Matt Davis Photography Blog

Sparkly wedding shoes

2012-01-25T12:09:00.001Z

It's not often I start a wedding blog post with a detail shot, but Nikki's sparkly wedding shoes are the perfect bling that every girl needs on her wedding day :-)

Nikki and David got married at Kingscote Barn on a bright January day with crisp white frost blanketing the valley surrounding the barn. Or at least it was earlier in the day (and still in the shady parts), but little remained by my arrival around midday.

Hand crafted wedding details........do you see those frames.......can you tell it's chicken wire??? These frames were covered in family photos and had this great post card of two wedding rings engraved with the bride & grooms names in the center.

Ahh the wedding dress.....and the wedding dress smile. Only a bride on her wedding day knows of this special love!

Bridal preps took place inside the new accommodation at Kingscote Barn which has a beautiful light and airy feel. Perfect for us photographer too.

Mum was being discreet when it came to taking photos.

Totally love this look the bridesmaids gave David as they walked down the aisle before Nikki.

Yikes!

Ta na :-)

Mr & Mrs - Just Married

Although bright & pretty warm outside (for January) most guests enjoyed the wedding drinks reception inside at Kingscote Barn.

Sweet huh?

More bling shoes - this time not the bride or the bridesmaid either!

A few couple portraits around Kingscoet Barn as the sun was setting.

Ah ha....this is a new one for me. The wedding breakfast at Kingscote Barn was laid out as two long tables. This looked great and was a really sociable way for guests to chat to each other.

A few more wedding details around the barn.

Speeches were brief and not during the wedding breakfast, but instead prior during the drinks reception.

* Chink *

And what better way than to finish with a great dusk sky over Kingscote Barn as the guests settled down for some food.

Don't forget you can see more over on my Facebook page. Hop on over, 'like' it, get tagging your mates and share some wedding love. There are even more photos of sparkly wedding shoes too!

Winter wedding Photographer - Kingscote Barn

2012-01-19T18:54:00.001Z

It's becoming more common place nowadays for couples to have weddings in the winter months, which as a winter wedding photographer presents me with a completely diferent set of conditions. Yep, this week lots of sunshine.....compared to a typical summer wedding when we now appear to have overcast skies & rain! Good old England.

Anyhow, here's a cheeky peak at one from the weekend whilst I work on the rest for later in the week. You'll notice a theme again too - it's smiley bride syndrome. Gotta love it!

Don't foregt.....dash over and 'like' my Facebook business page, and you'll be the first to see more fantastic photos from this winter wedding at Kingscote Barn.

Better still, be the absolute first person ever to +1 me on Google (does that link work??).
Apparently it's the next big thing.....I just need to understand it now and remember to populate it too!

When did social media become so complicated......I'm fast starting to sound like my parents when they used to ask me 'how to set the video recored'.

Anyone wanna give me a SEO master class? I'll tell you what, I'll show you how to take photos in return......can't say fairer than that!

Photography Course in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

2012-01-13T19:31:00.001Z

You own a camera (it's a good one right.....a digital SLR), but for some reason the photos that come out aren't quite as good as you'd like. You hit Google and start searching for a photography evening class, but you soon realise they're not really your scene. They're full of weirdos right, people who don't actually want to take better photos, but instead are looking to meet new friends, or photograph nude models ;-) More like a social club, rather than a fast track way to teach you how to take better photos.

If that's you, then a Photography Course in Cheltenham (with the one and only Matt Davis Photography) may be just what you're looking for! :-)

If you're wondering what digital camera to buy next, which lens is right for you, or how professional photographers take such good photos (surely they have better light, prettier models, better cameras etc.) well now's the time to find out.

I'll talk you through some photography basics, and walk you though some real shooting in a one-to-one photography class. And when I say photography class, forget the days of a blackboard and you needing to keep notes, this is about spending time one-on-one (or up to a max of two participants) for an intense time, learning with an actual camera in your hand!

Last weekend I held a photography one to one session with Colin and his Father In Law. This was taken before his 'lightbulb moment'.....back in the darker days when he used to look at the back of his camera and wonder what an earth was going on?!?!

Steve had bags of creative flair, but needed a little more 'technical know how'. With a few helpful pointers and some understanding of the basic photography rules, I'm sure his sunset shots will now improve leaps and bounds.

So, you've got a dog (or any pet for that mater) and want to take better photos of them. Look no further, photography master classes by me don't just mean people portraits, sunsets & landscapes. Ohh no......welcome to the world of pets & wildlife photography (albeit my interpretation of what makes an interesting wildlife shot!)

Last but not least with any photography course, it's important to put into practice what you've been taught. So if you're looking to improve your portraits, holiday snaps, or family photos then drop me a line for more details and get booked onto my Photography Course in Cheltenham.
Places are limited to one or two participants per photography class, and can be half or full day sessions. Tuition is suitable for complete beginners to more experienced hobbyists. We all have varying degrees of ability, so tailoring the time spent with me is essential. Don't be afraid therefore to ask a little more about what you're looking to achieve and I can build a photography class around your needs (whether it's technical know how, the art of taking better photos, or post processing and making your images look wow).

Gloucestershire Wedding Photographer - Dumbleton Hall

2012-01-06T10:08:00.000Z

Adam & Julie had their Gloucestershire Wedding at Dumbleton Hall in the Christmas holiday between Santa's visit & the New Years celebrations. Speaking with the venue it's in fact a really popular week to get married as they had five consecutive weddings booked in that week!

Adam & Julie arranged their wedding with fairly short notice (by some couples standards)...although it was probably best to move quickly once Adam proposed as that part of their relationship had taken some time to get around to! The wedding day all came together really well, albeit that Julie's request for snow & sheep in the grounds of Dumbleton Hall didn't materialise :-( Still, you can't have everything, after all it was an exceptionally mild December instead........handy for photos outside right?

So, here's a few photos from the wedding day with many more on my Facebook page.

So which bouquet is biggest - the biggest one is the bride bouquet right?

Wedding necklace with real bling. Yep real diamonds, but alas not Julie's own, in fact rented for the occasion.

The much deliberate 'flower in the brides hair'. Should it even go in her hair, does it look right, how far up should it go, is that the right angle, what about the clip.....can you see the clip!? I could go on :-)

Yep the flower in your hair looks great.

All cool before the brides entrance.....

.....but a little biting of the bottom lip just to show a few nerves!

I'm not a fan of taking fake 'signing of the register' photos....preferring to shoot the real thing. It's nearly always expected though and on this occasion it does look nice.....compared to many other occasions when we're squeezed into the back room of a church, with a notice board and fire extinguisher in the background for real wow factor!

Reception drinks were held in the lobby at Dumbleton Hall.

Inside at Dumbteton Hall set for the wedding breakfast.

Wedding details with a christmas theme. Frosted baubles, candles & sparkly diamonds.

What's going on....I hear you ask? This is drinking games to play during the speeches. Select a chosen word (say Love, Today, Brides name, Grooms name, etc), write it on a post-it note and stick it to a guests forehead. Then during the speeches when that word is said you need to drink one finger - simple. Hopefully by the time it comes around to the best mans speech, guests will be properly drunk and laugh at just about anything.

Props were produce during the best mans speech.

If you're looking for a wedding photographer specialising in Winter weddings at Dumbleton Hall please drop me a line. Dumbleton Hall Wedding Photographer

Wedding Photographer Recommendation - Tuscany, Italy

2012-01-04T00:05:00.003Z

I really enjoyed the wedding of Darren & Suzi that I photographed last May in Tuscany (who wouldn't hey!). It certainly sticks with me as a memorable moment for a wedding photographer and always brings a smile to my face when one of their photos passes across my screen saver.

It was lovely therefore to get this wedding photographer recommendation from them. Not only did it remind me of their fabulous wedding in Tuscany, but Darren pretty much nailed why I like taking wedding photos. It's not 'really' about the details, the hype, the extravaganza, but the real people who make up your day. :-)

"You can only truly appreciate the value in somebody’s skill and passion in their results. For Matt this is never more true.

Suzi and I are forever grateful for how Matt has managed to capture our amazing wedding day. His energy and effort to understand the finer points of why you spend so much time in planning and coordinating a perfect day is rewarded by his results. He takes time to understand what a wedding is all about. The people."

To see the full wedding blog post take a peak here - it's a two part post with a slideshow too!

Wedding photos Tuscany Part 1

Wedding photos Tuscany Part 2

Wedding photography in Tuscany slideshow

Winter wedding at Dumbleton Hall

2012-01-02T23:33:00.000Z

Just one from my recent winter wedding at Dumbleton Hall. Not quite the chill of last years Christmas Wedding, but a great festive atmosphere.....if not missing the snow & sheep!

Come back soon for the full wedding post from Adam & Julie's wedding at Dumbleton Hall.

Wiltshire wedding photographer

2011-12-22T19:40:00.004Z

It's not often I'm out of my county, but last weekend I played a split role: starting the day as a Wiltshire wedding photographer for the church ceremony, then straight back into Gloucestershire for the wedding reception at Kingscote Barn.

Emma & Ben both have military backgrounds so it was inevitable the wedding would have a military undertone.....and for once, for the ushers wearing a think wool suit, it was a good thing.

The day started at Emma's 'beautiful' house in Kington St. Michael, with a fun bunch of girls on hand for entertainment (or bridesmaids duties as I believe it should be called). Bridal preps were a whirl wind of activity, yet amazingly calm. It was then time to move onto the Church in the local parish church.

NOTE: If you wish to see many more photos from this wedding or stay up to date with my ramblings then check me out on Facebook.

I stumbled across my favourite wedding double act this morning too....... :-)
On 'making a bride look beautiful' we have Clare Bryce aka (www.purepampering.co.uk) and on 'hair quaffing' the talented iphone snapper (and wedding hair stylist) Mr Chris Fordham (www.fhdmobile.co.uk)

A blue garter, provided by the bridesmaids as a gift to Emma.

I love this photo. The excitement of getting into a wedding dress is a big part of the wedding day for most brides.......and equally as exciting for the bridesmaids :-)

Yep, those are instruction on 'how to put on a wedding dress'. I didn't recall the part about scissors.....just make sure you cut the right bit - no one needs a wardrobe malfunction as you walk down the aisle.

The house was pretty warm with the central heating blasting out and a room full of hot bods (ohh err), so Emma's school friend took some 'time out' in the big chill. Handily the front door had a window to peak back in on the action!

I'd not seen one of this before. It's a sizing guide based on Emma's latest dress fitting. In simple terms, a bit of card with a pencil line drawn on it to show how tight to pull the string bits up. Can you tell I'm a bloke? I'm sure there is a proper term for them!? Ribbons? Laces?

Kington St. Michael church.

I was only allowed to take photos from the back in this church but it does make this shot a great moment!

I love photos that have a timeless quality about them. This could have easily been taken in 1911.......although maybe not with a digital SLR!

Great expressions on the faces of these guys forming the wedding Guard Of Honour.

...and this is the view from the other side of the Guard of Honour. I like to work fast at weddings, as moments like this are over very quickly. Seeing this shot from the couples perspective makes for a fantastic wedding photo....possibly one of my favourite from the day.

