I have been working on processing weddings and DVD slideshows, as well as album design and assembly and neglected the reprint side a bit.

So tomorrow after a brief trip to the post office to post the DVDs I’ll devote the entire day to reprints. Every single customer order, including the orders placed today, will be prepared and uploaded to the lab. The canvas files will be burnt on CDs and posted to my supplier. I have also allocated an entire day next week for sorting the photos and postage and packaging process. Believe me, it does take this long!

Glenda, mum of David Gouveia, sent us this note together with her order:

“A marvelous record of a wonderful day. A day that will be remebered by all who took part for the love that radiated around us. This has been captured by the photographic recod, thank you so much.”

And this is a note from Sally, David’s new wife:

“Hi you wonderful, clever very talented lady!

We are absolutly blown away by the photo’s they are everything we wished for and more! you captured the very essence of the day in a very special way and for that we thank you from the bottom of our hearts! .. I’ve been very unproductive at work today! as I keep going back and having another look at the photographs!!”

And a note from Sarah and Peter:

“Hi Galina and John of course!

We have just got home from work and have sat down together to look at the proofs. We are thrilled! As the weather had not been the best we were slightly worried about what you would have been able to achieve. Well, we need not have worried in the slightest… A thousand than yous - we know we are going to have a set of photos to cherish always.

With our love and best wishes

Sarah and Peter Spears!”

Thank you for your kind words, guys!!!!

Next day after Melissa and Stuart’s wedding when it was raining cats and dogs almost non-stop it was Sarah and Peter’s turn to tie the knot. And it was still raining quite heavily on and off! Not that it dampened any spirits!

When I arrived to photograph Sarah getting ready, games and laughter were in full swing.

The dress and the shoes:

Applying make-up:

Sarah and her sister Lucy:

Getting dressed:

The parish church at Hainford (yes, it’s raining, not that you can see it!):

Peter:

The ceremony was quite emotional. Lots of people cried…

The rings on Sarah’s hand:

After the ceremony:

The wedding breakfast was laid out in a marque at Sarah’s parents’ place. The decorations were simple but very stylish!

Sarah and Peter did a recce for the best locations for their private photos a couple of days before. Unfortunately, it kept raining, so after a brief discussing we headed for the Hainford village hall where I was told there was some protected area for photography.

Lucy’s boyfriend volunteered to give them a lift. He seemed to think the couple needed some encouragement in the kissing department:

No, they didn’t!

It was so easy (and tempting) to scrap the bride and groom segment completely, but I was glad that we did it as the location colours had a simple and classic feel to them and they gelled with the spirit of the wedding.

Peter checking his speech:

This is about the speech, honest!

After we got back, the happy couple mingled with their guests a bit before proceeding to the marquee:

A toast with their caterer:

In this instalment of my blog: rainy wedding Hainford Norfolk, marquee, flower decorations, Hainford village hall.

I had an afternoon wedding today. Usually i am quite fidgety in the morning and find it very difficult to concentrate on anything else.  Stage freight, I guess. There is not enough time anyway to start anything new. So I found myself spending a couple of hours editing some photos from the end of June PFT (prints for time) session with Lydia. It was part location portrait part model portfolio part me playing with off-camera flash assignment.

With all the weddings waiting to be processed this session was put aside for a while. I am happy that I finally completed this project!

Our original idea for this shoot was to do it in a poppy field. Michael Flinn gave me directions to a field somewhere off A146. We drove backwards and forwards along the stretch of the country road where the alleged poppy field was supposed to be but couldn’t find it. We settled on just any old field in the vicinity then.

In this issue of my blog: location portraits, modelling session, PTF (prints for time).

I seem to have accummulated a bag of thank you cards and emails from my clients. It is always nice to receive something like this - it makes me feel that what I do is important and worthwhile. Unfortunately the website only allows 7 entries. I had a think and added another category to this blog.

I’ll start with a lovely hand-made card that arrived several days ago from Kirsty and Clive who are in the process of selecting their album favourites:

“To Galina and John

Thank you both for attending our wedding on 5 August. You were good fun to have around and our photos are great.

We look forward to manufacturing our album - which is going to be hard. Anyway - thanks again to you both - speak soon …

Mr + Mrs Denton”

I had a pleasure recently to photograph Steve Tibbs from Persona Fit, a small family-owned gym in Kings Lynn. The gym is centrally located, with free parking available. It’s very women-friendly, not a body-builder in sight. Steve is a qualified fitness instructor and personal trainer. Alongside fitness classes and all sorts, the gym staff specializes in helping women lose a size or two in time for their wedding. Their website is www.personafit.co.uk.

Melissa and Stuart got married in Eaton Church and then the wedding party moved to Park Hill Hotel for celebrations.

Now, in my books Melissa was the most ready bride ever. Before I even arrived, the make-up was applied, the hair was done, even the shoes were on!

It left the matter of Melissa’s pet hamster who was on the special requests list. Luckily he wasn’t ready, in fact he was deep asleep when we woke him up for an imprompu photoshoot.

