Hyde End Studios – Wedding Photography, Spencers Wood, Reading, Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey | Wedding Photography Hampshire | Wedding Photography Surrey

Old Luxters Barn Wedding | Vicki and Simon

I am seriously considering adding this text to my website :) “Good weather guaranteed for your wedding if you book me!”

I’ve just been checking and it’s over two years since I had a rainy day wedding. I am pleased to say today was no exception for Vicki and Simon and it was more sunshine than showers and it really only rained when everyone was safely inside Old Luxters Barn for the wedding meal. I’ve know Simon for a while as we have worked together a few times. Simon is an ace video director and owner of Sugarsnap Video and produces some really great work.

S & V have been together a while and have three beautiful daughters who of course were very excited to be bridesmaids today. Check out the fantastic wedding stationery -

Vicki retreated to her parents house for the preparations in the morning. I love photographing this part of the day, I am of the firm belief a wedding is not just a few hours in the afternoon. The prelude to the ceremony is very important and it’s great to give the bride and groom a glimpse of each others morning. Here’s a few favourites from the getting ready part of the day.

I love this series of images :)

The wedding ceremony was at St. Mary’s Church in Wargrave. Here’s Simon and best man Andy.

Ambush :)

Old Luxters Barn near Henley on Thames is a lovely wedding reception venue, very rural and with some lovely spots for wedding photography.

As usual, we took a few minutes away from the guests for some bride and groom photography.

Simon and Vicki’s daughters. Butter wouldn’t melt eh?

…and finally some photos from the wedding reception.

Into the meal!

A detail from the errific wedding cake.

If you were at the wedding and would like to know when the complete gallery has been uploaded **CLICK HERE** and I will send you an email.

Thanks again for being so easy to work with, Simon and Vicki. Hope you enjoy Sorrento!

Tags: st. marys wargrave wedding

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Weston Manor Hotel Wedding Photography | Lucy and Kierton

Today I travelled to Weston Manor Hotel, north of Oxford for Lucy and Kierton’s wedding day. We were all dodging the raindrops, waiting for the weather to make up it’s mind. In the end, we had showers during the ceremony but I am pleased to say the rain stopped and the sun came out as the happy couple emerged. Lucy and Kierton had exclusive use of Weston Manor that day and it was a pleasure to photograph in and around the grounds. The gardens are lovely and my only regret is running out of time as the meal started :)

Lucy and Kierton are off on honeymoon at the moment but here are a few favourites from their wedding day. If you were at the wedding and would like to know when the complete gallery of images is uploaded *CLICK HERE* and I will let you know. In the meantime here are a few favourites from the day.

Weston Manor – the venue for today’s wedding.

From the preparations in the morning, here’s a couple of images that caught my eye.

I was photographing the bridesmaids from across the room and glanced down to see Lucy’s Mum revising her wedding reading.

…meanwhile in room upstairs.

The boys.

The beautiful bride.

On the way down to the marriage room

The handover :)

Some reception favourites.

Thanks for looking!

Tags: weston manor wedding

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Wasing Park Wedding Photography | Claire and Ben

Claire and Ben got married today at Wasing Park!

My unbroken run of fair weather weddings continued today. I was so happy for the bride and groom as the preceding week had seen biblical quantities of rain and wind but blue skies and white clouds were the order of the day.

Wasing Park is one of my favourite places to photograph weddings. It’s an old estate farm set quite a way off the road (you have to drive through herds of cows to get there) about half an hour outside of Reading in Berkshire. The old farm buildings have been convered and added to, resulting in a unique wedding venue spread out over a few acres of beautiful countryside.

Claire and Ben were set up for a relaxed wedding day which was great fun to photograph. The complete gallery will be uploaded next week so if you were at the wedding and would like to be notified **CLICK HERE** and I will send you an email.

In the meantime, here are just a few favourites from the day.

Ben and his dad arrive at Wasing Park.

Sparkly wedding shoes.

Claire and the girls in the morning.

Claire and Ben before the wedding ceremony. One nice thing about Wasing Park park as a wedding photographer is the ability to photograph both the bride and groom getting ready – it’s nice that they can see a little bit of each others pre-wedding preparations.

Ben and the boys. Don’t ask what’s going on here.

Claire sees Ben for the first time. It’s a privilege as a wedding photographer to be around at times like this.

Sarah the bridesmaid watches her friend tie the knot.

One proud father of the groom.

The very new Mr. and Mrs.

One of my favourite bride and groom photographs from the day.

Some favourite photographs from the wedding reception in and around the Garden Room at Wasing Park.

The magnificent Castle Barn.

And now, without further ado – the Thake/Jones P H O T O B O O T H . . . .!

That’s all! Thanks for looking!

Tags: wasing park weddings

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Pennyhill Park Wedding Photography | Lauren and Dean

Pennyhill Park Hotel is a favourite wedding location, I’ve been working there for about ten years now and have had the pleasure of photographing many weddings, receptions and other events in the hotel and grounds. Today I was there for Lauren and Dean’s wedding celebrations. It was a fabulous day, I am pleased to say the weather was great – it rained in the evening and all the next day but it was blue skies and white clouds all afternoon. The day started for me at Coworth Park, a beautiful new hotel in nearby Ascot run by the Dorchester Group. Lauren and the girls were getting ready there before heading over to Pennyhill Park for the wedding. A great afternoon was had by all. Lauren and Dean were fun to work with and I am really pleased with the images. I’ll be posting a complete gallery soon. If you were at the wedding and would like to know when that is **CLICK HERE** and I will email you so you can see all the photographs.

