Louise and James' big day

My first wedding of 2010, and what a day! 

I was asked by Andrea Ellison to second shoot/assist at Louise and James' wedding at Willington Hall a week last Saturday and it was fabulous! It was my first wedding experience behind the camera and it well and truly exceeded all my expectations! 

Louise and James were just lovely. So sweet and so so in love. 

They met through work; Louise was James' replacement {or as he ever so sweetly said in his speech 'his enhancement'} and their love affair began in earnest when they declared their undying love for each other whilst walking home on a drunken night out. This declaration happened to be on one of London's many bridges, but can they remember which one?....apparently not. Due to the many alcoholic beverages consumed on that balmy evening, they have no idea upon which bridge this momentous occasion happened, so to cover all the bases they hold all london bridges with great affection! This was demonstrated in their table names. With a theme of 'places James and Louise hold dear to their hearts' including Colliers Wood {home to the bride and groom}, they threw a good few London bridges in there for good measure!

The venue was stunning, flower girl just adorable, speeches hilarious {side splitting hilarious actually}, and Louise and James are so lucky to have such beautiful family and friends to share their special day with. I really did have the BEST time at this wedding; can you tell?! 

We also really lucked out with the weather, everything really was perfect! 

Enjoy beautiful Louise and James; I know I enjoyed shooting them.

A few details of the day: 

Wedding dress: David Fielden

Bride's shoes: Faith

Bridesmaid dresses: Coast

Bridal hair: Lusso Hairdressing

Venue: Willington Hall

{P.s. Please excuse the number of images below... I got a bit carried away as I loved them all!}

I love this moment; the first time the groom sets his eyes on his beautiful bride walking down the aisle.

      

         

As a second shooter, you don't get the opportunity to take any formals, so I'm glad I managed to sneak this one of Louise and her parents. {I also love the one above, taken whilst Andrea was taking a group shot.}

So there you have it...a selection of my favourite images of Mr and Mrs Greenrod's magical wedding day... I hope you like them.

Louise & James' big day - {sneak peek}

I am still in the process of editing Louise and James' images from their beautiful wedding last weekend at Willington Hall, but I thought I would share one of my favourites featuring the gorgeous little flower girl and her little friends.

This was my first wedding assisting the lovely Andrea Ellison, and I had such an amazing day.

More images to come soon...watch this space!

Happy Birthday Mum

21 again....{I think that has been the 30 something time that has been uttered, but that can be our secret!}

Thanks for being you, the best mum EVER! So supportive, caring and loving. I hope you have a fantastic day celebrating.

Lots of love, me x

Bucket List

{Warning - long post!}

A couple of weeks ago I was giving my computer's hard drive a much needed spring clean; I try to do this once a year as the poor little lamb groans every time I turn it on due to the sheer volume of utter nonsense stored on it. The thing is, on the hoarding front I take after my dad and his dad, oh and my other granddad on my mum's side so really being a hoarder was my destiny; it's in my genes. I have even adopted the true hoarder's vocabulary of 'you'll never know when I'll need it' or 'just in case'!

Anyway, I digress...during my somewhat overzealous {for me} spring clean, I found the makings of my very own bucket list. Inspired by the film and other blogs, I decided to create my own bucket list of 100 things I want to achieve with my life before it's too late! I started this list months ago it would seem and have finally finished it. I have kept the initial list and added to it, so in fact I now only have 95 things to complete! It involves a lot of travel, photography, dreams, hopes and aspirations and a lot more in-between both in the long and short term, including rather superficial and superfluous items of a shopping nature and weight loss pre-wedding!. Many of the list items are probably unobtainable in my lifetime, but most of them I hope I will be able to accomplish.

As I manage to tick the items off my list, I will blog an image or two...let the blogging commence!