Melissa gave a little fellow a brush:

Puzzled hamster (very friendly):

Melissa’s dress was the one every little girl dreams about:

Detail:

The choker:

The engagement ring:

Getting dressed:

The church was decorated by sunflowers:

Stuart with early arrivals:

The best man  finally realises that there is no point to keep dodging the camera - resistance is futile!

Bridesmaids’ bouquet’s:

… and the involuntary reaction upon seeing Melissa getting out of the car:

After the ceremony:

Guests amusing themselves:

Groom and best man modelling their cufflinks:

The car:

Through pothole:

At the Park Farm Hotel:

Receiving line:

I loved this cake topping:

Stuart was presented with the knife on behalf of the hotel:

It was raining very heavily nearly all day, so after the meal we had to scout the hotel itself for locations:

At the bar:

In this instalment of my blog: wedding Eaton Church, Park Farm Hotel Hethersett Norolk, sunflowers, cake topping, bar.

Nearly finished editing Rachel and Fred’s wedding photos. They got married in Tissington Hall, Derbeyshire. I haven’t shot there before so it was an interesting experience, despite a protracted drive both ways. The hall was built and then owned by the family for over 500 years.

Getting ready in the Izaak-Walton Hotel (note the broad stripy pattern on the wallpaper - it’s unusual to see it in Norfolk but apparently it’s quite common in Midlands):

The bridal party arrives to Tissington Hall:

Dad checking the watch:

Rachel and Fred had a harpist playing during the ceremony and later during the drinks reception:

Afternoon in the sun:

These little boys were hilarious. Here they are looking for gold fish in the pond:

Bubbles:

Trailing the grown ups:

A very brief walk in the woods:

After the drinks the wedding party moved on to the Bluebell Inn. A magician was hired to entertain  the kids (and adults):

In this instalment of the blog: wedding at Tissington Hall Derbyshire, magician, harpist.

The innate creativity and spirit of my clients never cease to amaze me, and Kirsty and Clive are a very good example!

Kirsty is the first bride who wore her Welly boots for our bridal session! To imagine that some of my brides from years ago when I just started my business wouldn’t even walk on a damp grass lawn for their wedding photos with me in fear of damaging their shoes. Things have definitely moved on since then!

Bridal details - the dress:

Kirsty is a musician and her Ipod Nano was docked when I arrived. Hence, the shoes and Ipod combo (hey, don’t knock it - it sort of works!)

I noticed a round mirror on the floor during the make-up session. The shoes:

From a different angle:

Nothing beats alcohol for calming the nerves:

Bridemaids at work:

The engagement rings. The pink plastic one was the first and the real one!

Nearly ready:

A short drive to the church and what a sight!

As guests started arriving en masse, Clive, his best man and I went behind the church for privacy. I spotted the “Danger - Keep Out” sign and persuaded Clive that it was absolutely the best place for any groom pictures (it was easy, really):

Kisrty arrives to the church:

After the ceremony:

Back to the car on the way to our bride and groom shoot:

Kirsty’s mum saying goodbyes:

Kirsty and Clive went looking for good locations a couple of days before and come up with this field on the way to Hunters Hall!

If you don’t believe that Kirsty indeed kept her Welly boots at the back of the vintage car and changed into them for their bridal shoot, here’s the proof:

And changing back:

I enjoyed our time together and their boundless appetite for life and all things fun very much!

Back to Hunters Hall. The cake:

Clive and Kirsty entering the breakfast room:

Their guests greeting them:

Kirsty listening to the best man’s speech:

Clive urges him to keep things secret - some facts of the past must be best forgotten, surely!

In this instalment of my studio blog: wedding at Hunters Hall Swanton Morley Norfolk, a lifestyle photo session in the fields, Wellington boots.

And back to Caistor Hall for the third time in two weeks for Trevor and Michaela’s wedding!

Little flower girl checking the ceremony room:

The buttonholes arrived:

We did not meet for a pre-wedding consultation (had it over the phone) and the wedding coverage started with the couple’s guests arriving rather than bridal preparations so I formed this idea of a minimal streamlined wedding (don’t ask me why!) I shot the groom and his best man with this in mind.

Imagine my surprise when Michaela arrived in a most unusual medieval-looking dress made by her mum! Never mind…

The ceremony was quite emotional and absolutely lovely.

Relaxing after the ceremony:

The shot from above:

The newly-weds were showered with confetti:

and for good measure with bubbles as well:

Then in view of the style of Michaels’s dress I took a 360-degree turn and took Michaela and Trevor to the library with its warm traditional ambience.

the bride had the most unusual dainty golden slippers on:

Receiving line:

Trevor fixing Michaela’s dress just before entering the marquee:

Speeches were fun:

and emotional:

Everyone drank to the couple:

And doesn’t the groom look best with flowers?!

In this instalment of Galina Walls Photography blog: wedding at Caistor Hall Norwich Norfolk, medieval dress.