Without further ado, some photographs that caught my eye.

Some images from the wedding preparation at Coworth Park starting off with the beautiful dress.

Pennyhill Park Hotel in Bagshot. One of my favourite locations for photographing weddings.

Dean the groom gets ready.

As a surprise for the guests, Lauren and Dean had hired a ‘singing waiters’ act – these guys masquerade as waiting staff before bursting into song. They were excellent and well worth checking out.

The first dance.

‘Damage’ an R’nB band who had chart success in the nineties were the entertainment for the evening and a great job they did as well.

The Lay-deez :)

The band get the dance floor filled.

I’m jealous as Dean and Lauren are off to Barbados for their honeymoon :) See you when you get back and thanks again.

Tags: coworth park wedding preparations

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Warwickshire Wedding Photography | Harriet and Charlie

It was a beautiful morning this morning as I headed off to deepest Gloucestershire for Harriet and Charlies wedding. Harriet was a bridesmaid last year at Sarah and Darren’s Trunkwell House wedding and Sarah was returning the favour today (and doing a sterling job with the makeup as well). I started the day photographing the preparations – the bride and her friends were holed up in a farmhouse not far from Long Compton, the small village that was the home of Charlie’s family and the location for the ceremony and celebrations.

I really enjoyed today – it was nice to see some faces from a previous wedding and everyone was in great spirits. The wedding reception was in a marquee and the couple had hired a great jazz band which added to the party atmosphere. As always it’s a pleasure to post a few images that caught my eye and I’ll be posting the complete gallery when the brand new Mr. and Mrs. get back from the west coast of the U.S.A.

If you were at the wedding I’d be happy to email you when the complete gallery has been uploaded. **CLICK HERE** and I’ll drop you a line.

A couple of favourites from the bridal preparations.

The boys arriving at the church

Charlie the groom. And some pretty cool perspective on the yew tree bushes if I say so myself.

The ladies!

I love this shot of the grooms parents welcoming the guests.

And here’s the beautiful bride.

A little bout of pre-ceremony nerves…but it was all OK in the end :)

I love the light in this image and the ‘framing’ provided by Harriet’s father and the girls.

The ceremony over and it’s down the aisle.

Crisis averted by the vigilant (and speedy) best man, Ed!

A favourite bride and groom image from the afternoon. I love the detailing in this photograph.

Not sure why I like this image but not sure I need a reason.

In a way, this kind of sums up the afternoon for me :)

I always enjoy photographing the receiving line at weddings.

I hope the honeymoon is fabulous fun – thanks again Charlie and Harriet.

1 comment

Tiffany - October 7, 2011 - 5:27 pm

Fantastic photographs – I felt like I was there. So *that’s* what you get up to at weekends! x

Silchester House Wedding Photography | Marty and Geoff

Geoff and Marty tied the knot today in the relaxed surroundings of Silchester House, one of my favourite wedding venues. Marty and Geoff were great to work with – I am really lucky, I seem to get all the nice brides and grooms :) The changeable weather had us all a bit concerned in the morning but I am pleased to say the breeze blew all the clouds away and the afternoon was great. It was lovely to see Marty’s 101 year old dad there at the wedding to give her away and all the family and friends there to wish them well.

Here are a few favourite wedding photographs from the day. The complete gallery gets posted as soon as Marty and Geoff get back from honeymoon. If you were at the wedding and would like to see the pictures **CLICK HERE** and I will drop you a line.

Geoff outside Silchester House.

Marty’s dad arrives…

….and is swiftly customised to match the theme of the wedding :)

Meanwhile in a room upstairs.

Butter wouldn’t melt eh? Marty’s grandsons spruced up for the big day.

A couple of favourite pre-ceremony favourites.

I love the difference between the hands :)

The deal is sealed.

We took a walk around the lovely grounds of Silchester House for a few photographs of the happy couple.

Onto the evening reception…

…and the speeches.

Some reception images that caught my eye.

Have a fantastic time in France Marty and Geoff – drop me a line when you are back.

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Wedding Photography Competition Success

It’s many years since I entered a photography competition but one of my resolutions this year was to send some favourite wedding photographs in to contests whenever I came across them. I am pleased to say that one of photographs from Ellie and Jag’s wedding in East Sussex last year placed 15th in the ‘Movement and Motion’ category of the International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers Spring Competition.

I really liked the shot – the reception was at Ellie’s grandparents place and they had hired some fairground rides to entertain the guests during the afternoon. I processed the image differently from when it was first shot – I decided it looked a bit more dynamic with punchier colours. You can see the original on the blog post I made after Ellie and Jag’s wedding.

Not a bad start :) I will enter a few more favourites this year and see how it goes.

Tags: wedding photography competition

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