We were delighted this month to hear that Sophie & Ryan’s Wedding from the Reid Rooms made it to a ‘Real Wedding’ story in An Essex Wedding Magazine.
Sophie & Ryan got married earlier this year and although it was a pretty wet day, we did manage to get outside for some of the photo’s and we’re so pleased we did as they were such a lovely couple!
Anyway, incase you haven’t got a copy of the magazine, here’s the feature! We love it!
We were looking forward to Alison & Leah’s wedding, not only because they were a lovely couple, but also because we had met them on a couple of occasions including a few months back at their close friends Karen & Chris’s wedding, and knew they would be good fun on the day!
The weather was threatening but in true eXpression style (or luck!) the day stayed dry for the happy couple! I’ve collated a few of our favourite shots from the day of Leah and his best man and a great rings shot, the confetti shot and a beautiful black and white at the church entrance, and a few romantic shots under the willow tree at Cannonsbrook golf course.
Congratulations to Alison & Leah for a brilliant and very welcoming day! You guys were great and we wish you every happiness in your new married life! xx
Nicole & David chose one of our favourite venues and the perfect backdrop for their Wedding Photography!
The happy couple booked us for the whole day and were so excited to be able to have the outdoor ceremony at Parklands, they had planned! I spent the morning with Nicole & the girls on the third floor, while Mark met with David and the guys getting ready and outside the front for a few photographs before the ceremony!
The weather was absolutely perfect for the wedding and from our perspective for their wedding photography! Not too bright, but nice and warm = happy photographers and couples and the perfect recipe for some gorgeous photos! We took hundreds of gorgous pictures on the day, but below are a few of our favourites, which reflect Nicole and David’s love and happiness together on their big day!
Quote from the day: When Nicole mentioned David’s flower wasn’t quite burgundy, and was more of a pink, he quickly replied ‘It’s not pink, it’s bespoke…!’ Fantastic! 
A really happy and lovely couple – thanks again to everyone for making us feel very welcome and to Lauren and the Parklands team for all their help! xx
Parklands is always a fantastic venue to shoot at, and Lesley and Shane’s big day was a gorgeously sunny day with an outdoor ceremony, which is exactly what the couple were praying for!
Lesley was getting ready on the third floor with her 2 bridesmaids, whilst Shane and his groomsmen welcomed their guests to the wedding. I stayed with the girls and covered the fun and excitement of the morning, while Mark took the guys around the Parklands grounds and took some great pictures. 2 of my favourites from the morning are of Shane and his best man in the Parklands doorway and a happy looking Lesley by an open window, using the wonderful natural light flooding in. I could have chosen many perfect backdrops for these two pictures as the outdoor ceremonies are always fantastic for photos, but I like this one of Lesley and her Dad walking down the aisle with the bright blue skies behind; a perfect setting!
I also really like this natural one of the happy couple holding hands with Parklands lake behind them and a feature shot against the red wall. There were many fantastic shots taken during the speeches, both of tears and laughter, and a romantic first dance to follow.
Thanks again to Lesley, Shane and their large Irish family for making us feel very welcome! We wish you all the very best! xx
Jo & Richard chose the beautiful Manor of Groves for their July Wedding and reception, and in contrast to the last time we were there (with snow up to our ankles!) the day was the hottest of the year!
We arrived to a very cool and calm Jo, getting ready in the bridal suit with her 2 bridesmaids and the 2 mums! I stayed with Jo, whilst Mark went to find a slightly more nervous Richard in the bar (of course!) and we each took photographs of the two of them before the ceremony! We find it’s a great time in the morning to take some really lovely natural shots and one of my favourites of Jo is a calm moment applying her lippy just before we went down to the ceremony, and a nice one of Richard looking out of the window and towards the outdoor ceremony.
The couple got married outside in the beautiful sunshine and I love the very romantic pictures from the back. From the other direction Mark was able to capture the bright blue skies and the look on both the couples and guests faces as the couple exchanged their vows! Another great reason for having 2 photographers!
After the ceremony, the couple had their reception drinks outside and we took a few very relaxed pictures in and around the grounds of the Manor of Groves. Below are a few favourites, including this funny one of Jo revealing her Tottenham Hotspurs blue garter, which caused much hilarity, especially to the contrasting supporters!
We stayed on to cover the speeches, which were both emotional and hilarious at the same time! A truly fantastic day with a really happy and friendly couple – we wish them both every happiness in their marriage and future together.
Sisters Denise & Sue couldn’t think of a better to way to celebrate their marriages than to have a double Wedding at the Oldest Church in Europe (Greenstead in Ongar) followed by a fantastic reception at the beautiful Parklands, Quendon Park!
The day was full on from start to finish, with 2 bride and grooms, 2 best men, 7 bridesmaids, 1 flower girl, 3 paige boys and an usher!
We met with the two brides-to-be at Sue & Malcom’s beautiful farm house where both the girls and guys were getting ready! The boys had been banished to one of the outer buildings, which meant that Mark could spend time photographing them whilst I stayed inside with the girls! It was a challenging morning for me, running between the two girls getting dressed and 2 sets of portraits, but thanks to our planning meeting in advance, we had allocated plenty of time and took some lovely shots!
