I’ve been booked for and am getting hugely excited about two international weddings in France this summer.
Yesterday, I joined one of those couples, Deborah & James, at their most excellent family home for their pre-wedding meeting, to talk through their day plans & to loosen them up in front of my camera before their Chateau wedding on Sunday.
They are getting married at the fantastic Chateau des Condé an hours drive South of Paris.
We decided to pre-wed on the day of their low-key UK wedding ceremony near Lincoln, for immediate family and elderly guests who can’t make the French leg.
As well as shoot a few pre-wed portraits I thought I’d shoot a few of their preps and down-tempo ceremony.
There were loads of fun touches going on. When I arrived Debs was making bouquets with flowers from the garden.
She’s got a special dress for the France part, but decided to wear her mum’s 70’s wedding dress for the UK ceremony!
She had a pair of potential red shoes out as an option too.
My kinda bride.
Here’s Deborah, getting herself made up
And with her sister deciding on which bridesmaids dress.
In her mothers veil too.
It was like playing dressing up in there. They had loads of fun.
Spitting image of a certain Catherine Zeta Jones much?!
I love the dress. It’s amazing how styles change eh?
At the little church ceremony.
With James, where they met outside the church
The vicar was funny. He said no pictures AT ALL during the ceremony, but set up a few staged shots after.
I understand & respect the sacrament of the ceremony, and to be honest, you can’t actually tell!
The kiss!
And back down the isle.
Awww. They rule.
Processed to give that slightly faded 70s vibe.
Debs homemade bouquet!
Then we went back to the house for a wee tea party, with Pimm’s & tasty nibbles.
We talked through their plans and as they’d lived their for some time, some fun ways for Clare & I to pass the day in Paris the day after their wedding.
I took Debs & James for a quick shoot round the house.
They were great together. Sometimes it only takes a few frames to realise this couple aren’t gonna be hard. They laughed and played while I snapped.
I’ve not explored Lincolnshire much before, but there’s lots of this and lots of flat.
When we pulled into their house I noticed this soon to be harvested cornfield over the road…
“I’ve always wanted to photograph a wedding couple in a cornfield” I thought.
Happy days.
All the better with a bit of 50mm f1.6 blurry action.
I like this one of James too
And this little details of their threads.
It was awesome to hook up & hang with the family for a few hours in advance of the fun & fireworks of France.
I can’t wait.