The second you get engaged, it suddenly feels like the entire world has an opinion on your wedding. Family members get involved, TikTok starts showing you things you apparently now “need”, Pinterest convinces you everyone else is living inside a bridal magazine, and before long, you’re three hours deep into comparing napkin colours, wondering how your life ended up here.

There’s a very specific moment that happens during wedding planning. Someone checks the weather forecast.

If you’re getting married at Bourton Hall and looking for Bourton Hall wedding photography that feels natural and relaxed, you’ve probably already noticed it’s not your typical venue. Everything about it feels a bit more considered. The layout, the space, the way it all opens up. It’s got that big, clean, modern feel to it, but without losing the atmosphere you actually want on a wedding day. It’s not stuffy, it’s not overcomplicated, it just works.

If you’re getting married at Ansty Hall, you’ve probably already had that moment where you thought, “yeah… this just feels right.”

Ceremony’s done, everyone’s in a good mood, drinks are flowing… and then someone pulls out a list. Not just a list either… a list. Names, combinations, people you haven’t seen in years, “just one more with…”… and before you know it, 40 minutes has disappeared and you’ve barely had a second to actually enjoy the fact you’ve just got married.

I’ve been to more weddings than I can count at this point, and you start to notice a bit of a pattern. There are things that happen at almost every single one… not because couples love them, but because they feel like they’re part of the deal. And look, if you do love them, crack on. It’s your day. No judgment here. But if you’re on the fence about any of this, consider this your permission slip to quietly stick a few of these in the bin by breaking wedding traditions.

Feels like one of those weeks where you blink and suddenly it’s Easter, so here is my quick Easter Check-In. I don’t know about you, but this time of year always seems to creep up out of nowhere, one minute it’s freezing and you’re questioning all your life choices, and the next everyone’s talking about chocolate and long weekends like we’ve not just come out of winter.

I see it all the time. You get engaged, you start planning, you’ve got about twelve tabs open, and suddenly you’re comparing photographers like you’re buying something off Amazon. They all look pretty similar at first glance, nice photos, similar sounding packages, wildly different prices, and before long you’re thinking, “do we really need to spend that much?”

Most people think they’re booking a Wedding Photographer, someone to take photos of their special day. Nice and simple. Turn up, take a few pictures, go home. That’s the expectation anyway... The reality is very different.

With Mother’s Day this weekend, it got me thinking about something I see at almost every wedding I photograph. Weddings are full of big moments. The confetti, the speeches, the dance floor when everyone’s had a few drinks and suddenly thinks they’re starring in their own music video. But if you watch closely, there’s another version of the wedding day happening at the same time. A quieter one. The version your mum's eyes experience.

Let’s have an honest chat about unplugged ceremonies, because right now what most couples are actually having isn’t fully unplugged at all. It’s more of a “we mentioned it briefly but people did what they wanted anyway” situation. And that’s where the chaos creeps in, and half measures ruin ceremony photos.

A week or so ago, I put a post up on social media. I asked my followers and people on my personal Facebook to ask me anything. It was a bold move, and because I like to live dangerously, and honestly, I think I'm a gluten for punishment, I also gave everyone the option to make it anonymous too.

Every family has one. You know the one. The relative who turns up to weddings with a camera bag the size of hand luggage, a couple of impressive looking lenses, and the quiet confidence of someone who “used to do a bit of photography back in the day”.

now absolutely nothing about hair. If you asked me the difference between a blow dry, a bun, or whatever’s trending this week, I’d be guessing at best. So rest assured, the hairspray is firmly in the hands of someone who actually knows what they’re doing. That person is Faye from Faye Elizabeth Hair.

After photographing weddings for years, you start to notice patterns. Not just in how days run, but in who makes them easier, calmer, and actually enjoyable to be part of.

Planning a wedding has a funny way of creeping up on you. You start with excitement, ideas, big smiles and a vague sense that you’ve got time. Then one day you’re deep into planning and suddenly everything has a price attached to it. Some expected. Some… not so much.

A couple of years ago, I tried something a little different. Instead of doing things the usual way, I opened the door to skill swaps. Photography in exchange for a service or product that another business offered. No awkward haggling, no favours owed, just two business owners backing each other.

Grateful, knackered, inspired, and ready for what’s next. As the year winds down and my inbox finally quietens a bit, it feels like the perfect time to stop, breathe, and look back by reflecting on 2025, which has just flown past.

Why your aisle moment deserves a real connection, not a screen grab. Picture this. You take that first step down the aisle. Your heart’s thumping. Your partner’s trying not to ugly cry. It’s the moment you’ve waited for. You want to remember exactly how they looked right then. The nerves. The smile. The love. The everything.

I’ve got no idea who first decided that shouting “cheese” was the magic trick for a good photo, but they owe all of us an apology. The second someone says it, everyone tenses up. Shoulders rise. Eyes go wide. Smiles freeze into that weird, slightly panicked grin you used to do in primary school photos. And honestly, nothing kills a real moment faster than that.