“It was the time when they loved each other best, without hurry or excess, when both were most conscious of and grateful for their incredible victories over adversity. Life would still present them with other mortal trails, of course, but that no longer mattered: they were on the other shore. ”
― Gabriel García Márquez, Love in the Time of Cholera

As we get closer to Christmas, the reality of the weekend’s announcement from Boris Johnson hangs over the country. Tier 4 and the new Christmas restrictions mean disappointment for so many. Faced with extra worries and the reality of not seeing loved ones over the Christmas break, many people are understandably disheartened. This year has been SO tough – on so many different levels, for so many different people, in so many different ways.

I wanted to share with you some happy moments I have been lucky enough to be a part of over the last few months. The wake of the Coronavirus pandemic has brought so much sadness, loss and struggle, that I think it’s important to share those lovely little glimmers of hope that happen in the midst of it all.

So below I’ve showcased a few Covid wedding moments that I’ve photographed since August. I’ve made sure to include love, laughter and enjoyment – in spite of everything going on. But also photos that show how COVID has affected these events. The masks especially, I think, are going to be an incredibly iconic part of 2020 and the sacrifices and changes we’ve had to make to our day to day lives. So I think it’s important that they are included in imagery, but in a way that shows that it doesn’t detract from the day or the couple’s love. Have a look through and I’d love to know what you think!

A Sunny, Wintry Woodland Adventure Session in Hexham

I’m going to start off with what will be my last wedding of 2020. It was the lovely intimate ceremony of Hazel & Joe just two days ago. They got married at Hexham House in Northumberland on a brisk sunny afternoon. Their ceremony was within the lovely hall at Hexham House, and then we wandered through the nearby Hexham Park, getting some lovely portraits of the newlyweds. A short drive over to Dukeshouse Woods was next on the cards, and we were blessed with some gorgeous sunlight whilst we adventured through the woods to a place they’d scoped out earlier in the week. Such a lovely day, and the perfect way to end the year.

A Bride, a Groom, Two Witnesses and a Little Dog

Next up has to be the gorgeous intimate four-person wedding of Debora & Damiano. It was proof that you really don’t need much to get married, just a couple and two witnesses. It was such a pleasure to be a part of. They were married at Reading Registry Office; It was a lovely, intimate and emotional ceremony. The newly married couple then popped home and grabbed their gorgeous dog and we went for a walk in a nearby park for some photographs. Such a lovely couple, clearly very much in love, and so happy to get married. Here’s a few images from their wedding day.

A Simple Pagan Ceremony by Loch Venachar

Scotland is one of my favourite places on earth. The scenery is stunning, and the people are brilliant. I had the pleasure of journeying up to Loch Venachar for Dave & Jenni’s Lochside Pagan Wedding Ceremony earlier this month. It had rained for hours before their ceremony, but the weather cleared just in time. To top it off, the mountainside in the background was illuminated with snow for the perfect backdrop for their wedding photographs.

A Sangeet Celebration at Home with Close Family & Friends

The lovely Amrisha & Karan scaled down their 300 person wedding to just 30, and held their week of celebrations at family’s houses rather than venues. They had done an incredible job of decorating each of these spaces, and each new place brought a new style and flavour to their celebrations. I had the pleasure of photographing their Sangeet and am working on some incredible wedding films for them, from all three rituals that I was a part of.

A Small Ceremony in the Lake District

Greg & Katherine’s wedding was a lovely intimate affair at Askham Hall. Like many others, they had planned for a larger wedding, but were just pleased to be able to go ahead with the 15 they were allowed. They were surrounded by gorgeous Autumnal Colours and made the most of the stunning Lake District surroundings. This venue is beautiful and in such a picturesque setting. Such a lovely couple and I am excited to be working on a video for them too!

A Family Affair at Holdsworth House in Halifax

Holdsworth House is a venue very local to me, and I was so pleased to be able to photograph another wedding there. Jenny was an lovely and glamorous bride who married her fiancé Karl, surrounded by loved ones. We made the most of the nooks and crannies of this lovely building, and I was so happy to get to photograph their cheeky little dog Bear too. This wedding is proof that a bit of rain and a pandemic doesn’t have to stop you having a lovely day and some lovely photographs.

Border Collies and a Cosy little Venue

Stella and Russ had a bright, blue skied wedding with their closest family and friends and two border collies. It’s so nice that I’ve had dogs at so many weddings this year! Their venue is a lovely 17th Century building called The Black Horse in a lovely village called Clifton. I had a great time with this family and loved photographing for them.

My First Wedding Out of Lockdown

So after being under National Lockdown from March, we finally were able to attend weddings again in August. I was so happy to be back at Beeston Manor and photographing a wedding. It was surreal and incredible! There was also a lot of new rules that myself, the couple and the venue were all trying to respect. The venue did such an good job of making the guests feel safe, but also able to enjoy their day. One wonderful thing that came out of the restrictions was that the couple did their first dance outside under the gorgeous sunset. What a day!

A Quick Ceremony then Whisked off Home

James & Chelsey have, like so many others, had so many plans changed by the pandemic. But when the second lockdown date was announced, and their date again risked not happening, they chose to bring it forward and get married two days later. Now, rather topically, I unfortunately couldn’t attend as I tested positive for coronavirus just a couple of days previous. I sent a wonderful associate of mine, Chris Morse, down to photograph their nuptials for me, and edited the wonderful images that he captured. A lovely day for a lovely couple!