Blog Archives

Ask a wedding photographer: How can I include my dog in my wedding day?

I’ve been a wedding photographer in Cheshire and North Wales for about 20 years now, and in that time I’ve become something of an expert not just on wedding photography, but on weddings in general! I find that couples often end up asking me for advice, on everything from wedding photography, to general wedding trends, and hints and tips!

I’ve often tried to offer advice in this blog; for example, you can find out here about wedding makeup that photographs perfectly, wedding photography trends for 2024, or how to create a dream wedding day on a budget.


I’ve now decided to start a series of blogs called “Ask a wedding photographer…”, which aim to answer some of the questions I get asked most frequently. A lot of them relate to wedding photography, but some are just about weddings in general. Hopefully you find it helpful 🙂 And remember, I’m always happy to chat if you have any questions about your big day.


So… how can you include your dog in your wedding day?


Recently I wrote about wedding photography trends in 2024, and how I’ve noticed that more and more couples are now keen to include their furry friend in their wedding. As a wedding photographer, I have seen a huge rise in dogs at weddings over recent years and I have to say that when done well, they add so much joy and make for some great photo opportunities too! So what should you consider if you’re hoping to include your dog in your wedding day?

Choose a dog friendly wedding venue

This may sound obvious, but not all wedding venues are dog friendly, and I mean this is in more than one way. First of all, you need to check if your preferred venue actually allows dogs. Secondly, once you have confirmation of this, you should check that the venue is actually suitable for you and your dog’s needs- for example, if you have a large dog then make sure that the rooms are big enough and there aren’t numerous antiques at tail-wagging height!

Introduce your dog to the venue before your wedding day

Once you have chosen your perfect dog friendly wedding venue it is important to make sure that your dog is familiar with the venue ahead of the big day. Try to take your dog to visit at least once ahead of the wedding to ensure that they are comfortable and calm in the environment. 

Arrange a quiet space for them

Sometimes, dogs need time out from busy, bustling situations, especially if it’s something a bit out of the ordinary. Wedding days can be hectic, with lots going on and lots of different people. As much as most dogs love the excitement, they also need space to relax and take a nap. Speak to your venue ahead of your wedding and ask them if they can arrange a quiet space to accommodate this. You can even arrange to bring your dog’s familiar bed and toys on the day to help them settle.

Enlist help

As much as you may want to care for your dog yourself as you usually would, it is just not possible on your wedding day. It is important that you arrange for other people to look after your dog’s needs, from bringing them to the venue and getting them ready (see next point!), to feeding and walking them throughout the day. You may want to choose a select few family members or friends who your dog is already familiar with to do this, or you could even hire a professional dog chaperone service.

Dress them for the occasion

Whether you are including your dog in the wedding ceremony or as a special guest, you may want to consider dressing them up, providing that this won’t cause them any distress or discomfort of course. How far you go with this is your call: from floral leads through to bow ties, there is an array of options for canine occasion dressing!

Give them a role in the wedding

I have captured some fantastic wedding photography where dogs have played a role in the wedding: these shots never fail to make people smile and they are so eye-catching. Some brides like to have their dog as part of their bridal party and have them walking down the aisle. Some brides and grooms include their dog in a special little photoshoot with just the couple.

If you would like to include your pet in your wedding feel free to contact me for advice on how this can work really well when it comes to your wedding photos. I’m a wedding photographer in Cheshire, Chester and North Wales, and I’m happy to give tips on which wedding venues are dog friendly. I’d love to help with your plans; please get in touch today. 

Ask a wedding photographer: Which Group Shots Do I Need?

I’ve been a wedding photographer in Cheshire and North Wales for about 20 years now, and in that time I’ve become something of an expert not just on wedding photography, but on weddings in general! I find that couples often end up asking me for advice, on everything from wedding photography, to general wedding trends, and hints and tips!

I’ve often tried to offer advice in this blog; for example, you can find out here about wedding makeup that photographs perfectly, wedding photography trends for 2024, or how to create a dream wedding day on a budget.

I’ve now decided to start a series of blogs called “Ask a wedding photographer…”, which aim to answer some of the questions I get asked most frequently. A lot of them relate to wedding photography, but some are just about weddings in general. Hopefully you find it helpful 🙂 And remember, I’m always happy to chat if you have any questions about your big day.

 

So… which group shots do you need on your wedding day?

As a wedding photographer, one of the most rewarding aspects of my job is capturing the beautiful moments that unfold on a couple’s special day. I would describe my wedding photography style as a mixture of ‘documentary style’ wedding photography and creative wedding photography. ‘Documentary style wedding photography’ means that I capture the genuine events and emotions of your wedding day as they play out. However, I am always very happy to help create group shots and posed photos too. The couples who hire me for their weddings tend to like a mixture of relaxed, natural photos, plus some posed shots where I work with the couple to create beautiful photographs for them to treasure. This really suits my style as I love to spend time with the couples I work with and create unique posed photographs just as much as I like to capture documentary-style photographs. I recently won Creative Wedding Photographer of the Year The Welsh Wedding Awards 2022 thanks to some of the unique posed shots I’ve created of brides and grooms and their wedding guests, including some gorgeous group shots.

While candid shots and intimate portraits hold immense value, group shots play a crucial role in documenting the entire wedding party. So, which are the essential group shots that should find a place in every wedding album?


The Bridal Party and Groomsmen

Gather the entire bridal party and groomsmen for a group shot that showcases the full ensemble. This shot captures the collective energy and excitement, setting the tone for the celebration.

It’s also nice to get shots of the bridal party and the groomsmen separately. Some of my favourite shots are of the bride and her bridesmaids getting ready before the ceremony. I also enjoy spending time with the groom and his groomsmen before the big event too: it’s great to see the couple with their best friends in those exciting moments before the wedding begins. 