A winter wedding reception at the Kingscote Barn.

It had to be.......winter weddings pretty much always include a snowflake or christmas theme for the details. It's not many couples who have a friend knit them 40 or so 'mini stockings' though........a good will gesture which I'm sure was appreciated.......although maybe not by the time she was on the 20th one!

Warm for a December wedding? Emma was oblivious to the 5 degree temperatures!

And the funny face award goes to.... :-)

ahhhh

I like guest photos taken during the wedding reception.......I took loads on this occasion, but here are just a few.

Cutting a wedding cake with a sword isn't exactly easy :-)
If you're looking for a wedding photographer for Kingscote Barn please drop me a line. Wiltshire Wedding Photographer

The boys.......

2011-12-21T23:20:00.000Z

....were on a woodland adventure today. Barney & his buddy Alfie tackled Crickley Hill in search of Dinosaurs and the Gruffalo.

Winter wedding at Kingscote Barn

2011-12-20T20:06:00.000Z

Just one (for now) from my winter wedding at Kingscote Barn this weekend......and when I say winter that did indeed include snow, thankfully not too much though and I managed to get there and back without the need for snow chains!

The full blog post from this wedding at Kingscote Barn will be up before Christmas, so stop by and take a peak shortly.
I wish everyone a great Christmas and look forward to hearing from some new couples who get engaged over the festive period and New Year.....so if you're looking for a wedding photographer at Kingscote Barn please drop me a line. www.mattdavisphotography.net

Kingscote Barn wedding Venue

2011-11-26T21:21:00.000Z

I've been back to Kingscote Barn wedding venue for the winter wedding of Nick and Georgie last weekend. The Barn has recently been awarded The 2012 Wedding Industry Award 'Best Venue' for the South West, so congratulations to them. Hopefully many of the couples who've got married there will appreciate the work put in by the staff at Kingscote to ensure their wedding day runs smoothly.

Kingscote Barn now also have on site accommodation for the wedding, which is a real bonus for couples choosing to marry there. Having had a quick peak around whilst photographing the boys getting ready, it certainly looked a good standard.

Anyhow, onto the wedding itself.......but don't forget there are more photos over on my Facebook page so go 'like it' and take a peak.

"Now, does anyone want this last slice of quiche?" It's important to eat on your wedding day right?

Clare from Pure Pampering was on the make-up tools this weekend. (www.purepampering.co.uk)

Here we go....inside the new wedding accommodation at Kingscote Barn. Big clock huh? Only one hand too - I thought that was pretty trick.

Georgie wore her grandma's earrings on the wedding day.

Can you spot me? I don't often make it into photos, but couldn't get out the way (despite trying) as well as get the shot!

Georgie's mum spent a lot of time laughing. :-)

Love this photo. 'The wedding dress grand reveal'.

Wedding traditions - a Silver sixpence for your shoe. Beautifully sellotaped onto the underside by the bridesmaid.

Dad's first impression as he saw Georgie in her wedding dress.

Did I mention Georgie's mum laughed a lot?

Wedding lists. Georgie had A LOT of these? A quick check before the wedding ceremony!

I have no idea what was said here but love the expression. But my guess is "don't fall over, walk in one at a time (slowly) and remember to take my flowers off me when I get to the alter" (Doh...come on, which bridesmaid forgot the latter?)

Laughing AGAIN.

Quick kiss, followed by a few tears (and slightly strange faces) from the bridesmaids.

Papps.

I really like this photo. It's what I believe differentiates a professional photographer from 'a friend taking your wedding photos'. When taking my photos I don't just snap one persons expression, I look to build a photo that conveys a feeling of the day....and for me this shows how wedding days have so much going on - in just one frame.

Cheeky ;-)

Funny :-)

Yep, weddings in November certainly have a chill in the air.

Sequences can tell a great deal in photography. These three work brilliantly together.

Close up videography - could he get them both in the frame - that's the question on my lips?

Mum laughing still. This time at the groom :-)

Note the pile of 'props' on the floor from the best mans speech.

Good work Matt (the best man not me.....although I hope the wedding photos are alright hey!?). You certainly pleased all the guests at Kingscote Barn for this weekends wedding.

Family portraits in the park, Cheltenham

2011-11-24T22:58:00.000Z

I find myself taking more family portraits at this time of year once weddings quieten down a little. I'm sure we do stuff in the summer months, but never find the time to post pics then! Last week we were out in the park with my trusty 5D2 and a 50mm lens.....such a sweet combo for a few simple family portraits whilst out and about with the kids and not wanting to lug around much gear.

There is a good reason why Barney is wearing a helmet......and it's not in case he falls off this climbing/swing 'thing'!

One happy boy on his balance bike. What a great idea these are. Forget learning with stabilisers anymore, just learn to balance first, then add pedals later.

Puddles....why wouldn't you wanna jump in it?

Dark at about 4:30 - yuck. Handy for this shot though.
If you're looking for a few family portraits in Cheltenham, give me a call.

Wedding photographer recommendation - Manor House Hotel

2011-11-17T13:59:00.002Z

Most people getting married ask friends or family for a wedding photographer recommendation, but if you don't have any recommendations how do you decide? Well, for those that need just that extra nudge in choosing the right wedding photographer, here's what my clients have to say.

This package turned up on my doorstep earlier in the week and was a fantastic thank you gift from a wedding I recently photographed at Manor House Hotel, Moreton-In-Marsh.

For those keen eyed blog readers amongst you, you will have noticed this mug isn't just any old mug. It is in fact produced by Russell Paige (who's wedding it was) and engraved with the wedding date for prosperity - cool huh.
If you wish to see more of his work take a look at his website. (www.russellpaigeceramics.co.uk)

Here's a link to the blog post to the full wedding at Manor House Hotel.
You can also read more wedding testimonials on my website under the Praise menu.

Wedding at Manor House Hotel, Moreton-In-Marsh

2011-11-02T15:08:00.000Z

For my last wedding of October I was back at Manor House Hotel, Moreton-In-Marsh for the wedding of Jonny & Caroline. It was a crisp bright autumnal day, with a few leaves still on the trees and golden light....pretty much perfect weather.

On this occasion chair ties have got a whole photo to themselves.

There were several kids at the wedding, these two I believe are Jonny's sisters kids....hanging out with granddad.

Entertainment for children at weddings is always high priority on any parents packing list. ANYTHING to keep them quiet during the ceremony is a must!

Jonny: the cat that got the cream :-)

The wedding reception drinks were served inside at Manor House Hotel, but guests also had exclusive use of the hotel and with fine weather could enjoy some time outside in the sunshine too.

I guess everyone got a shot of this.

A few wedding details to give a flavour of the day.

The couple portraits in the hotel gardens had a very autumnal feel.

The Manor House Hotel at night. It's great to be around just after dusk to take advantage of this interesting light.

Jonny & his best man are VW petrol heads so speeches had a small focus around the VW magazine they were featured in. Boys will be boys!

Jonny's very pimped VW Beetle.
To see more photos from this Gloucestershire wedding at Manor House Hotel, please take a look at my FB page.

North Scotland landscape photography

2011-10-31T11:54:00.003Z

Landscape photography isn't really my bag, but after my second trip to Scotland, I'm beginning to rather like it. The Scottish highlands have become the annual trip for me and a few fellow professional photographer friends.....and this year we hit the far North.

Day one was spent in the somewhat exposed Rua Reidh Lighthouse on the west coast....with 75mph gusting winds it certainly whipped up a storm. Following a nights stay in the hostel there we then headed up to Durness (the most Northerly place on the UK mainland) for some serious costal walks including an unintentional dip in the sea by one of our fellow photographers - with camera and iphone too :-(

All up it was a great week, (with typically bad scottish weather)....but this did mean plenty of rainbows, some seriously stormy seas, moody skies and a full on test for my waterproof gear!

Rua Reidh lighthouse

Gloucestershire Wedding Photographer at Kingscote Barn

2011-10-25T13:48:00.000+01:00

A few photos form the Stuart & Jodie's Gloucestershire Wedding at Kingscote Barn. Yet again another great October wedding with fine weather more akin to summer....and certainly warmer than my recent week away in Scotland!

So why do I like this photo? Well.....sometimes you have to be there (or look very closely at the details). At this point we were admiring Jodie's calender and stopped on the page of Stuart (cross dressing).....to which Jodie added "that's my boy!" I found out later, dressing is definitely one of Stuart's fortes.

Most people use the little mirror to look into, and the big mirror to see the back of their head - ohh no, not Jodie :-)

St George's Church, Kings Stanley - but you'll probably gather that from the photo below. It has these fantastic trees, shaped like mushrooms, lining the path leading up to the church.

Jodie was played into the church by a Scottish Piper.

I've included three photos here of Gran, simply because one didn't do it justice. What a great lady, really expressive and clearly happy to see her family.

It wouldn't be a Scottish wedding without Kilts and Hip flasks.

The wedding guests left the church first on a coach so were ready and waiting as the married couple arrived at Kingscote Barn fro their wedding reception.

Red Card....and Jodie hadn't even seen Stuart's stag doo mankini at this point!

Engagement photos Cheltenham - Neil & Georgina

2011-10-10T14:22:00.000+01:00

Neil & Georgie stopped by last week for some engagement photos around Cheltenham. I'm shooting thier wedding later this year at Kingscote Barn, and with it being a November wedding I thought it best we capture a little Autumnal sunshine now...as I'm sure we'll have an altogether more wintery feel by the time their wedding day comes around.

If you're looking for a portrait photographer in Cheltenham visit my website and drop me a line. www.mattdavisphotography.net

Gloucestershire Wedding photos Manor House Hotel

2011-10-10T13:58:00.001+01:00

On the hottest weekend ever in October my Gloucestershire wedding was at Manor House Hotel, Moreton-In-Marsh. It was set to be a scorcher with temperatures of 28 degrees....and yes that is most probably warmer than any of the summer days we witnessed this year!

Russell and Grace wanted relaxed documentary wedding photos, very few groups and only a splash of the posed couple stuff. A simple brief for me as I'm more than happy shooting weddings like.....but when you see the last shot in this post, you'll appreciate why just one or two couple shots are a must have.....especially when we get fantastic autumnal light.

The random arm of Sophie Everet (make-up-lady www.sophieeverett.com) doing her thing to beautify before the ceremony. And a random fact for you: having photographed weddings professionally now for 7 years, I've not once bumped into Sophie before now. Until this weekend, last weekend and the weekend just gone. So, what I will say is....anyone looking for a great make up artist for their wedding, drop Sophie a line as she's fab to have around, does a great job and is clearly in demand!

At this point I'd like you all to note Grace's 'vintage hair band'. And by vintage I don't mean a digital photo overworked in Photoshop to create an old look.....but proper vintage wedding stuff. I'll explain more later about that and it's significance.

Proud parents. Both very lovely I may add....if not a little hot, hey dad?

Why do I like this? Well... I love picking up on the subtle details and seeing Russell's hand on Grace's wedding dress to offer a little touch of reassurance is very sweet.

Great faces by mum & dad, brilliant to see some tears from the bridesmaid - BUT HANG ON.........who's more interested in the wedding flowers? :-)

OUtside in the gardens of Manor House Hotel for the wedding drinks reception......with everyone noticeably clinging to the shade for a little bit of cool.

