I was so excited to be asked to be Hazel and Pietro’s Gaynes Park wedding photographer. As my first wedding of 2014, on 1st February, I knew that this venue would be simply stunning during the winter months. I’ve photographed at Gaynes Park a number of times in the past, so I’m quite familiar with the layout and set up, and almost instantly began thinking up creative ways to capture the newlyweds amongst the wonderful scenery, and beneath the winter sky.
Hazel and Pietro married in The Orangey, which is a dream for any Essex wedding photographer. Bright and airy, with ample space, huge windows and plenty of natural light, it’s a pleasure to shoot in a venue such as this. The pathway to The Orangery stretches all the way from the main gates of the property. Known as the ‘Long Walk’, it was the perfect opportunity to photograph these tender moments between father and daughter as the two walked towards the wedding ceremony.
For a February, the weather was surprisingly pleasant, which allowed me to get the bride, groom and the guests out into the walled gardens for some shots amongst nature. This is one aspect of the wedding I was really looking forward to. Having been at Gaynes Park before, I knew that the gardens were vibrant and full of colour all year round, so even in the midst of winter I was able to provide Hazel and Pietro with some classic al fresco shots.
The wedding was scheduled perfectly and the end of the sit down meal coincided perfectly with the sky just beginning to darken. I took the opportunity to take Hazel and Pietro outside for some dramatic evening photography. The traditional Gather Barn created a classic, raw, down-to-earth atmosphere that really showed off the personalities of the couple. I also made use of the gardens at Gaynes Hall which include a stunning pavillion, adorned with fairylights which sparkle under the night sky. Using this illuminated pagoda as a backdrop, I caught a beautiful moment between bride and groom, stood against the almost purple-coloured sky. I was proud to learn that this photograph received a Gold Award from The Society of Wedding and Portrait Photography.
It was great to meet up with the ladies from Poppies Designer Flowers. These are seriously talented florists.
Finally a big thanks to my assistant John Erskine for all his help on the day.
Hi Iain,
Hope you are well. Last couple of weeks have flown by.
The photos are fantastic, we look forward to receiving the discs, then we have the tough decision of which ones to print.
Thanks
Hazel and Pietro
Those who read my blog will know how I ramble on to I thought how cool it would be to hear from the bride and how she felt her wedding day went. It’s interesting to know how the couple met and when they got engaged so I’ll call this the Brides Blog. Thank you to Hazel for being my first Bride on the Blog.
[separator top=”40″]
[content_boxes layout=”icon-boxed” iconcolor=”#333333″ circlecolor=”#ffffff” circlebordercolor=”#e67fb9″ backgroundcolor=”#f6f6f6″]
[content_box title=”Brides Blog” icon=”heart” image=”” link=”http://themeforest.net/user/ThemeFusion” linktarget=”” linktext=””]Hazel writes:
Pietro and I met the day before New Years Eve 2011, there was an instant spark and it was not long before we knew we wanted to be together forever. We got engaged in May 2013 and didn’t waste any time with the wedding planning.
We started looking at wedding venues around the Epping Forest area in Essex, because it would be easy for both sets of families to travel to from Kent and Hertfordshire. After a tour of Gaynes Park with the owner Guy, we thought it was perfect and booked our date there and then.
We decided on a winter wedding because we simply did not want to wait over a year until the following summer, we also thought the Mill Barn would be lovely and cosy on a cold winter’s evening with the fairy lights and some candles.
Finding a photographer was 2nd on my to do list. I looked at lots of photographers websites and was undecided, then I stumbled across a link to one of Iain’s blogs of a wedding he had previously done at Gaynes Park. As soon as I saw the amazing photos on his website, all the others I had looked at paled into insignificance. I wanted something special, and after a few e-mails with Iain, we decided to book.
I had been quite militant in my wedding planning but when the day arrived it was quite chilled out, we had a great day and everyone seemed to enjoy it. The unexpected sunshine and blue sky was a bonus.
I have to say though It was a bit like floating around in a dream, then I woke up at the end of the of the night when everyone had gone home and had to ask myself if that just happened. I couldn’t believe that it was all over.
Iain’s photo’s of our wedding are amazing, we are both so happy. We wanted some creative masterpieces to frame and hang on the wall, as well as the usual group shots and little details throughout the day and we got exactly what we wanted.
Iain texted a couple of the photo’s to us the night of the wedding itself, it was great to look at these when were finally left alone at the end of the night. The rest of the photo’s were available online a only a few days later and the files were sent to us when we arrived home from honeymoon.
Pietro hates having his photo taken, to the extent that I was a bit worried it could be a problem, but he actually said on the day that he felt totally comfortable and didn’t make a fuss once! Half the time we were not even aware our picture was being taken, and the few we did actually pose for, were well worth the results.[/content_box]
[/content_boxes]
Timelapse footage taken during the reception (just for fun):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2GKF2xiEjU
The Images:
