Best of 2021 blog

Where to even begin with 2021 - WHAT A WHIRLWIND!

Its taken me a good 2 weeks to process it all and finally feel ready to dive back in to what was a crazy year of weddings. 2021 took me all across the country with weddings spanning all the way from Scotland to Cornwall. It was a year of joy, laughter and so many heartfelt hugs.

The year that threw the wedding rule book out of the window and saw outdoor ceremonies, dancefloors and meals al fresco become the new norm. The height of the micro wedding and elopements becoming more of an option than ever. I absolutely adored the creative spirit embraced by each and every couple that allowed them to get married in spite of any obstacles they faced.

Whilst I could write a whole heap about each and every wedding I will save that for the next few weeks as I showcase so many amazing weddings for now here is a small look into an incredible year.

Once again a huge thank you to each and every couple who allowed me to document their day. To every photographer I worked with and to every person who has supported me throughout the past 12 months. I am as always eternally grateful to you all.

Much love

Olivia x

Sam and Pranesh's rustic wedding at Carlton Towers

I was so excited to be back at Carlton Towers for Sam and Pranesh's wedding after visiting with them in the autumn for their pre wedding shoot. Luckily the February weather was kind to us and the rain held off! It was such a beautiful day and I am so excited to be able to share this beautiful Yorkshire wedding. 

Starting in the morning with Sam getting ready with her bridesmaids and mums while the boys prepped the downstairs there was a really buzz as all the girls had their hair and makeup done and Sam handed out gifts. With a little spare time Sam and Pranesh decided to have a 'first touch'. This was the first time I had the opportunity to photograph a first touch and I absolutely loved it! If you have the time to schedule it in to your day I highly recommend to do so it was a really lovely emotional moment and I felt incredibly lucky to be able to document it. 

Walking down the aisle to the beautiful voice of Rosanna O'Brien Sam and Pranesh's ceremony was perfect, full of little glances and smiles to one another. 

After the ceremony we headed outside for a showering of confetti as they walked down the grand steps outside the venue before taking some time to explore the grounds and get some photos as the two spend a little time together as husband and wife. 

I love taking time to photograph the little details at a wedding- after all so much time has been spent planning it out to be perfect! and Sam and Pranesh's did not disappoint. It was so lovely to see their centre pieces for each table included images from their pre wedding shoot and my favourite touch was their "You are my lobster" cake topper- as a HUGE Friends fan this was much appreciated.

Undoubtably one of my favourite parts of Sam and Pranesh's big day was the dance floor! It was INCREDIBLE! After a game of Mr and Mrs it was dancing shoes back on a go go go. With Pranesh's family coming from Mauritius I had been warned the dance floor would be busy and that was no word of a lie, it was such an amazing atmosphere and I loved getting stuck in the middle of all the action. 

Massive thanks to Emily for coming along to second shoot and capturing some of these images.

Massive thanks to all suppliers involved in making this wedding BEAUTIFUL and of course to Sam and Pranesh for allowing me to share and document their big day !

Venue: Carlton Towers

Singer: Rosanna O'brien 

Second shooter: Emily Bailey

Decorations: As you wish events

Cake: Betty's 

Charlotte and Jame's pre wedding shoot at Fountains Abbey

When Charlotte suggested meeting at Fountain's Abbey for her and Jame's pre wedding shoot ahead of their wedding at Barton Grange this summer I was over the moon, when she then asked if Millie the dog could be involved I was even more excited! After previously visiting the incredible beauty of this National Trust site years ago I was more than a little excited to return. Despite the typically British April showers we walked around the preserved site of the Abbeys ruins with dog Millie and managed to dodge all rain showers that came on the drive from Lancashire to beautiful North Yorkshire. Although after recent snow, rain, sunshine and all other elements a little bit of dry was welcome weather! 

After meeting in the cafe in the courtyard we made our way down the hill and explored the various ruins (which are the largest monastic ruins in the country) set alongside the river in Ripon and chatted all things weddings and pets! There was plenty of beautiful archways and stunning scenery for backdrops for their pre wedding photos. Here’s a little bit of what we got up to….

If you’re thinking of a pre wedding shoot its a great way to warm up in front of the camera and see how I work. Don’t worry its not hours of standing in one spot saying cheese, I want to see how you react with one another so heading to a spot you love to simply have a walk and a chat about your plans is the perfect place to start! For more information on pre wedding shoots drop me a message :)

Olivia x 

Sam and Pranesh's autumnal pre wedding shoot at Carlton Towers

Next week I will be heading back to the incredibly beautiful and grand Carlton Towers in Yorkshire to document Sam and Pranesh's big day. Back in the autumn I headed up crossing the Lancashire to Yorkshire border to meet the pair for a pre wedding shoot. We had a relaxed walk round the venue and discussed all things weddings and wedding plans. 