Great idea for a table seating plan. Simple, effective, personal and unique I like it!

Okay, so back to Grace's wedding hair band (and also her veil). Well, check out the lady on the RHS here? Gran. Now if you're like me you'd be thinking "wow.....she dresses cool for a Gran"....which is exactly what I said to her. At which point, I then found out, Grace's vintage veil and hair band were from her Gran who wore them on her wedding day. How fabulous is that?

Yep.....it was a hot day and for anyone who's done a wedding speech you'll know the experience can make you sweat a bit!

Ahhhh :-)

This is possibly one of my favourite photos from the wedding day. Why....Well, I just like the framing. Clearly speeches are going on (the best man) and you get all the context of this plus the bride, groom and a while load more.

Table seven found something funny.

Lastly a beautiful wedding portrait taken in the gardens at Manor House Hotel.

Wedding photos Birtsmorton Court Worcestershire

2011-09-28T15:40:00.000+01:00

This weeks wedding photos are from Birtsmorton Court in Worcestershire, where Duncan and Sam enjoyed a wedding day with some super sunshine and a super thunderstorm. Ohh yeah....it's Autumn!

Chris Fordham 'The Hairdresser' - making all the ladies smile......or are the chocking on hairspray? (www.fhdmobile.co.uk)

I've not seen 'bow maing' before at a wedding. Apparently you wrap it around your arm lots, nip a little bit out on either side, then tie some more ribbon around it & separate all the parts to create a beautiful bow ready for the wedding car. Every day is a school day, and from this wedding I learnt something new. More photos of the full operation over on my FB page.

Duncan bought Sam a little wedding gift to unwrap in the morning. BUT....and this was the best bit, he put it in an oversized bag and also wrapped up a few weights to put her of the scent. Genius and it worked a treat.

Birtsmorton church.

Kids and weddings. Hey, who'd have 'em? I'm thinking this little bridesmaid clearly hadn't read the rules on wedding day etiquette. Mind you neither had the other flower girl who fell into a puddle before they'd even got to the church....but that's another story! :-)

So, sometimes as a photographer you aren't allowed to take photos from the front of the church. Well.....this is the view when you aren't allowed up front - at least until the bridal party sat down - phew!

Sam's sister snag during the signing of the register - and may I add.....she was VERY good. Clearly.......the little bridesmaid even came up for a closer listen!

Despite a fantastic start to the drinks reception weather, it suddenly chucked it down with rain.....meaning guests didn't get chance to enjoy the 'White Garden' at Birtsmorton Court. Thankfully when it brightened up again later I got a few shots for prosperity!

A or B? It's sooooo hard to choose! Golden light, beautifully rim lit couple, backlit wedding veil - ahhhh....photographer heaven.

Hey up - more back lit wedding couples....this time on the dance floor though! Sam's sister sang again at this point....hence looking as if she's hanging around on the dance floor with a mic in her hand.

And what better way to round of your wedding day than some fireworks across the Moat surrounding Birtsmorton Court. The guy standing at the center of all those fireworks best be careful though!?

Wedding Photographer Gloucestershire - Teepee wedding

2011-09-23T14:45:00.000+01:00

I'd not been to the village of Ripple in Gloucestershire before and what a quint place it is. Nick & Jenny had their Wedding ceremony at the Church there, then went on to Jenny's parent's home for a garden reception with a difference. Not a typical marquee, but teepees! Not just one or two details but a plethora of colour and artistic styles.

The only thing that could let the day down was the weather.......and the forecast wasn't exactly 28 degrees with blue skies (it was mid September after all). Amazingly though, despite the potential of rain the day wasn't hindered in the slightest, it stayed bright for literally the whole day and the wedding couldn't have been better (what do weather forecasters know anyway?).

Anyhow, here are a few photos from the day, with more over on my FB page.

So I came home from this wedding and said to my wife - "we need to keep some old baked bean cans and put flowers in them". How good do these look?

'Trouble' the cat. How cute is he/she?

Wedding details (flowers) and a wedding itinerary.

Jenny is just one of those beautiful people in life. I love this expression.

A quick bite of banana before heading downstairs to greet the awaiting crowd!

I love it when friends from the local village parish come along to weddings.

If only the Vicar had been standing next to me and not in the way. Still not a bad shot ;-)

What a fantastic spot for the drinks reception. In amongst this garden woodland, with the fabulous sail shades providing a sense of cover.

Jenny has a very creative touch and made her own wedding details in many vibrant colours.

This wedding band were brilliant. They really suited the atmosphere of Jenny & Nick's country wedding. Look them up if you're after a Gypsy Jazz Band. (www.parisswingquartet.co.uk)

Click 'READ MORE' on the left hand side to continue.

Teepees certainly have a rustic charm about them and suited Jenny's DIY wedding really well. They are however REALLY dark to take photos in....despite the chandelier!

Jenny had painted the shed doors with this enormous pink heart - it was only logical to include it in a photo :-)

A tropical rain storm with wedding speeches in a teepee doesn't make it very easy to hear? No sooner had it started though, it was over - phew!

It's fair to say the best mans jokes were pretty bad!

How very thrifty, make your own skipping rope from wedding napkin ties?

If you're looking for a Wedding Photographer in Gloucestershire please give me a call.

Birtsmorton Court Wedding Photographer

2011-09-21T22:09:00.000+01:00

Just one from my Birtsmorton Court Wedding at the weekend....

It may have rained earlier in the day, but as wedding photographer, I knew Birtsmorton Court could produce a great sunset.

Family Portraits Cheltenham

2011-09-20T22:58:00.002+01:00

Autumnal family portraits in Cheltenham

Having had two weddings to photograph this weekend, Sunday natural needed to be a day for relaxing. What's better than Sunday lunch, followed by a walk in the park? Well, ideally a walk in the park without the rain shower, but you can't have it all :-)

Pittville Park is great for scooting around (super smooth).......apparently Ali used to roller skate around here as a child too.

The wonderful Pittville Pump Room.

A mix of sun and rain does usually bring one good thing though - a super sunset across Cheltenham on our return.
If you're looking for some family portraits in Cheltenham please drop me a line.

Gloucestershire Wedding Photographer - Kingscote Barn

2011-09-20T22:52:00.004+01:00

Gloucestershire Wedding photographer - Kingscote Barn - Justin & Carly

I'd not met Justin and Carly prior to their wedding day so it was lovely to put a face to a name when we caught up at bridal preps in Thornbury. The girls were all very excited about Carly's wedding day and all helped out with hair and make-up. It wasn't long before we were off to Thornbury Church in glorious sunshine, then onwards to Kingscote Barn......with weather of a little less certainty ;-)

There wasn't a dry eye in the house when Carly put on her wedding dress.

Bling wedding shoes - apparently from Primark. Nice find.

Walking down the aisle wasn't exactly as straight forward as Carly had perhaps imagined. A few tears and a couple of tissues later....she finally got to the front though.

It's nice to see a guest not taking a picture and instead interacting with the wedding couple. Whoop whoop.

Possibly one of my favourite photos from the day. It's great to catch 'a look' and I think this has that plus a few extra elements too (mum, bridesmaid) - lovely.

Check out the enthusiasm of this kid throwing confetti - how excitable is he?

Great wedding details at Kingscote Barn - if only there had been a jar of sweeties with my name on it though?

Justin & Carly had a magician during the wedding drinks reception....he certainly stunned a few people.

Please leave a comment here for the bride and groom and also check out more photos on my FB page

Gloucestershire wedding photographer

2011-09-16T00:01:00.000+01:00

Just one. A sneak peak of Nick and Jenny's Gloucestershire wedding........full blog post coming soon.

Check back to see the rest shortly or check out my FB page.

Wedding photos Stone Barn, Aldwsorth

2011-09-08T10:34:00.002+01:00

Sit down, get a cuppa and enjoy a few wedding photos from Stone Barn, Aldsworth

September 3rd - simply the best date to get married (or am I slightly bias, seeing as it's my wedding anniversary?) Colin and Kim planned their wedding at the recently opened wedding venue Stone Barn, Aldsworth, which is owned by the same team as Cripps Barn nearby in Cirencester.

To have an easy going couple, with great friends always makes for a brilliant wedding day atmosphere and this was one of them. Wedding details were apparent everywhere, from my first call at Kims parents home near Swindon, to the wedding cake (which was made by one of their friends).

I hope Colin & Kim enjoy their honeymoon in Singapore & Bali, weirdly the exact same destination Ali & I went for our honeymoon too....spooky.

There's always one. Note for all: put on perfume before dress.

So this (above) is your standard dress going on shot.

Next we have the birds eye view. Only on your wedding day would you let a close friend fondle about under your dress!

Love the eyes.......fab huh?

Inside Aldsworth Stone Barn set ready for the wedding ceremony.

Cute. No where near the bride and groom....but good effort and totally impromptu.

Wedding group shots. Yep.....I do 'em.....and sometimes I even have the blokes hold the flowers :-) Ahh okay, this was the bridesmaids idea, but it entertained me.

With 500mph winds around the Stone Barn, finding a 'non windy' spot for some couple portraits wasn't exactly easy. Suffice to say, just about one spot (and one spot only) was suitable, so we took a few shots and planned to get some more later when the wind would die down (and we'd have a more interesting sky). All this was decided with my fingers firmly crossed.

Ahh look, another group shot - I know, two in one blog post, madness hey!

Inside ready for the wedding breakfast at the Stone Barn. Aldsworth.

Kim had a fantastic sweetie bar at her wedding. A brilliant variety of old fashioned sweets, plus a fabulous assortment of jars to display them.

Don't stop now, we're just getting warmed up - click READ MORE on the left hand side to continue.

This may need some explaining. Frank (the guy playing the Sax) was just fantastic.....a real entertainer, and played a couple of 'numbers' as guest sat prior to the speeches. Not only was this great fun, but it relaxed guests before the speeches and made for a super atmosphere. If you're looking for a wedding singer/entertainer/musician/DJ, certainly give him a call. www.frankabramsmusic.com
In fact, if I haven't made this clear enough.....put it this way. Over the past few years I've been to a lot of weddngs and this was the first time I thought WOW, this guy adds real value to the day.

Dutch courage.

Brilliant.....what a cool idea, presented from the father of the bride.

Whilst everyone was eating, great light fell across Aldsworth Stone Barn....why is this always the case?

Later the wind did indeed calm down AND the 'interesting' sky I'd hoped would materialise, well.... did!

Kim's wedding cake was made by a family friend - a builder no less. Amazingly he took a cake decorating class/course then produced this stunning number.

Ahhhhh....

Berkeley Castle Wedding Photographer

2011-08-28T20:56:00.000+01:00

Berkeley Castle Wedding Photographer - James & Katie - 13th August 2011

A few photos from the wedding day.....

Katie's hairdresser was also a friend attending the wedding. How jolly handy. The morning preps were great fun as a result, just like hanging out with your mates.

This room at Tortworth Court had great light for photography too.

Inside St Mary's Church in Berkeley is a pretty dark place. Super size window at the end.....but not much light otherwise.

