November - The 'in between' month

It's not autumn really and we've got 24 days to go until Christmas.  This means we've finally got through the month of November.....phew!  
Entertaining kids at this time of year isn't quite as simple as sending them out into the garden to run off some steam, and when Barney got sent home from Nursery for looking "under the weather" my ideas of getting on with some work soon went out the window.




Pipe cleaners were a big hit with Daisy and although we made Barney a cool pair of glasses too, he'd had enough by the time I grabbed my camera and thrown them down in a strop!





If you've not got pipe cleaners then this set-up is usually at hand in most homes (two chairs and a broom)....aka Limbo!  It helps if you're only 3ft tall, although it may make a great after dinner game next time we have a dinner party!




Finally, if all else fails revert to television viewing from the beanbag & sofa!  Note: I'm sure Barney doesn't look all that "under the weather" now?

Matara Winter Wedding Photos - Gloucestershire

Alistair and Bryonie - Matara winter wedding - November 20th 2010

A few days prior to this super cold snap of weather, (when it was a toastie 5 or 6 degrees, not -4 like now) I was at Matara for a winter wedding..........with an outdoor ceremony - yikes!

It was a shorter wedding than some (as I didn't cover bridal preps) although had some of Matara's 'quirkier' trademarks, with tree planting, ribbon tying and walking around in circles for good luck!?!

Alistair and Bryonie also have a little baby (Noah - 4 months old), who I'm sure enjoyed the ceremony from the comfort of his warm buggy and getting right in on the action during speeches too.

Although 'technically' I didn't cover bridal preps, I did pop my head round the corner to say hi as I hadn't met Bryonie prior to the wedding day.  A couple of frames had to be taken therefore, especially with Bryonies sister providing some fine facial expressions!






Ready and waiting....the setting for an outdoor ceremony at Matara.










Arrival of the bride into the ornamental gardens.


Gloucestershire registrars allowed some photography, but only from a far.  This did limit my options on viewpoints somewhat with the large pond in the way!












Hey up.....here's Noah, joining in the drinks reception.










After a few swift drinks, it was wellies on and off outside for tree planting, ribbon tying and walking round a ring of stones.






I don't think I've ever seen so many wedding guests in wellies.


A few stragglers to the tree planting party.....clearly distracted by the open bar.













Inside at Matara they have a new addition (since my last visit anyhow) - a curtain of sparkly lights.






Milk for Noah, Champagne for the grown ups.






A quick lesson in sex education from the best men.....if not a little too late.

Cotswold wedding photographer - Bibury Court

Andy & Clare - Bibury Court

St Petersburg, Russia.....isn't the typical geographic location of my clients, yet somehow Andy & Clare managed to find themselves back in the Cotswolds for their November wedding at Bibury Court.  Although they live a fair distance away, I still managed to bump into Andy twice over the summer at the Cheltenham Lido - go figure?

This wedding had some lovely detail touches (presumably Clare's doing?), and fine weather for a November date.  Logistics couldn't have been easier either.  Bridal preps at the hotel, then a one minute walk through the garden to St Mary's Church, then back to Bibury Court for the drinks reception and wedding breakfast.  Total travel time - 2 mins!

Great colour and style for the bridesmaid dresses.


Wedding shoes with a little look of vintage about them......and for those needing to know, bought from Dune.




Below may need some explanation.  Watching guests arrive out the window when in your wedding dress means you have to be discrete not to be seen.  (unlike earlier when you are fine just standing at the window gazing out in a veil!)




* work it *








These two are officially the slowest wedding couple to ever exit a church.  I literally thought they were going to stop and hold the wedding reception right there in the isle.






An aerial view of St Mary's Church, Bibury.  "Wow Matt" I hear you ask, "how did you get up so high.....do you bring a ladder to weddings?"  Nope, I climbed on the wall.....and let me tell you, it was a very high wall at that!





My assistant photographer this week had some nifty features on her camera.  I felt a little inadequate with only a couple of Canon 5D2's, which don't support 'heart framing'.......




.......I went for 'natural' framing instead.





The last touches of autumn made for some beautiful colour in the couple portraits.




The main entrance to Bibury Court makes a great shot for a photo.


What cool wedding details.  Clare (unless Andy did it!?) had made these vintage looking shots of friends and relatives who attended the wedding, plus a few who didn't.  (They were the genuinely vintage wedding photos - I believe).



A fresh new idea for a table seating plan.  It's the first time I've come across a suitcase full of name settings.....neat huh?




Andy and Clare had a few props at hand for an impromptu photo booth.




Inside Bibury Court was set beautifully for the wedding breakfast.....loving candle arbors on tables for a cosy winter feel.












Not many grooms still have the shirt they we wearing the first night they met their wife - Andy does......and it has a story behind it too.


That ribbon off your place setting comes in right handy?  Note: only girls can pull this look off though.  To see a mans take on this, check out the post earlier in the year from Kingscote Barn.


A few visual aids never go a miss to humiliate a groom.





The prop box certainly got a work out by these guests.