Our family business was started by Keith and Debbie (our Mum and Dad) back in 1988! When Jamie and I left school and went on to study degrees, we just sort of fell into photography naturally even though it wasn’t really the plan. We had been part of the business all our lives and it just felt right. We also have a sister Charlotte Elizabeth who is a hair and make up artist so weddings are in the blood!

Wedding and commercial are so different. On a wedding day, you have to work so quickly, being ready at any moment to capture anything and everything that might happen. Generally commercial jobs involve more planning and more time can be allowed to capture each element. Wedding photography is so different to most other types of photography as crowd management is a big aspect! The time restraints can also be very stressful as there is a lot to fit in a relatively short time period.

I have three bits of advice I’m afraid!

1. Timing, timing, timing…. This is the number one regret when we speak to couples after their big day. Don’t plan things one on top of the other. Everything will take longer than planned. After all, your guests will want to talk to you and things always run late so don’t rush from one thing to the other and always allow a little contingency. Don’t plan your meal right on top of the ceremony, its nice to enjoy the day and have time to speak to your guests.

2. A good hair and makeup artist. Week after week we see brides rushing to put their dresses on because hair and make up has taken longer than expected. A good hair and make up artist will allow for this and still have you ready in plenty of time.

The quality of hair and make up is also so important don’t be scared to wear a little more than usual, it’s the same as being on TV. A good make up artist will provide you with a good coverage that still looks natural. This is definitely one service worth spending more on.

3. Hire a professional. Don’t leave anything to chance. Friends and family have your best interests at heart but relying on an Uncle to photograph the event or a Sister to do your hair can often lead to disaster. If budget permits, always hire a professional, leaving friends and family to enjoy the day.

On average we provide around 800-900 images for a full day’s coverage. This is quite a high number because we provide two photographers. During the ceremony itself, we take usually around 75 images, but this depends on space and light.

The natural elements, you just can’t trust the British weather! Yet we all rely on it. It is important to choose a venue that you like inside and out and one that has enough space and photo opportunities in case of rain. We both chose Aviator for our own weddings for this very reason! Even though, luckily, we both had wonderful weather on our wedding days.

Inspiration is all around us but we keep on top of it by organising styled shoots and keeping a sharp eye on trends. We also judge at the Societies’ Photographic Convention, where we meet other photographers, which is always a great inspiration.