Yep, that'll be the wrong entrance to the church that everyone is heading for. Ahh, wedding logistics - sometimes it's the simple things that catch you out on the day.

The vicar at Berkeley Church is a great guy and allowed discrete photography during the ceremony.

Love this photo of the little bridesmaid.

Friends of the couple sang during the signing of the register. And may I say, it was very good too.

It's not a long walk from St Mary's church to Berkeley Castle.....in fact you could probably count it in steps......I'd guess at around 30.

Reception drinks were held on the terrace at Berkeley Castle. A beautiful spot, great view, but a tad windy at times! Hold onto your hats.

CLICK ON 'READ MORE' (LEFT HAND SIDE) TO CONTINUE.

It's brilliant how a baby can capture the attention of two adults with a simple point.

Windy huh?

I went all classical with the photography this weekend. Berkeley Castle (tick) - Back of Wedding Dress (tick) - Black & White (tick)

Funny, but you probably had to be there :-)

The view inside Berkeley Castle from a speakers perspective.

* Chink *

I love capturing the subtle moments that would otherwise go unnoticed. James and katie were not an overtly affectionate couple, so these little moments tell more than most.

Getting married at Winkworth Farm

2011-08-26T23:50:00.002+01:00

Marc and Robyn got married at Winkworth Farm in Wiltshire. It was great to be back with her family having photographed her sisters wedding a couple of years ago. In that time it appeared a lot of procreation had gone on.....kids everywhere!!!!! This was pretty much how I saw the day, everyone loved the kids, Marc & Robyn are chilled out parents and took it in their stride.

The wedding had a real self made style about it. The ceremony was at Crudwell Church, followed by a reception at Winkworth Farm, which is a great new venue based near Lea in Wiltshire.

How handy is she?

Only people with kids will get this. Yes, that's a baby monitor. After Robyn got ready, she then got her daughter up from a nap ready to walk down the isle. Classic parental sleep, eat timing.

Crudwell village church.

These cuff links had a life of their own......

.....get a different person to have a try this time.

With this many kids at a wedding there were many tasks to complete before walking down the isle.

Robyn's wedding dress was by Jenny Packham.

CLICK ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE TO READ MORE.

This photos is wrong on some many levels, but I love it. Where has mum appeared from? What is the vicar doing rather randomly stuck behind the couple?

I've never had this happen before - an impromptu receiving line formed as guests left the church. Sometimes you've just gotta go with the flow.

Random child enjoying some confetti too.

Welcome to Winkworth Farm.....

....not exactly an easy place to take a photo of as it's rather spread out.....

.....here's some more of the barn too.

How to pose with a wedding car by Marc & Robyn :-)

Robyn made her own wedding cakes. A main cake and selection of cup cakes presented on these vintage style cake stands (note: made from normal plates with a shot glass superglued between them to create tiers - clever huh!?)

Possibly my favourite photo from the wedding! Makes you smile every time!

Afternoon tea at weddings is very civilised and definitely a good call.

Robyn created some great wedding details.....she's one creative girl. Loved the unusual wedding table plan with picture frames.

Inside at Winkworth Farm looks great, decorated with bunting, bird cages and other fab details.

Sennen Beach, Cornwall - Surf 'o' rama.

2011-08-21T23:29:00.000+01:00

Sennen Beach, Cornwall. Holidaying....yay :-)

Daisy wanted a few surf lessons from me.

Not bad.....if aided considerably by me and some sand beneath the board!

The whole ocean yet they wanted daddy to build them a paddling pool.

Berkeley Castle Wedding Photographer | Wedding Photos

2011-08-16T23:13:00.001+01:00

Berkeley Castle Wedding Photographer: A sneak peak from last weekends wedding.

It was pretty windy at Berkeley Castle during James & Katie's drinks reception!

Evening sky over Cheltenham

2011-08-16T22:46:00.000+01:00

Cool sky tonight.

Wedding at Winkworth Farm | Wedding Photographer Malmesbury

2011-08-15T12:56:00.000+01:00

Last weekends wedding was in Wiltshire at Winkworth Farm, near Malmesbury.

Here's a sneak peak from the day. I had to show this photo as I'm sure more brides will be wearing these vintage style wedding headbands (if that's what you call them) and trust me I asked a few people.

To quote one of my helpful friends "I'd just call it a head piece, or hairband. But it's not quite a band, so I'm not sure. It's not quite a fascinator either. Hair decoration"
So, Robyn.....what is it called?

Winworth Farm is a relatively new venue but certainly catered well for Marc & Robyns wedding; with arrival Pimms, afternoon tea on the lawn and a beautifully converted barn for the wedding breakfast. I hope to be back there again soon.

Anyone looking for a Wedding Photographer in Wiltshire contact Matt Davis Photography or visit my website (www.mattdavisphotography.net) for further information.

Wedding Photographer Cirencester | Ingleside House

2011-08-15T11:47:00.000+01:00

Wedding photographer Cirencester - James & Margherita got married at Ingleside House, followed by a picnic lunch in the Cathedral Park grounds. Thankfully the weather was fine for an outside event (as picnics aren't great if it's raining). With Ingleside house being an old school, James had also laid on a Vintage Wedding bus for guests.

Not my normal opening photo to a wedding blog post, but hey....this was no normal wedding. Killer heals, heavy metal music, black bridesmaid dresses, a red wedding dress........yikes, what had I let myself in for!?

Ingleside house used to be a school, and this room downstairs still had a few old books and desks (well tables).

I was allowed 'limited phtography' during the ceremony (the registrars rules not mine). However......Margheritas dad was definitely not playing by the book - brilliant!

Following the wedding ceremony, James & Margherita had a relaxed picnic in Cirencester Park.

A common theme throughout the day :-)

This was a very funny moment. For those considering throwing confetti (especially surprise confetti), consider the wind direction first and distance from subject before throwing it. FAIL!

The Polish drink Vodka with an Apple Juice Chaser by all accounts.

I'm thinking that's pointing and nothing to do with Hitler?

They all look kinda worried at this point - was it ticking?

Kingscote Barn, Gloucestershire Wedding

2011-08-10T11:08:00.001+01:00

Morgan and Briony - Gloucestershire wedding at Kingscote Barn.

Watching the weather on the run up to a wedding day becomes a brides obsession. For Briony, having had a week of perfect summer sunshine, to see her mid week wedding forecast as heavy rain came as a surprise....and one she didn't want! It's safe to say though, as per many BBC weather predictions, it wasn't exactly very accurate more than 12 hrs before the event itself.

All was not lost and despite a wet start the day turned out great. So next time you worry about the weather, only start to seriously have concerns if it's forecast to rain ALL day ON THE DAY.

Something VERY funny was said, but I'm afraid unless you know the bride then it's not repeatable on my blog. But do ask, made me laugh....if not with a slight awkwardness!

If one bridesmaids not enough, get two or three to help with your wedding dress.

Apparently they could see the groom.

Although the day started wet, it did dry up, just not for the short commute between the bridal preps and main barn.

This is a first for me - not one person walking you down the isle - but two?

Check out HIS camera - cool huh? I think you'll find that's the Kidizoom plus....which is currently Daisy's training camera before she qualifies as my photographers assistant.

Inside Kingscote Barn - seatnig for around 80 wedding guests.

Wedding details with a purple love theme.

Top table laid for the wedding breakfast. Using the isle seats (that had wedding flowers on) for the top table is a neat idea.

Whilst the wedding guests enjoyed their meal (and of course the light was fantastic) I nipped out to get a couple of photos. Above is the view from Kingscote Barn, and below the view back across the valley to Kingscote Barn.

To appreciate the picture beneath, you need the photo above. This little man had hours of entertainment rolling around the lawn in this tent.

I'm liking this tattoo....also note: much dirtier wedding dress than when the day started ;-)

Is this not the funniest photo EVER? I will confess too, this is entirely luck rather than judgement......could the DJ's laser beam have landed in a better place if it tried - classic!
As an aside note: if you are having a DJ with laser beams (which I'm not too sure why they have them?) be forewarned your first dance photos will indeed look as though you are covered in red spots, of which no photoshopping is gonna redeem!

Cheltenham Wedding Photographer - Pittville Pump Room

2011-08-03T14:59:00.002+01:00

Philip & Rebecca held their wedding in Cheltenham at the Pittville Pump Room. Being a Cheltenham wedding photographer you can't ask for a simpler day than one on your doorstep at places you know well. Not only have I photographed several weddings at the Pittville Punmp Room, but I'd also shot some wedding portraits at The Montpellier Chapter earlier in the year.

Philip and Rebecca weren't keen on many wedding portraits (or lovey dovey stuff as I think we put it), the day was more about documenting their wedding and the guests they'd invited. There were certainly quite a few children who always entertain, although they did come with a very camera shy mum. Needless to say I'm sure she made it into some photos anyhow.

It was a good job I spoke with rebecca before her wedding day as I'd had information they'd be at Hotel Du Vin.....alas, that changed and bridal preps did indeed start at The Montellier Chapter. Thankfully being a Cheltenham Wedding Photographer, I knew these two places weren't exactly far apart.

Did I mention the bridesmaids camera shy mum?

Fantastic blue eyes huh?

Mr Tubmle....the perfect way to entertain little bridesmaids.

Rebecca's choice of red ad green wedding flowers was quite striking, and certainly looked good in the sink against black tiles!

Just not quite tall enough.

There were quite a few children at the wedding.......some chatting to grandma......

......some dancing......(and one hiding!)

...some having cuddles.....

.....and some climbing trees!

Inside Pittville Pump Room set for the wedding breakfast.

Philips Dad has lightening quick reactions when wedding hat's pop off!

It all went quiet in the park around dinner time, which gave me a chance to get a photo of Pittville Pump Room without anyone in it.

How old is Matt Davis?

2011-08-01T22:54:00.004+01:00

'twas my birthday today and I reached the ripe old age of 35.......although Daisy will have you to believe I'm 45. I'll have you know though, it's not due to the wrinkles or because I asked for swim goggles, but the fact she's just learning her BIG numbers - phew!

Anyway, as with all the best birthdays it started with a lie in, followed by great food and fine company.......plus a yummy cake.

Gloucestershire Wedding Photographer - Matara

2011-07-31T06:50:00.000+01:00

James and Gemma had their wedding at Matara in Gloucestershire. It's a fabulous wedding venue, with loads of options in the gardens for photos.....which thankfully we had some opportunity to do as the weather was perfect. Gemma and James both work in the film/TV industry, one as a make-up artist, the other Producer/Director (I think that's right), so are used to being on the other side of a camera. They took some coaching, but thankfully we produced some great shots.

The main house at Matara - or as my wife puts it "the house she'd like". I'll keep saving!

It's not often I shoot weddings with 7 bridesmaids....and all with a different dress design.

This may need explaining, so if I tell you it's mouthwash you'll probably get the idea!

Gemma's sister works as a set designer (is that correct?) so had a big influence on the day and helped style the wedding. This room at Matara is vast and easily catered for the 140 guests they had seated for the ceremony.

Straight after the civil ceremony Gemma and James headed out into the oriental garden for a Jewish blessing....where apparently James had been most looking forward to stamping on the glass!

Fans can be very effective at removing confetti from your hair.

