I hadn’t worked there before so I left home early which allowed me to get there in plenty of time to have a good look around the hotel, meet George – the best wedding co-ordinator I’ve ever met – and have a coffee before I met the bride in her suite.
It was a lovely dry, sunny day but was seriously cold and very windy which was a shame as it meant we didn’t venture outside for many photographs. Still, it didn’t matter because after the ceremony I took the bride and groom for a wander around the beautiful hotel for photographs.

Emma looked absolutely stunning in her bridal gown which suited her perfectly and her gorgeous sparkly Christian Louboutin shoes. Emma was accompanied by two adult bridesmaids who wore gorgeous long white dresses with a long black thin bow to compliment the black and white theme of the day. Emma also had two little flowergirls who both loooked beautiful. The bouquets of pink calla lillies with sparkly crystals finished off the outifts beautifully!
Justin looked handsome in his black three piece suit and very shiny shoes. Justin had two best men who did a great job with their speech and also by his son Louis, who looked like a mini James Bond in his suit. We had to get a shot of the boys with Justin’s Aston Martin!

During the wedding breakfast the guests were entertained by the very clever magician Spencer Wood who had everyone asking “how did he do that?”! Very clever stuff and I’m sure guests are probably still scratching their heads now wondering how he did the bottle and clock tricks?!

The day was a very personal and initimate affair and couldn’t have been more perfect!

So, in my other life as a wedding photographer I take wedding photographs! As part of the wedding photography experience I also shoot pre-wedding photographs of the couple getting married…which can also be called an ‘engagement shoot/portrait’. This gives us all an opportunity to work together before the wedding day which I find helps the bride and groom to relax during the wedding photographs on the day. The PWS  can take place locally or at the venue where the couple have chosen to get married.

Emma and Gordon are getting married in just a few weeks time at Chilston Park Hotel so we did the PWS on (a very cold) Sunday in and around North Greenwich. We were going to go to Greenwich Park however Emma was a bit worried about her fab new shoes! Emma was a natural in the front of the camera and both of them needed very little direction…looking forward to the wedding!

In case your wondering…Level 11 is the name of my wedding photography business and website.

On Friday 31st July I assisted and second shot for friend and collegue Mark Hughes at MHP Studios, Caterham, www.mhpstudios.co.uk

The beautiful wedding of Susie and Matt which took place at the stunning Langshot Manor hotel in Horley, Surrey.
It was a lovely, warm, sunny day so all the wedding guests mingled and chatted on the terrace before they took their seats for the ceremony.
Susie wasfasionably late keeping a very nervous Matt waiting for her. He needn’t of worried as she arrived on her father’s arm just 15 minutes late and the huge smile on Matt’s face made the wait worthwhile.

Susie looked stunning in a Maggie Sottero gown which suited her perfectly. Her sparkly ballgown shoes and single orchid in her hair topped of her outfit beautifully, simple and classy!
Susie was accompanied by three adult bridesmaids who each wore the same dresses but in complimentary summer colours of pink, pale yellow and pale green which were also the chosen colours of the brides bouquet. There were also four flowergirls who all looked gorgeous in simple white dresses and their fairy wands! The flowergirls were chasing fairies around the grounds at Langshot Manor and to their surprise they each found their own fairy……hidden by the bride herself.

The ceremony was very personal and emotional with a lovely reading by chief bridesmaid, the bride’s sister called ‘On Your wedding Day’….a personal favourite of mine as I had it at my own wedding!
Once the ceremony was over the bride and groom led their guests out onto the terrace for more champagne and photographs before they all sat down to enjoy their wedding breakfast.

I had a great day at Susie and Matt’s wedding. I love weddings!!

Claire x

…you could win £1000 with the 2009 Kodak Wedding and Portrait awards.

You will receive a half price photographic portrait session for just £25 plus a 5×7″ photograph of your choice. 
All competition entries will be chosen by me and all entries will support PACE, a great children’s charity http://www.thepacecentre.org/
Plus you could win £1000 cash!