The church was beautiful but also tiny inside, so the couples decided on a smaller amount of guests to the day with a large evening guest list. After an intimate ceremony, the couples exited the church to a beautiful sunny afternoon and Mark and I took a couple each for the confetti, whilst they were standing together to share the moment! I think Mark and I got covered in as much confetti as they did, and we got some great natural shots!
A big surprise for the kids was the arrival of a huge stretch limousine, to which we heard shreaks of excitement!! The limo transported the bridal party(s) to Parklands, Quendon Park and Mark took this fun one inside of the kids. I also really like this close in one of the two couples looking upwards to Mark taking the full group shot from the Parklands upstairs window and the shot of the two couples walking together towards the back of the house!
Mark usually handles the couple shots, whilst I focus on the reportage, but on this occasion we split up again and I photographed Sue & Malcolm in a variety of places around the gardens, whilst mark took Denise & Rob. This wedding really did demand two photographers and I really enjoyed the opportunity to take Sue & Malcolm’s wedding photographs. We both shot in a variety of places and I’m pleased to say, our different styles are evident, giving the couples different shots from each other, which we felt was really important!
We then stayed on to cover the speeches and the first dances. Both the couples were really nervous about being the centre of attention on the dancefloor, so we kept our distance and took some lovely natural and romantic shots using the ambient light from the disco and the smoke from the smoke machine. We took a fair few shots, but these are some of my favourites from this part of the day, including a lovely one of the four of them at the end of their dances.
The day was fun, full on and probably one of our favourites this year! The proofing took us a couple of days and another couple to go through the proofing areas for each couple, but during the whole process I found myself smiling and laughing as I remembered back through the day! Two really great couples and a beautiful venue – what a fantastic day!!
The 1st week of July we had 4 weddings in one week, and all of them were at Parklands! Kate & Lyndon’s Wedding really sticks in my mind because of the world cup match semi-final at the same time, but this didn’t stop Kate & Lyndon and their guests from having a fantastic day!
Kate & Lyndon chose to have both their ceremony & reception at Parklands so whilst I stayed upstairs with Kate, Mark spent the morning taking pictures of the guys. After a very warm civil ceremony we let Kate & Lyndon relax for a while before taking them around the mansion house for some wedding photographs. We tried out some new locations, including photographs in the pretty courtyard at the back of Parklands, which really worked and made for a very romantic setting!
We then walked down towards the cottage where the light was soft and pretty, where I took this lovely walking shot of the couple from behind – very romantic and it shows off Kate’s dress and hair beautifully!
Mark then stayed on to cover their speeches, first dance and celebrations to end another perfect day! Thank you to the couple for making us feel so welcome and to the Parklands team who looked after us on this scorching hot day!!
Aimee & Stuart chose Parklands, Quendon Park as the setting for their mid week Wedding!
The wedding was blessed with sunshine and Amy & Stuart chose to get married outside under Parklands pergola, which made for some fantastic wedding photography shots! Of course, I also took advantage of Parkland’s beautiful interior as well as a few shots around the grounds for this happy couple!
The walking shot below really shows off the happy expressions on people’s faces as well as the colour co-ordination of the suits, dresses and flowers! It’s a great shot and one I’m sure will make their album!
Alexandra & James picked a beautiful day in June for their Wedding at St Mary’s Church in Cheshunt followed by their wedding reception at Fanhams Hall.
The sun was shining as we arrived at Alexandra’s Dad’s house to start the day with some bridal prep shots. Alex and her two bridesmaids were busy getting their hair and make-up done, whilst her poor Dad was delivering flowers to the venue! We took some lovely natural photographs of the girls getting ready and then headed off to the Church in Cheshunt where we were greeted by a rather nervous James at the pub!
The church was lovely and one of my favourite shots is from the back where I took this beautiful picture of the two exchanging their vows! I also love the confetti shot afterwards, which captures the natural happiness of the day!
Following the ceremony, we headed off to Fanhams Hall in Ware for their Wedding reception, where after a bit of relaxing and mingling with their guests we took the happily married couple for a walk around the grounds and some photographs of them both!
Some of my favourites are below. I caught this one of Alex as she was watching the guys having some pictures done, I love the middle one of Alex by the Chinese house, and the last of them both in the evening as the sun was setting – very romantic!
We had a lovely day with both the couple and their lovely family! We wish them all well and congratulations again to Alex and James! x
Karen & Christopher had a beautiful May day for their butterfly themed Wedding!
We met with Chris and the boys at the pub adjacent to the Church, where the guys were relaxing with a beer or two before the ceremony and to welcome their guests for the big day! We took lots of reportage shots around the pub and a few at the church before the guys headed inside and we waited for Karen’s arrival!
Karen, her Dad and bridesmaids pulled up in style in vintage cars and following a lovely ceremony, Mark conveniently stole Karen & Christopher for a few minutes for photographs at the back of the church, whilst Karen’s Dad and I arranged a formation of guests for their surprise butterfly release! The couple were surprised and delighted at the gift from their family, although as the old saying goes – “never work with kids and animals….” as the butterflies didn’t want to play ball! We caught a few in action though and one stayed around and was happy enough on Karen’s bouquet for us to take a few quick shots and throw the confetti, before it flew away!
We then headed back to the Churchgate hotel in Old Harlow for their reception drinks and a few more photos before welcoming the happy couple into the banquetting Hall for their wedding breakfast!
A really lovely couple, so obviously in love! Congrats to them both and we wish them every happiness!