James' dad was my assistant photographer for the speeches.

After speeches, as the sun began to set, we snuck back out for a final couple of relaxed portraits.

Even the little courtyard garden at Matara's main house is fantastic for photos.

Gloucestershire Wedding Photographer - Dormy House Hotel

2011-07-20T12:44:00.002+01:00

James and Sarah had a charming Cotswold wedding in the little village of Condicote, then off to Broadway for a reception at the Dormy House Hotel.

Condicote church perfectly fits the quintessential Costwold wedding. The black clouds pretty much sum up our British summer!

Quick check you have the rings!

Finally a church with some great light as the bride walked in.

The first lesson in photography is to have you camera turned on, the next is to take the lens cap off......this made me smile.

More photography lessons took place during the signing of the register.

As James & Sarah left the church they drove past a bunch of back-packers. What made this a 'moment' was the fact they all stopped and clapped....fantastic.

As we arrived at Dormy House Hotel it absolutely chucked it down with rain. This lasted the whole duration of the drinks reception.....but as with every grey cloud there was a silver lining - check out the sunset at the end of the day! :-)

There we a few touching moments during the speeches....and it wasn't just James that had a tear.

Best man speeches where you get guests involved are definitely good fun.

Yay, after dinner the sun came out for some beautiful evening light.

Did I mention a killer sunset? Perfect for a couple portrait and what better way to end the wedding day.

Hop on over to my FB page to see more photos from their wedding.

I am the 'Master of covert operations' at Delbury Hall

2011-07-19T23:00:00.001+01:00

This made me smile soooo much. I do love it when clients write me emails upon their return from honeymoon....

Dear Matt

You are a master of covert operations - I had no idea half the time that you were there taking all these brilliant photographs! The photos are incredible and we love them. I have, of course, a big smile on my face when I look at them but a tear in my eye too - such a perfect record of the most wonderful day.

You have been great to work with and so responsive. We really appreciate receiving the photographs and album proofs so quickly. The whole family were glued to your blog waiting for the first glimpse of the pictures!

Best wishes

Marisa & Adam - Delbury Hall

The little Davis' - Kids portraits

2011-07-19T12:10:00.000+01:00

I took Daisy & Barney for a walk on Leckhampton Hill a couple of warm weekends ago. It was time for a few nice portraits of my kids as they grow up so fast.

Looking at these photos of them in shorts now, does make me wonder why I'm sitting here in jeans & a long sleeve shirt?

Puddles - every little boy like puddles right?

Barney also likes running. He soon learnt though, running on a rough surface then falling over isn't so kind on your knees :-(

Stone throwing...a popular past time for Barney.

Daisy has more interest in making 'Daisy' chains. Here Barney was being super cute and offered to pick her some flower too.

"Who'd like some sweets I've brought with me?"

Gloucestershire Wedding Photographer - Sunset wedding photo

2011-07-18T14:32:00.000+01:00

Occasionally my interest in sunsets and weddings combine - eh voila! I give you a wedding portrait taken with a fatnastic sunset. Sometimes rain during the drinks reception is a blessing in disguise.

More to follow shortly....keep your eyes pealed!

Shropshire wedding photographer - Delbury Hall

2011-07-10T20:42:00.000+01:00

I left my comfort county of Gloucestershire last weekend and headed up the M5 for the wedding of Adam & Marisa at Delbury Hall in Shropshire.

You'll learn quickly that Marisa smiles (and laughs) A LOT. This isn't abnormal for any wedding day tbh, but for some reason when editing the photos it become ever more apparent as photo after photo of Marisa was accompanied by a huge smile.

I'm having to keep this blog post brief due to the mountain of wedding work now on my plate as we hit high season (and a wife that likes me to take at least one day off a week!). So....here are a selection of photos with a word or two....just not my normal long winded waffle.

Reader: "Why on a wedding blog have you a photo of someone doing washing up...surely that's not normal?"
Well.....having shot around 200 weddings now, you notice a few trends on wedding days. And the trends are this.....whlist the girls are prettifying and giving themselves about 5 hours to get ready.....blokes of the household wash up, walk about in their T'Shirt, then quickly get changed 5 mins before the nominated departure time. Ohh yeah....the counter top reflection and great light made for a more interesting photo than most instances too!

Smile Count:1

Half smile - does that count??

Reader: "Okay Matt, now you're photos are REALLY ODD?". Quick explanation - bride needed to blow nose. We debate if this is a photo opp? I decide it is :-) We laugh. Bride then hands dirty tissue to sister to dispose of!
Only on a wedding day can you get away with that. Sisterly love eh?!

Smile Count:2

If only we were doing a smile count for the bridesmaids too.

Marisa's brother was elected as Proxy dad. What a great guy he was too. (note: still in his T Shirt!)

Smile Count:3

Smile Count:4

Kinda an odd photo but I liked it.

Smile Count:5

Smile Count:6 (Although Marisa appears to have achieved the impossible by actually smiling with what looks like an upturned smile!?!?!?)

Smile Count:7

Yikes - what's that face? :-) I just had to include it, it's soooo funny. No idea what these two were up to either - perhaps someone will enlighten me?

Smile Count:8

Smile Count:9

Smile Count:10

Although this is a shot of wedding flowers (and some wedding bling - aka horse shoes typically given to you by your Aunty) I have no doubt Marisa is smiling here too!

Wedding bubbles in leau of confetti. These worked well to compared to some I've seen. Must have been the pink bows around the tops.

Harsh light = great B&W. Smile Count:12

Smile Count:13Many more smiles to come - click on 'READ MORE' on the left hand side to continue.

A few wedding details and a fantastic chocolate & Raspberry wedding cake. I had some to so thumbs up from me - yum!

Inside view of Delbury Hall set for the wedding breakfast.

What a fab day for a drinks reception.

Smile Count:14

The main house at Delbury Hall nestled beautifully into the landscape with it's own ~~pond~~....well more like a lake!

Smile Count:15At this point it's worth noting this is only the 2nd posed photo on this blog post. So when wedding couples say their face aches from smiling 'for the photographer'....this is very much a myth. You usually smile because you're having a great day.....I simply take photos which show this :-)

Smile Count:16

Smile Count:17

Smile Count:18

I zoomed in to check on this photo and yep, Marisa is smiling.Smile Count:19

Todays group shot. Da Buoys (see what I did there). Okay, anyone who knows that Adam is somewhat a sailing ace will get my joke.

It was this big.....

....nahh, more like this big....

....okay then, it was this wide!Smile Count:20

Smile Count:21

Smile Count:22

Smile Count:23

Okay no smiles, understandably.....with what was said :-(

Smile Count:24

Smile Count:25

And finally - I'll bet she's smiling behind that napkin too! :-) :-) :-)

Wedding testimonial - Bay Tree Hotel, Burford

2011-07-08T16:36:00.003+01:00

It's very rewarding taking great photos on someone's wedding day, and better still when my clients write lovely emails to me with thanks. I recently had this from Sally, who got married at The Bay Tree Hotel. It was the last paragraph that stopped me in my tracks. I spend far too much time deliberating about how to describe my approach as a photographer, yet with 4 or 5 key words Sally hit the nail on the head.

Hi Matt

I hope you're well. Pete and I arrived back from honeymoon this morning and we wanted to get in touch without delay to say how thrilled we are the pics. They are simply stunning and have completely surpassed our expectations. You've managed to capture some really special moments - often without us even realising you were there snapping away!

Over the next couple of days we'll have a good look through the album proof. There are probably a handful of pics we would change but nothing major. We love the way the album is composed so we don't want to make too many changes. So I'll come back to you on this early next week, if that's ok.

Once again, big thanks to you for your professionalism, sense of humour and energy on the day and for some truly amazing photographs!

Best wishes,

Sally and Pete

Gloucestershire Wedding Photographer - Manor House Hotel

2011-07-04T10:05:00.001+01:00

We're at the Manor House Hotel, Moreton-In-Marsh this week for the wedding of James & Fran.

If you've not been to the coffee machine, or think you'll just skim read this blog post and get a drink later, I suggest you boil the kettle first, THEN sit down. My best intentions are to try and pick just 30-40 photos from each wedding for a blog post........but I failed BIG TIME on this occasion. In fact, if you need a wee too, consider that first as well. Eighty five (ish) photos and a lot of Matt Davis waffle can take some time to wade through.

Don't forget, at the midway(ish) point there is a 'sneaky little tab' to press that says READ MORE. I guess you could use that as a suitable time to pause and pretend to get on with some paper shuffling (if you're browsing this in work time) or to let the dog out the back door as tonights walk is cancelled.....just make sure you press it though....as really 20 photos isn't enough......you will need more!

This doesn't need explaining does it?

Manor House Hotel, Moreton-In-Marsh

Make-up and champagne. A simple cocktail to start any good wedding day.

Wedding hair was done by the ever so lovely, beautifully softly spoken Anna White. Shown here on the left - drinking on the job ;-)

For this wedding we have one bride and two bridesmaids. Did you guess that?

Wedding flowers were provided by Natasha Wilkes at flowersarefabulous. Fran spotted one of her beautiful brightly coloured wedding bouquets at my Kingscote Barn wedding last year and got her details as a result.

What a super window to photograph Fran's wedding shoes in. Better too for not including the 'pop up camp bed' that was just beneath it.

This may need some explaining.........

Man arrives at door....turns out to be husband of bridesmaidMan looks at bridesmaids hair and plucks out a single grey strand!Bridesmaid looks horrified. :-0(Bridesmaid is possibly equally horrified that I've put it up on my blog too - sorry!)

Is putting on shoes a funny activity?

If you're gonna be a bridesmaid you MUST look your best. No deodorant marks and it's imperative to have nicely moisturised skin - go girls!

"owwwww you look soooooo luverly". (Is Becky from Summerset - I think not?)

Love, love, love, love, love the hands in this photo.

Ohh guests arriving....step back from the window in case they see you!

...right mums off to get seated for the ceremony. Any last minute words of wisdom?

Final application of lip gloss.

One eye, one smile. I rather like this photo.

Hang about.....you're meant to be keeping away from the window, not back at it to look again.......who is it this time?

Inside Manor House Hotel, set ready for the wedding ceremony.

Ever wondered why it takes me 2 mins not 30 seconds to take a photo of some flowers? It's called 'indecision' and here's a super example! Left or right - which do you prefer?

I'd be smiling if someone pinched my bum at a wedding too :-)

[start of rant] Fran requested with the registrars that I was allowed to take photos during the ceremony.....which for all intensive purposes 'on face value' appeared to be okay. I chatted with one registrar who gave me instructions not to take photos during the 'vows', which isn't ideal but I can deal with.
Next up was signing of the register (the real thing!). The bit registrars get all 'funny about'. I'd said I'll take photos as the actual signing is going on but not include any 'words' (aka detail from the main register) which was agreed..... until part way into the signing when a U-Turn took place and they asked me not to take any photos? eh?
This may be a rant, but please please please, registrars who think I have an interest in photographing the words on the register itself, then publishing the info on the internet for someone to see....think again!
The shot above and below could have been taken during the actual signing of the registrar (if it were not for unnecessary rules preventing me). You can't see the register, the point of the focus isn't the register, so perhaps let photographers take photos, and registrars could stick to marrying the couple! [end of rant]

Now click 'READ MORE' to see the later highlights.