The building was covered in the most amazing red ivy and we had the whole place to ourselves to explore! A beautiful mix of large state rooms dressed in gold and ornate fireplaces and intimate cosy rooms perfect to snuggle on the sofa in and surrounded by 250 acres of estate parkland there was plenty to explore. 

We had such a lovely morning full of love and laughter and it made me so so excited for their big day! After a quick tour of the venue we started in the state rooms and worked our way through the house and into the gardens for some pictures.

Pre wedding shoots are not only a great opportunity to get some photos of you as a couple but they are a fab opportunity to chat all about your big day, not to mention understand a little bit about how I work and what you’ll be doing on your wedding. Aside from this I LOVE shooting couples, if you’d like some photos of you and your partner (engaged or not) pop me a message and see what I can do for you!

Fiona and Ian's intimate farm wedding in Kinross

From the moment Fiona's email detailing her wedding to Ian hit my inbox I knew it was going to be special. An intimate wedding set on their very own farm with their nearest and dearest - a grand total of 9 guests and Polly (the ring bearing sheep) Set in the incredibly beautiful Kinross in Scotland and I was looking forward to this wedding for a long time! 

After getting their hair done at the salon the girls headed back to Fiona and Ian’s farm house to bind beautiful rose and thistle buttonholes before doing makeup and getting dressed. Once dressed Fiona headed over to see her calves and other animals on the farm before… wait for it….. driving herself down the “aisle” in a tractor- Seriously one of the coolest entrances EVER! 

Following a traditional bag piper Fiona, bridesmaid and flower girls headed down the aisle for a hand fasting ceremony. It was such an honour to be part of Fiona and Ian’s intimate ceremony with what can only be described as the most phenomenal views! 

After the ceremony Fiona, Ian and I wandered around their farm taking photos of the two before heading back to the field directly behind the farmhouse where the couple had set up bride and groom hay bales as well as a hay bale pyramid for their group shot *swoon* It felt so special taking photos not only where they had been married 20 minutes prior but on their land where they both worked and lived. A brief stop in the farmhouse for some snacks and refreshments and we headed off for a mini tour of the couples favourite spots including Loch Leven (if you get a chance to visit I cannot recommend it enough) I loved being able to explore the stunning scenery and take portraits of these guys before heading to an intimate (and amazingly tasty) meal at a local restaurant before they headed off on their honeymoon. I had such a beautiful and fun day celebrating and documenting this intimate wedding.

If you’re planning a relaxed countryside wedding, or an intimate elopement get in touch ! I adore shooting this sort of beautiful wedding 

Best of 2017

2017 was such an amazing year for me. I met the most amazing couples sharing their big days documenting the tears, the laughter and the incredible parties that followed! I am so grateful to each and every couple that chose me to document their day. 

I've been lucky enough to work at some amazing new venues, tick some off my bucket list and return to some favourites from previous years. I've travelled up and down the country working with the BEST couples. I have second shot for some incredible photographers and undergone training from some of the best. 

The year kicked off at The Victoria hotel in Oldham and ended at beautiful Mitton Hall. In between I travelled to Kinross, Scotland, Swansea, Fawley Hill and Bristol and so many other incredible places.

I can't wait to see what 2018 holds, I'm nearly fully booked with just a couple of dates remaining and now taking bookings for 2019. I'll be travelling across Manchester, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cheshire, Wales and further afield. If you're still looking for your photographer drop me a message to see what I can do for you. 

Happy New Year!

Olivia 

Hayley & Daniels spring wedding at Hazlewood Castle

Hayley and Daniels wedding was like something straight out of a fairytale set in Hazlewood castle in Yorkshire, a historic beauty dating all the way back to 1086. Hayley and Daniel's wedding was bursting full of love, emotion and hand made touches that made the day so sentimental. From the moment Hayley entered the room it was clear to see the love between these two and that they were meant to be. 

The day started with an intimate ceremony within the castle shared with their closest friends and family before heading to the chapel in the grounds for a beautiful service shared with their full wedding party.

After a foggy start to the day the sun came out just in time for lots of confetti and photos in the beautiful Yorkshire grounds.

We later progressed into the Great Hall for an evening meal, speeches before a night full of dancing including an extra special dance medley between Hayley and her father- if you're wondering what makes a great dance floor, this is it!

Styled bridal shoot

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to collaborate on a beautiful styled bridal shoot in Leeds. Working alongside the wonderfully talented Emma Louise Bartlam whose make up studio is based in Leeds city centre we created 3 bridal looks. 

In true Yorkshire style the temperamental weather restricted us from having the opportunity to head outside as originally planned but that didn't stop us from being able to create some bridal portraits within the studio.

If you're looking for a makeup artist for your wedding or even just fancy a pamper I cannot recommend Emma enough so drop her a message or pop into her studio.  

Here's a little bit of what we got up to...