclectic mix of edible treats; kangaroo shaped biscuits and an English cheese tower replaced the traditional wedding cake, whilst the ‘who’s who’ of guests was less edible but incredibly entertaining. I was especially pleased at how they worked with me on the few stylised shots that they wanted; making the most of the college cricket eleven who attended the reception in their light blue blazers. A walk out onto the field with Ellen surrounded by the team is a great way to capture a relaxed group shot and the short cricket match was great fun. Not many brides play cricket on their wedding day.
This was one amazing wedding to kick off the spring season; with huge thanks to Tom and Ellen and all of their family and guests for an awesome day that I was privileged to be part of as their wedding photographer.
A few words from Tom and Ellen:
“Amazing!!! We have just got home from work and flicked through the images on the website. They are superb. Strangely, they have made us feel sad that the journey is over. However, on the flip side we now have an exceptionally high quality record of the best day of our lives so far. We don’t, however, look forward to the potential job of having to select the photos we may wish to include in an album. There are so many good ones to choose from!
It was an absolute pleasure having you as part of the wedding and we cannot thank you enough for all of your hard work. We shall certainly be recommending you to all of our friends!”
Are you planning a Homerton College Wedding?
If you’re planning a Homerton College wedding or OLEM Church wedding in Cambridge and like this style of relaxed wedding photography why not give me a call 0370 626 5200, drop me an email, or use the Contact Form to get in touch, I’d love to hear your wedding day.
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2 Comments
I am from Wodonga, Australia and Ellen’s old teacher, But still teaching.
Thank you for sharing your photography as I have seen a few from her Dad but your story about their wedding day and the beautiful photos were amazing.
You have captured the essence of that beautiful girl and her family.
Loux
Thank you so much for your kind words. To be chosen to work with great people on such an important day is a great privilege and it was an amazing day.
Thank you again
Kevin