Occasionally straws fight back...or does Fran have a unique way to drink Pimms?

Ahhh that's better....but only just!

I didn't realise at first, but the guest here in the 'beige' dress (note: I'm a bloke, and will stand corrected if it's 'camel', 'nude' or some other colour that we just don't know exists) was in fact a bridesmaid at a wedding I photographed a few weeks ago. Small world huh? Okay, so this is interesting if you're me or her, but for anyone else reading this, apologies and please wake up again now!

I take a lot of photos of guests at weddings. It's a key part of your wedding IMO and is one reason many couples select me as their photographer. You do need time to do this though, so think again if you're considering an A4 list of group shots but want 'natural wedding photography'.
If this isn't enough though, take a peak at a few more up on my FB Business page.

What did people do at weddings before iphones?

The young'er' possey. One with quite a spring in her stride!

Ever wondered what you're wedding guests will be doing whilst we spend 10 mins taking some intimate 'couple portraits'. Well.......if possible they'll stand nearby, watch and laugh at you!

A becky and Sarah(?) sandwich. Them boys were lucky. Apart from Adam(?) who had little interest in the ladies!

Is it just me or does anyone else think Becky looks like Farrah Fawcett?

Back to the gate the gardener told me was good for photos!

Inside Manor House Hotel set ready for the wedding breakfast.

Ahh here's Adam(?), showing where his true feelings lie!

My assistant photographer stood right in front of me - perhaps cover a different angle I thought? At least he's bouncing his flash :-)

Now if you don't know about this drinking game look and listen. Get your table to choose a word (like Bride, Fran, Wife etc) write 'em all down, stick 'em in a hat then pass them back out randomly. As speeches commence, down 2 fingers of your drink for each time your word is mentioned. Simple.......and very unfortunate for the lady who got 'Fran'!

This lady however certainly didn't need any words to enjoy the champers! Hot day, not much to eat and a few glasses of wine later........ :-)

Simple and certainly one of my favourite guest photos from the day.

Another shot of my favourite 70's sweetheart!

"Ummmm....what's happening here then?"

The best mans speech was very funny. Take note: one liners from the internet are a definite no no for speeches. Free style speaking, including 'close to the bone' comments about your mates is MUCH MUCH funnier.

Is this James' "I've been found out on my wedding day" expression?

Blokes show their affection in special ways.

.....and because the sun came out after speeches we nipped out to get a couple more portraits - with a few less guests watching.

Now, if yo've gone to the effort of reading all that (an enjoyed it!) spread the word and click on the 'like' button to get a link onto your FB page. Someone from this wedding must be engaged and looking for a wedding photographer surely?

Gloucestershire Wedding Photographer - Bay Tree Hotel, Burford

2011-06-27T10:52:00.002+01:00

I may be a wedding photographer based in Gloucestershire but the wedding venue of Bay Tree Hotel has eluded me for some years. It's only a stones throw away in the popular Cotswold village of Burford...packed with olde charm and a lot of tourists!

Pete and Sally chose this venue, but perhaps not the weather. We've had April showers pretty much throughout the whole of June, and I'll have you know Mr weather man, this doesn't make it easy when your job is a wedding photographer. No sooner did we have guests out for some group shots, the black clouds rolled in and within 10 mins it'd changed from blinding sunshine to heavy rain. Needless to say it all added to the days events and became part of the wedding day itself.

Sally had a great wedding dress and this detail shot really shows off the ruffles (is that what they're called?).

I've not seen wedding shoes by Kirk Geiger before. I rather liked these - probably because I have shoes by that designer myself.

That's them...the ruffles on Sallys wedding dress. See what I mean now?

It took about 5 attempts to get this on :-)

This is something I often point out to brides - dry your flowers in good time before you need them.

How excited does Pete look?

To 'READ MORE' click on the link on the left.

One marriage certificate - one happily married couple.

Outside in the gardens at Bay Tree Hotel. At this point we had sun......and lots of it.

Some indoor portraits as it's now pouring with rain - aaarrrrrgh!

A typewriter had been set up for guests to write a wedding message.

Inside at Bay Tree Hotel, set ready for the wedding breakfast.

I love this photo - black and white is so appropriate here and makes the outfits stand out really well along with the expressions.

Cheltenham Wedding Photographer

2011-06-18T12:11:00.001+01:00

This week I was a Wedding Photographer on my home turf in Cheltenham. Well, I say wedding photographer but in this instance I didn't actually witness the wedding ceremony itself, nor meet any guests. It was in fact just a couple portrait session. Michel and Nicole got married in the registry office in Cheltenham, then planned to dine with a few guests in the evening at The Montpellier Chapter.

I was drafted in to take some beautiful couple photos to remember the day and show friends and relatives who live overseas.

Having a couple of hours to take photos, (rather than a few minutes) is quite a difference to your typical wedding day photo shoot. We had plenty of opportunities to explore Cheltenham, shoot inside and out, plus nail some great veil shots.

It has to be said, taking photos of Nicole wasn't exactly hard - how beautiful? Is it the Ozzie genes?

I love this shot above. Possibly one of my favourites from the indoor photos.

First dance. Well strictly speaking there wasn't a first dance, so something impromptu in the hall way of Montpellier Chapter will suffice!

A couple of natural light indoor portraits.

Click on the 'READ MORE' button in the left hand side to continue

Swoosh! More wedding veil photos.

Shooting into pools of moving light isn't easy, but I got it after a few attempts. I do like this, but it's taking time to grow on me.

It was nice to include some of the regency architecture from around Cheltenham into the photo shoot. Certainly worked well with Michael's military uniform.

Tonight's sunset

2011-06-16T23:39:00.000+01:00

It may have been an odd day weather wise, but you know what........it produced a great sunset this evening.

Wedding Photographer Tuscany - Part 2

2011-06-14T19:31:00.015+01:00

Part two of the wedding photos from Darren & Suzannes wedding in Tuscany.

A few couple portraits, fantastic speeches, fine food and dirty dancing. What more could you ask for?

Lovely spot for a sensual wedding portrait huh? If only I hadn't got half a dozen wedding guests sat behind me entertaining the couple in their own special way :-) It was very funny though.

A short relax before the speeches and dinner.

Apparently cutting corks to make table decorations can give blisters, so be warned. These super cute bird seed heart details were also made by Suzi. A labour of love.

Suzanne's mum made the first speech, leaving most guests with a moist eye I'm sure. Very beautiful.

Looking for stag weekend ideas? Look no further than a day out at the races with the groom dresses in pink. This 'humiliation' did somewhat backfire though as it got the groom A LOT of complementary attention from the ladies.

The wedding 'meal' (as it certainly wasn't a wedding breakfast), couldn't have been in a more picturesque setting. The warm evenings in Tuscany were perfect for sitting out to dine.

An impromptu first dance - now that's how they should be. Less hype, more fun!

Why use the floor when there are chairs to dance on?

"Voice of an Angel".....or so Suzanne believed after a few Prosecco's.

It's defiantly for the best that photographic coverage stopped at about this point!

Anyone looking for a destination wedding photographer drop me a line or visit my website (www.mattdavisphotography.net) for further information.

Cotswold Wedding - Manor House Hotel, Moreton-In-Marsh

2011-06-14T15:09:00.003+01:00

Neil and Jo's wedding was my first wedding of June, since having recently got back from Tuscany. Without the hot Italian climate behind me, I soon slipped back to my usual British ways and brought up the subject of weather when speaking with Jo on the phone prior to her wedding day. "Was I going to get another tan.....or more importantly was it going to stay dry for her wedding day?" It certainly looked questionable, I even packed umbrellas and a waterproof jacket just in case.

Right, on with a few photos........but if you wish to see 'yet' more go visit my Facebook Page for a few extras. (don't forget to tag away too - everyone needs to see the funny face of Neil - spread the word!)

This was the scene over Jo's parents house when I arrived in the morning....ummmm, I reckon it may just rain shortly :-(

The famous hands of Clare 'the make-up lady'. (www.purepampering.co.uk) At which point I should also add the hair was done by Clares handsome sidekick Chris Fordham (www.fhdmobile.co.uk). Anyone who's not met these two I'll let you into a secret. No they're not a couple, but do work together. I know.......what a secret huh!? BUT, that's not all. They can sometimes been seen out lunching together too......yeah I know - scandal huh! So, spread some rumors, we love a good gossip!

THE wedding dress. No idea who it was by, sorry folks, I really must hot up on my research. (Jo - pop it in the comments section at the bottom if you would?)

"Awwwwww....you loooooooook soooooooo boooooootiful"

It would have been wrong to include only one photo of these two.....so on this occasion I've over indulged and allowed four. Love the last one in the series - the 'ohhhh' face says it all.

Bracelets for the bridesmaids......

"Low Ten..... that was an excellent execution of putting on a bracelet"

Three bridesmaids to assist 'getting in the dress'. Two good handfuls to ensure nothing falls out the dress!

On to the wedding at Manor House Hotel, Moreton-In-Marsh.

Inside Manor House Hotel - set for the wedding ceremony. And for those of you debating chair covers (as I know a lot of you do).....I reckon it looks best with them.

'Love' these wedding details. Do you see what I did there - clever huh!?

Arriving for the ceremony 15mins early was possibly a little premature. I know you need to be early to see the registrar but half the guests still hadn't arrived - doh!

To continue reading Click on 'READ MORE' at the left .

A touching moment from the Grooms mum......

.......followed by a silly face from the Groom (sorry I had to put this in....it made me smile!)

Cool wedding outfits from these two ladies. I think colour coordinating with your friends should be a condition of coming to weddings. Better still, I think 8 (that's right isn't it?) guests should all agree to combine outfits and cover all the colours of the rainbow.....now that'd make for a great group shot.

Wedding flowers were provided by Fiona Perry. Pretty I thought. Yes folks that is about as much as I know about flowers..... "pretty"!

I bumped into the gardener at this gate, when arriving at Manor House Hotel. He said "this is a popular spot for photos". Umm I replied (as I like to say umm a lot)...."why do you say that?""It's been used in one of the sample albums in the hotel""Ahhhh" I said, "That'll be my sample album then, and a photo from a previous wedding I've taken here" (best I look for some new ideas!)

Inside Manor House Hotel, set ready for the wedding breakfast. I think candle arbors on wedding tables look great. These were embellished with flowers too - provided by Fiona Perry.

A few wedding details - can you guess the colour theme?

This has to be one of my favourite shots from the wedding day. The unused umbrella (phew) - well maybe used but as a wedding sword instead!

"I know it's not raining - amazing huh!"

"Where's Finley?" "Anyone seen Finley?" "There's a child around here somewhere, anyone seen him?"

How cool is this wedding bunting. "Mr & Mrs". Nice wedding detail I'd not seen before....add it to the 'good idea' list.

Giffords Circus

2011-06-14T13:42:00.002+01:00

On Sunday the Davis' had a family day out at the Giffords Circus. I went last year (with just Daisy) and really enjoyed it, so for Christmas the kids (with a little helping hand from my wife) bought us a family ticket....far better than toys!