These people are usually the couple’s closest confidants – those friends who have been there through thick and thin, so these group shots always radiate support and love.


Immediate Families of the Couple

It’s nice to dedicate time to photographing the immediate families of the couple. This includes parents, siblings, and grandparents. These shots are not only cherished by the couple but become treasures for generations to come.

Generations in One Frame: Extended Family

Extend the family focus to include a shot with the extended family. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins all in one shot can make a lovely visual family history.

 

Friends and schoolmates 

It’s nice to capture the camaraderie and laughter by photographing the couple with their friends and schoolmates. These shots often embody the shared history and adventures that have shaped the couple’s journey.


Flower girls and page boys

Don’t forget the little ones!Gathering the flower girls and page boys together can make an adorable group shot.

Colleagues and Work Friends

If you have good friendships at work, consider including a photograph with your colleagues and work friends. It’s a great way to commemorate the different facets of your lives.

 

 

Entire Wedding Party

For a grand finale, gather all the wedding guests for a large group shot. It’s the perfect way to encapsulate the joy and collective celebration of the day, and you can get creative with different angles, poses, or even drone photography!

 

Abbeywood Estate wedding photography Cheshire

Great group shots portray the love, connections, and shared experiences that make each wedding unique. They allow you to look back on your day and have fond memories of the people who were there with you. As a wedding photographer, understanding the significance of these group shots ensures that you not only document the couple’s day, but also tell the complete story of their relationship surrounded by the people who matter most.

If you’d like to discuss your wedding plans, I would love to chat. I’m a wedding photographer in Cheshire, Chester and North Wales, but I work further afield as well. Drop me a line for more information. 

 

A day of love, Autumn colours, and custard slices!

October was an insanely busy month for me. Weddings, pre wedding shoots, family shoots… and in a blink of an eye it came and went. One of the highlights of this super-busy month was Tesni and Gwydion’s beautiful wedding at the incredible Iscoyd Park, one of my favourite venues near North Wales and Chester. What a fabulous day it was: full of love, laughter, and some stunning Autumn colours. I can’t wait to share a sneak peek of the images with you…

Tesni and Gwydion’s wedding at Iscoyd Park, Cheshire

Iscoyd Park is a private country house wedding venue on the borders of North Wales, Shropshire and Cheshire. I’m a wedding photographer in North Wales and Chester so Iscoyd is ideally located for me. It’s also an absolute dream wedding venue: it’s the perfect combination of historic elegance and contemporary style.

The day began at the picturesque Iscoyd Cottage, where Tesni and her bridal party were getting ready. I joined the girls for bridal prep, where Kimberley from Bridal Hair Design and Make Up was working her magic, alongside Holl’s Dolls Make Up. Tesni’s gorgeous dress was from WED2B, and I took the opportunity to capture some lovely images of the dress in the beautiful surroundings of the bridal suite.

 


I was then privileged to capture the first photos of Tesni in her dress- doesn’t she look fabulous? It was clear that Tesni’s friends and family clearly thought she looked fabulous too: I always love capturing the photos of when the bride’s dad sees his daughter in her dress for the first time.


I then joined Gywdion and his groomsmen in suits by Peter Posh. They were waiting for the ceremony to begin (and enjoying a quick beer or two!)


Wedding Photography at Iscoyd Park

Iscoyd Park really does have the feel of a family home. Iscoyd prides itself on not being too stuffy or formal but relaxed and welcoming: a classical Georgian house with a modern attitude. The interior spaces really show off the Georgian splendour – I loved capturing the shots of Tesni walking down the grand oak staircase.


The Garden Room where the ceremony took place is also equally elegant. It’s also a really lovely light, bright room, which is ideal for me as a wedding photographer!







After the ceremony, I joined the guests outside for some group shots. Like so many wedding venues in the Chester and North Wales area, Iscoyd Park benefits from stunning grounds: manicured lawns and wild flower beds all with a backdrop of an exquisite Georgian manor house- a wedding photographer’s dream!

Then the fun began with a tower of champagne flutes: the corks popped to celebrate this lovely couple officially becoming Mr and Mrs!

 

It was then time to take a stroll in the stunning Autumn sunshine to capture some photography of Tesni and Gwydion together for the first time as a married couple. Iscoyd Park really leant itself perfectly to the Autumn light, and I love the photos from this part of the day: the colours really shine.






Laughter, tears, and custard slices

The wedding breakfast was in Iscoyd’s marquee, which was beautifully dressed with trees and flowers by Gallery Flowers.


The speeches were full of emotion, with laughter and tears in equal measure! You might also spot some photos of guests eating custard slices. This is because Tesni’s Nain worked at Gerrards bakery, so in her memory all the guests had a custard slice after the wedding breakfast. Tesni messaged me afterwards about these photos: “We just wanted to include my Nain in our day and remember her in a happy way! We love these ones, because Dylan and Stifyn loved my Nain, and they also embraced this and totally indulged. It’s great that you captured this fun moment!”








As nighttime fell, I managed to grab a little more time with the bride and groom to capture some romantic shots in the evening light.



Then it was time to enjoy the evening reception, with entertainment by The Function Hub. As you can tell from the photos, it’s clear that everyone had a brilliant time!







Wedding Photography in Chester and North Wales

I’m so pleased that I got to shoot Tesni and Gwydion’s special day at Iscoyd Park. It’s always a privilege to be asked to be someone’s wedding photographer, and it was also such a treat to shoot at Iscoyd- it’s got to be one of my favourite venues in the Chester/North Wales region. If you’re getting married in the Chester, North Wales, or Cheshire area (or further afield) and are looking for a wedding photographer, I would be delighted to chat. Please get in touch today to discuss your plans.