The Bride Diaries. Millie's Found Their Photographer

Within a few weeks of booking our venue we also found our photographer. Winston is a big photography buff and teaches it as part of his job. He often tries to talk to me about a lens or particular camera and I have to nod along or pretend to be looking at my phone because I really have no clue about it. I mean, has he heard of Instagram filters? I joke but I know he will not appreciate it. And that I’m only half joking. Anyway, because of this, finding a photographer was a little trickier. I was more than happy on forking out for a good photographer to get pictures of our wedding day that I would be proud of. My criteria consisted of them being able to hold a camera straight and that there wouldn’t be any black and white photographs with just my shoes in colour or the ties of the best man. I wanted classic, un- gimmicky photography that I could frame for years to come. Winston on the other hand was checking their tonal balance, the correct use of lighting and not over editing. I left him to it to find someone we could afford and that he would be happy with.

 

And then I turned to my old friend Instagram. I was looking at our venue’s feed and saw an amazing photograph they had put up of a recent wedding where the guests had made a fire back at their campsite. I showed it to Winston and he was immediately impressed, apparently its quite hard to get the light right and so he was sold. I had started to lose hope of finding a photographer but Olivia Moon came to our rescue and she was excellent. Winston emailed an enquiry over and to our surprise she was very reasonably priced, which included a whole day of shooting. This was another nag of mine – that a photographer would stop shooting at 9pm. I know I will be dancing well past nine and those shapes need documenting. I also know that by that time most guests are more interested in the left-over prosecco then taking a good action shot of everyone singing Will Smith, Welcome to Miami.

 

 

Olivia is a local photographer to our venue and is really talented. I would urge you to go and look at her Instagram and if you have any kind of occasion, I can personally guarantee she will be helpful, discrete and impeccably polite. After booking her we had a little skype chat to go over what we needed and to fill her in on the planning we had done so far. We described our wedding as inspired by The Grand Budapest Hotel and she nearly fell of her sofa. On Instagram I had been perhaps a little eager at liking all of her beautiful photographs, I mean they really are all so lovely, and she had a little look at my own work. She liked me back and I did a little happy dance. It was so lovely to know that we have a similar style, interests and likes.

 

 

As part of our package we also get an engagement shoot, which I wasn’t too fussed about but now think it will be a really good way of getting to know Olivia and try to get rid of any awkwardness at having our photograph taken together. After all, the kind of photography I like is very natural and honest but if you’re not a supermodel or celebrity, having a camera in-front of you can be quite an intimidating prospect. I am also trying to train myself not to hate every photograph taken of me by another person so as to get used to feeling comfortable with my photo being taken and so I don’t get really anxious on the day. The thing is, everyone looks so lovely on their wedding day, I really haven’t seen an ugly bride and that’s down to being at your happiest. My mum once told me the best beauty secret is wearing a smile and I know no matter what happens, I will be marrying Winston and that makes me smile every time.

 

Millie