Anyhow, just a few shots from the afternoon performance and to say if you've not been before it's worth getting some tickets for a show.

To continue with a few more photos click READ MORE on the left hand side

Nell Gifford

Destination Wedding Photographer Tuscany | Coni di San Bonifacio (Part 1)

2011-06-13T09:20:00.002+01:00

It's fantastic as a wedding photographer to shoot at new venues.....and they don't come much better than Conti di San Bonifacio in Tuscany, Italy. A balmy 28-30 degrees, on a hillside wine resort with olive groves for a little dappled shade, super :-)

Darren and Suzanne had the most perfect spring wedding.....relaxed to the point of almost being horizontal.

With hundreds of photos from their wedding to show I'm going to make this a two part blog.....starting with preps and ceremony.

Great spot for a pool with view like that. The hilltop wine resort of Conti di San Bonifacio

Wedding dress by Amanda Wakely. Wedding shoes by.......well you'll have to guess - Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin, Vivienne Westwood.....maybe?

Darren's sister had this lovely fascinator for the wedding day.

Off to the little Church in Tatti, Tuscany. Tucked away (hard to find), yet charming in an understated Italian way.

Grooms Mum & Dad. 'One' of my (many) favourite photos.

Cool hat for a wedding huh?

Those will be Olive Green Bridesmaid dresses then. 2011 - the year of green bridesmaid dresses and wedding themes!

The courtyard just outside the church with Italian locals watching on.

Apparently this is THE BEST wedding photo from the day - according to Suzi.

Mum came in all Rock Star on us! :-)

Not a dry eye in the place - well except for Suzi who found the whole day a laugh a minute!

Now here's an interesting idea for wedding ceremonies. It's called 'warming of the rings'. They're passed around the congregation before being handed back for the giving and receiving of rings by the wedding couple. Cool idea, and a really nice touch to get your wedding guests involved.

Ahh this may need some explaining. Well see the ipod, yeah. Nigel started the exit music just a little too soon. Classic....the face says it all.

Check out the bling. Suzi is know for liking 'pork scratchings and Diamonds'.

Some locals watching on from their balconies and windows.

Is it me or does this wedding bouquet look heart shaped?
Click on the far left to 'READ MORE'

Drinks and nibbles were served in the Olive grove.....which had a remarkably steep bank to navigate - especially difficult for those in heels or Kev (who apparently had very slippy shoes!)

THE BEST WEDDING DETAILS EVER. And I've been to a few weddings. These cards were hung around the olive grove with one for each guests. Darren and Suzi had written something quirky (or perhaps embarrassing, (like being a wet T-Shirt competition winner - well done Liz!) about each guests combined with a personalised photo. (Top left is the other love in Suzi's life - her dog)

Vince Freeman (award winning singer songwriter) provided the music. Why is this cool you ask? Well he played at my wedding.....so if you want to know the best music for a wedding, well Vince is your man. He also gets the award for most problematic journey to the venue, having to travel from Germany (where he is on tour) via a plethora of cancelled flights into Italy.

Food in Italy is a big part of the wedding day. These details were quirky and functional....although most guests preferred the Prosecco to the Prosciutto :-)

Sheep skin covered hay bales - nice.

Anyone looking for a destination wedding photographer drop me a line or visit my website (www.mattdavisphotography.net) for further information.

Wedding Photos Tuscany, Italy

2011-06-09T16:03:00.002+01:00

Anyone looking for a destination wedding photographer drop me a line or visit my website (www.mattdavisphotography.net) for further information.

Barnsley House - Cotswold Wedding Venue

2011-06-06T23:47:00.000+01:00

Barnsley House, what a cracking wedding venue. Not only is this the perfect Cotswold Wedding Venue, but on a warm spring day, with a lovely couple and incredible guests you simply can't get much better than Will & Kellys wedding.
It was a wedding with yet another international contingent, with Wills (aka Bill) family coming from America, and Kelly's being from South Africa. It was only a small wedding (by some standards) with around 40 guests. This made it an intimate affair and the day was very well planned, with the ceremony at 4pm, evening dinner around 6pm, followed by drinks outside at eight. I'm sure more weddings should follow this theme, so if you're reading this and have a small wedding it's certainly worth considering.
So without further ado, get a coffee, sit down (as I've gone waaaaaay over board on the number of photos featured) and take a look at some photos from the wedding.

I've photographed a couple of weddings at Barnsley House before, but never have I covered an outdoor wedding ceremony......and what a day for it - prefect.

Wedding shoe detail photos. Not every bride wants or even likes them........I however decided to take a couple of options on this occasion - so (a) or (b)? You get a little more flavour of Barnsley House interior design in (b)........so for that reason it gets my vote!

Why do curlers amuse me??? I don't know, but for some reason they make for a fine photo IMO.

Williams sister was blowing kisses at her son after he woke up from his afternoon power nap!

The boys were great fun to cover and with them only being 20 paces from the bridal suite it was super simple to stop by for a few pre wedding shots.

You may like this photo, you may not, but it has a sense of movement (as Will puts his jacket on) and I kinda liked it!

It's soooooooo tiring having your hair done huh!

Will and his sister

I'm seeing a green theme for bridesmaids again. Must be the 4th or 5th wedding this year. Works well in the garden setting too huh?

Dum dum de dum. More a stroll across the garden than a walk down the aisle.

For those wishing to know, it's not always possible to get a photo of the 'ring going on'. Why.....welll too many hands, people and too much bad light usually make it impossible. This time it worked a peach though.

Possibly one of my favourite photos from the wedding.

To read more, CLICK on the left hand side link.

Will and his mother-in-law.

What a cute bridesmaid hairband.

It only took about 100 shots to get one half decent one of these three (almost all looking/smiling/happy!)

I've seen some really neat button holes lately, this one was up there with my faves.

The two bridesmaids and little paige boy were clearly popular with Will and Kelly.

Inside of Barnsley House set for the wedding breakfast. Or in this case dinner.

I've seen these heart wedding details before and thought how neat they are....certainly a simple way to mark the place names for guests.

The famous Laburnum in Barnsley's gardens had bloomed early this year, yet despite this the location still made for a great wedding portrait.

Kelly had these lanterns fixed up by Natalie (the super wedding planner at Barnsley House) so it was only fair to get a shot with them included.

Great face huh?

Unusually, both Kelly's dad (Father of the bride) AND Wills Dad (Father of the groom) did speeches.

I love this sequence of shots (above) with the first being one of my favourite speech photos in a while. The best man did a great speech, full of energy and it was great to listen to.

Tears....do I detect tears from the groom?

After dinner guests headed out to the 'ornamental pond' - (is that what it was called?) for drinks & coffee. Such a nice set up and the fine weather helped.

Last but not least an evening shot of Barnsley House, with what I can only assume are stars (or is that dust on my lens?)

Italy - Tuscany, Sienna and Pisa

2011-06-04T23:15:00.000+01:00

With a wedding in Tuscany to photograph it would have been wrong to just fly out and straight back again, so Ali and I took a short break and explored some of the beautiful cities of Tuscany too.

Quite a pretty spot to plan your journey to Sienna. Map, Sat Nav, Rough Guide and Water - all the essentials.

The view from our table - ummmmm nice.

Tuscany certainly has some pretty towns.

This is the view of Sienna as we drove over the hill towards it. Note: It's not always best to take photos AND drive, but worth it on this occasion.

We stayed right in the center of Sienna with this superb view from our hotel room.

Possibly my favourite photo of the holiday. Simple and sums up Italy nicely.

At this point you should definitely stop viewing if you suffer from vertigo (or whatever the equivalent to it is, when looking up from the ground - a lot). Certainly makes your neck ache.

Click the READ MORE button (far left) to continue with this blog post.....and many many more photos of Sienna & Pisa.

These pesky cyclists were everywhere. I'm sure a race was going on in the town of Tatti, where I photographed the wedding too.

A black and white stripy Cathedral - inside and out.

Reasonably well decorated inside I must say.

This is so typical of a lot of streets in Sienna....with Cyprus trees in the distance making it very Tuscan.

A handy wall for a self timer.

We ate outside at a lovely pizzeria, where this was the view from our seats. Fantastico.

Day 2 we left Sienna and headed to Pisa for a whistle stop tour before catching the flight home.

These Pinocchio figures were sold everywhere....and to remember Italy we even bought one to bring home for Barney.

This is the cliche shot everyone takes in Pisa - holding up the tower - classic. Obviously this isn't someone I know and needs to be seen from their perspective for it to make sense, but I rather like it this way.

Interesting fact for you: the tower not only has a lean, but is also slightly banana shaped as they tried to make minor correction to the lean as it was built. And for the uber geeks amongst you (as this was part of the wedding quiz) it's somewhere between 3.9m and 5.4m off vertical - depending on which guide book you read.

Off inside another Cathedral.....

.....more amazing ceilings and paintings!

My tour guide for two days.

Destination Wedding Photographer Tuscany, Italy.

2011-06-02T22:08:00.000+01:00

Photographing weddings doesn't get any better than when in Tuscany at the beautiful wine resort of Conti di San Bonifacio.

It's been a busy week at for Matt Davis Photography with this destination wedding making up my final wedding to shoot in May. It's never all rosy though and this usually hits home as you sit in the airport departure lounge watching your flight status change to delayed, due to the discovery of an unexploded WWII bomb at Pisa Airport!.

The full blog will follow shortly but in the interim congratulations to Darren & Suzanne on their amazing wedding in Tuscany. Here's a sneak peek....

Mr & Mrs relaxing by the pool - well alright, posing for a photo! :-)

Fairly appropriate I guess as the venue Conti di San Bonifacio (which Darren and Suzanne independently found) has now been submitted to the popular boutique hotel travel site mrandmrssmith and is taking bookings for weddings on a regular basis now.

Wedding albums - Dumbleton Hall

2011-05-31T10:28:00.000+01:00

Simon & Liz recently collected there beautiful Matted Wedding Album, so before it left me forever I took a few photos to blog. It was a unique wedding in that it snowed 'heavily' and with a black tie wedding theme made for stunning pictures with Dumbleton Hall providing the perfect backdrop
For anyone considering a winter wedding you can see the full blog post and a slideshow here.

A 40 page wedding album....compared to my 30 page sample album is certainly the daddy!

A blanket of snow and 'warm' setting sun...........not your typical British wedding.

Liz also had parent books to accompany her main wedding album.

Wedding Photographer Worcestershire

2011-05-27T09:18:00.000+01:00

Rich and Carries wedding in Worcestershire - that's got a nice ring to it :-)

I'm not sure why, but I don't often find myself in the county of Worcestershire for weddings - am I 'The Gloucestershire Wedding Photographer'? Who knows....maybe there aren't many wedding venues in Worcestershire....ahh yeah, that'll be it, and also the reason behind Rich & Carrie having a Marquee reception in their parents garden!

I have to say, if you are thinking of having a country wedding this one fits the bill perfectly. A beautiful home for the bridal preps, a 5 min walk to the church, (an extra 2 mins if you go via the pub), then stroll back after the wedding ceremony to the marquee reception in the garden - PERFECT.