1. Pursue my passion and become a 'professional' wedding and portrait photographer
2. Meet my photography idol -  Jasmine Star
3. Book Jasmine Star for an 'Anytime' session
4. Purchase a Kelly Moore bag
5. Get married to my one true love
6. Visit Las Vegas and put it all on black
7. Assist at my first wedding and get some good shots!
8. Shoot a wedding as the 'main' photographer
9. Buy a doggie; a really cute fluffy one at that!
10. Run the London Marathon
11. Design my own photography bag and get them on the shelves {this may be shooting for the stars but hey ho!}
12. Create a website that epitomises me and my style
13. Become an Auntie - hint hint!!
14. Create a range of wedding invitations / birthday cards
15. Make my garden look pretty enough for summer BBQs
16. See the Northern Lights
17. Go diving with whale sharks
18. Raise a gorgeous, healthy family with Mr Oakes
19. Create some amazing albums of our travelling photos
20. Visit New Zealand again...the most stunning country in the world!
21. Learn how to master back button AF!
22. Learn how to master stunning sun flares
23. Walk along the Great Wall of China
24. Swim with Mantas in the Maldives
25. Bungee jump
26. Be someone's mentor
27. Visit all seven wonders of the world
28. Write a book!
29. Watch the Palio in Sienna
30. Run with the bulls...or at least watch from the sidelines
31. Set foot on each of the seven continents  
32. Go heli skiing
33. Stay on Necker Island with my fabulous family 
34. Volunteer more
35. Go diving at the Cod Hole in the GBR
36. Attend the Olympics
37. Travel the world  
38. Do a skydive
39. Travel back to Japan and visit my old haunts
40. Get together with my school friends more often
41. Bury a time capsule
42. Shake it at Rio Carnival
43. Visit Ireland
44. Visit Northern Scotland  
45. Become as good as Marco at post processing!  
46. Visit the gorillas in Rwanda
47. Travel back to India to see Tigers in the wild and eat the best food on the planet
48. Visit Western Australia
49. Run the New York Marathon  
50. Document my life in photographs
51. Buy a holiday home somewhere hot
52. Gain true recognition for my work
53. Go cage diving
54. Have more than 100 fans on facebook
55. Have more than 500 fans on facebook
56. Have more than 1000 fans on facebook!
57. Exhibit at a wedding fayre
58. Stay at The Ice Hotel
59. Play a round at Augusta
60. Get my golf handicap down out of the early 20's
61. Overcome my fear of velvet
62. Lose half a stone before my wedding!
63. Learn how to play the piano
64. Visit LA
65. Be in the audience of a TV show, preferably Jeremy Kyle for its comedy value!
66. Buy the 50mm 1.2, and not feel guilty for doing so 
67. Be more positive
68. Go on a first aid course 
69. Catch the sun setting over Uluru
70. Learn how to ride a horse
71. Take Andy on his first visit to Blackpool
72. Look into my family tree
73. Visit Russia, the birthplace of my great-grandmother
74. Drive topless (car not me) down Route 66
75. Fly in a fighter jet
76. Shoot 10 weddings
77. Shoot 25 weddings
78. Shoot 50 weddings
79. Shoot 100 weddings
80. Drive the garden route in South Africa
81. Go wing walking
82. Become a wine buff
83. Actually learn the rules of Rugby/Cricket/Snooker (well, maybe not snooker)- maybe it will make it more enjoyable to watch
84. Shoot my first portrait session
85. Shoot my first 'bump' session
86. Shoot my first baby session
87. Have a body like Jennifer Aniston
88. Ski in the Rockies
89. Buy a bolthole in Courcheval
90. Go on a cookery course
91. Become a member of SWPP
92. Climb Mount Kilimanjaro
93. Explore the galapagos islands
94. See polar bears in the wild
95. Win the lottery
96. Visit the North Pole
97. Stay in an over-water bungalow somewhere exotic
98. Spend as much time as possible with my family and friends
99. Learn my times tables!
100. Live a long, healthy, happy life, full of love and laughter.