Portrait sessions are only available Monday – Thursday between 10am and 3pm and are avilable in the Beckenham and the local area only.
Closing date is July 31st, one session per family.

Also, I am offering the first three couples who contact me the chance to have their wedding photographed by me for half price! That’s a fantastic saving and a great opportunity to win £1000. Weddings must be within a 35 mile radius of Beckenham, all entries will be chosen by me and each entry will support PACE.

So, to enter please contact me now on 08456 435 406 or email me at info@desirephotography.co.uk

Claire x

So, back on Wednesday 8th April I had the very great priviledge and honour of photographing my best and oldest friend (of 28 years!), Sabrina’s wedding to Ryan.
I was also one of the witnesses along with being the un-official wedding co-ordinator so I wore many hats that day…although not literally I might add – it would of messed up the hair!!
I find that it’s always a bit daunting photographing the wedding of a friend, I find it adds more pressure plus although I always enjoy photographing weddings of friends, as I do any other wedding, I never really get to relax as a ‘normal’ guest as I am always in ‘work mode’ but I’m pleased to say that I honestly enjoyed the whole day from getting our make up done in the morning until Nicky & I waved off the bride and groom in Sabrina’s dad’s topless mini – which was so funny considering how tall Ryan is and also the amount of alcohol that was consumed by them!! It really was a brilliant day and I wouldn’t ‘not’ have done it even if they had asked someone else to do the job which I knew they wouldn’t have done as Sabrina and I had made a pact when we were at school that I would photograph her wedding.

The wedding was small and intimate which was great as it allowed everyone to talk and mix throughout the day until it was time to go home.
The wedding breakfast took place in a lovely pub in Godstone called The Bell which has an ideal room perfect for such occasions. Sabrina and I spent the whole evening the night before the wedding arranging and decorating the wedding breakfast room and table which I’m very pleased to say looked fantastic.

Sabrina looked gorgeous in a cream tea length vintage style dress which suited her petite figure perfectly. She wore a matching fascinator in her hair and had a wrist corsage instead of the traditional bridal bouquet. Ryan looked handsome in a brand new suit accompanied by his Arsenal cufflinks and co-ordinating red tie.
After the beautiful ceremony which took place at Leatherhead Registry Office – one of the best in Surrey – we headed outside into the sunshine (and wind) for some photographs before heading to the pub for some Mojitos and the sumptious wedding meal…we had enough to last us 2 days!

A few weeks later Sabrina and Ryan held a wedding reception for their family and friends which is where they finished the traditions and cut their wedding cake followed by their first dance.

Here are just a ‘few’ of my favourite photographs from their wedding day….

…apologies for the large gaps – not sure what’s going on here!

The beautiful wedding dress....

Beautiful bride...

Groom and best man…

Bride arrives in her dad’s infamous mini…

Bride and me...courtesy of bride's father

Exchanging rings...

The kissing seat...

aaahhh...

Wedding rings...

Fruity mojitos...

Yummy chocolate cake...

Smoochy first dance...

Congratulations guys, it was an honour for Nicky & I to share your day with you…xxox

Claire x

So, in order to celebrate the launch of Desire Photography I am offering the chance for one lucky couple to have their wedding photographed by me for half price!

If you or anyone you know is getting married after June 2009 you, or they, will have the chance to win an 8 hour photographic coverage by me plus all photographic files.
All photographs will be provided on a  high resolution DVD for you to choose from.

After the wedding you will also have the option to purchase a beautiful custom made album which will be exclusively designed by me plus your family and friends will also have the option to purchase their favourite photographs from your own personal online gallery…which is provided absolutely free.

For a chance to win this exclusive offer please email me at info@desirephotography.co.uk with your name, wedding date, wedding venue along with your contact details.

If you or anyone you know is getting married….what are you waiting for ENTER NOW for a chance to win!!!

Good luck and thank you for taking time to look around my website.

Claire x
www.desirephotography.co.uk