- Wedding | Richard & Carrie | Church | St Egwins -
If you can't scene set a wedding in just one photo, four will typically cover it.

St Egwings Church, Norton, Worcestershire. This church was in a lovely setting and a fairly decent size inside too - considering Rich and Carrie had around 100 wedding guests.

Carrie and the bridesmaids were ready very early so had plenty of time to relax before the wedding to enjoy a glass of champagne.

This wedding marquee was possibly one of the nicest I've come across. Beautifully decorated, the perfect size, carpeted and finished off with a chandelier.

The wedding details had a lavender theme. This was carried over into Carries bouquet, posies for the church pew ends, the wedding cup cakes and also table settings.

Whilst the girls were drinking champagne at home, the boys were at the local pub for a swift pint before the wedding. Transportation was provided by way of a pimped out wedding Camper Van....as to why they needed this to travel 250 yards I'm not quite sure :-)

Limited photography was allowed on this occasion (booo) but I snapped a couple of discrete shots during the ceremony. I love this one above, not only for the grooms expression, but also the guy looking on in the pew behind.

Click the LINK (on the left hand side) to READ MORE from this wedding.

You can see the lavender in the wedding bouquet here....ohh yeah and a nice photo of the 'back of the dress'!

Gran. I think she was something amazing like 99 years old - now that's a proper 'vintage' wedding photo! How cool are the gloves she's wearing too?

If I had a garden like that (and a fantastic house for that matter) I'd be hosting wedding receptions at home too!

And here we have todays group shot(s).

Had I mentioned the groom looked like Nicholas Cage - well? What d'ya reckon?

Ohh two group shots on my blog today.

The marquee was split into two, with the dance floor screened off during the wedding breakfast. One end had high ceilings and chandeliers, the other black cloth and star effect - lovely, but almost impossible to take photos in!

Marquee wedding Worcestershire

2011-05-25T15:22:00.001+01:00

With several weddings in one week, it's a hectic time for me processing loads of photos and designing wedding albums. So for some light relief before the full blog posts, I've included an 'early bird' image from my weddings over the past few days.
Here's my 'one pick' taken in St. Egwins Church, Norton before they moved on to a Marquee reception in their parents garden.

Sometimes as a photographer you get two shots in one......and that I like! :-)(Bride & Brother / Groom & Mother)

Barnsley House Cotswold Wedding

2011-05-25T10:01:00.001+01:00

With a busy week of weddings (3 in total) I thought it would be nice to show a preview from the wedding at Barnsley House last night. I say last night, it stared at 4:30pm, which I personally think makes for a great time.

Will & Kelly had the most beautiful day for a wedding. Set at Barnsley House it was perfect for their international guests (coming from America and South Africa) to really appreciate what the Cotswolds has to offer in terms of boutique hotels and fine dining.

Check back next week for the full blog post showing their outdoor wedding ceremony.

When did two become four?

2011-05-12T15:28:00.000+01:00

Would anyone care to tell me when Barney suddenly grew up and become as big as Daisy? Is it camera trickery? He's meant to be 2 years younger?
Ahh yeah, I should also add this isn't an exceptional photo (unless they are YOUR kids).
Why, well picture this..... as a parent with two children you usually spend all day repeating the following phrase: "give in back to (insert name as appropriate)" which becomes pretty tiresome. So to see them sat next to each other (kinda cuddling) with no bickering is just DREAM.......and a little bit down to the hypnotic powers of television.

Cotswold Wedding Photographer - Kingscote Barn

2011-05-10T22:00:00.000+01:00

I had a double header of weddings last weekend, both in the Cotswolds at the same venue - Kingscote Barn. This time it was Alastair and Lisa's turn to tie the knot on a beautiful spring day.

Kingscote Barn set amongst rolling Cotswold hills, with spring lambs in the field - how 'country' is that?

Lisa's wedding hair looked fantastic swept to one side with a single flower. It complemented the fact her wedding dress had a single strap on the opposite side - neat.

I wasn't the only photographer at the wedding :-)

Tissues to hand....in a family size box!

I love the fact mum & dad are holding hands as they watch the wedding vows taking place.

Signing of the register can get a little boring for the little bridesmaids - why not have a run around to kill some time.

High Five for getting married.

Quoits and Giant Connect Four were available on the lawn at Kingscote Barn to entertain the wedding guests - both young & 'older'

Did they smell nice I wonder?

How cute is this? The bridesmaid even had her bouquet made 'slightly smaller' than the others.

Wedding bouquets with Gerberas aren't all that common...nice to see for a change. Handy they were left of this Cotswold stone wall for a photo :-). OK, confession time, I put them there....this isn't a 'documentary shot'!

Having worked at Kingscote Barn only two days earlier I was still keen to use the Oilseed rape (whilst it was in flower), but needed a fresh perspective compared to my previous wedding couple photos. Thankfully there was plenty of space to work with (it's a big field) and changing my lens choice mixed it up a bit too.

Smokin'.

Although a beautiful day, it was VERY WINDY. Not the easiest conditions to work with, so you'll have to excuse the stray hair in the above photo......but trust me, this was a calm moment!

Inside Kingscote Barn set for the wedding breakfast. Gerberas also formed part of the table centerpieces and were used along the mezzanine balcony (can you spot 'em?).

Cup cake wedding cakes....an ever popular choice for wedding couples lately. The top one looks the biggest, I'd go for that :-)

Ohh look, it's Gerbera decorations on the cup cakes too - how cool is that!? Lisa also had jars of Jelly Beans as table favours - colour coordinated of course with the pink & burgundy.

A departure from the norm with table seating plans too for this wedding. Alastair and Lisa sat at Table 3.....I know, crazy huh!?

Lightning strike Cheltenham

2011-05-07T00:13:00.000+01:00

Humid temperatures have produced some mean weather tonight and for the first time ever I attempted to take a photo of lightening striking.
Shot from my bedroom this was the only shot, (out of 70) which was timed correctly to capture a flash. I now know what I need for next time: 1) my tripod ready to hand, rather than faffing around getting it out the car then having to find the adaptor somewhere else in a bag in the cupboard2) a memory card actually in my camera ready3) a battery that wasn't just about to go flat4) a clean lens and 5) a ND filter (that's a really boring thing the average reader of my blog really doesn't need to know!)
So, I'm off to Silicon Valley now, where I believe all the tornado chasers hang out, to get some cool shots of stormy weather :-)

Kingscote Barn spring wedding photos

2011-05-03T15:48:00.001+01:00

With all the hype of the Royal wedding will we now see an upsurge in couples getting married? Who knows..... but my weekend around the 29th April was certainly a busy one, although sadly I wasn't nominated to be the Royal wedding photographer!
I was however shooting at Kingscote Barn for the lovely couple Dave & Jessica......and let's be honest, the better weather was on the Thursday and Sat.....not friday!

The driveway down to Kingscote Barn was lined with this gorgeous bright yellow oilseed rape.....it can only mean one thing - spring has arrived.

Kingscote Barn nestled at the end of it's long drive set amongst rolling Cotswold countryside and traditional Cotswold stone walling.

Green bridesmaid dresses appear to have been something of a wedding trend lately. They look really great in spring and this outfit with matching shoes was trick!

Why do I like this photo? Well......anything in 3's always balances nicely (a rule of thirds!) so that's one tick box. Mum has a fab expression - two tick boxes. The white gloves - they always make me smiile!!!! But, (most importantly) the green bridesmaid dress is back in action, this time alongside the mother of the brides baby blue outfit. Why is this so important.......? Well, for those of you with an eye for colour (or the design types out there) blue and green sit next to each other on the colour wheel, meaning they just work together! Simple huh.......or did they plan it, I wonder?

One-Two-Three (you get the idea about how to take photos now right?). It's a back of the dress shot, but also has the bridesmaid and mum all in on the action. However, as a professional photographer I'm never happy with just one shot, so you can see below I moved on in my composition and included the pretty heart in my next frame..........alongside the brides expression in the mirror too! Is it wrong to give myself a pat on the back?? :-)

Only on your wedding day would you allow someone to look up your skirt!

Kingscote Barn bathed in sunlight. It's blue and green again - I'm noticing a theme for this wedding.

This was a sweet little wedding detail. The whole thing said 'LOVE' (but you guessed that right). Not sure where it was from, I've not seen one before - anyone know and care to inform me? Always handy for brides looking for something similar :-)

The three amigos. This isn't a posed shot (despite it's possible appearance). It was taken as the groom and his two best men were awaiting the brides arrival....and I'm guessing they were looking up at the string quartet playing in Kingscote Barns Balcony. (Looks kinda boy band though huh?)

Ohh look, my blue and green outfits have teamed up again. Someone sensibly had some tissues to hand too for the wedding ceremony.

This isn't your 'normal' shot of someone doing a reading, but I kinda like it. Yeah we have the typical shot also, but this is always a nice moment just after they've finished the reading and walk back to their seat. Maybe it's a sigh of relief but this guy has a pleasing smile on his face.

"Ummm the ring......have you remembered the rings?" Yep, check!

Wedding rings on, now for the kissy bit.......

....or the cuddly bit....

....or the smiling at your wedding guests bit.....

.....or even the tender moment (I think that's my favourite from the four).

Now to pretend to sign the wedding register.

OK. This photo. Why is it one of my favs? Well? I'l often take shots of guests taking photos of the wedding couple.....after all that happens A LOT on a wedding day. But this set up is fantastic. Out of the 9 subjects 8 are in dark clothes (and mostly men). One isn't! Out of all these people who should be pointing their camera in a completely obscure direction - which to me is what makes this photo so much more interesting? What is she taking a photo of????

Priceless....what a great way to greet the wedding couple.

Inside Kingscote Barn laid out ready for the wedding breakfast. I loved the buckets of tulips on each table.....but they are my favourite flower (can I say that as a man?)

Green is back. These nicely tied name tags looked really sleek on the wedding table.....as did the printed table plan, framed and mounted on a easel. Who did these for you Jess, it'd certainly be someone I'd recommend?

The wedding cake.....or cake(s) in this instance.

I'm often asked 'when I take the couple portraits' during a wedding day. Well, let me answer that one. Whenever the time is right.....which basically depends on weather, light, and a multitude of other things which I consider on the day itself. BUT.........more often than not, there is often chance to steal 5 mins with the couple as guests go in to sit for dinner (eh voila.....the point when these two photos were taken!)

A lovely expression as Jess looks on during her dads speech.

Guests form an important part of the wedding day so I like to include plenty of informal shots of them too.

Cue cards.......now did he ad lib a little too?

Two best men - the other wedding trend I'm seeing more and more of lately.

May Bank holiday weekend

2011-05-02T22:26:00.000+01:00

Is there anything more fun than water pistol fights on a hot day.

Swimming goggles - perfect eyewear to keep out a direct shot to the eye!

Freddie: the only cat you'll meet to actively seek out water, rather than avoid it. I think that's a foul shot too Daisy, in the back when Barney was unarmed and sorting out a wardrobe malfunction is just not fair!

Kingscote Barn wedding venue

2011-05-01T20:44:00.000+01:00

Blue sky, bright yellow oilseed rape, 'The Tree' and Kingscote Barn as a wedding venue - zingaling!

Watch this space for full details coming soon........